Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Take A Letter, Maria on piano
Written by R. B. Greaves
- G major
- 4/4
- 132 BPM
- I–IV–I–IV loop
- 1969
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Take A Letter, Maria in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: G – C – G – C
How it goes
Take A Letter, Maria sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: G is G, B and D; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
GICIVGICIV- GG · B · D
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Pop heartbeat
How it goes
Long, short, long: the heartbeat under a thousand pop songs. Musicians call it root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3) (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Slow-down chords
How it goes
Quick chords rush through the first half, then slow down to land on 4. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 132 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: C – D – G
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
CDG- DD · F# · A
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Questions about Take A Letter, Maria
What chords are in Take A Letter, Maria?
The loop is G – C – G – C (I – IV – I – IV) in G major, and the song ends on C – D – G.
What key is Take A Letter, Maria in?
G major, at about 132 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Take A Letter, Maria?
Pop heartbeat: root bass · charleston push (1 · 2& · 3), an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Take A Letter, Maria easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.