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Interactive piano tutorial for "I Had To Cry" by Johnny Winter, in E major at about 88 BPM. Transcribed from the track by Songscription. Slow it down to learn it at your own pace.

Interactive piano roll preview for "I Had To Cry" by Johnny Winter
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Preview of the interactive piano roll for “I Had To Cry” by Johnny Winter.

I Had To Cry by Johnny Winter
Piano Tutorial

Piano rollFalling notes

This interactive piano roll is a play-along piano tutorial for "I Had To Cry" by Johnny Winter, and one of the simplest ways to learn the song on piano. Every note falls onto the keyboard so you can see exactly what to play and when, and you can slow it right down to work through the fast parts before building back up to full speed.

Inside the music
Signature

Music DNA

Genreblues · rock · blues-rock
Moodmelancholic · reflective
Signatureclassic blues-rock lament with a raw, live feel
E major
Key
88
BPM
4/4
Time
Chords

The progression

E7
A7
B7
E
F♯7
Bm7
Form

Structure & dynamics

IntroVerseChorusVerseChorusInstrumental BreakChorusOutro
Instrumentation

What's in the mix

vocals
male baritone, raw and slightly gravelly, delivering the lyrics with a bluesy, expressive phrasing
acoustic guitar
fingerpicked, providing the harmonic and rhythmic foundation
bass guitar
steady, walking bassline that anchors the groove
electric guitar
clean, melodic lead lines that weave around the vocal melody
drums
steady, understated 4/4 beat with a laid‑back shuffle feel
Album & artist
ALBUM

Early Times (1970)

A compilation of pre-Columbia recordings made in the early 1960s, released without Winter's involvement after he found wider success. It offers a raw look at his formative work, though Winter reportedly was not pleased with its existence and the release is considered unauthorized by many.

All of Early Times
Artist

Johnny Winter

Johnny Winter (1944-2014) was a guitarist and singer from Beaumont, Texas who built his reputation on high-energy blues and blues rock. He plays slide guitar with a ferocity that put him at the forefront of the late 1960s blues revival, and he later produced three Grammy-winning albums for Muddy Waters. In 1988 he was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame.

All Johnny Winter songs
How it works

From a recording to your part in three steps

  1. Step 1
    Bring the recording

    Paste a YouTube link or upload an audio file, the studio cut, a live take, or a cover.

  2. Step 2
    We transcribe it

    Our model listens and arranges this exact performance for piano.

  3. Step 3
    Play & export

    Read it on screen, transpose, slow it down, and export the piano tutorial when it feels right.

Ready to play it?

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FAQ

Good to know

What key is "I Had To Cry" in?

"I Had To Cry" by Johnny Winter is in E major.

What is the tempo of "I Had To Cry"?

"I Had To Cry" plays at around 88 BPM in 4/4 time.

What chords are in "I Had To Cry"?

The core progression is E7, A7, B7, E, F♯7, and Bm7, built around the E major tonal center.

What instruments play on "I Had To Cry"?

The recording features acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, and vocals.

Can I get a piano roll for "I Had To Cry"?

Yes. Songscription turns "I Had To Cry" by Johnny Winter into an interactive piano roll you can play along with.

Is "I Had To Cry" piano tutorial easy to learn?

The piano roll shows every note of "I Had To Cry" falling onto the keys, and you can slow it right down so the fast parts come a few notes at a time. At 88 BPM in E major, it is friendly to pick up.

What album is "I Had To Cry" on?

"I Had To Cry" appears on Early Times (1970).

How does Songscription turn a song into sheet music?

Give it a recording, a YouTube link or an audio file, and its AI transcribes that performance into notation for the instrument and level you choose.

Can I get sheet music for a live or cover version?

Yes. The score is generated from whatever recording you pick, so a live take, a remix, or a cover each match that exact performance.

What instruments and formats are available?

Piano, guitar, violin, trumpet, sax, bass, drums, vocals and more, as standard sheet music, a piano roll, or guitar tabs.

Is Songscription free to use?

You can try it free, with no credit card needed.

Can I download the sheet music as a PDF?

Yes. You get a downloadable PDF, plus in-app playback and the option to transpose or adjust the arrangement before you print.

How accurate is the transcription?

It is produced by AI trained on millions of bars of music, and you can play it back and fine-tune any details before you download.

Is this transcription licensed?

Yes. We have licensed this track from its publisher, so we are permitted to transcribe it and provide the sheet music to you.

Transcribed from licensed catalogs by AI trained on millions of bars of music.

Made with in California.