Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play While You Were Sleeping (Original Christmas Version) on piano
- F major
- 4/4
- 76 BPM
- 2005
- Easy
Learn While You Were Sleeping (Original Christmas Version) in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Csus4 – C – Dm
While You Were Sleeping (Original Christmas Version) sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Csus4 is C, F and G; C is C, E and G; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FICsus4Vsus4CVDmvi- FF · A · C
- Csus4C · F · G
- CC · E · G
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Rock hop
Low, high, a quick double, then high again: a hopping rock bass. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 809 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
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 76 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: Bb – C – F
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about While You Were Sleeping (Original Christmas Version)
What chords are in While You Were Sleeping (Original Christmas Version)?
The loop is F – Csus4 – C – Dm (I – Vsus – V – vi) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is While You Were Sleeping (Original Christmas Version) in?
F major, at about 76 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in While You Were Sleeping (Original Christmas Version)?
Rock hop: root bass · 1 · 2 · 2& · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is While You Were Sleeping (Original Christmas Version) 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.