Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play When You Say Nothing At All on piano
Written by Don Schlitz & Paul Overstreet
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- I–V–IV–V loop
- 1988
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn When You Say Nothing At All in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Bb – Ab – Bb
How it goes
When You Say Nothing At All sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Bb is Bb, D and F; Ab is Ab, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIBbVAbIVBbV- EbEb · G · Bb
- BbBb · D · F
- AbAb · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Bossa sway
How it goes
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of 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 100 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: Ab – Bb – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AbBbEb
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Questions about When You Say Nothing At All
What chords are in When You Say Nothing At All?
The loop is Eb – Bb – Ab – Bb (I – V – IV – V) in Eb major, and the song ends on Ab – Bb – Eb.
What key is When You Say Nothing At All in?
Eb major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in When You Say Nothing At All?
Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is When You Say Nothing At All 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.