Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Things Ain't What They Used To Be on piano
- C major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- 1942
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Things Ain't What They Used To Be in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – Dm – G7 – C7
How it goes
Things Ain't What They Used To Be sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Dm is D, F and A; G7 is G, B, D and F; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIDmiiG7V7C7I7- CC · E · G
- DmD · F · A
- G7G · B · D · F
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
How it goes
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wobbly chords
How it goes
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 120 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: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
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Questions about Things Ain't What They Used To Be
What chords are in Things Ain't What They Used To Be?
The loop is C – Dm – G7 – C7 (I – ii – V7 – I7) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Things Ain't What They Used To Be in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Things Ain't What They Used To Be?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Things Ain't What They Used To Be 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.