If I Knew

by Bruno Mars
Loading song
Fetching song
1
—
How to Play This Song

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

Start the lesson
Personalize the finger hints for your handsPick your hand size and we'll re-suggest this song's fingering to fit you.Personalize
More ways to play

Other arrangements of If I Knew

Pick a learning view.

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 — Falling Notes Piano Tutorial

23 people have learned this song

Watch "If I Knew" by Bruno Mars in falling notes style — like Synthesia. Color-coded notes fall onto the keyboard in real time. Practice left hand, right hand, or both. 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”

Can I learn "If I Knew" with falling notes like Synthesia?
Yes — Falling Notes mode shows colored note shapes dropping onto a virtual keyboard, the same visual style as Synthesia or piano-tile games. Each note's column matches the piano key you press. Works for "If I Knew" with hands-separate practice in Ab at 87 BPM.
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.
Can I practice left and right hand separately for "If I Knew"?
Yes! Our Top Down mode lets you isolate the left hand (bass clef), right hand (treble clef), or play both together. This makes it easy to master "If I Knew" one hand at a time before combining them.
What is falling notes style for "If I Knew"?
Falling notes (also known as Synthesia or piano waterfall) shows color-coded rectangles falling from the top of the screen onto a virtual keyboard. Each note's position matches the piano key you need to press. "If I Knew" is in the key of Ab at 87 BPM.