Other arrangements of Empty Chairs
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I (G)feel the trem bling tin gle of a (Am)sleep less night
While chest Creep through my fin gers and the (G)moon is bright.
And the Beams of blue come flick ’ring through my (Am)win dow pane,
Like (C)gyp sy moths that (D7)dance a round a (G)can dle flame.
And I won der if you (Am)know
that I nev er un der (G)stood,
That al though you said you’d (Am)go,
Un (C)til you did, I (D7)nev er thought you (G)would.
(G)Moon light used to bathe the con tours (Am)of your face,
While chest nut hair fell all a round the (G)pil low case.
And the fra grance of your flow ers rest be (Am)neath my head,
A (C)sym pa thy bou (D7)quet left with a (G)love that’s dead.
And I won der if you (Am)know
that I nev er un der (G)stood,
That al though you said you’d (Am)go,
Un (C)til you did, I (D7)nev er thought you (G)would.
(G)Nev er thought the (G)words you said were (Em)true,
(Am)Nev er thought you said just what you (D7)meant.
(G)Nev er knew how (G)much I need ed (Em)you,
(Am)Nev er thought you’d (C)leave,
un til you (G)went.
(G)Morn ing comes and morn ing goes with (Am)no re gret,
And (C)eve ning brings the (D7)mem o ries I (G)can’t for get;
Emp ty rooms that ech o as I (Am)climb the stairs,
and (C)emp ty clothes that (D7)drape and fall on (G)emp ty chairs.
And I won der if you (Am)know
that I nev er un der (G)stood,
That al though you said you’d (Am)go,
Un (C)til you did, I (D7)nev er thought you (G)would.
Empty Chairs — Classic Piano Sheet Music
4 people have learned this song
Read "Empty Chairs" by Don McLean in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of G. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 90 BPM.
Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.
Try other practice modes:
About “Empty Chairs”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Empty Chairs"?
- Yes — the score is rendered server-side from the publisher MusicXML using Verovio (the same engine RISM and OpenScore use). Standard piano notation, treble + bass staves, real chord symbols, key signature G. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
- What key is "Empty Chairs" by Don McLean played in?
- Empty Chairs is arranged in the key of G on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Empty Chairs"?
- The arrangement plays at 90 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Empty Chairs" easy to play on piano?
- Yes — this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
- Can I download sheet music for "Empty Chairs"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Empty Chairs"?
- "Empty Chairs" was originally performed by Don McLean. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Empty Chairs"?
- This arrangement uses 7 chords: Am, Am7, C, D, D7, Em, G.
- What other songs by Don McLean can I play here?
- Try "AMERICAN PIE", "CROSSROADS", "CASTLES IN THE AIR". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
- Yes — "Empty Chairs" is rendered at engraver quality (the Verovio engine, the same toolkit RISM and OpenScore editions use) from the original publisher MusicXML. You get standard piano notation: treble + bass clefs, key signature G, time signature, beams, dynamics — everything a printed sheet music book would have. Great for piano students learning to read music properly.
- What's the difference between Sheet Music and the other modes here?
- Sheet Music is the "classic" view — the one your piano teacher uses. Other modes (Beginner, Fall Down, Simple Sheet, Lead Sheet) trade real notation for color-coded notes and falling shapes to help absolute beginners. Use Sheet Music once you're ready to read both hands at once from real notation.
- Can I practice from this view at my own pace?
- Yes — slow the tempo from 90 BPM down (or up) without changing the pitch. The score scrolls in time and the currently playing note is highlighted, so you can drill a tough bar at half speed and bump it up once it feels comfortable.
- Why can I click a note in the score?
- Every notehead is interactive. Click and the audio jumps to that moment so you can drill a specific phrase or bar instead of replaying from the top. The currently playing note is highlighted as the music advances so your eye never loses its place.
- Can I download the sheet music as a PDF?
- Yes — Sheet Music PDF is one of the download formats for this song. The engraved score prints page-perfect on A4 / Letter so you can practice from paper as well as on screen.
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