• Meet Brenda
  • The Versatile Musician
  • Lessons
  • Guest Artist
  • Blog
  • Performances
  • Connect
  • Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Piano & Voice With Brenda

Piano and Voice Training that WORKS.

  • Meet Brenda
  • The Versatile Musician
  • Lessons
  • Guest Artist
  • Blog
  • Performances
  • Connect
  • Meet Brenda
  • The Versatile Musician
  • Lessons
  • Guest Artist
  • Blog
  • Performances
  • Connect

Killing Me Softly Piano Tutorial

Killing Me Softly With His Song was a huge international hit in 1973 by US artist Roberta Flack.  In this Killing Me Softly piano tutorial you will learn the chords and the flowing piano accompaniment.  This one is super easy to play and a crowd favorite!

Lyrics and Chords printable for Killing Me Softly 

Sign up and get the lyrics and chords sheet sent to your inbox for FREE.

Killing Me Softly With His Song was a huge international hit in 1973 by US artist Roberta Flack.  The song was composed by Charles Fox with lyrics by Normal Gimbel.  (He wrote English lyrics for dozens of Bossa Nova songs!). The song was written in collaboration with Lori Lieberman, who was inspired by concert she heard of Don McLean.

Since Flack’s release in 1973, the song was covered in 1996 by The Fugees with Lauryn Hill on vocals.  The song won a Grammy both in 1974 and in 1997!

This tutorial will include two different versions of the chords.  I will show you two accompaniment strategies based on root position chords, as well as the same two accompaniment strategies using standard jazz piano voicings.

Lyrics and Chords to Killing Me Softly

Screenshot 2026-01-10 at 11.55.42 AM

Need to learn chords?

Sign up and get my FREE Ultimate Chord Cheat Sheets!  Perfect for mastering your chords on piano.

Chords for Killing Me Softly

I chose to use root position chords for this tutorial, but you could absolutely use any chord inversions you like!

Killling Me Softly Chords

Accompaniment Strategy for Killing Me Softly

You can choose one of two accompaniment strategies for this song. “Wiggly Fingers” is the more traditional sound for this song, but you can also play it as a Bossa Nova.  Some folks enjoy doing the verse in WF and switching to BN for the chorus.

“Wiggly Fingers” Simplified:

 

Killling Me Softly simplified accompaniment

“Wiggly Fingers” Full:

Killling Me Softly Jazz Accompaniment wiggly fingers
The Versatile Musician logo with website listed. Reads all inclusive membership to level up your skills. Photo of Brenda Earle Stokes owner and creator of Piano and Voice with Brenda.
Check it out!

Want to level up your musical skills? Strengthen your piano skills, develop your ear training, become a rhythm ninja and learn new skills like jazz and improvisation.

The Versatile Musician is an all-in-one membership that combines video lessons, print material and live support to help you level up your skills and thrive as a musician and music teacher. 

To learn more, check out www.theversatilemusician.com and get ready to become the best musician possible!

Here is Roberta Flack singing Killing Me Softly

Here is the incredible 1990s Fugees version of Killing Me Softly

Category: Piano for Singers, Piano Lessons, Song Tutorials, Tutorials, Uncategorized

Previous Post: « 10 Piano Bar Songs You Need to Know
Next Post: I Can’t Make You Love Me Piano Tutorial »