Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Mas Que Nada on piano
By Sergio Mendes
- A minor
- 2/2
- 140 BPM
- 1963
- Easy
Learn Mas Que Nada in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Em – Am – G7 – Em
Mas Que Nada sits in A minor: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Em is E, G and B; Am is A, C and E; G7 is G, B, D and F. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EmvAmiG7VII7Emv- EmE · G · B
- AmA · C · E
- G7G · B · D · F
- 2
Left hand: Bossa sway
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: a gentle Brazilian sway. Musicians call it root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
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 140 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 – G – Am
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGAm- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
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Questions about Mas Que Nada
What chords are in Mas Que Nada?
The loop is Em – Am – G7 – Em (v – i – bVII7 – v) in A minor, and the song ends on F – G – Am.
What key is Mas Que Nada in?
A minor, at about 140 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Mas Que Nada?
Bossa sway: root bass · bossa (1 · 2& · 3 · 4&), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Mas Que Nada 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 Mas Que Nada?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the intro of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 5 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.