Piano tutorial

How to Play "Not That Different" by Collin Raye on Piano

“Not That Different” is in D major, 2/2 time, at 40 BPM, counted in half notes. This lesson teaches a simple version of the song: the melody in your right hand and easy chords in your left, one phrase at a time. The song has 18 phrases, and 5 of them repeat ones you will already know.

  • D major
  • 2/2
  • 40 BPM
  • Medium
  • Melody + easy chords
Starts with Phrase 1: Melody18 phrases

Free to play. Unlock the song or go Premium to download the printable Practice Pack.

Play the full songDownload to practice offline

What you need to know

Read from the song's own melody and chords. The left hand is kept simple on purpose.

Key and scale

D major

2 sharps: F#, C#

DEF#GABC#

The D major scale

Time signature

2/2

2 beats in every bar (half notes), at 40 BPM

The chords you play

The song uses 8 chords. You learn them a phrase at a time: D, Bm, G, A, C, F#, E and Asus4.

Some chords are simplified on purpose: the lesson plays A where the sheet music writes A7sus4.

As the sheet music writes them

Your left hand for this song

Arpeggio

We'll use this simple left-hand pattern to accompany the melody: low, middle, high, middle, two notes a beat. A slow song in 2/2 has room for two notes a beat.

One easy shape per chordOptional, on steps 2 and 3Easier: Slow arpeggio

Right hand

The melody

The tune the singer sings, one note at a time, with finger numbers.

Range A3 to A5Phrase by phrase

The lesson, step by step

3 short steps for each phrase of the song. Each one opens in the lesson player, so you can listen and play along on your own piano.

Every step is free to play
  1. Start hereRight hand

    Step 1: Melody

    Listen, then play the tune with your right hand, with finger numbers.

    Open this step
  2. Left hand

    Step 2: Chords

    Your left hand learns this phrase's chords: a bass note, block chords, or a simple pattern.

    Open this step
  3. Both hands

    Step 3: Hands together

    The melody with your left hand's chords under it. When you can play this, you can play the phrase.

    Open this step
  4. Then play the whole song

    When you can play every phrase, play the full sheet music with its backing track in the player.

    Play the full song

Frequently asked questions

What key is “Not That Different” in?

“Not That Different” is in D major, which has 2 sharps: F# and C#. The D major scale is D, E, F#, G, A, B and C#.

What are the chords in “Not That Different”?

The lesson plays 8 chords, one easy shape each: D, Bm, G, A, C, F#, E and Asus4. As the sheet music writes them: D, Bm, G, A7sus4, A7, A, Asus4, A/D, C, F#sus4, F#, Esus4 and E. Some chords are simplified on purpose: the lesson plays A where the sheet music writes A7sus4.

What should my left hand play in “Not That Different”?

First your left hand learns each phrase's chords on its own, then with the melody. It plays a bass note or a block chord when the chord changes, or a simple pattern: you choose, and the same choice stays on both steps.

What tempo is “Not That Different”?

“Not That Different” plays at 40 BPM in 2/2, counted in half notes. Every step starts at the song's tempo, and you can slow it down as much as you need.

Is “Not That Different” hard to play on piano?

It is rated Medium: a good next step once you can play a few easy songs. The melody goes from A3 up to A5. The lesson teaches a simple version: the melody and one easy chord shape at a time in the left hand.

Where can I get the sheet music for “Not That Different”?

Play the full sheet music free in the interactive player, or download a printable PDF. Unlock the song or go Premium to download the printable Practice Pack. It is this lesson on paper, with fingering, one left-hand style per PDF.

Sheet music in the playerDownload the PDFThe Practice Pack