Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Feliz Navidad on piano
By Jose Feliciano
- F major
- 4/4
- 148 BPM
- 1970
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Feliz Navidad in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F7 – E – Eb7 – Eb7 – E – F7 – E – Eb7 – Eb7 – E
How it goes
Feliz Navidad sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 10 chords: F7 is F, A, C and Eb; E is E, G# and B; Eb7 is Eb, G, Bb and Db. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
F7I7EVIIEb7bVII7Eb7bVII7EVIIF7I7EVIIEb7bVII7Eb7bVII7EVII- F7F · A · C · Eb
- EE · G# · B
- Eb7Eb · G · Bb · Db
- 2
Left hand: Stair steps
How it goes
Three notes climb up the chord in the island rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 1-3-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 438 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Push-and-land chords
How it goes
A push just before beat 3, then two calm landings. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 148 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 – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
Play next
Questions about Feliz Navidad
What chords are in Feliz Navidad?
The loop is F7 – E – Eb7 – Eb7 – E – F7 – E – Eb7 – Eb7 – E (I7 – VII – bVII7 – VII – I7 – VII – bVII7 – VII – I7 – VII) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Feliz Navidad in?
F major, at about 148 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Feliz Navidad?
Stair steps: broken chord 1-3-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Feliz Navidad easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 10 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Feliz Navidad?
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.