Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Tell Me Why on piano
By Neil Young
- G major
- 4/4
- 112 BPM
- 1970
- Easy
Learn Tell Me Why in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – D – Am – G
Tell Me Why sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; D is D, F# and A; Am is A, C and E; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIVDVAmiiGI- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- AmA · C · E
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Ping-pong bounce
High, low, high, low on every beat: a ping-pong bounce. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 302 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 112 BPM
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: Am – C – G
The last chords are ii – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AmCG
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Questions about Tell Me Why
What chords are in Tell Me Why?
The loop is C – D – Am – G (IV – V – ii – I) in G major, and the song ends on Am – C – G.
What key is Tell Me Why in?
G major, at about 112 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Tell Me Why?
Ping-pong bounce: broken chord 8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Tell Me Why 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.