Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Ballad Of The Alamo on piano
Written by Dimitri Tiomkin
- E minor
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- 1960
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Ballad Of The Alamo in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Em – D – Em – G
How it goes
Ballad Of The Alamo sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Em is E, G and B; D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EmiDVIIEmiGIII- EmE · G · B
- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Drowsy heartbeat
How it goes
Two slow notes, then a late one that slips in before the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 889 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hand-clap chords
How it goes
Rests on beat 1, then clap-clap on 2 and one more clap on 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: C – D – Em
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDEm- CC · E · G
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Questions about Ballad Of The Alamo
What chords are in Ballad Of The Alamo?
The loop is Em – D – Em – G (i – bVII – i – bIII) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is Ballad Of The Alamo in?
E minor, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Ballad Of The Alamo?
Drowsy heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Ballad Of The Alamo 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.