Piano · Level 4 · Beginner
The Andalusian cadence in C♯ minor on Piano
Don’t just read about The Andalusian cadence in C♯ minor. Play it.
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This descending four-chord pattern comes from flamenco and turns up in rock and film music. Its bass walks steadily down to a major V chord.
C♯m
Notes: C♯ · E · G♯
B
Notes: B · D♯ · F♯
A
Notes: A · C♯ · E
G♯
Notes: G♯ · B♯ · D♯
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: C♯m, B, A and G♯. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Keep the right hand curved over the keys and move it as one unit between chords.
- Set the tempo to 57 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Let the bass note of each chord step down one scale note at a time.
- Play the left-hand bass note on beat one and the right-hand chord on every beat.
- Raise the tempo to 76 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for the stepwise fall in the lowest notes.
Listen for
Aim for the stepwise fall in the lowest notes. A common mistake is playing V as minor; it must be major to sound Spanish.
Why it works
The major V borrows a raised seventh from the harmonic minor scale, giving the strong leading tone.
C♯ minor has 4 sharps; its relative major key is E major.
Questions
What are the chords in i–♭VII–♭VI–V in C♯ minor?
In C♯ minor the progression is C♯m | B | A | G♯.
What is the key signature of C♯ minor?
C♯ minor has 4 sharps. Its relative major is E major.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 4 lesson (beginner). If it feels too hard, start with “The 12-bar blues”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
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