Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play When The Right One Comes Along on piano
Written by Sarah Zimmerman, Justin Davis & others
- D major
- 2/2
- 132 BPM
- IV–I–vi–IV loop
- 2012
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn When The Right One Comes Along in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – D – Bm – G
How it goes
When The Right One Comes Along sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A; Bm is B, D and F#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GIVDIBmviGIV- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- BmB · D · F#
- 2
Left hand: Hopscotch steps
How it goes
Step, step, skip a beat, step: like hopping over a square. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 668 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Soft chords
How it goes
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 132 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: Em – A7 – D
How it goes
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EmA7D- EmE · G · B
- A7A · C# · E · G
Play next
Questions about When The Right One Comes Along
What chords are in When The Right One Comes Along?
The loop is G – D – Bm – G (IV – I – vi – IV) in D major, and the song ends on Em – A7 – D.
What key is When The Right One Comes Along in?
D major, at about 132 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in When The Right One Comes Along?
Hopscotch steps: root bass · 1 · 2 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is When The Right One Comes Along 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.