Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play The Way I Am on piano
- Db major
- 4/4
- 114 BPM
- 2006
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn The Way I Am in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Gb – G – Am – Bbm – F – Gb – G – Am – Bbm – Am
How it goes
The Way I Am sits in Db major: Db is home, where the song ends. It goes round 11 chords: F is F, A and C; Gb is Gb, Bb and Db; G is G, B and D; Am is A, C and E; Bbm is Bb, Db and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIIIGbIVG#IVAmbviBbmviFIIIGbIVG#IVAmbviBbmviAmbvi- FF · A · C
- GbGb · Bb · Db
- GG · B · D
- AmA · C · E
- BbmBb · Db · F
- 2
Left hand: Lingering footsteps
How it goes
Two steps, then one late note after beat 3 that hangs in the air. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 133 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pop stabs
How it goes
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 114 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
Play next
Questions about The Way I Am
What chords are in The Way I Am?
The loop is F – Gb – G – Am – Bbm – F – Gb – G – Am – Bbm – Am (III – IV – #IV – bvi – vi – III – IV – #IV – bvi – vi – bvi) in Db major, and the song ends on Gb – Ab – Db.
What key is The Way I Am in?
Db major, at about 114 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Way I Am?
Lingering footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Way I Am easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 11 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of The Way I Am?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 4 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.