Piano Letter Notes and Chords for Counting Stars – OneRepublic
This post provides the melody notes (right hand letter notes) and chords (left hand notes) for the song Counting Stars by OneRepublic.
Key Information for the Song Counting Stars by OneRepublic
Key Signature: Four sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#)
Scale: C# minor / E Major Scale (four black keys)
E Major Scale Notes: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#
The relative minor of E major is C# minor (i.e., the same notes but arranged in a different order).
C# minor Scale Notes: C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A, B
Tempo: 118 bpm
Time Signature: 4/4
Difficulty Level: Intermediate, Advanced
The piano in Counting Stars is a key element. A simple, yet catchy melody played on the piano carries the verses. The chorus explodes with a driving piano accompaniment that complements the soaring vocals.
The song is in E major with a tempo of 118 BPM and a 4/4 time signature i.e common time. These notes are intended for piano and are suitable for players with some experience.
The piano is prominent throughout, playing a gentle arpeggiated figure in the verses that builds to a fuller, more energetic chord progression in the chorus.
Counting Stars Piano Tutorial
Piano Keys Layout
Symbols Used in the Song
Asterisk: star symbol (*): Indicates an octave.
Notes in Brackets: (): Play quickly or fast.
Wavy Lines: Tilde (~): Sustained Notes.
Vertical Bar: Pipe Symbol (|): Indicates a chord change.
Asterisk after a note (e.g., C*): Indicates a higher octave note.
Asterisk before a note (e.g., *C): Indicates a lower octave note.
Chord details for the song such as structure, formula, note intervals, etc., are given after the full song notations.
Counting Stars Piano Chords
Notes of the C# (C Sharp) Minor Scale:
C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A, B, C#
Chords of the C# (C Sharp) Minor / E major Scale:
C#m, D#dm, E, F#m, G#m, A, and B
(i.e., C# minor, D# diminished, E major, F# minor, G# minor, A major, and B major)
Chords used for the song Counting Stars are:
C#m, E, B, A, F#m
Notes for the Counting Stars Chords are:
C#m (C-sharp minor): C#, E, G#
E (E major): E, G#, B
B (B major): B, D#, F#
A (A major): A, C#, E
F#m (F-sharp minor): F#, A, C#
Counting Stars Piano Notes and Chords
Intro (Part 1)
Lately, I’ve been, I’ve been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
F# G# B G#
| Lately I’ve been,
| C#m
(F# G#) (F# E) G#~~
| I’ve been losing sleep
| E
(F# F#) (G#) A G# F#
| Dreaming about the things
| B
E G# C#~ E~~
that | we could be
| A
Intro (Part 2)
But baby, I’ve been, I’ve been praying hard
Said, “No more counting dollars, we’ll be counting stars”
Yeah, we’ll be counting stars
C# F# G# B G#
But, | baby I’ve been,
| C#m
(F# G#) (F# E) G#~~
| I’ve been praying hard
| E
(F# F# G#) (A G#) (F#) E~
| Said no more counting dollars,
| B
G# F# F# E E C#~~
| we’ll be counting stars
| A
*A (G# F#) (F#) E~~ E C#~~
Yeah, we’ll be counting stars |
| C#m
Interlude Chords
| (C#m C#m C#m C#m) | (E E E E) | (B B B B) | (A
A A A)
| (C#m C#m C#m C#m) | (E E E E) | (B B B B) |
Verse 1
I see this life, like a swinging vine
Swing my heart across the line
And in my face is flashing signs
Seek it out and ye shall find
F# G# G# G#~ (G# G#) (G#) G# G#~
| I see this | life like a swinging vine,
| A | C#m
G# G# G#~ (G#) B (B) F#~
| Swing my heart across the line
| E
(G# F#) (E C#) G# F# F#~
| In my face is flashing signs,
| B
(G# F# E) C# (G# F#) F#~
| Seek it out and ye shall find.
| A
Refrain
Old, but I’m not that old
Young, but I’m not that bold
And I don’t think the world is sold
On just doing what we’re told
G#~ (G# F#) G# G# G#~
| Old but I’m not that old
| C#m
G#~ (G# F#) G# G# G#~
| Young but I’m not that bold
| E
(G#) (G# F# E C#) (G# F#) F#~~
| And I don’t think the world is sold
| B
(G# F# E) C#~ (G# F#) F#~
| I’m just doing what we’re told
| A
Pre-Chorus (Part 1)
I feel something so right
Doing the wrong thing
And I feel something so wrong
Doing the right thing
C#* (C#* E* C#**) B*~
| I~~~ | feel~
| C#m | E
F#* E* F#* G#* F#*~
something so | right
| B
D#* C#* D#* E*~ C#*~~
Doing the | wrong thing
| A
G# C#* (C#* E* C#**) B*~
| And I~~~ | feel~
| C#m | E
F#* E* F#* G#* F#*~
something so | wrong
| B
D#* C#* D#* E*~ C#*~~
Doing the | right thing
| A
Pre-Chorus (Part 2)
I couldn’t lie, couldn’t lie, couldn’t lie
Everything that kills me makes me feel alive
(No chords for this part)
B C#*~ (B) C#* C#*~ (B) C#*
I couldn’t lie, couldn’t lie,
C#*~ (B) C#* B~
couldn’t lie
C#* B F# E F# G#
Everything that kills me
(F# E C#) (*B C#)
makes me feel alive
Chorus
Lately, I’ve been, I’ve been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But baby, I’ve been, I’ve been praying hard
Said, “No more counting dollars, we’ll be counting stars”
Notes and chords are same as the Part 1
F# G# B G# (F# G# F# E) G#~~
| Lately I’ve been, | I’ve been losing sleep
| C#m | E
(F# F# G#) A G# F# E G# C#~ E~~
| Dreaming about the things that | we could be
| B | A
E F# G# B G# (F# G# F# E) G#~~
But, | baby I’ve been, | I’ve been praying hard
| C#m | E
(F# F# G# A) (G# F#) E~ G# F# F# E E C# E~~
| Said no more counting dollars, | we’ll be counting stars
| B | A
Chorus
Lately, I’ve been, I’ve been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things we could be
But baby, I’ve been, I’ve been praying hard
Said, “No more counting dollars, we’ll be, we’ll be counting stars”
Notes are same as Part 1 but in higher octave
F#* G#* B* G#* (F#* G#* F#* E)* * G#~~
| Lately I’ve been, | I’ve been losing sleep
| C#m | E
(F#* F#* G#)* A* * G#* F#* | E* * G#* C#~* E~~
| Dreaming about the things that | we could be
| B | A
E* F#* G#* B* G#* | (F#* G#* F#* E)* * G#~~
But, | baby I’ve been, | I’ve been praying hard
| C#m | E
(F#* F#* G#* A)* (G#* F#)* E~*
| Said no more counting dollars,
| B
G#* F#*~ G#* F#* F#* E* E* C#*~ B~
| we’ll be we’ll be counting | stars
| A | C#m
Verse 2
I feel your love, and I feel it burn
Down this river, every turn
Hope is our four-letter word
Make that money, watch it burn
(G# G# G#) G#~ (G# G# G#) G# G#~
I feel your | love, and I feel it burn
| A | C#m
G# G# G#~ (G#) B (B) F#~
| Down this river, every turn
| E
(G# F# E C#) G# F# F#~
| Hope is our four-letter word
| B
(G# F# E) C# ( G# F#) F#~
| Make that money, watch it burn
| A
Refrain
Old, but I’m not that old
Young, but I’m not that bold
And I don’t think the world is sold
On just doing what we’re told
G#~ (G# F#) G# G# G#~
| Old but, I’m not that old
| C#m
G#~ (G# F#) G# G# G#~
| Young, but I’m not that bold
| E
(G#) (G# F# E C#) (G# F#) F#~~
| And I don’t think the world is sold
| B
(G# F# E) C#~ (G# F#) F#~
| I’m just doing what we’re told
| A
Pre-Chorus
I feel something so right
Doing the wrong thing
And I feel something so wrong
Doing the right thing
I couldn’t lie, couldn’t lie, couldn’t lie
Everything that kills me makes me feel alive
C#* (C#* E* C#**) B*~ F#* E* F#* G#* F#*~
| I~~~ | feel~ something so | right
| C#m | E | B
D#* C#* D#* E*~ C#*~~
Doing the | wrong thing
| A
G# C#* (C#* E* C#**) B*~ F#* E* F#* G#* F#*~
| And I~~~ | feel~ something so | wrong
| C#m | E | B
D#* C#* D#* E*~ C#*~~
Doing the | right thing
| A
B C#*~ (B) C#* C#*~ (B) C#* C#*~ (B) C#* B~
I couldn’t lie, couldn’t lie, couldn’t lie
C#* B F# E F# G# (F# E C#) (*B C#)
Everything that kills me makes me feel alive
Chorus
Lately, I’ve been, I’ve been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But baby, I’ve been, I’ve been praying hard
Said, “No more counting dollars, we’ll be counting stars”
