Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play My Main Man on piano
Written by Bettye Jean Crutcher, Bob Manuel & others
- D major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- I–IV–V7–I loop
- 1972
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn My Main Man in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: D – G – A7 – D
How it goes
My Main Man sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: D is D, F# and A; G is G, B and D; A7 is A, C#, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DIGIVA7V7DI- DD · F# · A
- GG · B · D
- A7A · C# · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Bossa sway
How it goes
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: Pausing chords
How it goes
Three steady chords, then beat 4 left empty to breathe. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 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: G – A7 – D
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GA7D
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Questions about My Main Man
What chords are in My Main Man?
The loop is D – G – A7 – D (I – IV – V7 – I) in D major, and the song ends on G – A7 – D.
What key is My Main Man in?
D major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in My Main Man?
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 My Main Man 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.