Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play That Time Of Year on piano
Written by Elyssa Samsel & Kate Anderson
- Bb major
- 2/2
- 132 BPM
- 2017
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn That Time Of Year in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – Csus4 – Bb – Eb
How it goes
That Time Of Year sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Csus4 is C, F and G; Eb is Eb, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbICsus4IIsus4BbIEbIV- BbBb · D · F
- Csus4C · F · G
- EbEb · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Gentle rocking
How it goes
Root, fifth, octave, fifth: the gentle rocking under countless pop ballads. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 696 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch bells
How it goes
A high bell note, a chord, a skipped beat, and one more chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 132 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: Eb – F – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- FF · A · C
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Questions about That Time Of Year
What chords are in That Time Of Year?
The loop is Bb – Csus4 – Bb – Eb (I – IIsus – I – IV) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is That Time Of Year in?
Bb major, at about 132 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in That Time Of Year?
Gentle rocking: broken chord 1-5-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is That Time Of Year 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.