Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play When You're Smiling on piano
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 112 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn When You're Smiling in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb – Edim – F7 – Bb
How it goes
When You're Smiling sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb is Bb, D and F; Edim is E, G and Bb; F7 is F, A, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbIEdim#iv°F7V7BbI- BbBb · D · F
- EdimE · G · Bb
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
How it goes
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Steady chords
How it goes
A full chord on every beat, steady and simple. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 112 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: Eb – F – Bb
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
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Questions about When You're Smiling
What chords are in When You're Smiling?
The loop is Bb – Edim – F7 – Bb (I – #ivo – V7 – I) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is When You're Smiling in?
Bb major, at about 112 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in When You're Smiling?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is When You're Smiling 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.