Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
Tell Me Why: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Neil Young
- G major
- 4/4
- 112 BPM
- 1970
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Tell Me Why written out as piano music: the IV – V – ii – I loop in G major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays ping-pong bounce (broken chord 8-5) and the right hand offbeat skank.
Tell Me Why chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in G 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 | C | IV | C E G |
| 2 | D | V | D F# A |
| 3 | Am | ii | A C E |
| 4 | G | I | G B D |
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: ping-pong bounce (broken chord 8-5) in the left hand and offbeat skank in the right, over the C – D – Am – G 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 Tell Me Why
Does the sheet music for Tell Me Why 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 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.