Other arrangements of Rio
Pick a learning view.
Mov ing on the floor now, babe, you’re a (Am7)bird of par a (C5)dise.
Cher ry ice cream smile, I sup (A)pose it’s ver y nice.
With a (Em7)step to your left and a (C)flick to the right, you catch that mir ror way out (C5)west.
You know you’re (C)some thing spe cial and you (A)look like you’re the (C5)best.
Her name is (B)Ri o and she (D)danc es on the sand,
just like that (B)riv er twist ing (D)through a dust y land.
And when she (B)shines, she real ly shows you all she (A)can.
Oh, Ri o, (B)Ri o, dance a (D)cross the Ri o (A5)Grande.
I’ve seen you on the (C)beach and I’ve seen you on T (C5)V,
two
of a bil lion stars.
It means so (Em7)much to me,
like a birth day or a pret ty view.
But then, I’m (C)sure that you (A)know it’s just for you.
(A5)Grande.
Hey now, woo, look at that.
Did he near ly run you down?
At the (Em)end of the drive the (C)law men ar rive.
(A)You make me feel a live, a live, a live.
I’ll take my chance,
’cause (Cmaj13)luck is on my (Em)side or some thing.
I (C)know what you’re think ing.
I’ll (A)tell you some thing: I (C)know what you’re think ing.
Her name is (B)Ri o and she (D)danc es on the sand,
just like that (B)riv er twists a (D)cross the dust y land.
And when she shines, she real ly shows you all she (A)can.
Oh, Ri o, (B)Ri o, dance a (D)cross the Ri o (A5)Grande.
Her name is (B)Ri o; she don’t (D)need to un der stand.
And I might (B)find her if I’m (D)look ing like I can.
Oh, Ri o, Ri o, hear them shout a cross the (A)land,
the moun tains (B)in the north down (D)to the Ri o (A5)Grande.
(A5)Grande.
Rio — Classic Piano Sheet Music
Read "Rio" by Duran Duran in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of E. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 138 BPM.
Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.
Try other practice modes:
About “Rio”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Rio"?
- Yes — the score is rendered server-side from the publisher MusicXML using Verovio (the same engine RISM and OpenScore use). Standard piano notation, treble + bass staves, real chord symbols, key signature E. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
- What key is "Rio" by Duran Duran played in?
- Rio is arranged in the key of E on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Rio"?
- The arrangement plays at 138 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Rio" easy to play on piano?
- This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
- Can I download sheet music for "Rio"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Rio"?
- "Rio" was originally performed by Duran Duran. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Rio"?
- This arrangement uses 16 chords: A, Am7, Apow, Asus2, B, C, C#m, Cmaj, +8 more.
- What other songs by Duran Duran can I play here?
- Try "THE REFLEX", "COME UNDONE", "ORDINARY WORLD". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
- Yes — "Rio" is rendered at engraver quality (the Verovio engine, the same toolkit RISM and OpenScore editions use) from the original publisher MusicXML. You get standard piano notation: treble + bass clefs, key signature E, time signature, beams, dynamics — everything a printed sheet music book would have. Great for piano students learning to read music properly.
- What's the difference between Sheet Music and the other modes here?
- Sheet Music is the "classic" view — the one your piano teacher uses. Other modes (Beginner, Fall Down, Simple Sheet, Lead Sheet) trade real notation for color-coded notes and falling shapes to help absolute beginners. Use Sheet Music once you're ready to read both hands at once from real notation.
- Can I practice from this view at my own pace?
- Yes — slow the tempo from 138 BPM down (or up) without changing the pitch. The score scrolls in time and the currently playing note is highlighted, so you can drill a tough bar at half speed and bump it up once it feels comfortable.
- Why can I click a note in the score?
- Every notehead is interactive. Click and the audio jumps to that moment so you can drill a specific phrase or bar instead of replaying from the top. The currently playing note is highlighted as the music advances so your eye never loses its place.
- Can I download the sheet music as a PDF?
- Yes — Sheet Music PDF is one of the download formats for this song. The engraved score prints page-perfect on A4 / Letter so you can practice from paper as well as on screen.
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