Other arrangements of Hard Times
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(CN.C.)My moth er (Bb7)told me
’fore she passed a way,
said, “Son, when I’m gone, ey
don’t for get to (Cm7)pray, (Bdim)’cause there’ll be (Bdim7)hard times,
hard (D)times.
(Db)Who (C)knows (Bb)bet ter than (C7)I?”
Well, I soon found out
just what she meant
when I had to pawn my clothes row
just to pay the (Cm7)rent.
(B)Talk in’ ’bout (Bdim7)hard times,
hard (D)times.
(Db)Who (C)knows (Bb)bet ter than (F)I?
(CN.C.)I had a (Bb7)wom an
who was al ways ’round,
but when lost my mon ey
then she put me (Cm7)down.
(Bdim)Talk in’ ’bout (Bdim7)hard times,
hard (D)times.
(Db)Who (C)knows (Bb)bet ter than (C7)I?
Yeah, I soon oh, yeah,
one of these days
there’ll I be to no more sor row
when I pass a (Cm7)way.
(B)Then no more (Bdim7)hard times,
hard (D)times.
(Db)Who (C)knows (Bb)bet ter than (F)I?
(CN.C.)I had a (Bdim7)I?
Hard Times — Visual Piano Sheet Music
9 people have learned this song
"Hard Times" in visual bar notation — see every note as a colored bar on the staff. Easier to read than traditional sheet music. Scrolls automatically as you play. Key of F, 80 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 “Hard Times”
- Why does "Hard Times" show as colored bars instead of notation?
- Bar Notation replaces traditional noteheads with colored horizontal bars on a simplified staff — each bar's vertical position is the pitch and its length is the duration. Much easier to read than classic sheet music while still showing the full arrangement of "Hard Times".
- What key is "Hard Times" by Ray Charles played in?
- Hard Times is arranged in the key of F on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Hard Times"?
- The arrangement plays at 80 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Hard Times" 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 "Hard Times"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Hard Times"?
- "Hard Times" was originally performed by Ray Charles. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What other songs by Ray Charles can I play here?
- Try "I GOT A WOMAN", "GEORGIA ON MY MIND", "YOU DON'T KNOW ME". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is this real sheet music for "Hard Times"?
- It's a simplified visual notation using colored bars instead of traditional notes. Each bar's vertical position shows the pitch and its length shows duration — much easier to read for beginners while still showing the complete arrangement of "Hard Times".
- Can I see all the notes in "Hard Times"?
- Yes! The Bar Sheet shows every note in the arrangement as a colored bar. The sheet scrolls automatically during playback, or you can scroll manually to study any section. The song is in the key of F at 80 BPM.