Other arrangements of This Is What It Takes
Pick a learning view.
I (C)watch your troub led eyes I’m as you rest,
and I (Gsus)fall in love with ev ’ry breath.
a crime.
And you (C)Won der if those eyes are real ly shut,
and am (F)I the one you’re (Gsus)dream ing of.
’Cause un der neath
the dark ness
there’s a (C)light that’s try ing so hard to be seen.
And I know this,
’cause I’ve no ticed
a (C)lit tle bit (Em7)shin ing through the seams.
And if (C)this is (Dm7)what it takes,
then (G)let me be the (C)one to (Dm7)bear the (Am)pain.
Oh, if (C)this is (Dm7)what it takes,
I’ll break (C)down these (Dm7)walls that are (C)in our way,
if (G)this is what it takes.
You (C)keep on tell ing me I’m wast ing time,
but to (Gsus)call it wast ing time, oh, breath.
a crime.
And you (C)think it’s cra zy, what I’m tryin’ to do.
and Well (F)ba by, I’m a (Gsus)fool for you.
’Cause un der neath
the dark ness
there’s a (C)light that’s try ing so hard to be seen.
And I know this,
’cause I’ve no ticed
a (C)lit tle bit (Em7)shin ing through the seams.
And if (C)this is (Dm7)what it takes,
then (G)let me be the (C)one to (Dm7)bear the (Am)pain.
Oh, if (C)this is (Dm7)what it takes,
I’ll break (C)down these (Dm7)walls that are (C)in our way,
if (G)this is what it takes.
You
’Cause if you (F)don’t un der stand yet,
then I’ll nev (Gsus)er let you for get
that (Am)you don’t have to do this on your (C)own.
I’ll be your (F6/9)shoul der to lean on,
I’ll be your (Gsus)right when you feel wrong.
So (Am)come on, take my hand, we’re mov in’ on.
And if this is (Dm7)what it takes,
then (G)let me be the (C)one to (Dm7)bear the (Am)pain.
Ooh, and if (C)this is (Dm7)what it takes,
I’ll break (C)down these (Dm7)walls,
these (C)walls that are in our way,
if (G)this is what it takes.
This Is What It Takes — Classic Piano Sheet Music
2 people have learned this song
Read "This Is What It Takes" by Shawn Mendes 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 81 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 “This Is What It Takes”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "This Is What It Takes"?
- 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 "This Is What It Takes" by Shawn Mendes played in?
- This Is What It Takes 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 "This Is What It Takes"?
- The arrangement plays at 81 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "This Is What It Takes" 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 "This Is What It Takes"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "This Is What It Takes"?
- "This Is What It Takes" was originally performed by Shawn Mendes. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "This Is What It Takes"?
- This arrangement uses 9 chords: Am, Am7, C, Dm7, Em7, F, F6, G, +1 more.
- What other songs by Shawn Mendes can I play here?
- Try "I DON'T EVEN KNOW YOUR NAME", "LOST IN JAPAN", "FALLIN' ALL IN YOU". 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 — "This Is What It Takes" 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 81 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.