learn how to transform 2-finger melodies into glorious sounding chords. In this Chapter we are laying a foundation of th
In this Mini Guide we will cover: 1.
Correct Posture for Piano Playing Success
2.
Basic Harmonisation of C Major scale using 3 Primary Chords
1. Correct Posture for Piano Playing Success Let’s start by preparing you for a comfortable piano practice session with correct posture. Applying the correct posture, sitting and hand position are an essential starting point for developing successful piano skills & avoiding straining your muscles. Repetitive strain injury [RSI] to the wrist especially is something to be weary of when performing the piano. Here are a few tips to ensure you get the greatest benefit from your essential practice of your new skill: Before you start playing, remember to apply correct hand position... Sit with your back upright, with feet flat on the floor. [Prop your feet up with a cushion if needed] Tip: If your chair or piano stool is too low, add cushions to sit on to get your most comfortable height Elbows slightly higher than the wrists Relax your shoulders to create fluidity and increase confidence in performance
Curve your fingers as you play - and RELAX!
Example of an ideal sitting position: below that’s me playing the piano at a recent church event...
Truth revealed: A relaxed performance will result in confident execution.
2. Basic Harmonisation of C Major Scale using 3 Primary Chords In music, melody and harmony are the two relationships that exist between notes. Melody refers to the relationship between notes that are heard separately, moving in a horizontal direction. The common trend is to start one’s musical journey with learning the melody. This involves learning about Notes (including note names, sharps and flats and so on) then proceeding to Scales (which includes fingering, note positioning, etc). For many aspiring musicians, by the time you’ve learnt to play a few songs by sounding them out with one or two fingers, you’re ready to have a go at adding some harmony to your melody.
Harmony is the relationship between notes that are heard simultaneously. In written music, harmony moves vertically, since the notes are grouped together. Harmony can be played as
blocked or broken chords. Blocked chords are sounded at the same time, while broken chords are sounded a note at a time.
Knowing what notes to play to form great sounding chords has baffled many self-taught aspiring musicians, including a number of my students over the years. I too was once in this category, until I got mentors who taught me how to group notes that ‘work’ together to create ‘musical’ harmony, rather than a cacophony that chased keen musical ears away! Perhaps you too can relate? The great news is that there is a simple principle that you can apply to mastering melodic and harmonic connections in order to improve your musicality and piano performance.
By acquiring this Guide you have demonstrated how keen you are to learn how to transform 2-finger melodies into glorious sounding chords.
In this Chapter we are laying a foundation of the key principles of harmony using the first of the Major scales. Welcome to this harmonisation adventure!
Introduction to the C Major Scale The goal of this course is to equip you with what you need to be able to harmonize a scale. A scale is viewed as a melody, since you can only play one note of the scale at a time. We will explore the Major scale of C in this Guide. Any of the notes in the C Major Scale can be used to form a chord. However, only 3 chords make the base or foundation of the harmonic progression. These 3 foundation chords are referred to as Primary Chords.
The Primary Chords fall in the First [I], Forth [IV] and Fifth [V] degree of the scale of C Major. Here is the C Major scale on the staff.
Notice how the notes ascend from C to C’ then descend back down to C. The notes move in a step-by-step progression, meaning that no notes are skipped between C and D, D and E, and so on. This is called stepwise motion. In C Major all the notes played are white notes, as shown in the example below.
This is the C Major scale, sometimes described to as a ‘happy’ scale. Play the 8 notes by step from C to C’: C D E F G A B C’ The distance between C and C’ is an octave.
Identifying C Major Primary Chords I recommend that you take the time to practice the following tips. I will guide you step by step through each new scale and chord pattern found in the training in my Piano Mastery 21 Days Course. You will be able to follow along as I model every lesson. Every lesson will have a task to learn with the Right Hand [RH], the Left Hand [LH], and finally with both hands. This way you will build your brain and muscle memory and become more flexible in your playing with regular practice. Let’s explore the 3 main chords found in C Major in the following exercise. I have prepared a colour coded Transcription of the C Major Primary Chords, designed to help you to easily identify the chord patterns. Primary Chords colour coding: Chord I = RED Chord IV = BLUE Chord V = GREEN
The first Primary chord in C Major is C. Chord C has CEG. To play CEG you skip a note in between each note as highlighted in the scale below: C Major Scale: C D E F G A B C' The C Major Primary Chords are: I = CEG, IV = FAC, V = GBD The Right Hand normally plays the chords. The Left Hand often plays the Root note of the chord [in Red as identified above]. Sometimes pianists will choose to play the notes in a different order from the Root position of the chord. This is known as Inversion. An Inversion is when the starting note of the chord is not at the bottom. For instance, in chord IV the root chord position is FAC. You may however choose to play chord IV in the 1st inversion which is ACF, or the 2nd position which is CFA. The example below displays different chord positions applied to chords I, IV and V. The two determining factors are normally a) How close the chord notes are relative to the next chord sequence. You can choose any chord position to play a chord in as long as the 3 notes are applied.
b) What the melody note is. Often the top note in a chord is also the melody note.
If this short Guide has intrigued you to learn how you can learn to apply these skills to improve your piano skills. In my Piano Mastery 21 Days Course you will learn how to choose chords that work best with your melody how to play Major and minor scales and the Primary harmonic chords in 12 different keys my simple 3-step process to accompany yourself on the piano or keyboard how to transpose melodies and harmonies using my simple formula. This applies to any key, without having to invest time learning standard notation or cram key signatures.
Save countless hours trying to work out the relationship between Major and minor scales, chords and harmonies. Use this information to quickly identify the best tones to apply in your songs. Save Big on your pocket. No more weekly payments for pricey piano lessons. Instead, you’ll have your own training at your fingertips, available to you 24/7 with ONE Single payment. Committed support team to answer your questions and guide you to your success. VIP access to our Insider group where you get to interact and add value alongside other members who are on the same journey as yourself. Iron sharpens iron – so you’ll be in safe hands with like-minded musicians! To learn more visit Piano Mastery 21 Days Academy To your mastery!
success,
empowerment
and
music
Jacqueline Samuels, PHD [2003] Jackie Samuels a seasoned Music Coach, Gospel artist, & Composer
