Before He Cheats artwork

Before He Cheats

Carrie Underwood

KeyF♯ minor
Tempo74 BPM
Duration3:19

Rhodes melody, piano & acoustic guitar.

Song map

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 Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood in?

This transcription starts in F♯ minor.

What tempo is Before He Cheats?

The estimated tempo is 74 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 Before He Cheats?

Recurring four-chord sequences in this transcription include F♯m → E → D → C♯ (11 occurrences); D → F♯m → D → F♯m (6 occurrences); F♯m → D → F♯m → C♯ (3 occurrences). These are exact chord-label matches within sections, not a complete harmonic analysis.

What are the relative chords in Before He Cheats?

Here are a few patterns to play with: i → VII → VI → V in F♯ minor; VI → i → VI → i in F♯ minor; i → VI → i → V in F♯ minor. 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 Before He Cheats use a well-known chord progression?

Yes! In F♯ minor: The descending minor / lament progression (i → VII → VI → V) shows up in the intro at 0:08 and the verse at 0:14. A descending staircase of chords, with the last step pulling hard back toward the start. The Aeolian cadence (VI → VII → i) shows up in the intro at 0:04 and the outro at 3:01. Two rising major chords lead back into minor, balancing a little lift with a darker landing. The Aeolian shuttle (VI → i) shows up in the chorus at 0:40 and 0:43. A minor home chord and its major VI trade places in a gentle light-and-shadow loop.

What time signature is Before He Cheats in?

The transcription starts in 4/4.

How is Before He Cheats structured?

The detected sections are intro (0:00) → verse (0:14) → chorus (0:40) → verse (1:09) → chorus (1:35) → bridge (2:01) → chorus (2:27) → outro (2:58).

How long is this version of Before He Cheats?

The transcribed version lasts 3:19. Other recordings or edits may have a different duration.

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