Major view
G major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = F# (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = C (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Misc Traditional - Bella Ciao - Chord
Key G major – E minor Chords Am, Em, B7, D, G Easy key C (capo 7)
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Key: G | Em
Capo: 0
Am D G Am B7
Em
Aamulla varhain kivääriin tartuin
O bella, ciao, Bella, ciao
Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao
Am D G Am
Aamulla varhain kivääriin tartuin
B7 Em
sen käänsin kohti sortajaa
Em
Käy partisaani nyt rinnalleni
O bella, ciao, Bella, ciao
Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao
Am D G Am
Käy partisaani nyt rinnalleni
B7 B7
Ja kohtaloni aavistan
Em
Kun surmaluodin, saan taistelussa
O bella, ciao, Bella, ciao
Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao
Am D G Am
Kun surmaluodin, saan taistelussa
B7 Em
Toverit minut haudatkaa
Em
Sen haudan ylle, kauniina jääköön
O bella, ciao, Bella, ciao
Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao
Am D G Am
Sen haudan ylle, kauniina jääköön
B7 Em
Vuoriston kukka kasvamaan
Em
Niin, että kansa voi vuoritiellä
O bella, ciao, Bella, ciao
Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao
Am D G Am
Niin, että kansa voi vuoritiellä
B7 Em
Sen nähdä hiljaa hehkuvan
Em
Se kaunis kukka, on partisaanin
O bella, ciao, Bella, ciao
Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao
Am D G Am
Se kaunis kukka, on partisaanin
B7 Em
Vapauden vuoksi taistelleen
End of song Play again?
Misc Traditional - Bella Ciao Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Misc Traditional – Bella Ciao: key and chord analysis
The song opens on Am and ends on Em. Its chords belong to both G major and Em, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
E minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = C (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = D (natural-minor colour)
- #7 = D# (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 E minor side because it comes to rest on Em, Em is heard 11 times against 7 for G and the major V chord points straight at Em. That is an interpretation, not a rule — the same chords are just as valid seen from G 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 G or to Em; 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 | G | Tonic — home | G · B · D | 7× |
| ii | Am | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A · C · E | 14× |
| iii | Bm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | B · D · F# | — |
| V7/vi | B7 | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Emsecondary dominant | B · D# · F# · A | 8× |
| IV | C | Subdominant — moves away from home | C · E · G | — |
| V | D | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A | 7× |
| vi | Em | Relative minor — the melancholy side | E · G · B | 11× |
| vii° | F#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | F# · A · C | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Em | Tonic — home | E · G · B | 11× |
| ii° | F#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F# · A · C | — |
| III | G | Relative major — the bright side | G · B · D | 7× |
| iv | Am | Subdominant — moves away from home | A · C · E | 14× |
| v | Bm | Minor dominant — soft pull | B · D · F# | — |
| V7 | B7 | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | B · D# · F# · A | 8× |
| VI | C | Submediant — warm colour | C · E · G | — |
| VII | D | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | D · F# · A | 7× |
Analysis
The key pair is G major and its relative E minor (1 sharp). 5 different chords appear 47 times in total; 4 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. The major V of Em brings the harmonic-minor leading tone, giving the minor side a sharper, more dramatic pull; seen from G, the same B7 is V7/vi, a secondary dominant heading for Em.
Chord movement
- D G GV → Iauthentic cadence EmVII → III ×7
- B7 Em GV7/vi → visecondary resolution EmV7 → iharmonic-minor cadence ×7
- Am D Gii → Vii → V Emiv → VII ×7
- Am B7 Gii → V7/vi Emiv → V7iv → V ×7
The move to watch is D → G, heard 7 times. From the Em side it is VII → III; from the G side it reads V → I (authentic cadence: the strongest arrival home). Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- G major pentatonic and E minor pentatonic are the same five notes (G – A – B – D – E): start from G for a brighter phrase, from E for a bluesier one.
- Over Am, land on A, C, E — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Em, land on E, G, B — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over B7, land on B, D#, F# — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- When B7 comes, swap the scale's D for D#: 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 G major shapes
- No capo — open G shapes
- Capo 3 + E shapes
- Capo 5 + D shapes
With E minor shapes
- No capo — open Em shapes
- Capo 2 + Dm shapes
- Capo 7 + Am shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
- 5 semitones up · capo 7 keeps the original pitch
The song's harmonic story
Starting on Am, the song gives away its key from the very first bar. The backbone is Am, Em, B7, D — ii–vi–V7/vi–V from the G side, iv–i–V7–VII from the Em side. B7 is the interesting twist: in G it is a chromatic chord (V7/vi), while in Em it becomes the dominant (V7) that makes the minor side sound so determined. Keep an ear on D → G (V → I in G, VII → III in Em): authentic cadence — the strongest arrival home. It closes on Em, letting the Em side have the last word.
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 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.
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