How to Save a Life artwork

How to Save a Life

The Fray

KeyB♭ major
Tempo122 BPM
Duration4:24

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 How to Save a Life by The Fray in?

This transcription starts in B♭ major.

What tempo is How to Save a Life?

The estimated tempo is 122 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 How to Save a Life?

Recurring four-chord sequences in this transcription include B♭ → Fmaj/3 → E♭ → F (9 occurrences); E♭ → F → Gm → B♭ (8 occurrences); F → Gm → B♭ → Fmaj/3 (8 occurrences). These are exact chord-label matches within sections, not a complete harmonic analysis.

What are the relative chords in How to Save a Life?

Here are a few patterns to play with: I → V/3 → IV → V in B♭ major; IV → V → vi → I in B♭ major; V → vi → I → V/3 in B♭ 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 How to Save a Life use a well-known chord progression?

Yes! In B♭ major: The hopscotch progression (IV → V → vi → I) shows up in the chorus at 0:39 and 0:47. Three rising chord roots give this loop a lift before it hops back around.

What time signature is How to Save a Life in?

The transcription starts in 4/4.

How is How to Save a Life structured?

The detected sections are intro (0:00) → verse (0:08) → chorus (0:39) → verse (1:03) → chorus (1:34) → verse (1:58) → chorus (2:29) → outro (3:48).

How long is this version of How to Save a Life?

The transcribed version lasts 4:24. Other recordings or edits may have a different duration.

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