Piano chords · Rock drive
Sweet Caroline: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Neil Diamond
- A major
- 4/4
- 117 BPM
- Easy
Sweet Caroline written out as piano music: the IV – V7 – 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 heartbeat octaves (rocking octaves) and the right hand wait-a-beat chords.
Sweet Caroline 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 | D | IV | D F# A |
| 2 | E7 | V7 | E G# B D |
| 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: heartbeat octaves (rocking octaves) in the left hand and wait-a-beat chords in the right, over the D – E7 – 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.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
Play next
More by Neil Diamond
The same left hand: Heartbeat octaves
Questions about Sweet Caroline
Does the sheet music for Sweet Caroline 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 Sweet Caroline?
The loop is D – E7 – D – E (IV – V7 – IV – V) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is Sweet Caroline in?
A major, at about 117 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Sweet Caroline?
Heartbeat octaves: rocking octaves, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Sweet Caroline 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Sweet Caroline?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 4 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.