Piano chords · Slow dance ’50s
The Diary: piano accompaniment sheet music
Written by Howard Greenfield & Neil Sedaka
- Bb major
- 12/8
- 99 BPM
- I–vi–ii–V7 loop
- 1987
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
The Diary written out as piano music: the I – vi – ii – V7 loop in Bb major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays slow-dance heartbeat (root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8)), and the right hand sings the tune.
The Diary chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in Bb 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 | Bb | I | Bb D F |
| 2 | Gm | vi | G Bb D |
| 3 | Cm | ii | C Eb G |
| 4 | F7 | V7 | F A C Eb |
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: slow-dance heartbeat (root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8)) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the Bb – Gm – Cm – F7 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 The Diary
Does the sheet music for The Diary 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 The Diary?
The loop is Bb – Gm – Cm – F7 (I – vi – ii – V7) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is The Diary in?
Bb major, at about 99 beats a minute in 12/8.
What does the left hand play in The Diary?
Slow-dance heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Diary 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.