Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play La Camisa Negra on piano
Written by Juan Esteban Aristizabal
- G minor
- 4/4
- 95 BPM
- 2004
- Easy
Learn La Camisa Negra in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gm – D7 – Gm – Cm
La Camisa Negra sits in G minor: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gm is G, Bb and D; D7 is D, F#, A and C; Cm is C, Eb and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GmiD7V7GmiCmiv- GmG · Bb · D
- D7D · F# · A · C
- CmC · Eb · G
- 2
Left hand: Seesaw bass
Low, higher, low, higher on every beat: a steady seesaw. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-1-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 481 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Offbeat skank
Chords only on the “and”: reggae and swing. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 95 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: Eb – F – Gm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFGm- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
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Questions about La Camisa Negra
What chords are in La Camisa Negra?
The loop is Gm – D7 – Gm – Cm (i – V7 – i – iv) in G minor, and the song ends on Eb – F – Gm.
What key is La Camisa Negra in?
G minor, at about 95 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in La Camisa Negra?
Seesaw bass: root–fifth 1-5-1-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is La Camisa Negra 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.