Treat Me Right Piano Chords & Patterns

Learn Treat Me Right in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: Dm – Bb – Dm – Bb
How it goes
Treat Me Right sits in D minor: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; Bb is Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmiBbVIDmiBbVI
- DmD · F · A
- BbBb · D · F
54 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Slow-dance heartbeat
How it goes
Four slow, deep beats under a swaying fifties ballad. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 134 songs of the library.
Slow-dance heartbeatRoot bass rhythm · 50s doo-wopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Slow-dance chords
How it goes
Four slow chords per bar under a swaying fifties ballad. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Slow-dance chordsSyncopated chords · 50s doo-wopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 160 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: Bb – C – Dm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCDm
- CC · E · G

What chords are in Treat Me Right?

The loop is Dm – Bb – Dm – Bb (i – bVI – i – bVI) in D minor, and the song ends on Bb – C – Dm.

What key is Treat Me Right in?

D minor, at about 160 beats a minute in 12/8.

What does the left hand play in Treat Me Right?

Slow-dance heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 (12/8), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Treat Me Right 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.