Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play The Night Before on piano
By The Beatles
- D major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- 1965
- Easy
Learn The Night Before in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – C – G – A7
The Night Before sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; C is C, E and G; G is G, B and D; A7 is A, C#, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DICbVIIGIVA7V7- DD · F# · A
- CC · E · G
- GG · B · D
- A7A · C# · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Boom-chick
Bass, chord, bass, chord: the bounce of ragtime and country. Musicians call it boom-chick (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 762 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wobbly chords
Two off-balance chords on the “ands”, then a firm landing on 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: D – G7 – D
The last chords are I – IV7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DG7D- G7G · B · D · F
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Questions about The Night Before
What chords are in The Night Before?
The loop is D – C – G – A7 (I – bVII – IV – V7) in D major, and the song ends on D – G7 – D.
What key is The Night Before in?
D major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in The Night Before?
Boom-chick: boom-chick, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Night Before 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.