Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play One Way Or Another on piano
- C major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- Easy
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: F – Am – G – Em
One Way Or Another sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Am is A, C and E; G is G, B and D; Em is E, G and B. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIVAmviGVEmiii- FF · A · C
- AmA · C · E
- GG · B · D
- EmE · G · B
- 2
Left hand: Island pulse
Three, three, two: the island rhythm in so many pop hits. Musicians call it root bass · tresillo 3-3-2 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Catch-up chords
Two chords, a late one after beat 3, then a dash to catch up. 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: F – G – C
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- CC · E · G
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Questions about One Way Or Another
What chords are in One Way Or Another?
The loop is F – Am – G – Em (IV – vi – V – iii) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is One Way Or Another in?
C major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in One Way Or Another?
Island pulse: root bass · tresillo 3-3-2, 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.
Can I hear the real melody of One Way Or Another?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.