Piano chords · Lullaby boat
How to play Yesterday on piano
Written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon & others
- E major
- 6/8
- 78 BPM
- 2017
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Yesterday in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – E – E – A – E
How it goes
Yesterday sits in E major: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 5 chords: A is A, C# and E; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIVEIEIAIVEI- AA · C# · E
- EE · G# · B
- 2
Left hand: Swelling 6/8
How it goes
Rises to the top and falls back in one rocking six-note wave. Musicians call it open arpeggio 1-5-8-10-8-5 (6/8) (open arpeggio), a medium pattern heard in 73 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Rowing-boat chords
How it goes
Six even chords per bar, rolling along like oars on water. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 78 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: A – B – E
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
ABE- BB · D# · F#
Play next
Questions about Yesterday
What chords are in Yesterday?
The loop is A – E – E – A – E (IV – I – IV – I – IV) in E major, and the song ends on A – B – E.
What key is Yesterday in?
E major, at about 78 beats a minute in 6/8.
What does the left hand play in Yesterday?
Swelling 6/8: open arpeggio 1-5-8-10-8-5 (6/8), a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Yesterday easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 5 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Can I hear the real melody of Yesterday?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.