Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
Desperado: piano accompaniment sheet music
By Journey South
- G major
- 4/4
- 58 BPM
- 1973
- Easy
Desperado written out as piano music: the I – I7 – IV – iv – I – vi – II7 – V loop in G major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays tumble down (broken chord 8-5-1) and the right hand steady chords.
Desperado chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in G major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | I | G B D |
| 1 | G7 | I7 | G B D F |
| 2 | C | IV | C E G |
| 2 | Cm | iv | C Eb G |
| 3 | G | I | G B D |
| 3 | Em | vi | E G B |
| 4 | A7 | II7 | A C# E G |
| 4 | D | V | D F# A |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: tumble down (broken chord 8-5-1) in the left hand and steady chords in the right, over the G – G7 – C – Cm – G – Em – A7 – D chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about Desperado
Does the sheet music for Desperado have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in Desperado?
The loop is G – G7 – C – Cm – G – Em – A7 – D (I – I7 – IV – iv – I – vi – II7 – V) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Desperado in?
G major, at about 58 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Desperado?
Tumble down: broken chord 8-5-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Desperado easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Desperado?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the opening 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.