Piano chords · Bossa beach

How to play Ditmas on piano

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn Ditmas in 5 steps

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

1
Chords: C – Am – F – C
Ditmas sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Am is A, C and E; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIAmviFIVCI
- CC · E · G
- AmA · C · E
- FF · A · C
121 songs go round the same chords
2
Left hand: Bossa sway
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Bossa swayRoot bass rhythm · Bossa novaLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Marching chords
Two chords per bar, left-right, like a happy little march. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Marching chordsBlock chords · StrideRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 144 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: Am – F – C
The last chords are vi – IV – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
AmFC

What chords are in Ditmas?

The loop is C – Am – F – C (I – vi – IV – I) in C major, and the song ends on Am – F – C.

What key is Ditmas in?

C major, at about 144 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Ditmas?

Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Ditmas 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.