Piano tutorial

How to Play "Show Me The Way" by Peter Frampton on Piano

“Show Me The Way” is in C major, 4/4 time, at 134 BPM. 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 22 phrases, and 7 of them repeat ones you will already know.

  • C major
  • 4/4
  • 134 BPM
  • Easy
  • Melody + easy chords
Starts with Phrase 1: Melody22 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

C major

No sharps or flats

CDEFGAB

The C major scale

Time signature

4/4

4 beats in every bar, at 134 BPM

The chords you play

The song uses 6 chords. You learn them a phrase at a time: C, Am, Ab, Bb, G and F.

Some chords are simplified on purpose: the lesson plays C where the sheet music writes Cmaj7.

As the sheet music writes them

Your left hand for this song

Slow arpeggio

We'll use this simple left-hand pattern to accompany the melody: low, middle, high, middle, one note a beat. One note a beat keeps it calm at this tempo.

One easy shape per chordOptional, on steps 2 and 3Easier: Beat chords

Right hand

The melody

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

Range E4 to G5Phrase 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 in the player.

    Play the full song

Frequently asked questions

What key is “Show Me The Way” in?

“Show Me The Way” is in C major, which has no sharps or flats. The C major scale is C, D, E, F, G, A and B.

What are the chords in “Show Me The Way”?

The lesson plays 6 chords, one easy shape each: C, Am, Ab, Bb, G and F. As the sheet music writes them: C, Cmaj7, Am, Ab, Bb, G7, F and F/G. Some chords are simplified on purpose: the lesson plays C where the sheet music writes Cmaj7.

What should my left hand play in “Show Me The Way”?

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 “Show Me The Way”?

“Show Me The Way” plays at 134 BPM in 4/4. Every step starts at the song's tempo, and you can slow it down as much as you need.

Is “Show Me The Way” hard to play on piano?

It is rated Easy. The melody goes from E4 up to G5. 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 “Show Me The Way”?

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