Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Bella Ciao on piano
By Traditional
- E minor
- 4/4
- 110 BPM
- Easy
Learn Bella Ciao in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Am – Em – B – C#m
Bella Ciao sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Am is A, C and E; Em is E, G and B; B is B, D# and F#; C#m is C#, E and G#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AmivEmiBVC#mvi- AmA · C · E
- EmE · G · B
- BB · D# · F#
- C#mC# · E · G#
- 2
Left hand: Ping-pong bounce
High, low, high, low on every beat: a ping-pong bounce. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 302 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 110 BPM
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
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDEm- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Bella Ciao
What chords are in Bella Ciao?
The loop is Am – Em – B – C#m (iv – i – V – vi) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is Bella Ciao in?
E minor, at about 110 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Bella Ciao?
Ping-pong bounce: broken chord 8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Bella Ciao 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.