Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Maria Elena on piano
By Lorenzo Barcelata
- C major
- 3/4
- 135 BPM
- I–IV–I–ii loop
- 1932
- Medium
Learn Maria Elena in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C – F – C – Dm
Maria Elena sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; F is F, A and C; Dm is D, F and A. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CIFIVCIDmii- CC · E · G
- FF · A · C
- DmD · F · A
- 2
Left hand: Moon River roll
A wide, flowing roll in three, the Moon River feel. Musicians call it open arpeggio 1-5-10 (3/4) (open arpeggio), a medium pattern heard in 441 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Waltz chords
A chord on each of the three beats: a simple waltz. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 135 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: C – Fm – C
The last chords are I – iv – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CFmC- FmF · Ab · C
Play next
Questions about Maria Elena
What chords are in Maria Elena?
The loop is C – F – C – Dm (I – IV – I – ii) in C major, and the song ends on C – Fm – C.
What key is Maria Elena in?
C major, at about 135 beats a minute in 3/4.
What does the left hand play in Maria Elena?
Moon River roll: open arpeggio 1-5-10 (3/4), a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Maria Elena easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.