Pieces › Playing pop

The Andalusian cadence

Your first black key: A minor – G – F – E

Four chords stepping down, each with the same 1-3-5 shape. The last one, E major, contains a G♯: the black key just to the right of G.

This descent has a dramatic Spanish flavor, and rock and pop have made it their own.

Heard in: Hit the Road Jack, Sultans of Swing, Runaway (Del Shannon)

Tips

• For E major, your middle finger (3) reaches forward a little onto the black key.
• The left hand steps down one note at a time: A, G, F, E.

E minor or E major?

E-G-B (minor), then E-G♯-B (major): just one finger moves onto the black key.

The descent with both hands

Two chords per measure. Left hand: A (1), G (2), F (3), E (4).