How to Play Feliz Navidad on The Piano

Impress your friends during the holidays by learning how to play the Christmas favorite "Feliz Navidad" on the piano.  The words "Feliz Navidad" mean "Merry Christmas" in Spanish and the song is a fast-paced tune that is often heard filtering out of store speakers and sung on street corners around the world.http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/246.html   

"Feliz Navidad" was written and performed by the Puerto Rican-born songwriter, Jose Feliciano.http://www.amazon.com/Jose-Feliciano/e/B000APA2EY/ref=ac_dpt_sa_bio   Since its release, "Feliz Navidad" has become a traditional song during the Christmas holidays throughout the world. The song was listed as one of the 25 Greatest Holiday Songs of the Century by ASCAP.http://www.amazon.com/Jose-Feliciano/e/B000APA2EY/ref=ac_dpt_sa_bio 

Step 1:  Learn The Four Chords

The song, Feliz Navidad, uses four chords throughout: F major, G major, C, and A minor.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb2m1bAlNCI   All the chords are played with fingers 5, 3, and 1 and move up the keyboard.  Start with the F major chord and place your fingers on the keys F, A, and C.  Move up to the next chord, G major, and place the same three fingers on keys G, B, and D.  The C chord has a little bit of a stretch and touches the keys, G, C, and E.  For the A minor chord, use your fingers to push A, C, and E.  

Practice moving up the keyboard in this pattern F major, G major, C, A minor, F major, and end on a C.  Practice until the transitions flow smoothly.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb2m1bAlNCI 

Step 2:  Play The Melody

The right hand will play the melody in this song.  Start with the thumb, finger number 1, on the G key just up from middle C.  For the next note, the third finger is going to jump to the C.  Below find the melody with both the notes played and the finger that the note is played with.  You may want to learn the words to help you with the rhythm.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb2m1bAlNCI 

G(1)  C(3)  B(2)  C(3)  A(1)

G(1)  D(4)  C(3)  A(2)  G(1)

G(1)  C(3)  B(2)  C(3)  A(2)  

E(1)  A(2)  A(2)  G(1)  G(3)  G(3)  F(2)  F(2)  E(1)   

Repeat.

E(5)  E(5)  E(5)  E(5)  D(4)  C(3)  C(3)  A(2)  A(1)  C(3)

D(5)  D(5)  D(5)  D(5)  C(3)  A(2)  A(2)  G(1)  F#(2)  G(1)

E(5)  E(5)  E(5)  E(5)  D(4)  C(3)  C(3)  A(2)  A(1)

A(1)  B(5)  C(4)  B(3)  B(3)  C(4)  B(5)  B(5)    E(5)  B(4)  C(3)  

Step 3:  Play the Entire Song

Once you have learned the melody and are transitioning well between the chords, it is time to put it together. Play the left and right hand parts together and practice them both until the song flows smoothly throughout.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb2m1bAlNCI 

G(1)  C(3)  B(2)  C(3)  A(1)

                                 Fmajor Fmajor Gmajor

G(1)  D(4)  C(3)  A(2)  G(1)

                                 C   C Gmajor

G(1)  C(3)  B(2)  C(3)  A(2) 

                                Fmajor 

E(1)  A(2)  A(2)  G(1)  G(3)  G(3)  F(2)  F(2)  E(1)   

                 Fmajor  G major                          C   Left hand notes G C

E(5)  E(5)  E(5)  E(5)  D(4)  C(3)  C(3)  A(2)  A(1)  C(3)

                                                 Fmajor

D(5)  D(5)  D(5)  D(5)  C(3)  A(2)  A(2)  G(1)  F#(2)  G(1)

Gmajor                              C

E(5)  E(5)  E(5)  E(5)  D(4)  C(3)  C(3)  A(2)  A(1)  

Aminor                              Fmajor

A(1)  B(5)  C(4)  B(3)  B(3)  C(4)  B(5)  B(5)    E(5)  B(4)  C(3) 

                        Gmajor                                                   Fmajor

    

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