Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Guantanamera on piano
By Cuban Folk Song
- F major
- 4/4
- 136 BPM
- Easy
Learn Guantanamera in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Bb – C – C7 – F – Gm7 – C – Gm7
Guantanamera sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: F is F, A and C; Bb is Bb, D and F; C is C, E and G; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; Gm7 is G, Bb, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIBbIVCVC7V7FIGm7ii7CVGm7ii7- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- Gm7G · Bb · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Three-step climb
Root, fifth, octave, then let it ring. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 136 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 – C7 – F
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FC7F
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Questions about Guantanamera
What chords are in Guantanamera?
The loop is F – Bb – C – C7 – F – Gm7 – C – Gm7 (I – IV – V – V7 – I – ii7 – V – ii7) in F major, and the song ends on F – C7 – F.
What key is Guantanamera in?
F major, at about 136 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Guantanamera?
Three-step climb: broken chord 1-5-8, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Guantanamera 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 Guantanamera?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the main tune 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.