Piano chords · Waltz garden

How to play This Nearly Was Mine on piano

By Oscar Hammerstein II

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn This Nearly Was Mine in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Ab – Abm – Eb – Adim
How it goes
This Nearly Was Mine sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Abm is Ab, Cb and Eb; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Adim is A, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AbIVAbmivEbIAdim#iv°
- AbAb · C · Eb
- AbmAb · Cb · Eb
- EbEb · G · Bb
- AdimA · C · Eb
2
Left hand: Oom-pah-pah
How it goes
One strong beat and two light ones: a dance in three. Musicians call it waltz oom-pah-pah (waltz), an easy pattern heard in 526 songs of the library.
Oom-pah-pahWaltz · WaltzLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Waltz bells
How it goes
A single high note, then two chords: ding, dong, dong in three. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Waltz bellsBlock chords · WaltzRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 135 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: Eb – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbBb7Eb
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab

What chords are in This Nearly Was Mine?

The loop is Ab – Abm – Eb – Adim (IV – iv – I – #iv°) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Bb7 – Eb.

What key is This Nearly Was Mine in?

Eb major, at about 135 beats a minute in 3/4.

What does the left hand play in This Nearly Was Mine?

Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is This Nearly Was Mine 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.

Can I hear the real melody of This Nearly Was Mine?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part 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.