Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play They Don’t Know on piano
Written by Justin Timberlake, Savan Kotecha & others
- G major
- 4/4
- 98 BPM
- I–IV–V–I loop
- 2016
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn They Don’t Know in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – C – D – G
How it goes
They Don’t Know sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; C is C, E and G; D is D, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GICIVDVGI- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Late-hop footsteps
How it goes
Steady low-high steps with one quick extra hop after beat 3. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 659 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Push chords
How it goes
Two quick chords and a push just before beat 3, then space. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 98 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: C – D – G
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG
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Questions about They Don’t Know
What chords are in They Don’t Know?
The loop is G – C – D – G (I – IV – V – I) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is They Don’t Know in?
G major, at about 98 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in They Don’t Know?
Late-hop footsteps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 3& · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is They Don’t Know 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.