Super Simple Chords

Piano chords · Dreamy ballad

How to play Só Danço Samba on piano

Written by Antonio Carlos Jobim

Tuning the piano…
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Style

Left hand Island zigzagThe right hand sings the tuneChords the loop the song repeats most

Play the full song with sheet music

Learn Só Danço Samba in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

  1. 1

    Chords: Dm – G7 – Dm – G7

    How it goes

    Só Danço Samba 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. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.

    DmiiG7V7DmiiG7V7
    • DmD · F · A
    • G7G · B · D · F
    136 songs go round the same chords
  2. 2

    Left hand: Island zigzag

    How it goes

    A jump up, then down past the start, in the three-three-two rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 8-12-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 302 songs of the library.

  3. 3

    Right hand: the chords, held

    How it goes

    In this song the right hand mostly plays the tune itself. Hold the chords lightly, or play the melody over the left hand.

  4. 4

    Both hands at 130 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. 5

    Ending: Dm – G7 – C

    How it goes

    The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.

    DmG7C
    • CC · E · G

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Questions about Só Danço Samba

What chords are in Só Danço Samba?

The loop is Dm – G7 – Dm – G7 (ii – V7 – ii – V7) in C major, and the song ends on Dm – G7 – C.

What key is Só Danço Samba in?

C major, at about 130 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Só Danço Samba?

Island zigzag: broken chord 8-12-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Só Danço Samba 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.