Bad Day artwork

Bad Day

Daniel Powter

KeyE♭ major
Tempo140 BPM
Duration3:55

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 Bad Day by Daniel Powter in?

This transcription starts in E♭ major.

What tempo is Bad Day?

The estimated tempo is 140 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 Bad Day?

Recurring four-chord sequences in this transcription include E♭ → A♭maj7 → Fm7 → B♭ (9 occurrences); A♭ → E♭maj/3 → Fm7 → B♭ (4 occurrences); Cm → Gm/b3 → A♭ → E♭maj/3 (3 occurrences). These are exact chord-label matches within sections, not a complete harmonic analysis.

What are the relative chords in Bad Day?

Here are a few patterns to play with: I → IVmaj7 → ii7 → V in E♭ major; IV → I/3 → ii7 → V in E♭ major; vi → iii/b3 → IV → I/3 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 Bad Day use a well-known chord progression?

Yes! In E♭ major: The ii–V–I progression (ii → V → I) shows up in the verse at 0:27 and the chorus at 1:05. Jazz’s trusty route home: set up some tension, turn it up, then let it resolve. The three-chord I–IV–V progression (V → I → IV) shows up in the verse at 0:31 and 0:37. Three chords, plenty of mileage: home, a lift away, and the pull to come back.

What time signature is Bad Day in?

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

How is Bad Day structured?

The detected sections are intro (0:00) → verse (0:07) → chorus (1:02) → interlude (1:26) → bridge (1:39) → chorus (1:53) → bridge (2:20) → verse (2:41) → chorus (2:55) → outro (3:19).

How long is this version of Bad Day?

The transcribed version lasts 3:55. Other recordings or edits may have a different duration.

Jump to a measure