Piano chords · Old-time stride

How to play Bésame Mucho on piano

By Consuelo Velazquez

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Bésame Mucho in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: Dm – Gm – A – Gm – Gm – B7
How it goes
Bésame Mucho sits in D minor: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 6 chords: Dm is D, F and A; Gm is G, Bb and D; A is A, C# and E; B7 is B, D#, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmiGmivAVGmivGmivB7VI7
- DmD · F · A
- GmG · Bb · D
- AA · C# · E
- B7B · D# · F# · A
2
Left hand: Stride jumps
How it goes
Deep bass, then a chord in the middle: the left hand leaps. Musicians call it stride (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in 961 songs of the library.
Stride jumpsStride & boom-chick · StrideLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Knock-knock chords
How it goes
Chord, a quick knock-knock, a pause, then one last chord. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Knock-knock chordsSyncopated chords · PopRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 120 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: Bb – C – Dm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCDm
- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G

What chords are in Bésame Mucho?

The loop is Dm – Gm – A – Gm – Gm – B7 (i – iv – V – iv – VI7 – i) in D minor, and the song ends on Bb – C – Dm.

What key is Bésame Mucho in?

D minor, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.

What does the left hand play in Bésame Mucho?

Stride jumps: stride, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Bésame Mucho easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 6 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.

Can I hear the real melody of Bésame Mucho?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune of the song from a score, with both hands.

Made from 5 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.