Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Old Santa Fe on piano
Written by Martin Silvestri & Joel Higgins
- F major
- 4/4
- 110 BPM
- 2004
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Old Santa Fe in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Gm – C – Bb – F
How it goes
Old Santa Fe sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Gm is G, Bb and D; C is C, E and G; Bb is Bb, D and F; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GmiiCVBbIVFI- GmG · Bb · D
- CC · E · G
- BbBb · D · F
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Ping-pong bounce
How it goes
High, low, high, low on every beat: a ping-pong bounce. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 302 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Run-up chords
How it goes
Four steady chords plus a quick extra one leading into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 110 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: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF
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Questions about Old Santa Fe
What chords are in Old Santa Fe?
The loop is Gm – C – Bb – F (ii – V – IV – I) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is Old Santa Fe in?
F major, at about 110 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Old Santa Fe?
Ping-pong bounce: broken chord 8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Old Santa Fe 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.