Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play You Light Up My Life on piano
By Debby Boone
- F minor
- 3/4
- 95 BPM
- 1977
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn You Light Up My Life in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bbm – Eb – Ab – Fm
How it goes
You Light Up My Life sits in F minor: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bbm is Bb, Db and F; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Ab is Ab, C and Eb; Fm is F, Ab and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BbmivEbVIIAbIIIFmi- BbmBb · Db · F
- EbEb · G · Bb
- AbAb · C · Eb
- FmF · Ab · C
- 2
Left hand: Waltz roots
How it goes
One low note on each of the three beats: a simple waltz floor. Musicians call it root bass · 3/4 quarters (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 391 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz chords
How it goes
A chord on each of the three beats: a simple waltz. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 95 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: C – Bb – F
How it goes
The last chords are V – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CBbF- CC · E · G
- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
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Questions about You Light Up My Life
What chords are in You Light Up My Life?
The loop is Bbm – Eb – Ab – Fm (iv – bVII – bIII – i) in F minor, and the song ends on C – Bb – F.
What key is You Light Up My Life in?
F minor, at about 95 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in You Light Up My Life?
Waltz roots: root bass · 3/4 quarters, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is You Light Up My Life 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 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.