Let It Be might be the single best first song for a piano beginner. It uses four simple chords, all in the friendly key of C major with no sharps or flats, and the piano is right there at the front of the record. If you learn one song this month, make it this one.
The four chords you need
All white keys, all easy shapes:
- C major (C – E – G)
- G major (G – B – D)
- A minor (A – C – E)
- F major (F – A – C)
If any of these are new to you, learn the shapes first from the essential chords for beginners. These four are among the most useful in all of pop music, so the time you spend here pays off far beyond this one song.
The progression
The verse follows this order:
- Verse: C – G – Am – F, then C – G – F – C
- Chorus (“Let it be, let it be…”): Am – G – F – C
That C–G–Am–F loop is the famous four-chord progression behind hundreds of songs. Once it’s in your hands, you’ve quietly learned the backbone of a huge chunk of pop and rock. My guide to the four chord progressions every beginner should know shows how many other songs you can play with the same shapes.
A simple way to play it
Start dead simple: left hand plays the root note (C, G, A, F) as a low bass, right hand plays the full chord on the beat. That alone sounds like the song. When you’re comfortable, make the right hand more interesting:
- Play the chord notes one at a time in a gentle rocking pattern instead of all at once.
- Add a little octave in the left hand for weight.
- Hold each chord for a full bar and let it ring.
Coordinating bass in one hand and chords in the other is a core skill; if it feels clumsy, playing chords with both hands walks you through it step by step.
Play and sing it
Let It Be is made for singing along, and doing so is one of the fastest ways to feel like a real musician. Get the chord changes automatic first so your hands don’t need your attention, then add the vocal. The accompaniment patterns in how to accompany a singer apply directly here. When you’ve got it, it slots right in with the other classic songs every beginner should learn.
Notice what just happened: four chords gave you an entire Beatles classic. That’s the whole case for learning piano through chords rather than note-by-note. A course like Pianoforall is built on exactly this idea, so after Let It Be the next songs come faster and faster.
FAQ
What are the piano chords for Let It Be?
C, G, A minor, and F. The verse runs C–G–Am–F then C–G–F–C, and the chorus is Am–G–F–C. All four are simple white-key chords in the key of C major.
Is Let It Be easy for beginners?
It’s one of the easiest famous songs to play. Four white-key chords, a repeating progression, and a steady tempo make it ideal for a first song. You can have a recognizable version going within a day or two.
Do I need to read music for it?
No. Because it’s chord-based, you can learn Let It Be entirely from the chord names and a simple pattern. Reading music is a useful skill, but it isn’t required to play this song well.
Check the current price of Pianoforall here →
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.