Learn Piano Chords - How To Play Popular Songs Immediately!

The secret to playing the piano in the shortest possible time, is to first of all learn piano chords. Starting with chords and playing songs you are familiar with from your own record collection gives you the confidence that YOU REALLY CAN DO THIS! There are some terrific tunes and rhythms you can play just by mastering a few easy chords, and the knowledge you gain at this early stage will be invaluable later on.

As you probably know, middle C sits near the center of your keyboard. It is the white key immediately to the left of a group of two black keys. The two white keys to the left of middle C are A and B (from left to right). The next four white keys are D, E, F and G.

The black keys are known as sharps or flats, named after the nearest white key to them on their left or right. For example, the black key between the white C and D keys is known as C sharp OR D flat.

A chord is a group of 3 or more notes that when played together make a complete sound. When this sound is played rhythmically, and chords used in a particular sequence, a background sound is created that can support a melody (the main tune) or lyrics (vocals).

Let's learn piano chords - by mastering just 4 easy ones you can be playing songs in no time at all. These are the chords C, A minor (or Am), F and G. These are all played using just the white keys, so you should be able to master this in just a short space of time. To play the chord of C, with your right hand, simply place your thumb on middle C, your middle finger on E and your little finger on G. Play these three notes at the same time - and you are playing the C chord.

If you move the whole shape of your hand along two notes to the left, you will play the chord A minor. Your thumb will be on A, your middle finger on C and your little finger on E. Play this for a while, then alternate between the chords of C and A minor.

Now add the chord of F to your repertoire by moving your hand two more notes to the left of your A minor chord, so your thumb is on F, your middle finger on A and your little finger on C.

Finally, by moving your whole hand shape one note to the right, you will be playing the chord of G (i.e. the notes G, B and D).

By repeating the chord sequence of C, Am, F and G you will start to get familiar with it. Your hands may hurt a little at first, but this is normal for a beginner. Keep at it.

Many popular songs use the same sequence. See if you can sing along to "Blue Moon", "Red Red Wine", "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life" or "All I Have To Do Is Dream" as you play the chords. There you go - I told you that if you learn piano chords, you could be making music in no time at all.

Accompaniment Recordings Paired with Piano Music Books Available at Music Minus One

Music Minus One [MMO] is a leader in the Accompaniment CD and sheet music industry and has been for many years. Their online store is the most complete library of Accompaniment Recordings for Piano Music Books on the internet and the amount of play-alongs and Accompaniment CDs adjoined to the sheet music catalogue is simply astonishing. For any musician, MMO is like an online goldmine; transcribed music for all instruments and all music genres, quality Accompaniment CDs to be used for practice, performance and recording purposes as well as accessories such as instructional material and equipment.

Playing with multiple instruments has always been an integral part of music. The biggest jazz names have been said to learn all they know by playing along to their favorite artists – classical players perfect their tuning and pitch by playing with recorded orchestras and symphonies. For that very purpose, Music Minus One has developed an extraordinary inventory of Accompaniment CDs for beginners and virtuoso. The Accompaniment CDs are perfect for practicing – they will help any musician further their sense of rhythm and overall group performance while providing an enjoyable alternative to rigid metronome practice sessions. The recordings can also be used for performances: student recitals, restaurant music, artist showcases and any other occasion that does not allow for a big setup or group of musicians. The Accompaniment CDs available at MMO’s website are also a great recording tool. When combined with a recording device like the Superscope recorder, also available at MusicMinus One, the Accompaniment CDs can allow musicians to record quality tracks for demos or commercial CDs, which is perfect for musicians who might not have the financial resources to hire a band and book studio time.

Also available at Music Minus One’s online store is a great variety of Piano Music Books for a wide range of musical styles. These Piano Music Books are not only great for pianists but can also be useful for vocalists and other instrumentalists in a more pop and Broadway-oriented context. For example, a saxophone player could purchase Piano Music Books to play songs with a pianist – since most books have an accompaniment part as well as a vocal line, the saxophonist can act as a vocalist in that context and play the melody while being supported by the piano part. Of course Music Minus One does also offer Piano Music Books targeted especially for pianists, with impressive classical works or great arrangements of pop songs.

Music Minus One truly is a great resource for any musician. Their complete online catalogue offers quality Accompaniment CDs, classical sheet music for mostly all instruments, Piano Music Books and even music for less traditional instruments; bluegrass books for mandolin and banjo, for example.

For more information on Music Minus One or to take a look at the incredible variety of their online store, please visit Musicminusone.

The Burning Desire To Play Jazz Piano

Exploring jazz Piano

The professional jazz pianist is expected to know the styles and techniques developed through the history of jazz. What sets the jazz musician apart is the need for excellent improvisational skills in melody and harmony.

The element of improvisation in jazz piano gives the pianist a sense of freedom of expression not found with other styles of music. Though the pianist must know "the rules," those rules can easily be broken in an artistic and creative way. How the jazz pianist applies or breaks those rules becomes part of their own personal style.

Jazz Piano Styles

When you discover all the different styles of jazz piano, one can begin to appreciate the variations in rhythm and discern between the different feelings that each type can offer a listener.

Below are brief introductions of the four main jazz styles and how they relate to piano jazz as we have come to know it and love it today.

Early Jazz

Piano has been an important part of jazz music since its beginning in the 1890's. Before jazz became widespread, Ragtime enjoyed popularity as one of the first music crazes of the modern era.

During this Ragtime era, piano music was the one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the U.S. The ragtime craze helped to fuel the sales of pianos, especially in the North.

Jazz developed as various styles of African-American music mixed and mingled in New Orleans in the first decades of the 20th century. Blues, spirituals, ragtime, band music, and European music melted together to form what is called America's first genuine original art form. What separates Ragtime from jazz is the fact that jazz is not notated, and ragtime doesn't "swing".

Storyville was an area of New Orleans where some local places showcased small bands, and some that would just have a solo pianist. As World War I broke out, Storyville was reported as a threat to the health of or soldiers, and closed it was down. Without this venue, many of those musicians looking for work elsewhere. Jazz was soon off and running, the craze was ablaze.

Stride Piano

In the 20's, a new jazz piano style started to emerge. Stride had the bass/chord left hand pattern of ragtime, but the swing of jazz in the right hand. The pianist performed all the elements of a band: the rhythm, the bass, the chords and the melody, usually at a frenzied pace.

The style evolved from the solo pianist's desire to keep the party going. The outlets these parties provided were the main source of entertainment for many Americans.

Swing Piano

In the swing era, which lasted from the twenties into the forties, sometimes the pianist played only sporadically and sparsely, adding an extra "frill" on top of the arrangement. At the time, swing was the most popular music in America.

Be Bop and Hard Bop

The Be-Bop era evolved as a reaction to the tightly controlled arranged sound of the swing bands. There was a major change in the evolution of jazz piano. The pianist didn't have to keep playing a steady rhythmic beat, but could now convey the rhythm and harmony by just using parts of the chords. The melodies became more angular and soon became featured in New York City, mostly in the clubs on 52nd St.

In the mid fifties, jazz saw new styles emerging. The pianists could use all of the techniques in jazz to develop a style, including elements of stride, swing blues and gospel.

Moving Forward

Since the early 60's, jazz piano has taken on many facets. Jazz has become wide open to interpretation, and the contemporary jazz pianist is able to grasp inspiration from many avenues.

Yes, jazz piano does pull at the heartstrings of many of us. I suggest you take some time each day to find your “jazz ear” so that you are able to feel the passion that jazz will add to your lifestyle.

With such an array of styles to emulate, and have fun with, many inspired listeners soon develop a passion to learn how to play the piano for themselves. There is nothing more satisfying than feeling the jazz beneath your fingertips.

The cost of a jazz pianist is not about the expenditure money for lessons, it's more about the time that you spend dedicating yourself to learning jazz piano, and having fun on your journey. The benefits are too great to go into on this brief article. Let’s just say, it’s definitely worth it all.

Learning To Play The Piano

Why Consider Learning To Play The Piano?

The piano is one of the most popular instruments because of its simplicity in learning and the flexibility it affords as compared to many other musical instruments.

The Piano can be used as an accompaniment for other instruments, or you can enjoy the benefits of the piano all by itself. The tone is amazing, and the variety of music that you can use it to play is seemingly endless.

You will find that many musicians use this instrument as their foundation, even if they are adept at other instruments. This is because the piano adapts so well with an array of other instruments.

What You Need To Know First

The ticklish part of playing piano is coordinating your hands when learning to play in two parts. The piano is played simultaneously with both the right and left hands working individually and independently.

A good course of action is to learn some music theory before you actually begin your lessons. There are occasions that you are able to play songs with the melody in your right hand and block chords in the left. Of course this isn't the best way to play, but it will get you by.

Adult Students

For adults keeping your lessons stimulating and interesting is a bit of a challenge. Most likely you will not be keen on learning or performing nursery rhymes like a child would.

Take heart, these tunes are chosen for their simplicity and structure. It is comforting that you can recognize the melody and are able to easily follow along.

After a short while, if you are studious with your learning, you will eventually you will be able to play some impressive sounding songs. Then you will be encouraged to move forward with the next steps. This brief introductory period will soon pass and you will be rewarded with more variety of tunes to select from.

How Much Time Should I Allow Daily?

My best advice is to practice every day for a minimum of thirty minutes or more. Your fingers will "rust" if you do not let them roam the keys often.

Certainly you should be motivated by the fact the more you practice, the better you will play. Remembering to take shorts breaks every now and then as you practice will help to keep you alert. These small time outs will allow your fingers to recover and you will be better focused.

Do I Need To Learn How To Read Music?

It is always best to learn to read the music you will be playing. However many gifted musicians learn to play the piano without reading music.

Reading music is a good skill, it will be easier for you to play songs that way, but everyone learns differently!

Not only do you have to play the right notes, but it is just as important to play the notes with the correct rhythm! When you incorporate learning to read music along with learning to play the piano you have the best combination going for you.

Play pieces that you enjoy playing

Learning music theory is fun and is the best way to become a great musician, whether you want to play classical piano, jazz, blues piano or rock.

As you move along with your piano lessons, begin to practice sight reading; it's an important skill. It will help you master a piece faster and give you more time to work. Reading music is a good skill, it will be easier for you to play songs that way, but everyone learns differently!