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How to Play Reggaeton Chords on the Piano

Reggaeton is a genre of music that has its roots in Panama before spreading to Puerto Rico and then to the United States. This type of music is a mixture of Latin American influences delivered in style that is similar to hip hop. Piano chords in reggaeton music are formed basically the same as they are in other musical genres. The major difference is the rhythm in which the chords are played. This heavily syncopated rhythm is indicative of the reggaeton style.

Things You'll Need

  • Piano
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Instructions

    • 1

      Form a piano chord by playing three notes with your right hand. Basic major piano chords are formed by a root note along with a note that is four half steps higher than the root and another note that is seven half steps higher than the root. The series of half steps in music are: A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D, D#/Eb, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab. Therefore, if your root note is C, your next two notes would be E and G.

    • 2

      Add the root note in the bass with your left hand. You can add emphasis to this bass note by doubling it. For instance, if C is your root, you can play one C with your left little finger and another C one octave higher with your thumb.

    • 3

      Create the beginning of a reggaeton rhythm by playing the bass note emphatically on the first beat.

    • 4

      Add to the rhythm by playing the three notes in your right hand on the second half of the second beat, as well as on the third beats. It may help to think of the rhythm as being subdivided as follows: 1-and-2-and-3--4--. So you would play the bass note on "1," followed by the right hand chord on the "and" of "2" and on "3" and "4."

    • 5

      Continue this rhythmic pattern, changing chords to fit the song that you are playing.

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