Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Perdido on piano
- Bb major
- 4/4
- 160 BPM
- 1942
- Easy
Learn Perdido in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm – Db7 – Cm – F7
Perdido sits in Bb major: Bb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; Db7 is Db, F, Ab and Cb; Cm is C, Eb and G; F7 is F, A, C and Eb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmiiiDb7bIII7CmiiF7V7- DmD · F · A
- Db7Db · F · Ab · Cb
- CmC · Eb · G
- F7F · A · C · Eb
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist. Musicians call it walking bass (walking bass), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Push chords
Two quick chords and a push just before beat 3, then space. 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: Eb – F – Bb
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbFBb- EbEb · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
- BbBb · D · F
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Questions about Perdido
What chords are in Perdido?
The loop is Dm – Db7 – Cm – F7 (iii – bIII7 – ii – V7) in Bb major, and the song ends on Eb – F – Bb.
What key is Perdido in?
Bb major, at about 160 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Perdido?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Perdido 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 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.