Piano chords · Bossa beach

How to play A Man This Lonely on piano

Tuning the piano…

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Learn A Man This Lonely in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: A – F#m – D – E
How it goes
A Man This Lonely sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; F#m is F#, A and C#; D is D, F# and A; E is E, G# and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIF#mviDIVEV
- AA · C# · E
- F#mF# · A · C#
- DD · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
95 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Bossa seesaw
How it goes
Low-low, high-high in a laid-back Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-1-5-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 428 songs of the library.
Bossa seesawRoot–fifth bass · Bossa novaLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Push chords
How it goes
Two quick chords and a push just before beat 3, then space. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Push chordsSyncopated chords · RockRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 100 BPM
How it goes
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
5
Ending: F#m – D – A
How it goes
The last chords are vi – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
F#mDA

What chords are in A Man This Lonely?

The loop is A – F#m – D – E (I – vi – IV – V) in A major, and the song ends on F#m – D – A.

What key is A Man This Lonely in?

A major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in A Man This Lonely?

Bossa seesaw: root–fifth 1-1-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is A Man This Lonely easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.

Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.