Piano chords · Bossa beach
How to play Saludos Amigos on piano
Written by Charles Wolcott
- C major
- 2/2
- 140 BPM
- 1942
- Easy
Learn Saludos Amigos in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Dm – G7 – C – Ab7
Saludos Amigos sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; G7 is G, B, D and F; C is C, E and G; Ab7 is Ab, C, Eb and Gb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmiiG7V7CIAb7bVI7- DmD · F · A
- G7G · B · D · F
- CC · E · G
- Ab7Ab · C · Eb · Gb
- 2
Left hand: Lazy seesaw
A low note, a higher one, a gap, then the higher one again. Musicians call it root–fifth 1-5-5 (root–fifth bass), an easy pattern heard in 520 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pausing chords
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 140 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: Dm – G7 – C
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
DmG7C
Play next
Questions about Saludos Amigos
What chords are in Saludos Amigos?
The loop is Dm – G7 – C – Ab7 (ii – V7 – I – bVI7) in C major, and the song ends on Dm – G7 – C.
What key is Saludos Amigos in?
C major, at about 140 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Saludos Amigos?
Lazy seesaw: root–fifth 1-5-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Saludos Amigos 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 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.