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Play Only Yesterday on your own piano
Plug in your piano by USB or Bluetooth. The song waits for you until you hit the right notes. Slow it down, loop any bars, play one hand at a time.
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Only Yesterday — Falling Notes Piano Tutorial
About “Only Yesterday”
Watch "Only Yesterday" by Carpenters 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 Eb, 120 BPM.
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Lyrics
(Eb)Af ter long e nough of be ing a lone,
(Bb7)ev ’ry one must face their share of lone li (Eb)ness.
In my own time, no bod y knew
the (Gm7)pain I was go in’ through,
and (Fm7)wait in’ was all my heart could (Bb)do.
(Eb)Hope was all I had un til you came.
(Ddim7)May be you can’t see how much you (Bb)mean to (Eb)me.
You were the dawn break ing the night,
the (Gm7)prom ise of morn ing light,
(F)fill ing the world sur round ing me.
And when I hold you, (Db)ba by, ba by, feels like may be (Fm)things will be al right.
(Db)Ba by, ba by, your love’s made (Db)me (Fm7)free as a song,
(Bb7)sing in’ for ev er.
(Eb)On ly yes ter day when I was sad and I was lone ly,
(Eb)you showed me the way to leave the past and all its tears be hind me.
To mor row may be e ven bright er than to day
since (Fm)I threw my (Bb)sad ness a (Fm7)way,
on ly yes ter (Eb)day.
(Eb)I have found my home here in your arms;
(Bb7)no where else on earth I’d real ly rath er (Eb)be.
Life waits for us; share it with me.
The (Ebmaj7)best is a bout to be,
and (F)so much is left for us to see.
And when I hold you, (Eb)day.
(E)On ly yes ter day when I was sad and I was lone ly,
(E)you showed me the way to leave the past and all its tears be hind me.
To mor row may be e ven bright er than to day
since (F#m)I threw my (B)sad ness a (F#m)way,
on ly yes ter (E)day.
(E)On ly yes ter day when I was sad and I was lone ly,
(E)you showed me the way to leave the past and all its tears be hind me.
To mor row may be e ven bright er than to day
since (F#m)I threw my (B)sad ness a (F#m)way,
on ly yes ter (E)day.
(E)day.
Practice tip
Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.
Questions about this song (10)
- Can I learn "Only Yesterday" 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 "Only Yesterday" with hands-separate practice in Eb at 120 BPM.
- What key is "Only Yesterday" by Carpenters played in?
- Only Yesterday is arranged in the key of Eb on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Only Yesterday"?
- The arrangement plays at 120 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Only Yesterday" 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 "Only Yesterday"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Only Yesterday"?
- "Only Yesterday" was originally performed by Carpenters. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Only Yesterday"?
- This arrangement uses 23 chords: Ab, B, Bb, Bb7, C, C#, C#m, Cm, +15 more.
- What other songs by Carpenters can I play here?
- Try "O HOLY NIGHT", "BECAUSE WE ARE IN LOVE", "CALLING OCCUPANTS". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Can I practice left and right hand separately for "Only Yesterday"?
- 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 "Only Yesterday" one hand at a time before combining them.
- What is falling notes style for "Only Yesterday"?
- 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. "Only Yesterday" is in the key of Eb at 120 BPM.
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