Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Despacito on piano

By Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Despacito in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: D – A – Bm – G
How it goes
Despacito sits in B minor: B is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; A is A, C# and E; Bm is B, D and F#; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIIIAVIIBmiGVI
- DD · F# · A
- AA · C# · E
- BmB · D · F#
- GG · B · D
176 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Pop heartbeatRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Swing push
How it goes
Three chords tumble out early with a swing, then the bar breathes. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Swing pushSyncopated chords · Blues and boogie-woogieRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 89 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: G – A – Bm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GABm

What chords are in Despacito?

The loop is D – A – Bm – G (III – VII – i – VI) in B minor, and the song ends on G – A – Bm.

What key is Despacito in?

B minor, at about 89 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Despacito?

Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Despacito 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.

Can I hear the real melody of Despacito?

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

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