If I Knew

by Bruno Mars
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How to Play This Song

Learn a simple version, phrase by phrase: the melody, then easy chords.

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Lyrics

Oh, oh, oh, (Eb)I,

I was a (Bb)cit y boy;

to ride in to (Ab)dan gers where I’d al ways run, a (Abm)boy who had his fun.

I would n’t have (Eb)done

(Cm7)all the things that (Fm7)I have done

if I (Bb)knew one (Eb)day you’d come.

(Ab)No, ba by (Abm)(no, ba by), (Eb)no, ba by (no, ba by).

(Bb)Oh, oh, oh, (Eb)I,

I know it (Bb)breaks your heart

to pic ture the (Ab)on ly one you want and love in (Abm)some one else ’s arms.

I would n’t have (Eb)done

(Cm7)all the things that (Fm7)I have done

if I (Bb)knew one (Eb)day you’d come.

(Ab)No, ba by (Abm)(no, ba by), (Eb)no, ba by (no, ba by).

(Bb)Oh, oh, oh,

(F)Oh, ba (F#)by, (G)please,

let’s leave the past be (Cm)hind us, be hind us, (F)so (F#)that (G)we

can go where love will (Cm)find us, yeah, will find us.

(G)I (Gb)know (F)mon sters will leave me, but (Gm)I (Ab)know that you’ll be (Bb)lieve me.

Ba by, (Eb)I,

I wish we were (Bb)sev en teen

so I could (Ab)give you all the in no cence

that you give to me.

Oh, I would n’t have (Eb)done

all the things (Fm7)that I’ve done

if I (Bb)knew

one (Eb)day you’d come,

if I knew one day (Eb)you’d come.

If I Knew — Visual Piano Sheet Music

23 people have learned this song

"If I Knew" 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 Ab, 87 BPM.

Teacher’s notes

This arrangement is a wonderful workout for smooth chord transitions in A♭ major, and at 87 BPM you have just enough breathing room to nail each change — but not enough to fake your way through sloppy hand shifts.

Your left hand follows an octave bass pattern, so lock that in first: practice it alone until the jumps between A♭, E♭, and the chromatic moves toward F♯ and G♭ feel automatic.

The real challenge lives in your right hand navigating thirteen chords, especially the shifts between C minor and its C minor 7 voicing and the momentary detour into A♭ minor — those color changes demand precise finger placement without hesitation.

I'd suggest looping the trickiest four-bar sections at around 60 BPM, hands separate, then gradually bring them together before pushing toward full tempo.

Watch your pedal work carefully; in a ballad this exposed, holding the sustain pedal through chord changes will blur everything into mud, so practice clean pedal swaps on every chord root change.

Once this clicks, you'll have real confidence handling chromatic bass movement and extended chord shapes in any pop ballad you tackle next.

About “If I Knew”

Why does "If I Knew" 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 "If I Knew".
What key is "If I Knew" by Bruno Mars played in?
If I Knew is arranged in the key of Ab on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "If I Knew"?
The arrangement plays at 87 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "If I Knew" easy to play on piano?
This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
Can I download sheet music for "If I Knew"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "If I Knew"?
"If I Knew" was originally performed by Bruno Mars. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "If I Knew"?
This arrangement uses 13 chords: Ab, Abm, Bb, Cm, Cm7, Eb, Eb7, F, +5 more.
What other songs by Bruno Mars can I play here?
Try "VERSACE ON THE FLOOR", "JUST THE WAY YOU ARE", "THAT'S WHAT I LIKE". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is this real sheet music for "If I Knew"?
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 "If I Knew".
Can I see all the notes in "If I Knew"?
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 Ab at 87 BPM.