Major view
C major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = B (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = F (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Misc Traditional - Bella Ciao (Manu Pilas) - Chord
Key C major – A minor Chords Am, Dm, E7, Am7 Difficulty already in its easiest key
No ratings yet
or your user informations
Make it yours
Text size
Key: C | Am
Capo: 0
Am
Una mattina mi son svegliato
O bella, ciao, Bella, ciao
Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao
Dm Am
Una mattina mi son svegliato
E7 Am
e ho trovato l'invasor
Am
O partigiano, portami via
O bella, ciao, Bella, ciao
Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao
Dm Am
O partigiano, portami via
E7 Am
ché mi sento di morir
Am
E se io muoio da partigiano
O bella, ciao, Bella, ciao
Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao
Dm Am
E se io muoio da partigiano
E7 Am
tu mi devi seppellir
Am
Seppellire lassù in montagna
O bella, ciao, Bella, ciao
Am7
Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao
Dm Am
E seppellire lassù in montagna
E7 Am
Sotto l'ombra di un bel fior
Am
E le genti che passeranno
O bella, ciao,Bella, ciao
Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao
Dm Am
E le genti che passeranno
E7 Am
Ti diranno «Che bel fior
Am
È questo il fiore del partigiano
O bella, ciao, Bella, ciao
Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao
Dm Am
È questo il fiore del partigiano
E7 Am
morto per la libertà
End of song Play again?
Misc Traditional - Bella Ciao (Manu Pilas) Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Misc Traditional – Bella Ciao (Manu Pilas): key and chord analysis
The song opens on Am and ends on Am. Its chords belong to both C major and Am, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
A minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = F (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = G (natural-minor colour)
- #7 = G# (harmonic-minor leading tone from the V chord)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the A minor side because it both starts and finishes on Am, Am is heard 19 times while C never appears and the major V chord points straight at Am. That is an interpretation, not a rule — the same chords are just as valid seen from C major, and switching between the two views is exactly where the practice value lies.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to C or to Am; comparing both readings is a practice of its own.
Every chord of the key, listed 1 to 7 separately for each key. Chords played in the song show how often they appear; chords from outside the scale sit next to their own degree.
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | C | Tonic — home | C · E · G | — |
| ii | Dm | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | D · F · A | 6× |
| iii | Em | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | E · G · B | — |
| V7/vi | E7 | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Amsecondary dominant | E · G# · B · D | 6× |
| IV | F | Subdominant — moves away from home | F · A · C | — |
| V | G | Dominant — strongest pull home | G · B · D | — |
| vi | Am | Relative minor — the melancholy side | A · C · E | 18× |
| vi7 | Am7 | Relative minor — the melancholy side | A · C · E · G | 1× |
| vii° | Bdim | Leading-tone chord — tension | B · D · F | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Am | Tonic — home | A · C · E | 18× |
| i7 | Am7 | Tonic — home | A · C · E · G | 1× |
| ii° | Bdim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | B · D · F | — |
| III | C | Relative major — the bright side | C · E · G | — |
| iv | Dm | Subdominant — moves away from home | D · F · A | 6× |
| v | Em | Minor dominant — soft pull | E · G · B | — |
| V7 | E7 | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | E · G# · B · D | 6× |
| VI | F | Submediant — warm colour | F · A · C | — |
| VII | G | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | G · B · D | — |
Analysis
The key pair is C major and its relative A minor (no sharps or flats). 4 different chords appear 31 times in total; 3 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. The major V of Am brings the harmonic-minor leading tone, giving the minor side a sharper, more dramatic pull; seen from C, the same E7 is V7/vi, a secondary dominant heading for Am.
Chord movement
- E7 Am CV7/vi → visecondary resolution AmV7 → iharmonic-minor cadence ×6
- Dm Am Cii → vi Amiv → iminor plagal ×6
The move to watch is E7 → Am, heard 6 times. From the Am side it is V7 → i (harmonic-minor cadence: the major V resolves dramatically); from the C side it reads V7/vi → vi (secondary resolution: E7 resolves a fourth up to Am). Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- C major pentatonic and A minor pentatonic are the same five notes (C – D – E – G – A): start from C for a brighter phrase, from A for a bluesier one.
- Over Am, land on A, C, E — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Dm, land on D, F, A — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over E7, land on E, G#, B — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- When E7 comes, swap the scale's G for G#: that single note is the harmonic-minor sound of the chord.
The song on the circle of fifths
- Played in the song — chord of the key
- Played — the minor's harmonic V or a secondary dominant
- Played — borrowed or outside chord
- Home region: IV–I–V and ii–vi–iii
Empty slices are chords the song doesn't use.
Capo and easier keys
With C major shapes
- No capo — open C shapes
- Capo 3 + A shapes
- Capo 5 + G shapes
With A minor shapes
- No capo — open Am shapes
- Capo 5 + Em shapes
- Capo 7 + Dm shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
The song is already written in its easiest key for guitar.
The song's harmonic story
The first chord is Am; the ear learns where home is within a second. Am, Dm, E7, Am7 carry the song: vi–ii–V7/vi–vi7 relative to C, i–iv–V7–i7 relative to Am. E7 is the interesting twist: in C it is a chromatic chord (V7/vi), while in Am it becomes the dominant (V7) that makes the minor side sound so determined. Keep an ear on E7 → Am (V7/vi → vi in C, V7 → i in Am): harmonic-minor cadence — the major V resolves dramatically. The final chord is Am; the ear comes to rest in Am.
This analysis is generated from the song's chords by akorculuk's harmony engine using consistent rules. When you change key, the degrees stay the same; only the chord names change.
Misc Traditional - Bella Ciao (Manu Pilas) Chords on Guitar, Ukulele and Piano
Hover over or tap a chord in the lyrics for its shapes, its degree in both keys and a listen button. Here you have every chord of the song side by side.
Repertoires with this song
Similar songs, ready to play: pick a list.
Report error for this content report.
All copyrights belong to their respective owners. If you think this content contains copyright infringement, please contact us.