Piano chords · Blues & boogie
How to play Santa Fe on piano
By Alan Menken
- C major
- 4/4
- 120 BPM
- 1992
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Santa Fe in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – G – F – G – Dm – C – Dm – C
How it goes
Santa Fe sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 8 chords: F is F, A and C; G is G, B and D; Dm is D, F and A; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIVGVFIVGVDmiiCIDmiiCI- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
- DmD · F · A
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Jazz walk
How it goes
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: Pausing chords
How it goes
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 120 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: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC
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Questions about Santa Fe
What chords are in Santa Fe?
The loop is F – G – F – G – Dm – C – Dm – C (IV – V – IV – V – ii – I – ii – I) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Santa Fe in?
C major, at about 120 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Santa Fe?
Jazz walk: walking bass, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Santa Fe easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 8 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of Santa Fe?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the bass riff of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.