Back to December artwork

Back to December

Taylor Swift

KeyD major
Tempo71 BPM
Duration4:55

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 Back to December by Taylor Swift in?

This transcription starts in D major.

What tempo is Back to December?

The estimated tempo is 71 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 Back to December?

Recurring four-chord sequences in this transcription include D → Bm → G → D (7 occurrences); Bm → G → D → A (6 occurrences); D → F♯m → G → D (6 occurrences). These are exact chord-label matches within sections, not a complete harmonic analysis.

What are the relative chords in Back to December?

Here are a few patterns to play with: I → vi → IV → I in D major; vi → IV → I → V in D major; I → iii → IV → I in D 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 Back to December use a well-known chord progression?

Yes! In D major: The four-chord pop progression (vi → IV → I → V) shows up in the verse at 0:17 and 0:30. The big singalong loop: a little lift, a little heartache, and an easy way back home. The doo-wop progression (V → I → vi → IV) shows up in the verse at 0:25 and 1:53. That old-school slow-dance sound, with a gentle detour through minor before heading home. The three-chord I–IV–V progression (V → I → IV) shows up in the pre-chorus at 0:42 and 2:10. Three chords, plenty of mileage: home, a lift away, and the pull to come back. The Puff progression (I → iii → IV) shows up in the chorus at 0:54 and 1:07. The move through iii puts a gentle minor shade between two bright major chords.

What time signature is Back to December in?

The song starts in 4/4, with a short partial bar at the beginning. Later meter changes are detected at 4:40 (3/8); 4:42 (4/4).

How is Back to December structured?

The detected sections are intro (0:00) → verse (0:13) → pre-chorus (0:40) → chorus (0:54) → interlude (1:28) → verse (1:41) → pre-chorus (2:08) → chorus (2:22) → interlude (2:56) → bridge (3:09) → chorus (3:50) → outro (4:30).

How long is this version of Back to December?

The transcribed version lasts 4:55. Other recordings or edits may have a different duration.

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