6 Famous Songs That Use the Spanish (Andalusian) Cadence

The Andalusian cadence (i–bVII–bVI–V, in D minor Dm–C–Bb–A) can be played on piano with the rhythm patterns of songs like Feeling Good, House of the Rising Sun, Believer, Who Is It, Walk Don't Run and The Ketchup Song, then reused over other progressions.

Video lesson by Jason Zac · Intermediate · 17 min

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In this lesson Jason Zac of Nathaniel School of Music shows how to borrow the rhythm patterns of six well-known songs and play them over the Andalusian cadence. The idea is to learn from great music: take a song's groove, apply it to one strong progression, and build a set of left-hand and right-hand patterns you can later use in completely different songs. It suits pianists who already know basic triads and want more comping ideas.

The progression

The Andalusian cadence is i – bVII – bVI – V. In D minor that is:

• Dm (D F A)
• C (C E G)
• Bb (Bb D F)
• A (A C# E)

The first three chords come from D natural minor, while the A major chord uses C#, which belongs to D harmonic minor. So the progression draws on both scales.

1. Feeling Good

Play the root of each chord in the left hand and the chord in the right hand. The feel is a triplet feel, so count one-and-a, two-and-a, three-and-a, four-and-a. For a simpler version, hold the chords as long notes, and slow down at the end of the turn.

2. House of the Rising Sun

This one uses arpeggios, broken chords rather than blocked ones. The rhythm is in 6/8, so count one to six for each bar. Note that the original song uses a different set of chords; here the arpeggio pattern is simply placed over the Andalusian cadence. Practising simple arpeggios first will help you reach this rhythm.

3. Believer

The right hand repeats D and F in a swung rhythm over the first three chords. On the A major chord, D and F clash, so switch to C# and E. In the left hand, start with fifth chords (D–A, C–G, Bb–F, A–E). To make it sound epic:

• Drone the lowest D on your keyboard in the left hand, hold the sustain pedal, and play the fifth chords in the right hand.
• Add off-beat hits: play the C chord a little early, only on alternate turns, or let it lag behind the beat.

4. Who Is It

Keep a steady pulse in the right hand and time the chords in a three-plus-one pattern: Dm for three beats, then C on the fourth beat. Add accents in the left hand, and try ghost notes there too. This pattern is excellent for hand independence and works for ballads and hard-hitting rock alike.

5. Walk Don't Run

This old-school rock riff uses three hits of D minor, finishing the phrase with a short eighth-note broken-chord figure. It is closely related to the Who Is It pattern.

6. The Ketchup Song (Asereje)

The left hand alone makes a great 16th-note bassline. Count one-e-and-a, two-e-and-a, and move between the root, fifth and octave, coming back to the fifth, for each chord. For a simplified version, play just the root and fifth. Then add the right-hand chords on top.

How to practise

1. Learn the four chords in D minor until the changes are automatic.
2. Take one pattern at a time, hands separately, counting aloud.
3. Put hands together slowly, then add the variations (drones, off-beats, ghost notes).
4. Finally, try each rhythm over other chord progressions so the patterns become your own.

Questions about this lesson

What are the chords of the Andalusian cadence in D minor?

The chords are D minor, C major, Bb major and A major, which is i–bVII–bVI–V. The A major chord brings in C# from D harmonic minor.

Which famous songs use the Andalusian cadence pattern in this lesson?

The lesson uses grooves from Feeling Good, House of the Rising Sun, Believer, Who Is It, Walk Don't Run and The Ketchup Song. House of the Rising Sun's original chords differ, so only its arpeggio rhythm is borrowed.

How do you make the Believer pattern sound bigger on piano?

Drone the lowest D on the keyboard with the sustain pedal held and play fifth chords in the right hand. You can also add off-beat hits, such as playing the C chord early or late.

What is the 3+1 rhythm in Who Is It?

The right hand keeps a steady pulse while D minor lasts three beats and C comes on the fourth beat. Left-hand accents and ghost notes build independence between the hands.

Practise it

• Cadence LibraryCompare piano cadences across keys and listen to how different chord movements create closure, suspense or a turn in a new direction.
• Swing GardenWork with straight and swung rhythm in an interactive teaching workspace.
• Piano classes at Nathaniel School of MusicLive online or in Bangalore, with a teacher.
• All free music apps40 practice tools for harmony, rhythm, ear training and more.

Related lessons

• 5 Comping Piano Rhythm Patterns for Any SituationFive versatile piano comping patterns are oompa, waltz, swung reggae, tresillo and an Indian triplet groove: in each, the left hand toggles between chord root and fifth while the right hand places the chord on specific rhythmic hit points.
• 2 Flamenco Piano Patterns Using the Spanish CadenceYou can play flamenco on the piano over the Andalusian cadence (Dm, C, Bb, A) using two patterns: a syncopated rhythm with a legato root-and-fifth left hand under right-hand chord hits, and a guitar-style pattern where the right hand cycles through flam, block, single and broken-chord articulations.
• 3 Beautiful Piano Arpeggio Patterns (for Any Genre)Three go-to piano arpeggio patterns are low-middle-high-middle (LMHM), high-middle-low-middle (HMLM) and high-low-middle-low (HLML), played as eighth notes in the right hand over close chord inversions while the left hand plays the root of each chord.
• The Spanish Andalusian Cadence Every Pianist Should Know (Part 1)The Andalusian cadence in D minor is Dm–C–Bb–A (i–bVII–bVI–V), a descending, flamenco-flavoured progression that borrows the C from the natural minor and the A major (with C#) from the harmonic minor.