As you probably know, there are thousands and thousands of different chords in music – everything from basic major chords to minor 7ths to 13ths to suspensions to poly-chords. Someday, you might want to learn all those chords if you don’t already know them.

But meanwhile, there are 3 chords — just 3 — that you absolutely, positively have to know. If you don’t know these three, there’s hardly a song in the whole world that you could play. But by knowing just 3 chords, you can play hundreds, if not thousands of songs!

Really?

Really.

Are you ready? Here they are:

I IV V

Huh? What’s all that about?

Here’s what:

In every key there are 3 chords — just 3 chords — which are known as primary chords — chords that occur way more than other chords. They are like family members of that particular key. They are groups of notes built on the 1st note of the scale, the 4th note of that scale, and the 5th note of that scale. (Those are 3-note chords called triads — in another article we will get into 4 and 5 note chords.)

For example, here is the C scale on the keyboard. It runs from C up to C and octave higher. The I chord is built on the first note of the C scale, and so on:

So if I build a chord on the I — every other scale note up from C, the chord is C, E, and G — known as the C major chord.

If I build a chord on the IV — every other scale note up from F, the chord is F, A, and C — known as the F major chord.

If I build a chord on the V — every other scale note up from G, the chord is G, B, and D — known as the G major chord.

Please notice, if you haven’t already, that those 3 chords contain ALL the notes in the C scale!

So what?

So any melody – tune – in the key of C (as long as it just uses the 8 notes of the scale) can be harmonized just by playing one of those 3 chords!

Think about that — that’s a HUGE insight that most people never get.

So, in any given key you can play in, there are PRIMARY CHORDS — chords that occur way more than other chords. They are like family members of that particular key.

At your house, let’s say you have 3 people in your family — your spouse, your child, and you. On the same block, but down the street a few houses, lives your cousin and her family.

At any given moment, who are the most likely people to be in your house?

The Terminator?

Hillary?

Dubba?

I don’t think so.

It’s possible, of course, but not too likely. If I had to guess, I would say it would be either you, your spouse, or your child. It might be your cousin down the street — there’s a much better chance of that than, say, David Letterman or Prince Charles — but my best odds would be to guess that the family members would be there.

It’s the same way with chords. In any given key, there are 3 family members that are residents of that key — the I chord, the IV chord, and the V chord. They are far and away the most likely chords to occur in any given key.

For example, if I am playing in the Key of C, and the first chord is the C chord and I have to guess what the next chord is, I would guess that it would be either the F chord or the G chord. Why? Because those are the other family members. So we have narrowed the odds a great deal just by knowing who the members of the family are.

Does that mean that there are always just 3 chords in a song? No, but there are literally hundreds of songs that are made of just 3 chords.

The Primary Piano Chords (the fam) Of All the Major Keys

Here are the primary chords (the family chords) of all the major keys (remember that the primary chords are the I chord, the IV chord, and the V chord based on the scale of that particular key):

Key of C: C, F, G

Key of G: G, C, D

Key of D: D, G, A

Key of A: A, D, E

Key of E: E, A, B

Key of B: B, E, F#

Key of F: F, Bb, C

Key of Bb: Bb, Eb, F

Key of Eb: Eb, Ab, Bb

Key of Ab: Ab, Db, Eb

Key of Db: Db, Gb, Ab

Key of Gb: Gb, Cb, Db

Do you have to know all these chords in all these keys?

No.

You can choose to play in just one key, or just a few keys.

But what you MUST know is the 3 chords in whatever key you want to play in! That means that the stark beginner can learn 3 chords in just a few minutes, and be able to play along with thousands of tunes, because most folk songs, hymns, country songs, and many rock songs just use the 3 basic chords. That’s why people who know zilch about music can pick up a guitar, learn 3 chords, and strum along while singing everything from On Top Of Old Smoky to Amazing Grace to My Country ‘Tis Of Thee to Auld Lang Syne to Silent Night to……………………..well, you get the idea. And not only a guitar, but a piano, keyboard, or whatever.

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and products such as DVD’s, CD’s, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. He holds an advanced degree from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon.

He can be reached at http://www.chordpiano.com. He is the author of the popular free 101-week e-mail newsletter titled Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions with over 56,000 current subscribers. Those interested may obtain a free subscription by going to http://www.playpiano.com

How is your piano playing coming? Did you start to learn the major scales and stop after the key of G or F? Two or more sharps or flats got you stumped? Find yourself turning the page when you see a key signature of three sharps? Read on.

While it is not necessarily detrimental to your piano playing career not to be able to play in all the major keys. Being able to play them can make your piano playing come alive and make transposing and just playing in general infinitely easier.

Since there are only 12 major keys why not devote an entire week to learning a key and it?s primary chords. Start with the key of F and go counterclockwise on the circle of fifths. Since most people go clockwise this will encourage you to dive right in and start learning all the flat keys first.

Also make it a point to learn the Primary chords that go along with each key. Make your hands become familiar with the 1 chord, the IV chord, the V and V7 chord and all of their inversions. Root position, 1st inversion and second inversion.

Play these chords with both hands.

Play chords with your left hand while doing the scale of the key you are currently studying in your right. Then move on and play chords with your right hand and the scale you are studying with your left.

Play your scales staccato and your chords arpeggiated.

Make sure you learn the correct fingering.

It may be slow going at first but it will pay off in the end.

For print outs to help you, including the Circle of Fifths, Scale Fingerings, and Primary Chords visit The Struggling Church Musician and go to the Tools from the Struggling Church Musician section.

K Quinn has been playing the piano for 10 years. She picked up the guitar 5 years ago and both for her church. Visit her website at http://www.strugglingchurchmusician.us for more church musician tools and tips.

Why is it easy to compose piano music?

Because you have to start from where you are. This should be fairly easy; Otherwise you have not started from where you are.

A suggestion is to start writing piano pieces for beginners in a progressive order. The idea is that as the pieces get more complicated for the player they will also become more complicated for you to notate and compose and you will subsequently learn as you write.

How is composing beneficial for your piano playing?

1. Your compositional endeavours will make you more and more aware of intrinsic musical subtleties in the music of other composers. When you start to think and feel like a composer you will also become a better performer as well. Performing is also a creative process similar to composing.

2. When you compose you will become a better sight reader.

I remember an assignment I had many years ago when I wrote the music to a musical. It made me aware of many notational problems I had not taken the time to solve for myself before.

When I started to play my piano music again I was astonished when realizing it was much easier for me to sight read complicated piano sheet music. The reason for this I concluded was my concentrated effort to notate my own piano music.

The process to play something with my fingers and and then try to notate the music on manuscript paper was so to speak a reversed sight reading exercise.

What about manuscript paper?

You can use a notation program or you can write on paper or use both approaches. I suggest that you start writing on paper the way that composers have done for centuries.

Composing piano sheet music by hand on manuscript paper is a cheap and effective exercise to learn the various sheet music symbols.

Very often I jot down musical ideas on ordinary white paper after drawing five lines by hand. It works fine if you can’t find your manuscript paper. You can buy manuscript paper for sheet music or print out your favorite format for free on the site http://www.blanksheetmusic.net

In conclusion, composing piano sheet music can become a natural part of your daily practice routine.

Spend half an hour a day composing your own piano sheet music and you will increase your musical knowledge and become an even better musician!

And remember; Composing piano sheet music is fun!

Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit his site Capotasto Music and download your free sheet music and learn to play resources at http://www.capotastomusic.com

I have been teaching Keyboard and Organ for nearly thirty years, my youngest student was Four years old, and the oldest was Eighty years old.

So the simple answer to the above question would be No. Maybe the question should be, would I like to learn to play a musical instrument? It is fairly probable that you are not going to become a concert pianist if you start learning at the age of eighty but that does not matter. Learning music is about what you personally want to get out of it. You might for instance want to learn to play one piece of music or a book of music or just to see how far you can go. There are no limits. You can learn as much or as little as you personally want.

I have taught many older people that have said, ?I wish I had learned to play when I was younger? and ?children can learn a lot quicker? and ?maybe I won?t be able to learn at my age?. Yes children will pick things up a little quicker because they have less to think about such as a mortgage, bills, work and many other adult related things that children will never have to think about until they themselves are adults. Adults of any age on the other hand have less time to learn a musical instrument but still have the ability to learn.

So if you are a member of the older generation and wondering whether to learn a musical instrument I say absolutely YES go for it and enjoy it. You won?t regret it I promise you.

Visit http://www.mikesmusicroom.co.uk

About the Author
Michael David Shaw (Mike to his friends) runs the website Mikes Music Room the place for organ and keyboard tuition and music news. You can email Mike at mike@mikesmusicroom.co.uk

If you thought music theory was a waste of time and not necessary to further your musical goals, then read these following 5 reasons why this is not true.

1.Read sheet music: Being able to play from any piece of sheet music. Well it may be hard to play BUT you can read it!

2.Be able to transpose: Say you are playing a piece from the sheet music you can now read but you think it sounds too high or too low, or just not right. Well now you can move it into a new key and play at a better singing.

3.Be able to modulate: You will be able to, with a few quick moves of the fingers, move your music into a new key with a succession of notes so pleasing to the ear it will bring a smile to your listeners faces.

4.It will increase your skill in improvising: Enough said.

5.Knowing music theory will help you recreate the sounds you enjoy in your favorite songs. Those fabulous chord progressions. The parts that give a song that certain sound. Gospel, Contemporary etc.

To learn music theory you dont have to become a scholar on the subject. Just at least learn the basics. Getting a good music theory book and spending a few minutes a day reading from it and doing any included exercises can jump start your music playing.

K Quinn is a church pianist and guitarist for her church. Having picked up music late in life she is the site proprieter at http://www.strugglingchurchmusician.us Tips, tools, and recommendations for a church musician.

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Whether you are using a book, video, a real live human, or online lessons, keep these pointers in mind in order to get the most out our your studies.

1. Complete and master each section before moving on to the next: As you work through your studies make sure you have each new technique or idea conquered before moving on to the next. Lessons are planned to build upon each other and trying to rush through without fully understanding one will just lead to frustration and wasted efforts.

2. Study as if you were in school. Do some homework every night. If all you have is 15 minutes then use those 15 minutes. If you dont have time to read/watch and apply then do the application of your last lesson or drills such as scales and chords. Reading/watching and not having the opportunity to apply immediately will usually mean you have to relearn your lesson. Take notes. Especially if youre watching a video or working with a human. Also dont be afraid to write all over your workbooks and sheet music.

3. Apply what youve learned: Play for others. Your church, your family, that spare piano sitting in your favorite department store (ask first). Nothing drives a music lesson home better than a recital. It will also magnify what you need to work on.

These tips work whether your a child or an adult. Learning to play an instrument is a wonderful activity.

K Quinn has been playing the piano for 10 years. She picked up the guitar 5 years ago and both for her church. Visit her website at http://www.strugglingchurchmusician.us for more church musician tools and tips.

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All right, folks, here you go: My 12 reasons why you should start learning how to play the piano. Immediately. As in today. This very minute.

Okay, fine, finish this article first, THEN get started. And yes, I know that there are more than just 12 reasons to play the piano. But I happen to like the number 12.

1) Everyone should play at least one instrument. I truly believe that. Every person on Earth should be able to sit at SOME instrument and be capable of making beautiful music.

2) Playing the piano makes you feel (and look) sophisticated. Truly. No matter who you are or how many warts you have, you’ll just exude class the second you begin tickling those ivories.

3) Piano playing keeps your brain active. It’s very hard for your brain to rot when you consistently throw it the musical language to interpret.

4) You won’t run out of things to do when you’re bored. There’s always a new way to play, always a new approach to playing, and always, always, ALWAYS a new song to learn. (See number 8.)

5) Family members can live vicariously through you. I’m semi-serious about that. The reason I began taking piano lessons (back when I was 10) was because of grandparents who didn’t play, and over the years I’ve had numerous relatives enjoy playing through me. (I live to serve.)

6) People will automatically assume you’re a genius. Honestly, I’ve heard this a lot. People uttering He/she plays the piano in the same tone reserved for He/she has an IQ of 174. You just can’t help but admire someone playing an instrument.

7) Piano playing is good for your hands. Indeed it is. I probably have stronger hands/fingers than most people I know. And have you ever noticed the hands of a pianist? Beautiful, long, tapered fingers. Chances are that if you’ve ever admired someone’s hands, they play the piano.

Pianists never quit learning. There’s absolutely no way to memorize every musical piece on earth. You could learn 10 new songs a day for the rest of your life without scratching the surface of songs out there.

9) Piano playing is FUN. Really. It’s one of the funnest things I do. Think about it, why would so many of us do it if it weren’t a blast?

10) Deep down, everyone wishes they played the piano. Have you ever read other people’s New Year’s Resolutions lists? If you haven’t, then you’re just not nosy like me. No, seriously, if you haven’t, I’ll tell you which wish consistently pops up: Learn to play the piano.

11) Piano playing is SATISFYING. It’s truly one of the most satisfying things you can do. (Right after touching your nose with your tongue. Or so I hear.) There’s no feeling like playing a difficult song and playing it flawlessly. Quite an ego-boost.

12) Everyone loves a musician. ‘Nuff said.

Visit: The Piano Pages

Please visit my website, The Piano Pages, for more articles, free piano lessons, piano sheet music, tips, products, and lots more. Also, feel free to send me comments, questions, or hate mail at: emily@thepianopages.com

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