Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Talking In Your Sleep on piano
- D major
- 4/4
- 96 BPM
- I–V–vi–I loop
- 1971
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Talking In Your Sleep in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – A – Bm – D
How it goes
Talking In Your Sleep sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; A is A, C# and E; Bm is B, D and F#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIAVBmviDI- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
- BmB · D · F#
- 2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
How it goes
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 96 BPM
How it goes
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
- 5
Ending: G – A – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD- GG · B · D
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Questions about Talking In Your Sleep
What chords are in Talking In Your Sleep?
The loop is D – A – Bm – D (I – V – vi – I) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.
What key is Talking In Your Sleep in?
D major, at about 96 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Talking In Your Sleep?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Talking In Your Sleep 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.