Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play One Way Or Another on piano
By Blondie
- A major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn One Way Or Another in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – G# – G – F#
How it goes
One Way Or Another sits in A major: A is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; G# is G#, B# and D#; G is G, B and D; F# is F#, A# and C#. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AIG#VIIGbVIIF#VI- AA · C# · E
- G#G# · B# · D#
- GG · B · D
- F#F# · 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: Peekaboo chords
How it goes
A chord on 2, then two surprises popping up between the beats. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 160 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: D – E – A
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DEA- DD · F# · A
- EE · G# · B
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Questions about One Way Or Another
What chords are in One Way Or Another?
The loop is A – G# – G – F# (I5 – VII5 – bVII5 – VI5) in A major, and the song ends on D – E – A.
What key is One Way Or Another in?
A major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in One Way Or Another?
Ping-pong bounce: broken chord 8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is One Way Or Another 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.