Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play La Llorona on piano
By Germaine Franco
- E minor
- 3/4
- 56 BPM
- i–iv–i–V7 loop
- 2017
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn La Llorona in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Em – Am – Em – B7
How it goes
La Llorona sits in E minor: E is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Em is E, G and B; Am is A, C and E; B7 is B, D#, F# and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EmiAmivEmiB7V7- EmE · G · B
- AmA · C · E
- B7B · D# · F# · A
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah-pah
How it goes
One strong beat and two light ones: a dance in three. Musicians call it waltz oom-pah-pah (waltz), an easy pattern heard in 526 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz push chords
How it goes
Chord, a push before beat 3, then the landing: a waltz with a nudge. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 56 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: C – D – Em
How it goes
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDEm- CC · E · G
- DD · F# · A
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Questions about La Llorona
What chords are in La Llorona?
The loop is Em – Am – Em – B7 (i – iv – i – V7) in E minor, and the song ends on C – D – Em.
What key is La Llorona in?
E minor, at about 56 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in La Llorona?
Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is La Llorona 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.