Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Desafinado (Slightly Out Of Tune) on piano
- C major
- 2/2
- 160 BPM
- 1959
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Desafinado (Slightly Out Of Tune) in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – Fdim – F#m – B7
How it goes
Desafinado (Slightly Out Of Tune) sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; Fdim is F, Ab and Cb; F#m is F#, A and C#; B7 is B, D#, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EIIIFdimiv°F#m#ivB7VII7- EE · G# · B
- FdimF · Ab · Cb
- F#mF# · A · C#
- B7B · D# · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Island pulse
How it goes
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Ticking clock
How it goes
One high note repeated on every quick beat: tick, tick, tick. 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: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
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Questions about Desafinado (Slightly Out Of Tune)
What chords are in Desafinado (Slightly Out Of Tune)?
The loop is E – Fdim – F#m – B7 (III – ivo – #iv – VII7) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Desafinado (Slightly Out Of Tune) in?
C major, at about 160 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Desafinado (Slightly Out Of Tune)?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Desafinado (Slightly Out Of Tune) easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.