Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Bamboleo on piano
Written by Nicolas Reyes, Tonino Baliardo & others
- F# minor
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- 1987
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Bamboleo in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bm – C#7 – F#m – Bm
How it goes
Bamboleo sits in F# minor: F# is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bm is B, D and F#; C#7 is C#, E#, G# and B; F#m is F#, A and C#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
BmivC#7V7F#miBmiv- BmB · D · F#
- C#7C# · E# · G# · B
- F#mF# · A · C#
- 2
Left hand: Lazy seesaw
How it goes
A low note, a higher one, a gap, then the higher one again. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 520 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Skipping-stone chords
How it goes
One chord, then two bounces on the “ands”, like a stone on water. 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: D – E – F#m
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEF#m- DD · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
Play next
Questions about Bamboleo
What chords are in Bamboleo?
The loop is Bm – C#7 – F#m – Bm (iv – V7 – i – iv) in F# minor, and the song ends on D – E – F#m.
What key is Bamboleo in?
F# minor, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Bamboleo?
Lazy seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Bamboleo 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.