Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play We’ve Only Just Begun on piano
By Carpenters
- A major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- 1970
- Easy
Learn We’ve Only Just Begun in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – Dmaj7 – A – Dmaj7
We’ve Only Just Begun sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; Dmaj7 is D, F#, A and C#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIDmaj7IVmaj7AIDmaj7IVmaj7- AA · C# · E
- Dmaj7D · F# · A · C#
- 2
Left hand: Island pulse
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
Soft chords on beats 1, 3 and 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 BPM
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: D – E – A
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA- DD · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
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Questions about We’ve Only Just Begun
What chords are in We’ve Only Just Begun?
The loop is A – Dmaj7 – A – Dmaj7 (I – IVmaj7 – I – IVmaj7) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is We’ve Only Just Begun in?
A major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in We’ve Only Just Begun?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is We’ve Only Just Begun 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 We’ve Only Just Begun?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 8 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.