Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play The Sweetest Taboo on piano
By Sade
- Db major
- 4/4
- 88 BPM
- 1985
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Sweetest Taboo in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bbm – Fm – Gb – Fm
How it goes
The Sweetest Taboo sits in Db major: Db is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bbm is Bb, Db and F; Fm is F, Ab and C; Gb is Gb, Bb and Db. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbmviFmiiiGbIVFmiii- BbmBb · Db · F
- FmF · Ab · C
- GbGb · Bb · Db
- 2
Left hand: Lazy footsteps
How it goes
One long low note, then two calm steps to finish the bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
How it goes
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 88 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: Gb – Ab – Db
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GbAbDb- AbAb · C · Eb
- DbDb · F · Ab
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Questions about The Sweetest Taboo
What chords are in The Sweetest Taboo?
The loop is Bbm – Fm – Gb – Fm (vi – iii – IV – iii) in Db major, and the song ends on Gb – Ab – Db.
What key is The Sweetest Taboo in?
Db major, at about 88 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Sweetest Taboo?
Lazy footsteps: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Sweetest Taboo 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.