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©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 1 Lesson 6 Part 2: Note Practice PianoVideoLessons.com

Test your knowledge. Trace the G line and name these notes:
©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 1 - Lesson 7 - Hot Crossed Buns PianoVideoLessons.com

Preparing to Play: While you play:

- Examine the music carefully Choose a tempo that is easy.
- Name the notes Think ahead.
- Tap and count out loud Relax your body.
Keep rounded fingers.
Prepare your hands before you play. No flying fingers!
-Test out the fingerings Count out loud.
-Look for note direction
-Decide on your tempo. (easy) After you Play
Circle any trouble spots
Spot practice
Play again

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Unit 1 - Lesson 8 Finger Gym #2 PianoVideoLessons.com

Keep your beat steady!

Directions:
Sit straight and tall!
Relax!
Keep a steady pulse,
Count the beats as you play.
Play with LH and then try with RH.

Self check:
Listen for notes that sound exactly together.
Play on the side of your thumb, and the ball of finger 5.
Non-playing fingers should be relaxed, curved and hovering over the keys.
Be on the lookout for collapsing finger joints in finger 5.

Finger Strength exercises:

Table Grabs

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Unit 1 - Lesson 9 Bass Clef Neighbors PianoVideoLessons.com

Here is Bass F on the full staff. Trace the F line.

Here are G, F and E on the staff: Trace the F line.

Notice how the F line goes directly through the F. It is called a Line Note. E and G are
in spaces between 2 lines, and are called Space Notes.
G is in Space 4 (counting from the bottom) and E is in Space 3.

Find E and G on this keyboard diagram and color them:

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Unit 1 - Lesson 9 PianoVideoLessons.com

Trace the F line and name these notes:

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Unit 1 - Lesson 10 Sight Reading PianoVideoLessons.com

Sight Reading is a skill of reading music without practicing it first.

When sight reading a piece of music we study it first, and then play it with a
steady beat without stopping.

Examine these lines of music carefully, plan out your performance, use a table
top to rehearse the feeling of the music, and once you know exactly what to play
play it through once!

Tips: 1)Look for patterns. 2) Group the notes into patterns in your mind.

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Sight Reading, continued.

Remember, it’s only considered Sight Reading the first time you play it!
After that we call it practice!

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Unit 1 - Lesson 11 F and Friends! PianoVideoLessons.com

Preparing to Play: While you play:

- Examine the music carefully Choose a tempo that is easy.
- Name the notes Think ahead.
- Tap and count out loud Relax your body.
Keep rounded fingers.
Prepare your hands before you play. No flying fingers!
-Test out the fingerings Count out loud.
-Look for note direction
-Decide on your tempo. (easy) After you Play
Circle any trouble spots
Spot practice
Play again

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 1 - Lesson 11 I Got This! PianoVideoLessons.com

Preparing to Play: While you play:

- Examine the music carefully Choose a tempo that is easy.
- Name the notes Think ahead.
- Tap and count out loud Relax your body.
Keep rounded fingers.
Prepare your hands before you play. No flying fingers!
-Test out the fingerings Count out loud.
-Look for note direction
-Decide on your tempo. (easy) After you Play
Circle any trouble spots
Spot practice
Play again

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 1 - Lesson 12 Finger Gym PianoVideoLessons.com

Play with RH

Play with LH

Place your hand.

Use good hand formation technique : fist-to-open curved fingers.
Relax
Think about the weight being transferred between your fingers
Plan before you play.
Choose a slow tempo.
Keep your beat steady
Practice Daily!

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Unit 1 - Lesson 13 Barlines and Measures PianoVideoLessons.com

Music is divided into measures using barlines.

Each measure has the same amount of beats.

In (four four time) there are 4 beats in a measure.

Whole Rests hold the space for empty measures (measures with no notes.)

To indicate that a section or whole piece of music is played again, we use a repeat
symbol
It is 2 dots placed in spaces 2 and 3 of each staff before the ending double bar line.

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Unit 13 cont

Place a barline between every group of 4 beats. (Use a ruler.)

Draw a repeat bar at the very end.
Clap the rhythms.
Sight Read the music.

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Unit 1 - Lesson 14 Playing with Repeats PianoVideoLessons.com

When you repeat the song, do not stop or pause before beginning again.
The second time you get to the end, the song is over!

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Unit 1 - Lesson 15 Up and Down PianoVideoLessons.com

Circle what you hear in the video lesson.

1. Going Up or Going Down.

2. Going Up or Going Down.

3. Going Up or Going Down.

4. Going Up or Going Down.

5. Going Up or Going Down.

6. Going Up or Going Down.

7. Going Up or Going Down.

8. Going Up or Going Down.

9. Going Up or Going Down.

10. Going Up or Going Down.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 1 - Lesson 16 Finger Gym PianoVideoLessons.com

Place your hand.

Use good hand formation technique : fist-to-open curved fingers.
Relax
Think about the weight being transferred between your fingers

Plan before you play.

Choose a slow tempo.
Keep your beat steady
Don’t forget to repeat!

Practice Daily!

©PianoVideoLessons.com
PianoVideoLessons.com
Flash Cards:

Cut each of these 16 cards apart on the solid line:

Answer board 1:
Cut down the middle into 2 horizontal strips with 8 keys per strip (C to C:)
Answer Board 2: (no letter names, advanced.)
Cut down the middle into 2 horizontal strips with 8 keys per strip (C to C:)
 Unit 2 - Lesson 1 - Treble Clef D and E PianoVideoLessons.com

So far we have learned 4 notes in the Treble Clef. Middle C; and F, Treble G,A.
Now, let’s fill in the 2 missing notes D and E. First label them on this keyboard chart:

You know that notes move on white keys in a pattern Line-Space-Line-Space. (1-1)
So, it follows that if we move one note up from middle C, a line note, we will end up
on D, a space note. Circle the D on the staff in the image below:

HINT: Does D look like a drop of water forming under the bottom line? That’s a
good way to remember what it looks like. D is a Drop.
It also makes sense that E would be one line up from D on the bottom line of the
treble staff. Find it on the staff above, and circle it. Label the notes D and E on the
flash cards below:

Now, get out your own set of flash cards and locate these 2 cards. Practice all 10 of
the notes we have learned so far (1-2, 1-5, 1-6, 1-9:)

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Unit 2 - Lesson 1 - Treble Clef D and E, pg 2 PianoVideoLessons.com
Write the Names of Each Note:

Now let’s play a song that only uses our new notes!
1. Name each note. 2. Clap and Count 3. Try the fingerings 4. Play

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Unit 2 - Lesson 2 - Dynamics
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When we play piano, we can make the notes sound loud or soft using the
speed of the key press. (This does not work on all keyboards.)
We call these variations in tone dynamics. The dynamic markings are show here:

1. Name each note. 2. Circle the dynamics marks. 3. Clap and Count 4. Try
the fingerings 5. Play while observing the dynamics! (Keep your beat steady!)
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 Unit 2 - Lesson 3 Sight Reading and Clap Backs
PianoVideoLessons.com

Let’s Sight Read!

Remember to 1) Look over the music and find pattern
2) Decide the fingers you’ll use on which keys
3) Play each line once, keeping a steady beat.

Now, watch the video for the clap back drills.

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Unit 2 - Lesson 4 Finger Gym PianoVideoLessons.com

Now it’s time to start playing with both hands at the same time!
Remember when notes are directly above each other they play at the same time.
Keep your beat steady! Let’s go!

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 Unit 2 - Lesson 5 Bass Clef A and B PianoVideoLessons.com

It’s time to add the 2 missing notes below middle C!

They are A and B. Label them on this keyboard diagram:

B is a space note that lives directly on top of the highest bass clef line. It makes sense
that it is a space note, since it is the neighbor of Middle C which is a line note.

HINT: Does B look like a bird sitting on the highest telephone wire? It does!
That’s a good way to remember B. Also, you can remember A as the top student! It’s on
the top line!

Now, get out your own set of flash cards and locate these 2 cards. Practice all of the
notes we have learned so far (1-2, 1-5, 1-6, 1-9:)

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 Unit 2 - Lesson 5 Bass Clef A and B PianoVideoLessons.com

Choose your own dynamics for this piece and write them in.

*In preparation for Lesson 7, be sure that you are continuing to review the
Finger Gym from lesson 4. We will be playing hands together more in upcoming
lessons and this type of coordination can be tricky!

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 Unit 2 - Lesson 6 - Intervals 2nd and 3rd PianoVideoLessons.com

Notation:
Looking at intervals on the music staff we can see that when notes move by
neighbors they go follow the pattern line-space-line-space etc.

Circle the notes C, E, G and B. Are they space notes or line notes? ______

Notes that move from line to space or from space to line are neighbors.
Notes that move from one line to the next line skip over a space note.
Notes that move from one space to the next space skip over a line note.

We can describe neighbors and skips in more than one way:

Neighbors Skips
Steps Thirds
Seconds

Draw a line between the 2nds and make a v between notes that move by 3rds.

Look back at Bluebird and Treble Clef Tiptoe and examine the way the notes move in
those pieces. Do they use only 2nds or do you see any 3rds?
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 Unit 2 - Lesson 6 - Intervals cont. PianoVideoLessons.com

Playing 3rds. We have already played a lot of seconds in the pieces we have
learned so far. Let’s examine how we will play 3rds. We will use pairs of fingers that
are not beside each other. This matches the distance we have to travel on the keys.

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 Unit 2 - Lesson 7 - Playing Hands Together PianoVideoLessons.com

In our last Finger Gym we had a small introduction to playing with both hands at
the same time. Now, let’s learn a piece which uses both hands at the same time!

In this piece it is important to practice the fingerings for both hands.

Notice that the left hand plays 3 different notes, practice just the left hand.
Notice that the right hand has a change on line 2 in the 3rd measure. Practice the third
measures of both lines before you play the piece.

*Visit the lesson page for Unit 2 Lesson 7 for more practice suggestions.
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Unit 2 - Lesson 8 Finger Gym PianoVideoLessons.com

Now you’re getting familiar with playing hands together! Let’s have some fun at the
Finger Gym!

Be sure to look for patterns and plan your fingerings.

Use gently curved fingers and a weighted touch.
Choose dynamics and write them in.

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 Unit 2 - Lesson 9 Mirror C’s in Spaces PianoVideoLessons.com

You likely noticed in the last Finger Gym a note in the bass clef that we have not been
formally introduced to. It is the C in the second space from the bottom of bass clef.
It is called Bass C. It is 8 notes below Middle C. (This interval is called an octave.)

There is a C in the treble Clef that is the same distance away from middle C. One
octave above middle C is the note Treble C. It is found in the third space up in the treble
clef.

If you compare Bass C and Treble C you will see that they are mirror images of each
other on the music staff. That is because they are both an octave away from Middle C
which is exactly in the middle of the grand staff.

Add these 2 C’s to your flashcard set. These 2 C’s are also landmark notes, and they
will help up to locate other nearby notes that live a 2nd or a 3rd away.

Circle all of the Treble C’s and all of the Bass C’s in this exercise. Write 2nd or 3rd for
each note that comes after a C.

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Unit 2 - Lesson 10 - Let’s Play! PianoVideoLessons.com

Watch out for the hand cross-overs!

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Unit 2 - Lesson 11 - Let’’s Play! PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 2 - Lesson 12 - Finger Gym: Pentascales PianoVideoLessons.com
Scales are a very useful tool in music. They are the foundation of the sound
behind pieces of music. We use a scale as the basis for melody notes, and to form the
harmonies.

A first kind of scale to play is called a pentascale. Penta- is from the Greek for 5.
A pentascale is a scale with 5 notes that move by 2nds. This is a good type of scale to
start with since we have 5 fingers on each hand!

At the end of the Pentascale we are going to play a triad. Tri- is also a Greek root,
meaning 3. A triad has 3 notes that move by 3rds. A triad is a type of chord. (Some
chords have more than 3 notes.)

Practice this pentascale hands separately until you are comfortable and then
practice it hands together.
You may need extra practice on the triad ending.

Is the RH C triad written on line notes or space notes? ___________

Is the LH C triad written on line notes or space notes? ___________

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 Unit 2 - Lesson 13 - Bass D and Treble B PianoVideoLessons.com

Let’s complete the set of notes between Bass C and Treble C. There are only 2
notes that we have not formally learned, and they are the D above Bass C, and the B
below Treble C. Add these final notes to your flashcard set.

Name these notes. Circle all Landmark Notes.

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Unit 2 - Lesson 14 - Let’s Play! PianoVideoLessons.com

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 Unit 2 - Lesson 15 - Ear Training PianoVideoLessons.com
Watch the video for this lesson. For each selection, circle the first measure or
the second measure, according to what you hear:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 2 - Lesson 16 - Finger Gym - G pentascale PianoVideoLessons.com

Pentascales can be played on different starting notes.

The starting note has a special name. It is called the Tonic Note.
When we play a pentascale it uses whole steps (W) and half steps (H.)
The pattern for a pentascale is W-W-H-W.
(This is a flat b: A flat means go down one half step, play the key to the left.)

Notice that when we play the F pentascale, we need to play a B b. This is

necessary to maintain the W-W-H-W pattern of the major pentascale. We will learm
more about flats in Unit 3.Then, we will also learn about sharps #.
©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Staff and Keyboard Chart
Use this image to visually connect the notes on the staff to the keys on the piano.
You can use this chart when you are working out a new piece of music, or when you are stuck on a note.
Try to wean yourself from using it by memorizing the landmark notes and their neighbors.
 Unit 3 - Lesson 1 - 3/4 Time and the Dotted Half Note PianoVideoLessons.com

All of the music we have learned so far has been in time. This is called common
time. Likely for a good reason! But there are other time signatures. Here are a few
examples:

For music to have a lilting or waltz-like feeling we need to change the number of beats
in a measure. Feeling 3 beats per measure gives us a swaying or waltzing sound.

Try counting steadily to four while emphasizing the One.

ONE two three four, ONE two three four.

Now try counting to three while emphasizing the One.

ONE two three, ONE two three.
Feel the difference?

This new time signature is called Three Four Time. The top number tells us to
count to 3. The bottom number indicates that the beat is a quarter note.

To represent a note that lasts 3 beats we use a Dotted Half Note.

The dot after the note tells us to hold the note for half of the note’s time value.
2+1 = 3

Draw some dotted half notes.

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Unit 3 - Lesson 1 Good Morning! PianoVideoLessons.com

Practice instructions:
- Scan the music, look for dotted half notes.
- Look for patterns in the left hand and right hand.
- Work out the fingerings. RH and then LH
- Practice each hand alone, practice the RH extra!
- Tap the rhythm hands together (HT).
- Once you can play each hand alone perfectly, work hands together, in sections.
- You are done practicing this piece when you can play it 5 times in a row perfectly!
Yes! In a ROW!

*This piece also contains a pickup measure.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 3 - Lesson 2 Thinking Intervallically PianoVideoLessons.com

Let’s take some time to think about the concept of intervals. This is a really very
important concept in music. To be truly fluent in musical theory we need to be able
to think our way through the alphabet just like we think our way through numbers.

Can you count backwards from 10? I bet you can do it without any trouble!

Can you say the alphabet backwards? Most people would probably answer no to
that question, and if you answered yes, then you’re ahead of the curve!

The good news is that we only use the first 7 letters of the alphabet, so you’ll only
need to be able to say the alphabet in reverse starting with G. So, let’s go ahead and
practice that. In the video I’ll help you build up to it gradually.

So, forwards: A-B-C-D-E-F-G and then backwards: G-F-E-D-C-B-A

The other thing we do with numbers that also applies to music is skip-counting.
I’m sure you can skip-count by 2’s or 5’s or 10’s with no trouble at all.

Let’s skip-count the alphabet by 3rds. So, beginning with A (silently think B)
then C (silent D) then E (silent F) then G (silent A) then B(silent C) then D (silent E)
then F (silent G) and back to A. A-C-E-G-B-D-F-A

Bonus points if you can do it backwards!

Practice skip-counting by 3rds beginning on any key on the piano. Do this little
exercise in your head throughout the day, when you’re waiting at a red light, or for the
kettle to boil!

Lable every second key on this keyboard. The lowest note is A.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 3 - Lesson 3 Eine Kleine Nachtmusik PianoVideoLessons.com

New Rhythm: Quarter Rest = 1 beat of silence

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Practice instructions:
Study:
- Scan the music, look for dotted half notes and quarter rests.
- Name all of the notes, and locate them on the piano.
- Look for patterns in the music. Locate notes that move by 2nds or 3rds.
- Work out the fingerings. RH and then LH
- Break the piece up into sections.

Play:
- focus on notes and fingers. Got it? Go to next step...
- focus on rhythm. Are you on the beat? No stopping
No? Tap the rhythm hands together (HT). Count out loud! Write in counting if needed.
- If you know the rhythm while tapping but you have stumbles when playing:
1) slow down a lot 2) work in smaller sections 3) Drill! - until you can’t get it wrong.
- You are done practicing this piece when you can play it 5 times in a row perfectly.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 3 - Lesson 4 Finger Gym PianoVideoLessons.com

Circle all of the 3rds. Write in the fingering Italian Musical Terms:
pattern for the remainder of line 1. tempo = speed

Practice this exercise at these tempos: andante, Andante = walking
then moderato, then allegro. moderato = moderately
allegro = cheerful, lively

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 3 - Lesson 5 Fourths PianoVideoLessons.com

To become a better reader it’s important to learn to recognize the distance between notes
visually.

So far we’ve learned to recognize notes that move by 2nds and notes that move by 3rds

The next natural distance to learn to recognize is the interval of a 4th. As you would expect,
a 4th is one step larger than a 3rd. This means that we will skip 2 keys when moving a 4th. And
also we will skip 2 fingers, so the fingering options for playing fouths are 1-4 or 2-5.

Now, let’s predict what a fourth will look like on the staff.

You know that notes move by neighbors on the keyboard by going from line to space to line to
space on the staff. Watch the video for a reminder of this.

So, this means that if we move from C to F...which is one step larger than a 3rd …you would
start on a line and you end in a space. And if you started on a space note, like D, you would
end up on a line note (A.) Fourths move Line-to-Space or Space-to-Line.

Here are examples of notes that move by 4ths:

Label this keyboard in 4ths beginning with the lowest key, A.

Circle the 4ths write in fingerings for all of these intervals (there is more than 1 correct answer
for most:) Bonus: Go back to Good Morning and circle the 4ths.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 3 - Lesson 5 Fourths PianoVideoLessons.com

Circle all of the 4ths before you play.

Plan your fingerings. Fourths move 1 to 4 or 2 to 5.

Make sure you know all of the notes.

Tap and count and then count while you play!

*Hold damper pedal throughout this piece.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 3 - Lesson 6 Melody Patterns and Fingering PianoVideoLessons.com

Write the fingering for each note on the staves below.

For RH fingerings write them above, for LH fingerings write them below.

Now play each pattern on a table top.

Study the first measure in each example below. Discover the intervals between
each note. Then circle any measure in that line which uses the same shape (interval
and direction pattern.)

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Unit 3 - Lesson 7 Mezzoforte PianoVideoLessons.com

Mezzoforte is the musical term for medium loud. It is less strong than forte.

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Unit 3 - Lesson 8 Finger Gym PianoVideoLessons.com

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Unit 3 - Lesson 9 The interval of a 5th PianoVideoLessons.com

When we play a 5th, we move from a line to a line (skipping one line) or from a
space to a space (shipping one space.) The most common fingering of a 5th is 1-5

Here are some examples of 5ths:

Harmonic 5ths Melodic 5ths
(both notes played together) (notes played one after the other.)

Name each interval below, and write RH fingerings. (Use finger 1 as the first finger
for ascending intervals and finger 5 as the first finger for descending intervals:)

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 3 - Lesson 9 The interval of a 5th PianoVideoLessons.com

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 3 - Lesson 10 The Sharp PianoVideoLessons.com

In Unit 2 we touched on sharps and flats , this piece uses F sharp.

It also has a 5th, can you find it? It’s hiding!

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 3 - Lesson 11 Staccato PianoVideoLessons.com

The touch we use when we play piano can create moods. If a song has a
bouncy touch the mood is playful. We call this touch staccato. Watch the video
for careful instruction of how to play staccato.

Staccato is indicated in the music by dots placed on the opposite side of the stem.
(Or below a whole note.)

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 3 - Lesson 12 Finger Gym PianoVideoLessons.com

PLUS: Go back to Lesson 3-4 and 3-8 try playing them staccato!
©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 3 - Lesson 13 Sight Reading PianoVideoLessons.com

Quickly find the hand position.

Prepare by analysing patterns.

And then play the melody based on interval reading.

Play with a steady beat! Watch for staccato and dynamics markings.

Look ahead while you play.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 3 - Lesson 13 Sight Reading PianoVideoLessons.com

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 3 - Lesson 14 Slurs PianoVideoLessons.com

Another touch or articulation that we can use when playing piano is legato.
Legato is the opposite of staccato. Legato notes are played smoothly joined
together, like all of the water in a river flowing. When a composer want you to use a
legato touch, they indicate it with a slur. The long lines in this piece of music are
slurs.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
*Ritardando means gradually slowing down. It is abbreviated as rit.

Take your time with this piece. Play it gently and smoothly. There are lots of
patterns in the fingering, so relax and enjoy it!

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 3 - Lesson 15 The Octave Symbol PianoVideoLessons.com

The range of notes we have been using so far is from Bass C to Treble C. This is
a 2 octave range. And it’s a good amount of notes to work with! But obviously we
will want to expand to be able to play the entire range of the piano eventually.

One way that we can read notes outside this range is by using the octave symbol.

This symbol indicated that the notes are pulled one octave in the direction of the
symbol. So, if the symbol is written above the notes, they are pulled up an octave. If
it is written below the notes, they are pulled down an octave. Here is a pretty piece
that will get you playing an octave higher and lower than usual.

We’ve also snuck a new note in on page 2. You can work it out if you compare it
to the note just before it. In both cases it is a skip above the prior note. Also, you
could compare it to it’s nearest Guide Note (Middle C and Treble C.)

These new notes will be covered in Unit 4 along with the remaining notes on the
staff above and below Treble C and Bass C.

Practice Steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 3 - Lesson 15 The Octave Symbol PianoVideoLessons.com

©PianoVideoLessons.com
©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 3 - Lesson 16 Finger Gym PianoVideoLessons.com

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Staff and Keyboard Chart
Use this image to visually connect the notes on the staff to the keys on the piano.
You can use this chart when you are working out a new piece of music, or when you are stuck on a note.
Try to wean yourself from using it by memorizing the landmark notes and their neighbors.
 Unit 4 - Lesson 1 Eighth Notes PianoVideoLessons.com

So far the fastest note we have learned to play is the quarter note: It gets one beat in
quarter time.

Sometimes we want to play more than one note during a beat. This is where rhythm starts to
get interesting!

Lable this chart:

Whole Note (4 beats)
Half Note (2 beats each)
Quarter Note (1 beat each)
Eighth Note (1/2 beat each, share 1 beat.)

Individual eighth notes look like this: The flag is always on the right side.
To make it easier to count, beams are added to connect notes when they share a beat.
The beam takes the place of the flags. (Or, I like to imagine that the flags have been tied

together!) So, since 2 eighth notes share 1 beat they are beamed together to look like this:

Let’s play a piece with eighth notes!

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 4 - Lesson 1 Eighth Notes PianoVideoLessons.com

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 4 - Lesson 2 Note Blast PianoVideoLessons.com

Here are all of the notes on the lines and spaces of the Grand Staff:

Watch the video and practice naming the notes as you play them. Do this every day until it
comes naturally. Memorize the location of each note on the staff and on your piano keyboard.

If you want extra practice with note drills, look for the Note Speller for Piano at
PianoVideoLessons.com. There is a workbook for practice. Each lesson in the workbook has a
video lesson to demonstrate or review the concepts covered.

Lable these blank Grand Staves with the note letters:

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 4 - Lesson 3 Chord Harmony PianoVideoLessons.com

When we play notes that are not melody notes, these notes are the harmony.
Often the right hand plays the melody and the left hand fills in the harmony. This is
not always the case, but it is common.

In Lavender’s Blue we played chords in the left hand. The notes in the chords
harmonized well with the melody. Why is that? How did we decide on those
chords?

To understand this we need to look at the scale for the key of C major.

The 8 notes of the C Major Scale, from C to C are:

A scale is a series of notes that moves by steps from one letter name to the next. A
major scale sings the pitches Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Ti-Do. More on scales later!

A chord is a set of notes that is formed by skipping a letter between each note.
They are formed using skips, or thirds. Triads are the most basic chords. Triads
have 3 notes.

The Primary Chords are three chords used to for basic harmony in major keys.
They are built above the I, IV and V degrees of the scale.

Notice that all 7 of the notes in the major scale are used to form these 3 Primary Chords.

When harmonizing a melody, we select a chord that uses notes in common with the melody
notes being used when the chord is sounded. Let’s label the chords in Lavender’s Blue by writing
their chord symbols directly on the music.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 4 - Lesson 4 Finger Gym PianoVideoLessons.com

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 4 - Lesson 5 Mezzoforte PianoVideoLessons.com

New dynamics symbol:

Mezzoforte = medium loud

Practice Instructions:
This next piece will test your ability to co-ordinate your left hand together with your
right hand! It is challenging. If it is frustrating for you, take the option listed at the end
of the practice instructions.

1. Tap the rhythm hands together, counting out loud.

2. Plan the fingerings by studying the intervals.
3. On a table top, practice the fingerings hands together. Work in sections, 1 line or
shorter.
i. Which line has the most challenging patterns?____ Practice it extra.
And also break it down into smaller sections.
4. Working line by line, play slowly with a steady beat.
i. If you are having trouble, slow down or make your sections smaller.
ii. Alternate between:
1. Counting the beat.
2. Saying LH finger numbers.
3. Saying RH finger numbers.

Option: to break it down if you’re having trouble with coordination, play only beat
1 of the left hand in each measure while you play the right hand as written.

Analysis Questions:

1) What is the highest note in the piece? ____

2) What is the lowest note? ___
3) Who is the composer of this piece? ____
4) How many beats are in each measure? ____
5) Circle all of the 4ths. How many did you find? ___

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 4 - Lesson 5 Mezzoforte PianoVideoLessons.com

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 4 - Lesson 6 Transposition PianoVideoLessons.com

There are times when we want to change the range of a piece of music, to suit a
singers voice, or match another instrument’s range. We can do this by transposing
the piece.

Look back at the Finger Gym in Lesson 4.

Each of the lines of the gym has the same pattern, but we have moved it into 4
different keys in total.

We can do the same thing with a melody.

Look back at A Dance from Lesson 5.

This piece is written in the key of C in a 5-finger (pentascale) position.
Because it is in a 5-finger position, without reaching or without changing hand
position it is straightforward to transpose this piece.

Try playing just the right hand of Dance firstly as written in the music and then
transposing it to the key of G Major. Do this by moving your hand position to the G
Major 5-finger position and playing the same fingering pattern you played for the
original. Sound the same? Great!

Now let’s make it a little trickier and try transposing it to the Key of F Major or the
Key of D Major. (Make sure you identify the black key needed before you begin.)

For extra credit, try transposing it with both hands together!

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 ©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 4 - Lesson 7 Harmonic and Melodic Intervals PianoVideoLessons.com

Intervals can be played harmonically, at the same time, or melodically one after the
other. Name these intervals and play them. Think carefully about the fingerings
you choose. Select fingers that skip the same number of fingers as keys skipped.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 4 - Lesson 8 Finger Gym PianoVideoLessons.com

Play this exercise as written and then transpose it to G Major, F Major and D Major.
You can use the blank staff to practice drawing harmonic intervals by recopying line 2.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 4 - Lesson 9 Lead Sheets PianoVideoLessons.com

We can use our knowledge of chords to follow a lead sheet. Lead sheets write out
the melody on the staff and write symbols to be played by the harmonizing (left) hand.

This version of Amazing Grace is written using the Key of C, and is harmonized
with the Primary Chords: C, F and G.

Practice the melody alone until it is comfortable, and then practice the chord
changes. Then put it all together. (Play chords in Root Position.)

You are ready to try some more songs using chords! Visit the Play by Chords
section at PianoVideoLessons.com
©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 4 - Lesson 10 Chord Study PianoVideoLessons.com

Chords can be played in root position, which means the root of the chord is
positioned at the bottom of the stack. Or they can be played in a different order
which makes them more convenient for the hand to move, or which makes the sound
more pleasing to the ear. These configurations are called “voicings” or “inversions.”
More on that later!

When playing in the key of C, we can find a convenient voicing for the primary
chords.

See how these chords are arranged such that the hand does not need to jump to a
new location on the piano for each chord change. Examine Lavender’s Blue and
notice that these are the same voicings we used previously.

Now practice Amazing Grace using these close voicings in the Left Hand.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 4 - Lesson 11 Choosing Chords PianoVideoLessons.com

Now it’s your turn! Select the chords that sound best with this fun song:
Write the chord symbols on the lines above the music. It is in the key of C Major .
Use Primary Chords from the Key of C Major to hamonzie it.

The Primary Chords in C Major are: ____, ____, and ____

Use the melody notes and your ear to guide your choices.

Can you play the chords voiced in close position?

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 4 - Lesson 12 - Finger Gym PianoVideoLessons.com

Name the chords I, IV or V - refer to Lesson 3. Practice RH alone, LH alone, HT.

Use a steady pace, and a metronome!

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 4 Lesson 12 Finger Gym PianoVideoLessons.com

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 4 - Lesson 13 Andantino by Kohler PianoVideoLessons.com

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 4 - Lesson 13 Andantino by Kohler PianoVideoLessons.com

Practice Instructions:

1. Tap the rhythm hands together, counting out loud.

2. Plan the fingerings by studying the intervals.
3. On a table top, practice the fingerings hands together. Work in sections, 1 line or
shorter.
iii. Which line has the most challenging patterns?____ Practice it extra.
And also break it down into smaller sections.
4. Working line by line, play slowly with a steady beat.

If you are having trouble, slow down or make your sections smaller.
Alternate between:
 Counting the beat.
 Saying LH finger numbers.
 Saying RH finger numbers.

Option: to break it down if you’re having trouble with coordination, play only beat
1 of the left hand in each measure while you play the right hand as written.

Analysis Questions:

What is the highest note in the piece? ____

What is the lowest note? ___
Who is the composer of this piece? ____
How many beats are in each measure? ____
Circle all of the 4ths. How many did you find? ___
What is the meaning of the title, Andantino?

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 4 Lesson 14 Melody Writing PianoVideoLessons.com

When we write music we start with a palette of notes. A common palette is a Major
Scale.

We also use shapes or patterns. Music sounds best when there is some pattern or
repetition for the mind to focus on.

Using the key of C we can create a simple melody or “motive” that builds around the
C Major Triad or Pentascale.

We can then apply musical techniques to that melody to create the next idea.

Here are some of the techniques that composers use to create pleasing melodies.
 Repetition - play it again. (line 3 of Andantino)
 Sequence - start on another note, but use the same intervals (line 2 of Andantino)
 Retrograde - play it backwards

Create a 2 measure motive.

Then apply the techniques of Repetition, Sequence and Retrograde:

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Unit 4 Lesson 15: Major Scales PianoVideoLessons.com

When we play a piece in a Major key. We can potentially use all 7 different tones
of the scale. In the case of the Key of C, those tones are C,D,E,F,G A, and B.

To fully understand why this scale sounds the way it does, we need to examine the
distance between each note of the scale. Sometimes there is a key between the notes
(in this case a black key) and sometimes there is not.

Going from C to D: is there a black key between the notes? ____

When there is 1 key (white or black) between 2 notes we call this distance a
whole step.
Going from E to F: is there a black key between the notes? _____
When there is no key between 2 notes we call this distance a half step.

What is the pattern of whole steps (W) and half steps (H) in a C Major Scale?

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

Let’s build an F Major Scale using the same pattern:

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

W-W-H W W-W-H

Now let’s build a G Major Scale using the same pattern:

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

W-W-H W W-W-H

You can create a major scales using this pattern starting on any key white or black.
There are only 2 rules. 1)use every letter once. 2) don’t mix sharps and flats, stick
with one.

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

W-W-H W W-W-H
©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 4 Lesson 16 Finger Gym Major Scale Patterns PianoVideoLessons.com

Now, Let’s learn to play and practice some common major scales!

Using standard fingering play and practice these major scales:

C Major: Notes: ___,___,___,___,___,___,___,___

G Major: Notes: ___,___,___,___,___,___,___,___

F Major: Notes: ___,___,___,___,___,___,___,___

Standard fingering: RH: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5

Standard fingering: LH: 5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1

F Major scale fingering for Right Hand: 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 4 Lesson 16 Finger Gym Major Scale Patterns PianoVideoLessons.com

Play the following scales with RH, LH and then HT if you can!

Practice writing out the scales, notice the stem directions.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
 Welcome to
Piano Chording Level 1

Also, UNIT 5
of
YEAR 1 Comprehensive Beginner Piano Lessons
presented by
PianoVideoLessons.com

The only prerequisite for Piano Chording Level 1

is being able to read and play on the piano
music written in the Treble Staff.

By the end of this 16-lesson course/unit you will be able to:

 Play all of the major and minor triads in any key!

 Play music with chord harmony from a lead sheet.
 Play chords in different inversions.
 Create left hand arrangements using inverted chord voicings
 Play interesting LH chords using patterns that you choose yourself!
 Play arpeggios!
 Play familiar chord progressions, and even make up your own!
 Read a chord sheet to jam with your friends, or sing along while chording!
 Get hours of enjoyment at the piano!

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS -Lesson 5-1 All of the Major Triads PianoVideoLessons.com

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS- Lesson 5-1 All of the Major Triads PianoVideoLessons.com

Triads are chords that contain 3 notes. Just like a triangle has 3 sides.

Triads are the most basic chords. (Chords are the tools of harmony.)

There are 4 types of triads: Major, Minor, Diminished and Augmented. Each type
has a different sound. The 2 most commonly used triad types are Major and Minor.
They are commonly used because they have a settled or consonant sound. The
Augmented and Diminished triads sound unsettled, or dissonant.

In this lesson we will learn all 12 of the Major Triads.

We would almost never use these 12 chords in one piece of music! (Modern music
is centred around a home or tonic note and generally uses a scale with 7 different
notes for a pleasing sound and organization. Check lesson 4-15 to learn about Major
Scales.)

Chords are formed from stacked thirds. The major triad has 3 notes, each one a
third above the previous. Look at the distance between the notes in a major chord.
The lower 2 notes are a MAJOR 3rd apart and skip over 3 keys(counting white and
black.) The upper 2 notes are a MINOR 3rd apart and skip over 2 keys.

For today’s lesson, practice all of the Major triads according to their look-alike
Groups.

Once you can play the groups easily. Work on playing them in keyboard order.

It’s important to name each chord and the notes, as you play them. You are
learning not only how they feel, but the notes contained within them and their
names.
©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-2 Reading a Lead Sheet PianoVideoLessons.com

In order to read a lead sheet you must be able to read treble staff notes, and be
able to form chords in the left hand.

If you need to learn or to review notes in treble staff, please check the Note Reading Crash Course (to learn them) or the Note Speller
for Piano (to review) both available at PianoVideoLessons.com.

When we read a lead sheet the full melody is written for the right hand and the
chord symbols are written above the melody to guide the left hand.

It is up to the performer to interpret the chords given. You can create a left hand
chord harmony that is as simple or as elaborate as you wish, or your skill allows!
In fact, if you’re not sure of the notes needed for any chord you can simplify the
chord down to a single note, the root!

If you’ve been following the YEAR 1 Comprehensive Piano Course since the
beginning, you’ve already experienced lead sheets for Amazing Grace 4-4 and
Happy Birthday 4-9.

Let’s learn to play The Alphabet Song using a lead sheet.

We’ll play it in the key of C.

You need to be able to play the RH melody first. (There are no finger numbers in
lead sheets, so you’ll have to work out your own fingering for these! Or, simply
watch the video and I’ll show you the best fingering to use!)

If you’ve completed UNIT 4 of YEAR 1, go ahead and play the left hand using
voiced chords! …And you can feel a little proud of yourself for being so smart!

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-2 Reading a Lead Sheet PianoVideoLessons.com

You can play the LH chords as roots only, using only 2 notes from the triad, or
as full triads. It’s up to you!

Also during today’s practice session, review all of the major triads from lesson 5-1.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-3 All of the Minor Triads PianoVideoLessons.com

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-3 Minor Triads PianoVideoLessons.com

Ok, so we’ve got a handle on all of the major triads, but if we’re going to really play
chord piano without limitations, we’re going to need to know the minor triads!

The majors all have a very optimistic bold sound. …Or any adjective you care to
use to describe them.

The minors are going to add more emotion to your arrangements. They are going to
add sophistication, melancholy, darkness, or even sadness to your music. But
don’t worry, it won’t be all doom and gloom, many pieces just use a sprinkling of
minors to really set off the majors.

It might have seemed a little tricky learning all 12 of the major triads. But the
good news is that the minor triads are not much different at all. In fact each minor
triad shares 2 of the 3 notes in common with the major. The root and the 5th are
the same!

Have a look at the C Major and C minor triads for example. They both use C and
G. The only difference is the order of the Major 3rd and the minor 3rd. This
causes the middle note to be lowered a half step in the minor.

So, it’s possible to work out all 12 of the minor triads by comparing them to the
major triads.

When practicing the minor triads, name each triad and its notes. Just as you did
with the majors. Practice them according to their group and then in keyboard
order.

By the end of this lesson you should now be able to play 24 different chords, 12
major and 12 minor!
©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-3 Minor Triads PianoVideoLessons.com

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-4 Playing Both Chord Types PianoVideoLessons.com

How can you tell if a chord is major or minor?

Major Chords are indicated with a just a capital letter,
minor chords are shown with a lower case m after the letter.

Ex: E = E Major Am = A Minor

Also practice all of the Major and Minor Chords from Lessons 1 and 3.
©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-5 Diatonic Chords PianoVideoLessons.com

When playing a piece of music. It generally is written in a single key. This limits
our chord choices to only the chords found in that key.

Let’s explore this.

In C major we can only use white keys, this means that the melody will be played
exclusively on white keys. And in keeping with this format, we are limited to only
chords that use white keys. So, these would be the Group 1 Major Chords and
the Group 2 Minor Chords. But, that’s only 6 chords and we have 7 notes in the
C Major Scale.

Let’s explore diatonic chords in C Major.

Chord Name

Chord Number

I, IV and V are the Primary Chords and ii iii and vi are the Secondary Chords.
Now that we have built the chords, it’s time to play them. This will be fun!

Practice the diatonic Chords in C Major in solid or blocked form, and then in
broken form, going up and coming down. Practice this until it feels natural.

Also, continue to practice the 12 Major and 12 Minor Triads.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5- 6 Primary And Secondary Chords PianoVideoLessons.com

Here’s a piece of music that uses all 6 Primary and Secondary Chords! Lots of
hopping!

Practice playing all of the Major and Minor Triads everyday! Say their names
and name the individual notes as you play them.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-7 LH Patterns: Oom Pa Pa PianoVideoLessons.com

Until now, we’ve been playing our Left Hand in a very simple arrangement. Just a
solid chord or even a single note, if it’s tricky!

It’s time to add some variety to our left hand patterns.

When playing in time we can also use an Oom-pa-pa pattern for the note in
the left hand. This is done by playing the root of the chord on the first beat and
then playing the top 2 notes of the chord on beats 2 and 3. This should be done
with down-up-up feel, so the emphasis is on the root of the chord.

Let’s try this with Morning Has Broken, and let’s play it in the key of G.
So, first, build the diatonic triads for G major:

Practice the whole set of diatonic chords in broken form, and then play them with
the Oom-pa-pa pattern.

Why not try your major and minor chords as oom-pa-pa’s now, too!

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-7 LH Patterns: Oom Paa Paa PianoVideoLessons.com

Now try Blow the Man Down using Oom-pa-pa

Don’t forget to practice your 12 Major and 12 Minor Chords!

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-8 1-5-8 LH Pattern PianoVideoLessons.com

A simple way to add variety is to extend the range of the chord. We can do this by
playing the next root note, an octave higher. And leaving out the middle note of
the chord.

We can call this the 1-5-8 Pattern. We play the first note, the 5th of the triad and
then the octave above the root (aka an 8th.)

If there are 3 beats per measure, play one note on each beat. If there are 4 beats,
simply hold the final note for 2.

You can also experiment with different versions of this pattern by repeating the
notes: 1-5-8-5 -or- 1-5-8-5-8 -or- 1-5-8-5-8-5

Let’s build the diatonic chords in D Major. This

key uses F# and C#.

Practice them in solid form, broken form, and in

1-5-8 Pattern. And Oom Paa Paa, too, if you
like!

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-8 LH Pattern: 1-5-8 PianoVideoLessons.com

Learn The Skye Boat song using 1-5-8 and then go back and try Morning Has Broken
with this pattern. You might recognize this from a television program called
Outlander.

Now try Morning Has Broken using 1-5-8.

Practice the diatonic Chords of D in the same manner that you practiced the C
Major and G Major diatonics.
+Review all the Major and Minor Chords again! You want these down cold!

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-9 Minor Keys PianoVideoLessons.com

Minor Keys. We won’t get into a lot of technical detail about this, but not all
scales are major, so not all pieces are written in a major key! There are 3 kinds of
minor keys. If we play a C major scale beginning and ending on the 6th note, or A.
It changes the mood of the piece. It’s now in a new mode. We call this the
Natural Minor, or the Aeolean Mode.
[Just for interest sake, there are 7 different modes, named for beginning on each note of the major scale. Use of modes can be traced
back to the 400’s BC in Ancient Greece, and so were named after ancient Greek regions. The major scale is called the Ionian mode.
The modes are Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian. While they are named after these groups of
people, there is likely no musical connection. If you care to explore more about modes, you can discover that several modern pieces
are written in modes other than Ionian and Aeolean! The Taxman by the Beatles is in Mixolydian (the flat 7 gives is a bluesy feel) and
Man on the Moon by REM is in Lydian mode]

When playing a piece written in the Natural Minor we simply borrow the chords
from the Major scale.

It’s not necessary to know the piece is in a minor key in order to play from a lead
sheet. Simply play the given chords!

I’m just teaching you these facts because I know that you want to understand the
music that you are learning, and not just trust the music blindly with no explanation
for the sound or chord choices.

Clues to determine the key of a piece: look at the final chord, and examine the
sharps or flats used.

You can build the diatonic chords in A minor here: (no sharps or flats.)
What is the type of each
chord? Major or minor?

Add the diatonic chords of A Minor to your list of technical drills.

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-9 Minor Keys PianoVideoLessons.com

Technique Practice:
 - all the Major Chords in group and keyboard order
 - all the Minor Chords in group and keyboard order
 - Diatonic Chords in C Major
 - Diatonic Chords in G Major
 - Diatonic Chords in D Major
 - Diatonic Chords in A Minor.
©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-10 Chord Progressions PianoVideoLessons.com

The order of the chords in a phrase of music is called the chord progression.
A chord progression can be as short as 2 or 3 chords or as long as 8 or 10.

Here are three fun and common chord progressions:

A) I - vi- IV- V Heart and Soul Progression

B) I - V-vi-IV Found in more pop music/rock ballads than I can list on this page!

C) I -V - vi- iii -IV- I - IV-V The Pachelbel Canon Progression.

…Make up your own!

Let’s write them in key of C, G, D and one other key. I’ll choose F Major.

A) A)
B) B)
C) C)

A) A)
B) B)
C) C)

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS Lesson 5-11 Pachelbel Canon PianoVideoLessons.com

Keep up your daily practice of all of the Major Chords and All Minor Chords!
Practice them with Oom-pa-pa and 1-5-8 as well!

Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-12 LH Pattern: Arpeggios PianoVideoLessons.com

©PianoVideoLessons.com
When the melody contains long notes or very simple notes and the chord is not
changing, we might want something interesting to fill the time with the left hand.
We could use our extended 1-5-8 pattern, or we could do something really crazy!
Enter: The Arpeggio!

An arpeggio is simply a chord that gets carried away and keeps on playing!
It involves a little fancy slight of hand.
You’ll get to roll your whole left hand over your thumb! This is fun stuff!

The basic idea behind an arpeggio is to play the notes of a chord while going up or
down more than one octave of the piano, for example a G chord:

G-B-D-G-B-D-G-B-D-G

To play this with one hand, each time we reach the root, we roll our hand over our
thumb and keep on going! Use fingers 3 and 2 on B and D.

This might take some practice, but it will be worth it!

Here are some arpeggios to try:

These three are the simplest:

 1-3-5-8 (ex. G Major: G-B-D-G)
 1-5-8-10 (ex. G Major: G-D-G-B)
 1-3-5-8-5-3 (ex. G Major: G-B-D-G-D-B)

And then this one, which is a standard arpeggio:

 1-3-5-8-10-12 (ex. G Major: G-B-D-G-B-D)

Give these arpeggios a try using the chord progressions from the previous lesson.
And sprinkle them into the pieces we’ve been working on. There are some nice
long notes in Morning Has Broken, The Skye Boat Song, and All Pretty Little Horses
and Pachelbel Canon.
+Review all the Major and Minor Chords again! Can you arpeggiate them?

Unit 5 CHORDS- Lesson 5-13 Chord Inversions/Voicings PianoVideoLessons.com

©PianoVideoLessons.com
When we play chords with their root on the bottom we say they are in root
position. Chords can be played with the notes in any arrangement. If the root is
on the top, we call that arrangement the first inversion. If the root is in the
middle the triad is in second inversion.

Playing triads in different arrangements can make them easier to play, with less
jumping around on the keyboard. Different arrangement can also subtly change
the sound of the triad, to enhance a harmonic line, or better feature the melody
notes. We also call inversions chord voicings. (Each note could be a singer’s
voice, and we use the word voice in instrumental music sometimes. The notes are
singing, afterall.)

Try playing one of your chords in all of the inversions. It’s like a cartwheel for your
hands! This is what the C chord looks like in all 3 inversions.
Play this:

Choosing a chord in an inversion can make it easier to reach the notes for the chord
changes. This is a good technique to use in songs with faster chord changes, Like
Danny Boy.

Work out the inversions of your major and minor chords. Can you play other
triads in root position and inversions?
Unit 5 CHORDS- Lesson 5-13 Chord Inversions/Voicings PianoVideoLessons.com
©PianoVideoLessons.com
Now give The Alphabet Song a try in close voicing.

And don’t forget to drill all of the Major and Minor chords!
You could even try playing each one in inversions.

What is the key of this piece?

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-14 LH Pattern - Music Box PianoVideoLessons.com

Here’s a new left hand pattern to try, we’ll call it the Music Box. It uses the root
position triad. Like so: 1-5-3-5

It’s a little quick so you’ll want to practice the pattern alone before putting it to
music.

We can try it with this nice simple piece.

If it’s a little tricky, don’t be frustrated, just take a break and try again later.

Winners never quit!

The Music Box pattern is also fun with The Alphabet Song!

©PianoVideoLessons.com
Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-15 Happy Birthday To You PianoVideoLessons.com

Adding Intros:

When you perform a piece of music that people will be singing along to, it’s nice to
lead in with some kind of intro. There are a few ways to do this. One is to play
the the final phase of the piece. Another is to add an arpeggiated V7 chord.
OooOoh a V7! What is this? Take your V chord in any key and add one more skip,
to make a 4-note chord!

Go ahead and do this with the chords on the sheet from Lesson 5-10. Fun!

Play this song in both root position and voiced inversions.

Try some of the LH patterns we have learned while playing Happy Birthday.
Which ones do you like?

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Unit 5 CHORDS - Lesson 5-16 Chord Strumming PianoVideoLessons.com

Chords are such useful and diverse pianistic tools. They can be used without a
lead sheet! If you know all of your major and minor chords, and can build the V7,
you can jam with your friends or chord while you sing, just by playing the chords in
both hands with no melody!
You can use any of the LH patterns with your RH, while playing roots in the left!

Let’s give this a try, while playing Hallelujah:

Let’s use the 1-3-5-8-5-3 pattern.

[verse]

C Am
Now I've heard there was a secret chord
C Am
That David played and it pleased the Lord
F G C G
But you don't really care for music, do you?
C F G
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth,
Am F
The minor fall, the major lift,
G E Am
The baffled king composing, Hallelujah.

[Chorus]

F Am F
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
C G C Am C Am
Hallelu - jah.

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 APPENDIX
LH ARRANGEMENT PATTERNS

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 Be sure to join us for UNIT 6 - Beginner Classic Piano.
Where we’ll learn to play fully notated easy versions of classics
like Moonlight Sonata, Fur Elise and more!
(Scheduled for release in April 2017.)

Before you begin UNIT 6, If you need to brush up on your bass staff note reading,
have a look at the Note Speller for Piano.

UNIT 7 - Chords Level 2

More chord lessons to come!
Learn more advanced chords and chord types,
Learn how to write your own chord arrangements
And learn more ways to dress up your
Left Hand harmonies!
(Scheduled for release in June 2017.)

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