Other arrangements of The Only Exception
Pick a learning view.
(C)When I was young er, I saw
my dad dy (Gm)cry and curse at the (F)wind.
He (C)broke his own heart, and I watched as he tried to (Gm)re as sem a ble (F)it.
And (C)my ma ma swore that she would
nev er let (Gm)her f’ta self for (F)get.
tance.
And (C)that was the day that I prom ised I’d nev er sing of (Gm)love if it does not ex (F)ist.
But, dar lin’, (C)you
are the on ly ex cep tion.
Well, (Gm6)you
are the (Fmaj7)on ly ex cep tion.
Well, (C)you
are the on ly ex cep tion.
Well, (Gm6)you
are the (Fmaj7)on ly ex cep tion.
Well (F)ness,
be cause (Fmaj9)none of it was ev er worth the risk.
Well, (C)you
are the on ly ex cep tion.
Well, (Gm6)you
are the (Fmaj7)on ly ex cep tion.
Well, (C)you
are the on ly ex cep tion.
Well, (Gm6)you
are the (Fmaj7)on ly ex cep tion.
I’ve got a (Dm7)tight grip on re al i ty, but I can’t
let (C)go of what’s in front of me (G)here.
I know you’re (Dm7)leav ing in the morn ing when you wake up.
Leave me (C)with some kind of proof it’s not a (G)dream.
Oh.
(C)You
are the on ly ex cep tion.
(Gm6)You
are the (Fmaj7)on ly ex cep tion.
(C)You
are the on ly ex cep tion.
Well, (Gm6)you
are the (Fmaj7)on ly ex cep tion.
(C)You
are the on ly ex cep tion.
(Gm6)You
are the (Fmaj7)on ly ex cep tion.
(C)You
are the on ly ex cep tion.
Well, (Gm6)you
are the (Fmaj7)on ly ex cep tion.
(Fmaj7)on ly ex cep tion.
And (Bbmaj7)I’m
on my (Fmaj7)way to be liev ing.
Oh, and (Bbmaj7)I’m
on my (Fmaj7)way to be liev ing.
The Only Exception — Classic Piano Sheet Music
2 people have learned this song
Read "The Only Exception" by Glee Cast in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of C. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 72 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 “The Only Exception”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "The Only Exception"?
- 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 C. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
- What key is "The Only Exception" by Glee Cast played in?
- The Only Exception is arranged in the key of C on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "The Only Exception"?
- The arrangement plays at 72 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "The Only Exception" 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 "The Only Exception"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "The Only Exception"?
- "The Only Exception" was originally performed by Glee Cast. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What other songs by Glee Cast can I play here?
- Try "ABC", "YOU CAN'T STOP THE BEAT", "THE TIME OF MY LIFE". 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 — "The Only Exception" 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 C, 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 72 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.