Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
Stand By Me: piano accompaniment sheet music
By John Lennon
- A major
- 4/4
- 90 BPM
- I–vi–IV–V loop
- Easy
Stand By Me written out as piano music: the I – vi – IV – V loop in A major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays double-tap drop (broken chord 8-8-5) and the right hand offbeat skank.
Stand By Me chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in A major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | I | A C# E |
| 2 | F#m | vi | F# A C# |
| 3 | D | IV | D F# A |
| 4 | E | V | E G# B |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: double-tap drop (broken chord 8-8-5) in the left hand and offbeat skank in the right, over the A – F#m – D – E chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
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Questions about Stand By Me
Does the sheet music for Stand By Me have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Stand By Me?
The loop is A – F#m – D – E (I – vi – IV – V) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Stand By Me in?
A major, at about 90 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Stand By Me?
Double-tap drop: broken chord 8-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Stand By Me easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.