Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Hotel California on piano
By Eagles
- B minor
- 2/2
- 92 BPM
- 1976
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Hotel California in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – D – Em – F#
How it goes
Hotel California sits in B minor: B is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; D is D, F# and A; Em is E, G and B; F# is F#, A# and C#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GVIDIIIEmivF#V- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A
- EmE · G · B
- F#F# · A# · C#
- 2
Left hand: Gentle rocking
How it goes
Root, fifth, octave, fifth: the gentle rocking under countless pop ballads. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 696 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
How it goes
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 92 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: G – A – Bm
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GABm- AA · C# · E
- BmB · D · F#
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Questions about Hotel California
What chords are in Hotel California?
The loop is G – D – Em – F# (bVI – bIII – iv – V) in B minor, and the song ends on G – A – Bm.
What key is Hotel California in?
B minor, at about 92 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Hotel California?
Gentle rocking: broken chord 1-5-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Hotel California 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.
Can I hear the real melody of Hotel California?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the opening of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.