Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Menina Flor on piano
By Luiz Bonfa
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 1963
- Easy
Learn Menina Flor in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Bb7 – Eb – C7 – F7
Menina Flor sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab; Eb is Eb, G and Bb; C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F7 is F, A, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Bb7V7EbIC7VI7F7II7- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- EbEb · G · Bb
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Oom-pah
A bass note, then three soft chords: oom, pah, pah, pah. Musicians call it bass + chords (stride & boom-chick), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pop stabs
Chord stabs in the 3-3-2 pop rhythm. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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 – Bb7 – Eb
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbBb7Eb
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Questions about Menina Flor
What chords are in Menina Flor?
The loop is Bb7 – Eb – C7 – F7 (V7 – I – VI7 – II7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Bb7 – Eb.
What key is Menina Flor in?
Eb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Menina Flor?
Oom-pah: bass + chords, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Menina Flor 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.