Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Whatever Makes You Happy on piano
Written by James David Washington & Jennifer Hudson
- B minor
- 4/4
- 88 BPM
- 2015
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Whatever Makes You Happy in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bm – G#dim – G – F#sus4
How it goes
Whatever Makes You Happy sits in B minor: B is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bm is B, D and F#; G#dim is G#, B and D; G is G, B and D; F#sus4 is F#, B and C#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BmiG#dimvi°GVIF#sus4Vsus4- BmB · D · F#
- G#dimG# · B · D
- GG · B · D
- F#sus4F# · B · C#
- 2
Left hand: Skipping-stone pulse
How it goes
One strong note, then two bounces on the “ands”, like a stone on water. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 282 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 88 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: G – A – Bm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GABm- AA · C# · E
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Questions about Whatever Makes You Happy
What chords are in Whatever Makes You Happy?
The loop is Bm – G#dim – G – F#sus4 (i – vio – bVI – Vsus) in B minor, and the song ends on G – A – Bm.
What key is Whatever Makes You Happy in?
B minor, at about 88 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Whatever Makes You Happy?
Skipping-stone pulse: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Whatever Makes You Happy 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.