Created in 2011, Adele - Someone Like You is a popular song on her album "21" and has been topping the charts in America, England, and so on. The piano intro (played by musician Dan Wilson) is touching, beautiful, and (thankfully) easy enough to play, even for beginners! Read this article to learn how to play the intro bit by bit. Or, if you've mastered music theory, skip to step two for faster instructions.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Studying the Intro (For Beginners)
Step 1. Start by placing your left hand on the left comb of the piano
In the intro to the song "Someone Like You", the left hand plays a low note (bass). The first notes you should press are A and E. Press the piano keys with your pinky and thumb at the same time. Your pinky presses A2, the key is below middle C, and your thumb presses the E3 key above A2.
- Keep this note pressed for 4 taps. In other words, press the note, then slowly count, “one, two, three, four” and then let go.
- If you don't know the name of the notes on the piano, don't worry. Simply place your pinky on the white key that is between the two rightmost black keys in a piano key group of 3 black keys (starting from the left of the piano). The name of this note is A. Place your thumb on the key 4 white keys away from A. This note is E - assuming you are using a standard sized piano.
Step 2. Move your little finger to G#
After pressing A and E for 4 taps, keep your thumb on E and move your little finger to G#. This is a black key located just to the left of A. Press it again for 4 taps.
Step 3. Play F# and C#
For the next note, you must move your left hand. Place your pinky in F# and your index finger (or thumb, as long as you're comfortable) in C#. F# is the black key lower than G#, while C# is the leftmost black key of the two black keys below the E that you just played. Press for 4 taps.
Step 4. And finally, play D and A
For this note, you have to move your left hand again. Move your pinky 3 white keys to the left, placing it on the D note. Place your thumb on the same A as you played before (only this time you played A as a high note). Then press for 4 taps.
Step 5. Practice this left hand tone pattern
Repeat steps 1-4 until you can play the note without making a mistake.
Step 6. Move to the right hand
After repeating steps 1-4, now rest your left hand and it's time to use your right. Place your thumb on the A note closest to middle C, then place your index finger on C# and pinky on E. Play A, C#, E, C#. Repeat this pattern, playing 4 times per tap (one repetition per tap).
- In this song, your right hand moves faster than your left hand. Listen to the original song to get the tempo right for playing it - it's okay to play it slow during practice, but increase the speed slowly.
- If you pay attention to the number of black and white keys on the keyboard, the key positions will repeat every 12 keys. If you're having trouble finding the correct octave note, count the keys from the far left side of the keyboard.
Step 7. Move your thumb to G#
Keeping your other fingers in their previous position (index or middle finger in C#, pinky in E), move your thumb to G# (black key below A). Play the following note patterns: G#, C#, E, C#. Repeat this the same as before.
Step 8. Move your thumb to F#
This note pattern will be slightly different from the previous one - you'll need to spread your fingers further apart than before. Place your thumb on F# right before the G# you played earlier, then place your middle finger on C#, then your pinky on F# which is to the right of C#. In other words, you are playing 2 different F#s this time. Play the following pattern: F#(low), C#, F#(high), C#. This will probably require you to stretch your fingers! Repeat this pattern with the same rhythm as before.
Step 9. Then, move your thumb to A again
Your thumb will play A again, but your other finger will play a different note this time: Place your middle finger on D which is above A and your ring finger on F# which is above D. Play A, D, F#, D. Repeat this as before.
Step 10. Practice again
Keep repeating steps 6-9 until you can play it without making a mistake. Listen to the original recording and try to match your playing speed to Wilson's original accompaniment. This may take some time, but keep trying - the results will be very satisfying!
One way to increase your playing speed is to use a metronome, which can be purchased at most music stores. The metronome can count the beats for you, making it easier for you to play to the beat. You can even set the speed of the metronome from slow and increase the speed slowly to increase your playing speed
Step 11. Combine the previous steps
Now use both your hands to play. Play both sides at the same speed - even if the right hand plays more notes than the left, both hands must switch positions at the same time every 4 beats. With a bit of luck, you'll sound like a real player! If you are a complete beginner, it may take more than a day to play. Keep trying! Take time every day to practice, and after 5 days, you will see progress!
Method 2 of 2: Studying the Intro (For Experienced Players)
Step 1. Learn the chords from the intro
The intro to the song "Someone Like You" uses only 4 chords: A, A/G#, F#m, and D. These four chords will keep repeating for 4 bars, with each chord worth 4 beats. Basically, each of these chords is played at a tempo of around 68-70 beats per minute. Practice this basic chord pattern until you remember it. It shouldn't take long.
- Since the intro is the same as the first verse, you can sing while playing the piano! "I heard that you're settled down…"
- A/G# may look like a difficult chord, but it's really not - it's the same as an A major chord, except that it's played with the basic G# note that is usually played in A. Just change the lowest note on the chord by one and a half and you're playing an A chord. /G#!
Step 2. Play the basic notes of the chord with your left hand
In this song's intro, Dan Wilson never plays all of the chord notes at once. He plays the first note with his left hand and plays the arpeggios with his right. To learn an intro, first you just have to practice playing the basic chord notes with your left hand. At a tempo of 68-70 beats per minute, play each note for 4 beats (in other words, play the chords).
- Just to remind, the basic notes of the chord are: A, G#, F#, and D. Start with A2 before middle C.
- If you're confident enough in your abilities, you don't have to play every note at the same time. Do different variations on the rhythm to enhance your playing. For example, try pressing the base note of a chord for 3 beats and then hitting the next note on the fourth beat.
Step 3. Do the arpeggios with your right hand
Practice doing arpeggios with your right hand for each chord you've memorized in the first step in this section. Arpeggio basically means playing the notes on a chord separately, not together. For A and A/G# chords, you'll be playing the root note, the 3rd note, the 5th note, then the 3rd note - pretty easy. But for the F#m chord you have to play the root note, the 5th note, the base note in the next octave, and the 5th note, then for the D chord, you'll be playing the 5th note, the root note, the 3rd note, and the root note - in other words, you will play the same chords as before, but in a different order. Play this pattern 4 times per measure (in other words, each note is 1/16 and played at a tempo of 68-70 beats per minute). See the notes below for the notes you should play for each chord (repeat every four times):
- A: A C# E C#.
- A/G#: G# C# E C#
- F#m: F# (low) C# F# (high) C#
- D: A D F# D (note: The A in this arpeggios is the same A as the root note in the A chord.)
Step 4. Play together
Now you have learned how to play it for both hands. Next, practice playing both at the same time. You'll probably have a hard time playing them all at the same time, unless you're experienced - that's okay. Don't be afraid to start at a slower tempo, then increase the tempo slowly until you can play it at a tempo of 68-70 beats per minute.
Step 5. Beautify your game
One of the things that makes the intro to “Someone Like You” so beautiful is that Wilson plays it naturally and dynamically. This means he doesn't play every note rigidly, like a robot. Some notes are played softly, and some are played more strongly. In the intro this may not sound clear, but if you listen to the recording of the song, it can still be heard. Hear how Wilson plays the power of each note on the song. It's little things like this that make ordinary music so beautiful.
