Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Gonna Fly Now on piano
By Ayn Robbins
- A minor
- 4/4
- 115 BPM
- 1976
- Easy
Learn Gonna Fly Now in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm7 – Em7 – Fmaj7 – Esus4 – Esus4
Gonna Fly Now sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 5 chords: Dm7 is D, F, A and C; Em7 is E, G, B and D; Fmaj7 is F, A, C and E; Esus4 is E, A and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Dm7iv7Em7v7Fmaj7VImaj7Esus4Vsus4Esus4Vsus4- Dm7D · F · A · C
- Em7E · G · B · D
- Fmaj7F · A · C · E
- Esus4E · A · B
- 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.
- 3
Right hand: Dawdling chords
Two chords, then a lazy late one after beat 3 that catches up on 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 115 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: F – G – Am
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
- AmA · C · E
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Questions about Gonna Fly Now
What chords are in Gonna Fly Now?
The loop is Dm7 – Em7 – Fmaj7 – Esus4 – Esus4 (iv7 – v7 – VImaj7 – Vsus4 – iv7) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.
What key is Gonna Fly Now in?
A minor, at about 115 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Gonna Fly Now?
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 Gonna Fly Now easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 5 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Gonna Fly Now?
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.