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Does playing piano make you smarter?

7 Mins Read

Of all the musical instruments you could play, perhaps one that could provide you with the most benefits is the piano. Aside from physical health, playing the piano can also generally improve your mental health.

Some would even go so far as to say that learning how to play this instrument has made them smarter. Is there any truth to this? Do you think a musical instrument can really enhance your intelligence? Let’s find out in this article.

Mental Health Benefits of Playing the Piano

The thing is, it’s rather difficult to answer the question since we don’t have an operative definition of what “smart” is. However, what we do know is that playing the piano can provide us with numerous mental health benefits.

Below are some of the advantages you get from learning this instrument and how they contribute to your brain functioning.

Prevents Memory Loss

The first benefit of playing the piano is how it prevents memory loss. As we grow old, it’s inevitable that our brain’s processing slows down. However, playing the piano is a form of mental exercise because we have to continually process auditory signals.

Because of this, we get to prevent the decline of our brainpower and prevent memory loss.

Improved Math Skills

Believe it or not, music, or more specifically, notes and rhythms, actually involve math. For us to be able to play the piano properly, we need to learn how to count rhythms and read music sheets. Because of this, we tend to develop the part of our brain that’s responsible for arithmetic and math processing.

This is why students, or people in general, who can play a musical instrument or the piano can better understand and solve mathematical equations.

Language Development

There is a term called the “Mozart Effect,” which suggests that people, especially children, who play the piano show signs of early onset of language development. One explanation for this is the similarities between translating a music sheet and learning a foreign language.

When we play the piano, we learn to associate unfamiliar symbols in music sheets into hand movements. Coincidentally, that’s the core of language development. Identifying sounds or characters and learning the meaning behind them certainly develops a person’s mastery of any language.

Reading Comprehension

Through the same explanation above, playing the piano can also boost your reading comprehension. We decode symbols in a music sheet to play them on the piano, and we do this in such a fast-paced manner. This improves our brain’s ability to translate letters and symbols quickly to keep up with the piano piece’s rhythm and tempo.

Because of this, we get to apply the same skills in reading. By associating different letters that form words, we tend to understand phrases or sentences in a fast-paced manner as well. This generally improves our reading comprehension.

Creativity

We all know that musicians are creative. However, you must know that pianists, or specifically jazz pianists, take this to a whole new level. If you’ve ever heard of jazz music before, you might have noticed how sometimes it’s not fixed to a certain structure.

That’s how creative jazz pianists are. In most cases, jazz pianists tend to turn off the part of their brain that’s widely responsible for stereotypical or default responses. This means that their performances are widely improvised.

This allows them to further develop their brains and keep on firing up numerous brain neurons to create music that’s unlike any other.

Reduced Stress & Anxiety

Stress and anxiety can significantly wear down our brain’s function. Because we’re always on alert, or what they call “survival mode,” we will always feel exhausted. As a result, our brain’s processing abilities will be significantly reduced.

However, one major benefit of playing the piano is how it relieves us of stress and anxiety. Just like any other hobby, playing the piano is a way for us to escape the daily troubles of the world, even for just a little while.

This significantly improves our brain’s ability to fight off anxiety and makes us more adept at handling stress. Additionally, this also means that playing the piano is one way to treat or at least reduce signs of depression and other mood disorders.

Self-Esteem Boost

When you’re always worried about your overall appearance and demeanor, you spend too much of your brain’s energy, reducing the room for positive thoughts. Learning to play the piano or any other musical instrument can boost your confidence.

This serves as a gateway for more positive thoughts to enter your mind. The overall improvement in your self-esteem reduces the brain energy you spend doubting yourself. This allows you to face challenges better and develop your mind and body holistically.

Concentration, Patience, & Discipline

We’re not going to lie. The piano is one of the most difficult instruments to learn. That’s because it involves tremendous patience, discipline, and concentration. Thankfully, these are also the areas where you get to improve when you play it.

Various areas of your brain are stimulated when you play the piano. You can think of it as a full-blown workout for your brain. As you strengthen the different areas of your mind, you also get to form new neural connections that help you think critically.

All of these advantages do not just make you a better pianist but are also things you can apply in different aspects of your life.

Development of Brain Structure

What makes the piano a difficult instrument to learn is that your left and right hand would need to work independently and press individual, different keys at the same time. As you master this skill, you get to improve your hand-eye coordination.

Separating your left and right hands and being able to control them easily as different entities executing different movements improve your brain structure. That’s because you also get to develop or form new neural connections, and the more your brain has them, the more it’s capable of processing complex things.

Kinesthetic Learning

We all have our own ways of learning. Some of us learn visually, while others are auditory learners. However, one of the most effective ways for us to learn is to conduct the activities personally or with our own hands. This is called kinesthetic learning.

When you play the piano, you get to learn that a certain action merits a certain reaction. For instance, playing a certain key on the piano will also produce a specific note. This kinesthetic learning improves our psychological and neural functioning.

Time Management & Organization

One major part of being smart is the ability to organize certain things and manage your time. These two aspects are present in playing the piano. First, you have to find the time to fit piano practice or lessons into your daily schedule.

Additionally, you also need to learn how to play notes and progressions efficiently while sticking to the piano piece’s tempo and rhythm. These are all effective measures to improve our organizational and time management skills.

Conclusion
So, does playing the piano make you smarter? Well, that depends on what your definition of “smart” is. However, given all the mental benefits we’ve listed above, we can confidently say that it improves a person’s brain structure.

Ergo, if you want to improve your or your kid’s mental ability, one of the best ways to do that is to learn how to play the piano.

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Is the piano a percussion instrument?

7 Mins Read

When it comes to musical instruments, labels can be a blessing and a curse.

On the one hand, labels can make it easy to identify and classify instruments. If you own a music shop or work in a theater, those labels probably help quite a bit with organization.

On the other hand, some instruments, such as the piano, simply don’t fall squarely into any predefined categories. These are the instruments that shun all labels, leaving musicophiles everywhere to argue amongst themselves about which instrument should go where.

There has been a long-standing debate among musicians that has surrounded the question of whether a piano should be classified as a percussion or string instrument. A piano has strings, yet it also requires percussive movements to play, so both sides of the argument seem to have valid points.

So which is it?

It might seem like a simple answer, but it’s actually anything but. So let’s explore this puzzle a bit more in-depth.

How are Instruments Classified?

There are quite a few methods for classifying musical instruments, most of which are specific to a particular geographical area or cultural group. However, none of those classification systems can be easily applied to all instruments. The Hornbostel-Sachs classification system solved that problem.

The H-S system is the most widely-accepted method of classifying musical instruments in use today. The system was created by Erich Moritz von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs in 1914 and was recently updated in 2011.

The Hornbostel-Sachs system breaks instruments into five categories. Each category classifies an instrument based on how its sound is produced.

  • Idiophones can be broken down into multiple categories, but the main thing to remember is that they need a solid material, such as metal or wood, as their playing surfaces.
  • Membranophones are instruments that have a playing surface made of a stretched membrane. Tambourines and kettle drums are examples of membranophones.
  • Chordophones are instruments that produce sounds through string vibrations that are amplified with a resonator. Guitars, lutes, and violins fall into the chordophone category.
  • Aerophones are also known as wind instruments, such as flutes or horns. These instruments require air vibrations to make a sound.
  • Electrophones require electricity to make a sound. This family includes electric guitars and keyboards.

The easiest way to determine how an instrument is classified is to look at how it’s played and compare it to the various types of instrument classification. However, although these categories expand on the traditional groupings of wind, strings, and percussion, they still don’t account for those pesky instruments that don’t fit a mold.

What is a String Instrument?

Stringed instruments are members of the chordophone family. Each instrument in this family has strings that produce sound when they vibrate. A guitar or violin might be the first instruments that come to mind when you picture a stringed instrument.

You can produce sound on a stringed instrument by using your fingers to pluck or pick strings, or by using a bow or other tool to scrape the strings. This type of instrument often supports the harmony of an orchestral piece but can perform the part of melody and harmony in solo performances, as well.

What is a Percussion Instrument?

Most percussion instruments are members of the membranophone family. Each instrument in this family has a surface that is a stretched membrane over a hollow space. Drums are likely the first membranophones that come to mind, but tambourines and xylophones are other common percussion instruments.

Many percussion instruments also fall into the idiophone family. Instruments in this family require a hard playing surface that the musician vibrates to produce a sound. Instruments such as maracas or bells fit into the idiophone family.

The percussion family is what keeps the rhythm of a piece of music.

Where Does the Piano Fit In?

The piano was invented in the early 18th century by Bartolomeo Cristofori. He was an Italian musician who was frustrated with certain aspects of the harpsichord, a stringed instrument that required a player to press a key to pluck each string. Cristofori felt the harpsichord didn’t allow its player a significant amount of control over the instrument’s volume.

To provide the player with more control, Cristofori replaced the plucking system in the harpsichord with hammers. As a result, the “clavicembalo col piano e forte” was able to produce soft and loud sounds, solving the problem of the harpsichord’s low volume.

Today’s piano consists of 88 keys, each of which is attached to one of Cristofori’s felt-covered hammers inside the piano’s body. When a pianist presses a key, the hammer falls onto the corresponding string. The vibration caused by the hammer is what allows the string to make sound.

Depending on how hard or soft the pianist presses the key, the sound can be loud or quiet, which was Cristofori’s primary goal when he adapted the harpsichord. The notes you hear will vary from very high to very low, depending on the length and thickness of the string.

Why Is There a Debate?

The reason for the percussion-versus-string debate is quite simple.

A piano has strings, which would lead you to believe it’s a member of the string, or chordophone, family. However, unlike all other stringed instruments, you don’t use your fingers to directly manipulate a piano’s strings. Instead, you use your fingers to tap the hard surface of the piano’s keys.

Not to mention, the instrument wouldn’t be much use if it weren’t for the hammers.

Therein lies the conundrum.

The Argument for Percussion

The main argument that supports the idea that a piano is a percussion instrument is how the piano is played. A pianist doesn’t use their fingers to pluck the strings or a bow to rub them. Instead, they hit the keys, triggering the hammer that, in turn, causes the strings to vibrate and make sound.

In this sense, the hammers aren’t unlike drumsticks–objects controlled by the musician’s hands to make sound on the instrument. Because the hammers trigger the piano string vibrations, this would imply that pianos are part of the percussion family.

The Argument for Strings

In addition to the presence of strings, one of the biggest reasons most consider the piano a stringed instrument is that it has to be tuned in order to make the proper sounds. Since all other stringed instruments require tuning of some sort, then it stands to reason that a piano would fall into that same grouping.

Conversely, percussion instruments can’t be tuned like a piano. Those instruments rely solely on the musician to make the correct sound.

In addition, the piano’s closest relative is the harpsichord. This relationship is often used to provide more substantial evidence in favor of adding the piano to the stringed family.

What’s the Verdict?

Unfortunately, even though the piano has existed since the early 18th century, there is still no consensus on whether it should be classified as a percussion or stringed instrument. Both sides of the argument have valid points, which has made it hard for one side to concede to the other.

Based on the Hornbostel-Sachs system, the piano would be considered a percussive chordophone, further solidifying the idea that there is no clear-cut answer to this age-old question.

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8 Easy Classical Piano Songs to Learn

7 Mins Read

If you’re a beginner, you might be interested in learning how to play classical music on the piano. After all, classical music is a living art you most often experience through masterful keyboard pieces.

One way to get started is to learn some easy classical pieces first. And with the vast amount of resources everywhere, you can certainly learn how to play classical piano songs in no time. That said, here are some easy classical pieces you can play on the piano as a beginner.

Top 8 Easy Piano Pieces for Beginners

The following is a list that contains eight easy classical songs that beginners can learn to play on the piano.

1. Écossaise in E flat major WoO 86 by Ludwig Van Beethoven

Perhaps, there isn’t a single classical music fan who hasn’t at least listened to a few Beethoven records in their collection. Beethoven’s work, like his sonatas, is quite tough. Nevertheless, he still has several short pieces that are accessible to even the most beginner pianist. 

For novices, Beethoven’s Ecossaises compositions are quite approachable. You will, however, require a good grasp of the basics first. This composition, “Écossaise in E flat major WoO 86,” is one of the first Beethoven works you can try. It’s a short, simple piece you may practice before moving on to more difficult piano works.

2. Minuet in G Minor, Anh. 115 by Johann Sebastian Bach 

Bach, like Beethoven, has some simple piano pieces that beginners can play. The piece “Minuet in G Minor, Anh. 115″ was found in a book called “Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach.” Anna was Bach’s wife who diligently compiled music by composers from the 17th and 18th centuries so she can learn how to play the piano.

For a long time, people have thought that Bach wrote this beautiful piece. However, recent research reveals that it was Christian Petzold who composed it. In his day, Petzold was a well-known composer and organist, but very little of his music has survived to this day. Alas, people around the world still know Petzold’s composition as Bach’s Minuet in G. In any case, it’s a charming little piece you can easily play.

3. Fantasia in G Minor by G.P. Telemann

You probably don’t hear about Telemann as much as you do about Bach or the other big names in Baroque music. In his prime, Telemann was quite well-known. He was a prolific songwriter who produced over 3,000 works throughout his lifetime. Although he is a Baroque composer chronologically, his work influenced the development of the Classical style.

This piano piece is a fantasia, which is a musical style that is more or less formless. There are no strict guidelines in its format, and its style was formed out of the art of improvisation or making music up as you go. As a short and simple work, “Fantasia in G Minor” is a great piece of music you can play as a beginner.

4. Sonatina in C major, op. 36 no. 1 by Muzio Clementi

Clementi was one of the first composers to champion the piano and write for it. He was a major enthusiast of pianos, even owning a piano manufacturing business, and created a lot of music for teaching and learning on the instrument. 

“Sonatina in C major, op. 36, no. 1,” by Clementi, is a lively Classical-era composition with quick scale and chord patterns. This well-known piece is the first of Clementi’s six classic sonatinas. It’s also the simplest, which is why you can play it as a novice. Although it may be one of his beginner-level pieces, this piece will still challenge you. This work is excellent for honing your technique and it can be your stepping stone to more challenging piano pieces. Try it out and see how rewarding it is to learn and play. 

5. Minuet in F Major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

A lot of Mozart’s music is quite challenging that only advanced piano players can play them well. Fortunately, Mozart also produced a lot of short piano pieces as a child. This gives a tremendous opportunity for beginners like you to play a Mozart composition. 

Mozart wrote “Minuet in F Major” when he was about six years old. However, it is also likely that his father might have composed the piece for young Mozart or could have even made minor changes. It is also likely that Mozart wrote this song for the harpsichord in 1762. This assumption explains the Baroque characteristics you can observe in the piece even if Mozart was a Classical composer. This piano piece was from the book “Notebook for Nannerl,” who was Mozart’s sister. 

6. Rondo Alla Turca (Turkish March) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

This famous tune by Mozart, popularly known as the ‘Turkish March’, is from his 11th sonata in A major. It was most likely written in 1783 in Vienna. Because Turkish music was quite fashionable for various political reasons at the time, Mozart drew inspiration from contemporary genres when composing this piece.

Although it is not a simple piece for absolute beginners, it is still doable. Don’t get too overwhelmed about learning this classic piano composition even if it sounds above the beginner level. You can try to master it by playing it slowly first. Besides, it’s fun to try something a bit more difficult now and then. It may take a little longer to learn, but the result will definitely be worth your effort!

7. German Dance in D major, Hob IX:22, no. 2 and no. 3 by Franz Joseph Haydn

Haydn was often overshadowed by Beethoven and Mozart, but much of his music is relatively accessible to beginners. You can start with Haydn’s German Dances, which are among his easiest works to play. These are lighthearted pieces that can serve as ideal preparation for more challenging Classical-era music.

You’ll note that Hadyn’s music is more cheerful than Beethoven’s or Mozart’s. His compositions are more playful, whereas Beethoven and Mozart’s music is often moody. He also employs an entirely different approach to harmony and harmonic progression than either of the two. You can be easily charmed by his own unique approach to piano music, which is why you’re going to enjoy playing through some of his work.

8. The Sick Doll by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

“The Sick Doll,” is from Tchaikovsky’s Children’s Album, op. 39. It was inspired by Robert Schumann’s similar collection of piano pieces for children called Album for the Young. Composed in 1878, Tchaikovsky’s collection contains 24 pieces. The difficulty of these works ranges from early intermediate to advanced intermediate. If you perform all the short piano pieces on this album from beginning to end, it would take roughly 30 minutes. 

“The Sick Doll” is probably one of the easiest you can play, so it’s an excellent starting point for beginners who want to play Tchaikovsky’s works. If you listen closely, you’ll notice this piece is incredibly melancholy and dark, and many piano players easily connect with the music’s emotion as they play it. 

Final Words

Now that you know several easy classical piano pieces, hopefully, you can keep practicing as you move along the more difficult and masterful ones. Just remember to practice with a lot of different compositions. If you get stuck with the same piece, you may get frustrated without making much progress. Most importantly, enjoy the journey! Playing piano music is a very rewarding experience, and you’ll want to keep practicing to get better and better each day.

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Top 15 Easy Pop Songs on Piano

11 Mins Read

Impress everyone you know with a complete collection of iconic songs to play for them.

Ask them to pick one of their favorite songs to hear on the radio for you to master. A list of top songs can also be found in our easy piano songs article.

Is there anything your friends and family will love more than hearing you play them their favorite pop songs on the piano?

Pop songs are the type of music that will make even a beginner’s skills more awe-inspiring.

15 Easy Pop Songs on Piano

When you first get started on the piano, you want to find some fun songs that you can use to show off your newfound skills. After you have practiced Für Elise for the hundredth time, consider trying one of these exciting pop songs out for a spin.

Pop songs are excellent options for beginners at the piano because they are full of earworm melodies and memorable lyrics. No matter what century they come out in, pop songs are designed to grab your attention. They do not have too many complicated chords or unusual notations. Instead, they often stick to common patterns and have obvious choruses and verses.

This list of songs is sure to spark a sing-along at your next party or family gathering. There is a decent mixture of older but classic songs and fresh and new songs to please everyone and anyone. No matter what era of music they grew up in, there are amazing pop songs represented on this list.

Start with the familiar chorus sections and work your way up to learning the full songs. Challenge yourself to learn every part backwards and forwards of your very favorite pop song.

1. Let It Be by The Beatles

A list of easy pop songs for the piano would be woefully incomplete without the legendary Beatles. “Let It Be” is a slower, soulful song that is very recognizable to the ear. If you need some comfort or you want to offer a friend or family member some support, this is the best pop song to do just that.

This is an easy song for someone looking to start slow with melodies. It has a slightly complicated series of notes in the verses, but the chorus is memorable and not hard to pick up with a little practice. Focus on the right hand with its melody before you attempt the underlying bass chords on the left hand.

2. Lean on Me by Bill Withers

“Lean on Me,” made popular by Bill Withers, made it to the top of the charts in 1972. The simple, stepping rhythm and logical progression of the major chords make it one of the easiest songs you will ever learn to play on the piano. Its earnest melody sounds just as amazing and inspiring on the piano as it does with a full band.

The verse of this song alternates between drawn-out notes and shorter rhythms using the same chords. Once you have the chords down on both hands, you will have almost all of the parts of this song mastered. Plus, the most iconic part is the verse with its friendly lyrics about leaning on each other when times are tough.

3. Drops of Jupiter by Train

With its slow and steady pace, “Drops of Jupiter” by Train is the kind of fun song to learn for piano. It starts with a piano in the original song, which makes it an excellent option to impress someone with similar skills. People will have a hard time not singing along.

You might have trouble with the jaunty rhythms, but they can be learned through diligent practice and effort. Overall, you only need to know four chords to achieve a similar sound to the original. A slight variation on the standard F chord gives this song its poppy feel.

4. Elastic Heart by Sia

For a time, “Elastic Heart” by Sia could be heard every time you turned on your radio. Sia’s powerful vocals fill the whole song from start to finish, and you can learn to imitate them on the piano without too much trouble.

This pop song is a great starter option because it features just four chords in the key of A major. The melody is not very complicated due to the slower nature of the song. If you feel comfortable with the melody and chords, you can even try inversions to change the effect and test your skills.

5. Imagine by John Lennon

An older song, but still classic for any generation, “Imagine” by John Lennon of the Beatles is an essential part of any beginner’s repertoire. Despite its simplistic structure, others will be captivated by the well-known melody. It truly deserves a place on this list of pop songs as number three on a list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”

It is played in the key of C major and is often described as a piano ballad. Start with a basic look at the chords and master the melody. This is a great choice for one of your first piano pop songs because you will be able to catch on quickly.

6. Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye

In 2011, the Belgian-Australian singer Gotye released an infectious pop song called “Somebody That I Used To Know” and took the world by storm. This pop song is considered one of the most successful Australian songs due to its reach into the British and American music markets.

It is the simplistic nature of the song that makes it the best beginner song for the piano. Some people have described the melody as almost childlike because it does not take too long to learn. The chords are limited to two simple ones for the entire song, except for some fun variation during the chorus.

7. Believer by Imagine Dragons

While this pop-rock song may not be the same without the incredible vocals by Imagine Dragons, “Believer” has a bold drum section that is fun to replicate on the piano. This song may sound a bit more complicated than it actually is to learn and play.

The drum part is a great way for you to learn how to play triplet rhythms on the piano. On the piano, the series of repetitive rhythms can sound mysterious and eerie like a movie soundtrack. Try working through one section at a time until you have the note changes memorized.

8. How Far I’ll Go from Moana

A nominee for Best Original Song at the 89th Academy Awards, “How Far I’ll Go” is a song from the hit movie Moana. In the movie, it is sung by Auli’I Cravalho, but it was also released by the famous Canadian pop star Alessia Cara. The empowering message of this song will make it fun for you to bring out whenever you are feeling down.

You will want to familiarize yourself with the alternating notes that make up many of the fast-paced rhythms. These notes follow a logical pattern and are usually situated next to each other on the keys. This basic structure is a good first step for a beginner piano player.

9. This Is Me from The Greatest Showman

Pop songs do not have to be limited to popular artists. Some of the greatest pop songs are the ones that get their start in musicals and movie musicals. “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman is a great example of a riveting song to increase your confidence with the piano.

This song has a very catchy tune that can be learned on the right hand. Eventually, you can add in the deeper bass line with your left hand. The chords will make this song more impressive when others hear you play it but are not essential when you first begin to practice it.

10. Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

If you can avoid singing along as you learn to play “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi, you must have a strong mentality. This song from the 1980s was big then and even bigger now. Because it tells a story, it features a lot of repetitive verses. But it is the bombastic chorus with its catchy lines that will steal the show.

This is a good pop song for beginners because it has a steady rhythm and notes despite its fast pace. You can play the main parts of the song with about six or seven notes. Worry about the chords last because the most impressive part of this song to others will be the familiar melody that they can sing along to.

11. Dynamite by BTS

BTS is a seven-member group from South Korea known for their amazing dance skills and catchy pop songs in a variety of languages. This funky English-language song is a fun one for the piano. It has a repetitive chorus and easy-to-master chords.

The main rhythms of this song use a lot of the same notes in quick succession. Focus on the chorus, especially the easy-to-remember “Dyna-na-na” section. You can add more pieces after you get the notes to that important part down first. On the left hand, your chords are very simple and easy to remember. Watch out for a key change at the end of the song.

12. A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton

A very iconic pop song featured in quite a few movie scenes, “A Thousand Miles,” opens with a recognizable piano melody. Beginner piano players will be attracted to that driving melody that almost plays itself. Vanessa Carlton sings about all the ways she wants to gain back someone’s love, which is a feeling many can relate to the feeling, too.

Do not be too hard on yourself when learning your favorite pop songs. Sometimes you can alter keys so that you can play more manageable chords for a beginner. This song is a great opportunity to try this method out because the original key has a lot of sharp notes. Practice it with a major key until you can grasp the melodies, notes, and rhythms.

13. Roar by Katy Perry

Katy Perry is a pop star who would be hard to leave off this type of list. “Roar” by Katy Perry is a solid beginner song because its most complex part is in the rhythms. It also has a nice, bouncy pop feel to every note. You will feel stronger and prepared to take on anything after playing this song once or twice.

Because this song has a heavier emphasis on the rhythms, you should start slower than the original. Practice small bits so that you can master the rhythms in their proper notes. Once you have the rhythms down, you can work up to the pace of the original song.

14. Can’t Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake

If you are drawn to more R&B sounds, “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake has a great opening run for you. This song sticks pretty close to the classic pop song formula and only uses four different chords. These four chords are used over and over in the chorus and verses, which means you can easily grasp this song without a lot of practice.

The original song does have a great bass rhythm that you do not want to miss out on learning. Once you have mastered the chorus and verses with your right hand, you can add in the bass using the left.

15. Halo by Beyoncé

Would any list of easy pop songs for the piano be complete without the incomparable Beyoncé? Her song “Halo” is an essential pop song from the 2000s. You may remember hearing it often on the radio and at everyone’s wedding ever since its release. The distinct pop melody and repetition is a fresh take on a soulful ballad song.

The introduction of the song will be the most challenging portion to get for a beginner. Focus on the main melody to start because you can always add in more flourishes as you progress in your piano skills. The chord variations can also get tricky. Take it slow and work your way up to the original song’s speed.

Other Related Piano Articles:

Easy Christmas Piano Songs
35 Easy Piano Worship Songs

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In Piano

All of Me Piano Chords Tutorial

9 Mins Read

Anyone who has listened to the legendary love song, “All of Me” by John Legend, understands its romantic potential.

This amazing ballad that Legend dedicated to his wife, Chrissy Teigen, in 2013 has caused people all over the world to fall in love with his music.

You probably didn’t make it all the way to the end without at least a moment of goosebumps or sentimental thoughts about someone dear to you.

Whether you want to play it for yourself to cherish and celebrate nostalgic emotions or you’re looking to serenade that special someone – or even woo a potential special someone – it’s a moving experience to play “All of Me,” and a handy song to have in your wheelhouse.

You are welcome to also take a look at our list of easy piano songs for other terrific songs to learn.

The Key of A Flat Major

To start off, let’s review the basics about sharps and flats. A sharp in music is when you raise a note by a half step, represented by a “#”. Conversely, a flat simply takes the note down a half step, marked by a “b”.

This is a song that’s in Ab major, meaning the “home” note is at Ab. The home or root note of a key signature is almost always where the song will end – it’s the note that feels conclusive and resolves the chord progression or melodic line.

Take a look at your piano or keyboard and locate the Ab key. It’s an easy one to find because it’s the black key right in the middle of the set of three black keys.

There are four flats in the key of Ab major, which tells you that those four notes will always be “flattened” rather than playing their natural version each and every time – unless the chords or melody deviate from the key signature. Luckily, this song stays neatly within the rules of Ab major. The four flats in Ab major are Bb, Eb, Ab, and Db.

To get a sense of which notes are going to be the “right” notes and which ones to avoid, try practicing your Ab major scale:

Ab; Bb; C; Db; Eb; F; G; Ab

Try playing your way up and down the Ab major scale until your fingers naturally go to the correct notes. The more you repeat this and master the fundamentals, the easier it will be for you to jump from chord to chord with confidence.

Now that you’ve gotten a firm handle on the scale for this song, it’s time to start learning the chords!

Major and Minor

The “majority” of the chords in this tune are major chords, which are easy to recognize by their happy sound. A few minor chords are thrown in there as well, which throw the major chords into sharp relief and give the progression a strong emotional feel.

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This “minor” detail is nothing to be worried about, though. You’ll play the minor chords the same way that you play the major ones, but you’ll know it’s a minor chord by the lower case “m” that’s noted after the chord name. Since all of the minor chords in this song are naturally minor within the key signature, you won’t even have to worry about deviating from the Ab major scale that you’ve been practicing.

“All of Me” – The Chords

We’ll start off by learning each chord as a basic triad, which is a chord made up of three notes. These are easy to play without having to stretch out your fingers too much or worry about keeping your eyes on too much of the keyboard.

You’ll be playing all of these chords with your right hand. If you’re feeling like playing these three notes at once isn’t enough of a challenge for you, try playing the root note of each chord – which is the first note listed in the triad, and is also the note name of the chord itself – with your left hand. Those who want to go above and beyond and have a bit of experience might even be able to play the root note in octaves with the left hand, meaning playing the same note – the one at the top of the scale and at the bottom of the scale – at the same time.

Below you’ll find all the chords of the song laid out, with breakdowns of all new chords listed beneath them. Working at your own pace, practice moving from each chord until you start to develop muscle memory. If you’re having trouble, instead of repeating all four chords over and over again, focus just on moving from the Fm to the Db until you have that change down, and then move on to the next change.

Repetition is key in developing muscle memory, and it’s not something that can be learned overnight or in one sitting. Also keep in mind that if you try to rush through the changes too quickly, you’ll be building up bad habits that will only have to be unlearned later. It’s much easier to take your time with it and learn the changes correctly the first time.

INTRO

Fm Db Ab Eb

Fm: F; Ab; C
Db: Db; F; Ab
Ab: Ab; C; Eb
Eb: Eb; G; Bb

VERSE

Fm Db Ab Eb
Fm Db Ab Eb
Fm Db Ab Eb Bbm

Bbm: Bb; Db; F

PRE-CHORUS

Bbm Ab Eb
Bbm Ab Eb

CHORUS

Ab Fm Bm Db/Eb Eb
Ab Fm Bm Db/Eb Eb
Fm Db Ab Eb
Fm Db Ab Eb

Once you’ve made it this far, you’re in luck: You’ve officially learned the whole song! The rest of the form follows the same patterns listed above, so you can refer back up to them as a guide. As you can see, the bridge is exactly the same as the pre-chorus that you learned earlier, so you’re in good shape there!

VERSE / PRE-CHORUS / CHORUS / BRIDGE / CHORUS

BRIDGE

Bbm Ab Eb
Bbm Ab Eb

Staying in Time and Mastering the Changes

One of the most helpful and surprisingly simple things you can do for yourself to keep the song moving in a steady flow is counting out the beats. “All of Me” is written in 4/4 time, meaning that there are four beats to every measure. 

Once you’ve gotten the hang of the chord changes, listen carefully to the words that line up with those changes.

The more you listen to the original version, the better you’ll get at accurately capturing the feel in John Legend’s performance, evoking all the tender romance that the song is meant to resonate with.

Syncopation and Arpeggios

It’s a good idea to start off just focusing on moving smoothly from one chord to the other, playing all the right notes and keeping up with the rhythm. Once you feel you’ve gotten the hang of that, try listening to the song again and hearing out the way John Legend plays the chords in each part of the song.

You’ll probably notice that he’s not playing on the downbeat all the time, which helps give the verses a sense of forward momentum. This is known as syncopation in music, and it can be a bit tricky to master at first. If you practice enough times with a metronome – or better yet, the original recording of the song – it’s much easier to keep a firm sense of where the downbeat are. This allows you to bounce off of them for your upbeats in those syncopated rhythms, which are most prevalent in the intro and verses.

When it comes to the choruses, John Legend takes a more sweeping approach that almost makes the song feel like it’s slowing down. Rather than actually changing the tempo, he’s changing his piano style to arpeggiated rhythms. An arpeggio is when a chord is broken up and played one note at a time, resulting in something that almost sounds like a harp or other stringed instrument being strummed slowly.

To practice this, first try just playing the three notes in the triads you’ve been working on, moving up and down while staying in time. You can experiment with different arpeggio styles – for example, when playing the Fm chords, you can play F, Ab, and C and repeat, always moving up the chord. If you can master that, try playing the notes in different orders until you find a style that works best for you and complements the movement of the vocals.

To take your arpeggios to the next level, try moving beyond these three-note triads. See how many octaves you can play up the keyboard while staying on all the right notes. If you have a sustain pedal, this is an excellent opportunity to let the notes ring out, and it makes it easier to keep the sound full and robust without having any sudden breaks of silence.

Inversions

When you invert a chord, it means you’re changing the order in which note is highest. Choosing the right inversion can make the melodic line that you’re singing over the top of it stand out more. It will also make moving from one chord to the other much easier, as you won’t have to move your hands as far across the keyboard. Once your triads are all mastered, you can start working on finding these inversions, experimenting with what sounds best, and truly make this song your own.

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Christmas songs and carols are some of the most infectious music, no matter the time of year.

They are guaranteed crowd-pleasers because they have instantly recognizable melodies and tell fun stories.

Knowing a few pieces of Christmas music on the piano is a handy skill to bring out at your next holiday gathering.

The sooner you start learning, the more options you will have to play at your Christmas get-together or recital.

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It’s the perfect party song that everyone can sing along to, and the great news is it’s not all that hard to learn!

Just follow the simple steps below and you’ll be jamming on “Piano Man” anywhere from your living room to the local open mic night.

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35 Easy Piano Christian Worship Songs

10 Mins Read

One of the great things about playing piano is the plethora of Christian worship songs that can be learned on the instrument.

All you need is a basic knowledge of chords, and you can start jamming out to some awesome Jesus tunes.

However, there is a wide range of musical and technical difficulty when it comes to worship songs, and knowing where to start is perhaps the greatest struggle.

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Fortunately, this article is here to help with a special selection and helpful tips just for you. We also have a list of general easy piano songs that may interest you.

So, without further ado, here are the top 35 easiest Christian worship songs to play on piano.

35 Easy Christian Songs to Play on Piano

1. “Kingdom Reign” by Collective Music

This is one of the easiest worship songs to learn because it contains just two chords: A and D.

The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

A-C#-E
D-F#-A

Notice that they share a common note (A). When playing this, you will make a chord change for each line of lyrics.

To make smoother transitions, you could play D in 2nd inversion, which means rotating the notes in the chord to be A-D-F#. Thus, you would play A-C#-E followed by A-D-F# in the right hand with A followed by D in the left hand (or bass).

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

2. “Nothing I Hold Onto” by United Pursuit (Will Reagan)

This song contains three chords: G, Em (minor) and C.

The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

G-B-D
E-G-B
C-E-G

To make smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(G) G-B-D
(Em) G-B-E (1st inversion)
(C) G-C-E (2nd inversion)

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

3. “Holy Spirit You Are Welcome Here” by Jesus Culture

This song contains three chords: D, G and Em. The notes in these chords, respectively, are:

D-F#-A
G-B-D
E-G-B

The common notes are D, B and G. Thus, the chords could be arranged in the following order to facilitate smoother transitions:

(D) D-F#-A
(G) D-G-B (3rd inversion)
(Em) E-G-B

The chord changes every line except in the chorus and bridge, where the chord changes up to four times per line.

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

4. “Rejoice” by City Harvest Church

This vibrant song contains three chords: G, C and Em. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

G-B-D
C-E-G
E-G-B

For smoother transitions between chords, this arrangement could be used:

(G) G-B-D
(C) G-C-E (2nd inversion)
(Em) G-B-E (1st inversion)

In this song, the chord changes twice per line.

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

5. “Forever” by Kari Jobe

This slow and tranquil song, originally written in E-flat major, contains four chords: G, D, Em and C. The notes for each chord, respectively, are:

G-B-D
D-F#-A
E-G-B
C-E-G

For smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(G) G-B-D
(D) F#-A-D (1st inversion)
(Em) G-B-E (1st inversion)
(C) G-C-E (2nd inversion)

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

6. “We Are Free” by Planetshakers

This energetic song includes four chords: G, D, Em and C. This is the exact same progression as the previous song, so you already know what to do!

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

7. “Here I Am to Worship” by Tim Hughes/Hillsong

This peaceful song contains four chords: D, A, G and Em.

However, Em only makes a few appearances, so the main chords to be worried about are D, A and G.

The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

D-F#-A
A-C#-E
G-B-D
E-G-B

For smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(D) D-F#-A
(A) C#-E-A (1st inversion)
(G) D-G-B (2nd inversion)
(Em) E-G-B

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

8. “Heart of Worship” by Matt Redman

Like the previous song, this healing worship song contains the chords D, A, Em and G.

However Em is used more than G in this song, and the chord changes are slightly more frequent.

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

9. “How Great is Our God” by Chris Tomlin

This powerful song contains four chords: G, Em, C and D.

However, D only appears twice, so the main chords to worry about are G, Em and C. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

G-B-D
E-G-B
C-E-G
D-F#-A

For smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(G) G-B-D
(Em) G-B-E (1st inversion)
(C) G-C-E (2nd inversion)
(D) F#-A-D (1st inversion)

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

10. “This is Amazing Grace” by Phil Wickham

This lively song contains four chords: C, F, Am and G. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

C-E-G
F-A-C
A-C-E
G-B-D

For smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(C) C-E-G
(F) C-F-A (2nd inversion)
(A) C-E-A (1st inversion)
(G) B-D-G (1st inversion)

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

11. “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” by Chris Tomlin

This song contains four chords: G, C, D and Em — similar to #8, “How Great Is Our God” (also by Chris Tomlin).

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

12. “Where You Are” by Leeland (Bethel Music)

This healing song contains four chords: C, Am, Dm and F. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

C-E-G
A-C-E
D-F-A
F-A-C

For smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(C) C-E-G
(Am) C-E-A (1st inversion)
(Dm) D-F-A
(F) C-F-A (2nd inversion)

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

13. “How He Loves (Us)” by David Crowder Band/John Mark McMillan/Jesus Culture

This song contains four chords: C, Am, G and F. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

C-E-G
A-C-E
G-B-D
F-A-C

For smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(C) C-E-G
(Am) C-E-A
(G) B-D-G (1st inversion)
(F) C-F-A (2nd inversion)

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

14. “This is How I Fight My Battles (Surrounded)” by Upper Room/Michael W. Smith

This empowering song contains four chords: G, C, D and Em (similar to #8 and #10).

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

15. “Where You Go I Go” by Brian Johnson

This catchy song contains three chords: Am, G and Dm. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

A-C-E
G-B-D
D-F-A

For smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(A) A-C-E
(G) B-D-G (1st inversion)
(Dm) A-D-F (2nd inversion)

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

16. “10,000 Reasons” by Matt Redman

This song contains four chords: C, G, D and Em (similar to #8, #10 and #13).

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

17. “Oceans” by Hillsong

This popular song contains four chords: Bm, A, D and G. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

B-D-F#
A-C-E
D-F-A
G-B-D

For smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(Bm) B-D-F#
(A) C-E-A (1st inversion)
(D) D-F-A
(G) D-G-B (2nd inversion)

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

18. “Promises” by Maverick City

This memorable song contains four chords: C, G, D and Em (similar to #8, #10, #13 and #15).

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

19. “The Goodness of God” by Bethel Music

This song also contains G, C, Em and D (similar to #8, #10, #13, #15 and #17). However, the order is most similar to #13.

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

20. “The Blessing” by Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes

This is another song that contains G, C, D and Em. The order is most similar to #13 and #18.

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

21. “You Are My All in All” by Nicole Nordeman

This uplifting song contains the chords D, A, Bm and G (similar to #16, “Oceans”). However, keep in mind that the order is slightly different.

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

22. “Hold On To Me” by Lauren Daigle

This powerful song contains four chords: D, G, Bm and Em. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

D-F#-A
G-B-D
B-D-F#
E-G-B

For smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(D) D-F#-A
(G) D-G-B (2nd inversion)
(Bm) D-F#-B (1st inversion)
(Em) E-G-B

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

23. “Good and Gracious King” by CityAlight

This song contains four chords: D, Bm, A and G. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

D-F#-A
B-D-F#
A-C#-E
G-B-D

For smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(D) D-F#-A
(Bm) D-F#-B (1st inversion)
(A) E-A-C# (2nd inversion)
(G) D-G-B (2nd inversion)

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

24. “Follow You Anywhere” by Passion

This song contains four chords: C, F, G and Am. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

C-E-G
F-A-C
G-B-D
A-C-E

For smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(C) C-E-G
(F) C-F-A (2nd)
(G) B-D-G (1st)
(Am) C-E-A (1st)

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

25. “How Great a King” by Bethel Music

Like the previous song, this song also contains chords Am, F, C and G. However, G only appears a few times.

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

26. “In Christ Alone” by Keith Getty Stuart, Townend (Passion Cover)

This song is similar to the past two songs, but there is an additional chord. The chords are F, C, Am, G and Dm. However, Dm only appears in the bridge. The notes in each chord respectively, are:

F-A-C
C-E-G
A-C-E
G-B-D
D-F-A

For smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(F) F-A-C
(C) E-G-C (1st)
(Am) E-A-C (2nd)
(G) D-G-B (2nd)
(Dm) D-F-A

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

27. “Your Grace Is Enough” by Chris Tomlin

This vivacious song contains five chords: G, C, Em, D and Am. However, Am only appears in the pre-chorus. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

G-B-D
C-E-G
E-G-B
D-F#-A
A-C-E

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

28. “Yes I Will” by Vertical Worship

This song, like #23 and #24, contains the chords F, C, G, and Am.

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

29. “Tremble” by Mosaic MSC

Like #8, #10, #13, #15, #17, and #19, this song, originally written in C Major, contains the chords Em, C, G, and D. However, unlike the others, Em is the most frequently used chord.

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

30. “Nothing Else” by Cody Carnes

This song contains four chords: Dm, F, C, and Am. However, Am only appears in the bridge. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

D-F-A
F-A-C
C-E-G
A-C-E

For smoother transitions, the following inversions could be used:

(Dm) D-F-A
(F) C-F-A (2nd inversion)
(C) C-E-G
(Am) C-E-A (1st inversion)

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

31. “Now I See” by Bethel Worship (Paul and Hannah McClure)

This song contains four chords: G, C, D and Em (similar to #8, #10, #13, #15, #17, #19 and #28). However, the order is most similar to #19.

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

32. “No One Like You” by City Harvest Church

This peaceful song contains five chords: D, G, Em, A and Bm. However, Bm only appears once in the bridge. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

D-F#-A
G-B-D
E-G-B
A-C#-E
B-D-F#

For smoother transitions, the following arrangement could be used:

(D) D-F#-A
(G) D-G-B (2nd inversion)
(Em) E-G-B
(A) E-A-C# (2nd inversion)
(Bm) D-F#-B (1st inversion)

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

33. “Not Afraid” by Jesus Culture

This song contains four chords: G, Em, C and D (similar to #8, #10, #13, #15, #17, #19, #28 and #30). However, D only appears a few times in the chorus and bridge.

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

34. “My Beloved” by City Harvest Church

This song contains four chords: Am, F, C and G. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

A-C-E
F-A-C
C-E-G
G-B-D

For smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(Am) A-C-E
(F) A-C-F (1st)
(C) G-C-E (2nd)
(G) G-B-D

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

35. “Mover of Mountains” by Citipointe Worship

This powerful song contains four chords: C, Am, F and G. The notes in each chord, respectively, are:

C-E-G
A-C-E
F-A-C
G-B-D

For smoother transitions, this arrangement could be used:

(C) C-E-G
(Am) C-E-A (1st inversion)
(F) C-F-A (2nd inversion)
(G) B-D-G (1st inversion)

CHORD CHART & LYRICS

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What are piano chords?

10 Mins Read

Just as paint is the medium of paintings, chords are the medium of music.

A painter can select and mix various hues to create an inspiring masterpiece, and a pianist can manipulate chords–the foundational units of almost any song–to create a sonorous piece of art that stirs up the soul, evokes nostalgia and even heals pain.

For pianists especially, understanding and using chords is essential. However, finding the right chord combination is not quite as simple as mixing red and blue to make purple.

piano chords

How to Play Piano Chords and More

1. What are piano chords?

Piano chords are sets of pitches that, according to traditional Western tonal theory, are related by intervals of a third. For example, a C major triad contains the pitches C, E and G. If the piano keys for these pitches were highlighted in this order, you would see that they are each spaced apart by three keys or notes.

However, these pitches do not need to be ordered in any particular way. Rather, you can exercise your creativity by experimenting with inversions. This term refers to which pitch in the chord is placed in the bass (lowest note).

For example, the C major triad described above is in root position. This means that the pitches are arranged so that each is separated by a third. Most importantly, C–the note that names the key–is on the bottom. Triads have two options: 1st inversion and 2nd inversion.

The pitch order of 1st inversion for our C major triad is E-G-C. Can you guess what 2nd inversion would be? Right: G-C-E.

Essentially, to create an inversion, all you need to do is move the bottom pitch to the top. You can do this infinitely. Even though you are cycling through the same set of pitches, you can create vastly different sounds and moods.

Chords have been vital components of music for centuries, from the chorales of Bach to the songs on your Spotify playlist. Chords are the building blocks of harmony.

While the notes of a chord are traditionally played simultaneously (notated by vertical stacks of notes that look like snowmen), they are often arpeggiated (notated diagonally and thus played in succession like falling dominos) and sometimes incorporated into the melody.

2. How many piano chords are there?

There is an infinite variety of chords. To say otherwise would be to restrain music to the Western tradition, which is by no means the standard.

As stated above, traditional tonal theory defines chords as sets of pitches related by thirds. This principle still governs most popular music today, but there is no dearth of experimentation.

Composers as far back as Beethoven have been breaking the rules–and, in the process, opening new avenues of musical creativity and expression.

However, before we can break the rules, we must first understand what the rules are. As Pablo Picasso famously instructed, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”

In traditional tonal theory, there are two broad types of chords: triads and sevenths. Learning these chords will give you a solid foundation for both reading music and improvising. Triads, as their name implies, consist of three pitches. Sevenths are built from four pitches, which in root position span the interval of a 7th.

Triads have three possible positions: root position, 1st inversion and 2nd inversion (see above). Sevenths, as you might guess, have four possible positions: root position, 1st inversion, 2nd inversion and 3rd inversion. Once again, each inversion has a different bass note.

3. How to play major chords on piano

The quality of a chord refers to whether it is major, minor, augmented or diminished. The most common qualities are major and minor. An easy way to memorize these is to remember that major is happy and minor is sad.

There are two methods for determining the quality of a chord: the key signature (KS) method and the half-step (HS) method. Since every musician has a different background and preferred learning style, it is important to choose the method that comes most naturally to you.

Key Signature Method (KS)
In this method, you use key signatures to determine the correct pitches in a chord and, most importantly, the necessary accidentals (sharps or flats) that are required to make a certain quality.

For example, let’s determine the quality of a chord built from the notes E, B and G. The first step is to look at the root note of the chord: E. This is found by arranging the notes into root position (see above) and locating the bottom or far-left note. The root position of this chord is E-G-B. Next, we need to find the key signature of E major. In this key, the following notes are sharpened: F, C, G and D.

Next, we must ask the following question: Are there any notes in the chord that are sharpened in the key signature?

As you may soon recognize, the G in our chord needs a sharp. Now, we ask this question:

What accidental, if any, is beside this note?

In this case, there is an implied natural (♮) next to the G. Thus, it is a half step below the major form. This makes it minor. To make it major, we simply add the necessary sharp. Thus, our E major triad is E-G#-B.

Half-Step Method (HS)
To use this method, count the half steps between each of the three notes. To make a chord major, use the following formula:

Major triad = 4 + 3 half steps

For example, let’s analyze the following chord: F-A-C

First, we need to count the half steps between F and A. To do this, look at a keyboard and play a chromatic scale (every white and black key) from F to A. It’s important to count the transitions between the keys rather than the keys themselves.

For example, think F to F# = 1; F# to G = 2; G to G# = 3; G# to A = 4.

Thus, we end up with four half steps for the first third. For the second third, we count A to A# (1), A# to B (2) and B to C (3).

Thus, we have 4 + 3 half steps, which makes a major triad.

4. How do you play minor chords on the piano?

Playing a minor triad is as simple as lowering the middle note in the major form by a half step.

For example, let’s take the chord G-B-D. First, we need to determine its quality. Using the KS method, we would first determine that the key of G major has one sharp: F#. None of the notes in the chord need to be sharpened, so it is major. Using the HS method, we count G to G# (1), G# to A (2), A to A# (3), and A# to B (4) for the bottom third. For the top third, we count B to C (1), C to C# (2) and C# to D (3). Thus, we have 4 + 3 half steps, making major.

To make this chord minor, we need to lower the third note, B, by a half step. So, we will add a flat (♭) to the B, making the G minor triad G-B♭-D.

Let’s do one more example: F#-A#-C#. Using either the KS or HS method, we can determine that it is major. To make it minor, we must lower the A# by a half step. In this case, we must add a natural (♮), forming the triad F#-A♮-C#.

5. What are augmented and diminished chords?

Augmented (+) and diminished (°) are the two remaining musical qualities. As the terms suggest, augmented means expanded, and diminished means compressed. These qualities are used infrequently, and their purpose is typically to increase intensity or suspense.

An augmented triad is a major triad expanded by a half step. Thus, in the HS method, the formula changes from 4 + 3 to 4 + 4. A diminished triad is a minor triad compressed by a half step, changing the formula from 3 + 4 to 3 + 3.

Let’s analyze this chord: E-G#-B. Using either the KS or HS method, we can determine that it is a major triad. To make this augmented, we must simply raise the B by a half step. To do this, we need to add a sharp, making the chord E-G#-B#. Keep in mind that B# is the enharmonic equivalent of C.

6. What piano chords go together?

When improvising, it is important to have a general idea of what chords sound good together. Dissonance is only valuable when used and resolved intentionally. To avoid stumbling through a cacophony of chords, a basic understanding of scales is important.

A scale is the material of a key. For example, in the key of A major, we have the notes A, B, C#, D, E, F# and G#. The chords built on each of these scale degrees must follow a quality code. There are two quality codes: one for major keys and one for minor keys.

Major Quality Code:
I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii°/VII

Minor Quality Code:
i, ii°/II, III/III+, iv, v, VI, VII/vii°

In the key of A major, we can use the following chords:

I A-C#-E
ii B-D-F#
iii C#-E-G#
IV D-F#-A
V E-G#-B
vi F#-A-C#
vii° G#-B-D or VII G♮-B-D

In the relative minor of A major, F# minor, which can be found three half half steps below A, we can use the following chords:

i F#-A-C#
ii° G#-B-D or II G♮-B-D
III A-C#-E or III+ A-C#-E#(F)
iv B-D-F#
v C#-E-G#
VI D-F#-A
VII E-G#-B or vii° E#(F)-G#-B

You can use these quality code formulas to find the chords that sound good within the context of any key. However, these are not rules but rather guidelines for your creative journey.

7. What are some popular chord progressions?

Finally, we must address the most important element of chords: How do we use them to create a song? How do we progress from one chord to the next? These questions deserve their own article, but for the purpose of this post, here is a brief rundown of three popular chord progressions:

1. The Classic Trio
This versatile progression is used in a plethora of pop songs, including Richie Valen’s “La Bamba” and Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.”

This progression is I-IV-V.

For example, in the key of A major, we would use the triads A-C#-E, D-F#-A and E-G#-B.

2. The Cadence
This progression is more traditional since it is common in hymns, classical repertoire and gospel music. However, it can also be extended into a jazzy version. Here are both types:

ii-V-I
I-vi-ii-V-I

In the key of A major, we have the chords B-D-F#, E-G#-B and A-C#-E for the first type. For the jazz progression, we have the chords A-C#-E, F#-A-C#, B-D-F#, E-G#-B and A-C#-E.

3. The 12-Bar Blues
This progression is simple because it uses only three chords (I, IV and V–the same ones from the Classic Trio), but it is incredibly popular. You can find it in Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog,” Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock” and BB King’s “The Thrill is Gone.”

As the name implies, these three chords are spread across 12 bars:

I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-V-I-I

Conclusion

Hopefully this article has given you a clear sense of how to start using piano chords and experimenting with different qualities and progressions. If you feel overwhelmed, remember that this is a vast topic that cannot be fully explained in one post. The best way to become more fluent using piano chords is to practice and play around without fearing how it will sound. After all, some of the best inventions are the results of mistakes.

Other Piano Articles You’ll Enjoy:

Piano Man Chords Tutorial
Easy Piano Worship Songs
Easy Christmas Piano Songs

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