Three Easy Piano Chords | Piano Jump Start
A chord can be defined as a group of two or more harmonizing notes.
As you will find throughout your music education experience, chords are at the core of most genres of music. In fact, all of your favorite songs can in one way or another be broken down into a series of chords called a chord progression.
The notes of a chord can either be played harmonically, meaning when two or more notes are played at the same time as in a harmony. Or they can be played melodically, one note after the other as in a melody.
Chords that are played melodically are called arpeggios.
The most common type of a chord is called a triad.
A triad is basically a three note chord whose notes can be derived from either a Major scale, a minor scale, or perhaps a diminished scale.
C Chord
Start by placing your left hand on the keyboard with your pinky, finger five, on the note C. Spread your remaining fingers evenly over the next four keys until your thumb reaches the note G.
The notes of a C chord are C and G. Play the note C with your pinky, finger number five, together with the note G with your thumb, finger number one.
Don't forget! To find the note C you want to first look for a set of two black keys. C will be the white key to the left.
Make sure to keep your palm up and away from the keyboard - don't lay your hand flat. If you would like to temporarily remove fingers two, three, and four that would be okay for now. We will eventually put them back but right now you want to focus on only playing the note C with your pinky, finger number five, and G with your thumb, finger number one.
G Chord
The notes of a G chord are D and G.
Like a C chord, keep your thumb on the note G but change the bottom note from C with your pinky to D with your ring finger, finger number four. Play these two notes at the same time.
Here's a tip... Be sure that fingers five, three, and two don't accidentally play a note that's not a part of the chord.
Common Tone
A common tone is a note that can be found in two consecutive chords.
You may have noticed that the note G was in both a C chord and a G chord. G is therefore the common tone between those two chords.
Being aware of common tones can be extremely helpful when playing different chords.
By being aware of which notes two consecutive chords share you will be able to switch between each chord much more quickly and efficiently without having to reset your entire hand.
F Chord
The third and final chord which we are going to talk about in this video is an F chord.
To play an F chord after playing a C chord keep your pinky over the note C but change the top note from G with the thumb to F with the pointer finger, finger number two.
An F chord also shares a common tone with a C chord - the note C.
Remember to always look for common tones to make transitioning between each chord quick and easy.
