Piano chords · Waltz garden
How to play Mexican Hat Dance on piano
Written by F.A. Partichela
- F major
- 6/8
- 120 BPM
- V7–I–V7–I loop
- 1933
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Mexican Hat Dance in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: C7 – F – C7 – F
How it goes
Mexican Hat Dance sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C7 is C, E, G and Bb; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
C7V7FIC7V7FI- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Clip-clop waltz
How it goes
A two-note chord and a single note trade places in quick waltz steps. Musicians call it lh triads (3/4) (left-hand chords), a medium pattern heard in 47 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: the chords, held
How it goes
In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.
- 4
Both hands at 120 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: F – C7 – F
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FC7F
Play next
Questions about Mexican Hat Dance
What chords are in Mexican Hat Dance?
The loop is C7 – F – C7 – F (V7 – I – V7 – I) in F major, and the song ends on F – C7 – F.
What key is Mexican Hat Dance in?
F major, at about 120 beats a minute in 6/8.
What does the left hand play in Mexican Hat Dance?
Clip-clop waltz: lh triads (3/4), a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Mexican Hat Dance 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.