Don’t Tell Me artwork

Don’t Tell Me

KeyE major

Tempo145 BPM

Duration3:22

Listen with

Rhodes melody, piano & acoustic guitar.

INTROClick a line to play from there

SONG NOTES

Questions about this song

Answers from our automatic transcription. Key, tempo and chord labels may contain errors.

What key is Don’t Tell Me by Avril Lavigne in?

This transcription starts in E major.

What tempo is Don’t Tell Me?

The estimated tempo is 145 BPM, calculated from the median spacing between detected beats. This is a summary of the transcription; timing can vary during the song.

What are the main chord progressions in Don’t Tell Me?

Recurring four-chord sequences in this transcription include C♯m → A → E → B (8 occurrences); E → C♯m7 → Bsus4 → Asus2 (6 occurrences); E → C♯m7 → B → Asus2 (4 occurrences). These are exact chord-label matches within sections, not a complete harmonic analysis.

What are the relative chords in Don’t Tell Me?

Here are a few patterns to play with: vi → IV → I → V in E major; I → vi7 → Vsus4 → IVsus2 in E major; I → vi7 → V → IVsus2 in E major. Think of Roman numerals as chord names you can take into any key. Uppercase is major, lowercase is minor; in minor keys, we count from the natural-minor scale.

Does Don’t Tell Me use a well-known chord progression?

Yes! In E major: The four-chord pop progression (vi → IV → I → V) shows up in the chorus at 0:53 and 1:00. The big singalong loop: a little lift, a little heartache, and an easy way back home.

What time signature is Don’t Tell Me in?

The song starts in 4/4, with a short partial bar at the beginning.

How is Don’t Tell Me structured?

The detected sections are intro (0:00) → verse (0:13) → pre-chorus (0:40) → chorus (0:53) → verse (1:20) → pre-chorus (1:46) → chorus (2:00) → bridge (2:26) → chorus (2:40) → outro (3:06).

How long is this version of Don’t Tell Me?

The transcribed version lasts 3:22. Other recordings or edits may have a different duration.