Learning to play piano notes and chords?
Here’s a quick guide that will help you master the basics.

A keyboard may look vast and confusing to you right now. However, by studying the keys and what they do, it makes perfect sense!

Reading and playing music is way more manageable when you know what all the buttons do!

So here’s a quick crash course to help you get your bearings.

Let’s get to it! 

What’s a piano note? 

A piano note is a symbol that represents a musical sound. A given note refers to a specific key on the piano. Notes are the foundation of sheet music – guiding the song’s rhythm, tempo, and pitch. 

• The rhythm is a robust and repeating beat that dictates a song’s pattern. It’s the foundation of music that guides the timing of the notes you play.
• The tempo is the speed at which you play a song. High energy Piano songs have a faster tempo, and low energy songs have a slower tempo.
• Pitch refers to a note’s frequency. The higher the note’s frequency, the faster the waveform – and therefore, the higher the pitch of the sound.

In sheet music, we use note values to determine the length of time for a particular note. 

The beat dictates the rhythm of a song and works with notes to create unique sound sequences. Eighth notes are a half-beat, quarter notes are one beat, half notes hold for two beats, and whole notes last four beats.

What are the standard piano notes?

Each key on a piano uses seven basic notes (C, D, E, F, G, A, B). These notes repeat themselves all over the keyboard.

The white keys range from A to G, and the black keys are ‘sharper’ or ‘flatter’ in sound than the neighboring keys.

As you can see, they have can have two different names!

While the piano has an alarming number of notes at first glance, there are only twelve of them – seven white and five black keys.

Simple right?

What are piano chords?

Simply put, a chord is playing two or more notes simultaneously. In other words, you form a chord by pushing down on several keys simultaneously. 

A triad is the most common type of keyboard or piano chord. Also known as a three-note chord, a given chord contains a root note and two others, a third and a fifth note.

To identify and play chords, you also need to understand spacing. Between each key is a measurement of a half-step. For example, the space between a white key and the nearest black key is a half-step.

Playing a chord requires building a shell – the root note and the fifth. Complete the trifecta by adding a third. (This is where your middle finger goes.) 

Now that we’ve got that down let’s look at major and minor chords.

Minor chords.

Minor chords are known as sad chords because of their distinct sounds.

We consider them sad chords because of the low pitch they produce. Minor chords can drastically affect the song’s emotion with a darker, gloomy feel. 

Major chords.

You often hear major chords in uplifting music because they make bright, happy sounds. Playing a major chord is just like playing a minor chord. Only there’s one crucial difference. 

Hopefully, you can now see a clear picture of piano notes and how they relate to each other and make chords. 

To an untrained individual, music sounds fluid and intuitive. Behind the beautiful sounds, however, is a precise mathematical structure. Understanding that design will enable you to make beautiful sounds too!

If you found this helpful and want some more, check out piano scales for beginners.

FAQs

The post Quickly Learn Piano Notes and Chords appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

Think learning to play the piano by ear is beyond your scope? Think again. Between YouTube tutorials, guided lesson plans, and piano apps online and for smartphones, the digital era has produced such a solid array of self-help material, nearly anyone can learn to play the piano by ear in a relatively short amount of time. If you’re toying with the idea, then take a look at our easy guide to playing by ear, and see for yourself.

Step One: Hear the Music

To begin training your ear, listen to one song over and over again. Make it a song with good melody, and listen for the nuances in the music, the highs, the lows, the stops and starts. Take note of every sound, change, and emphasis. Beat out the tune, and hum or sing the words out loud to get a better sound for the music. Do this until you can sing the song without any accompaniment and get it right.

Step Two: Match It

Now that you’re an obvious contestant for American Idol, it’s time to move over to the piano. Hum or sing out the melody once more, but this time, try to pick out the notes that you are singing on the piano. At first, it’ll be a bit of trial and error, but as you go along, you’ll find yourself recognizing the sounds that are coming out of your mouth and correlating them to the keys on the piano instinctively. Take it slow, and practice a few notes at a time, going over the same few little parts of the song several times before moving onto the next part of the piece.

Step Three: Learn Music to Scout Out the Patterns

Knowing what music is all about – the chords, the intervals, the scales, the chord progressions, and the melodies – dramatically increase your likelihood for success when learning how to play by ear. Once you know the different parts of music and how they’re built, you’ll be more adept at picking out patterns within the songs you’re hearing, noticing the intervals between notes, and recognizing the sounds that are associated with which chords (for example, serious tones are minor chords, discordant sounds are generally diminishing chords, etc.).

This is the real key to learning to play by ear because once you can notice a musical pattern, you don’t even have to take time getting to know the song itself!

Bonus training tip: If you want to further train your ear without using a song to copy, just play this game with a friend: Ask your friend to tap two keys on the piano. You try to guess if the first one is higher or lower than the second. This will develop the listening skills you need to recognize notes within a song. When that becomes too easy, test each other by playing intervals, then chords, etc.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tma3UyT2ZIo[/embedyt]

Let’s Get Started

You’ll want to start learning to play the piano by ear with a song that you are familiar with. Don’t worry, once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you’ll be able to pick up a fresh tune within minutes of hearing it.

If Kobe Bryant taught himself to play Beethoven by ear, so can you! Give it a try, and you might just surprise yourself!

The post Learn How to Play the Piano By Ear in 3 Easy Steps appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

However, watching a single band is so boring. Why not check out 90? Coachella is one of the biggest music festivals in the world, spanning two weekends, several stages, and some of the best music acts around. If you’re looking for the best way to learn piano, you won’t do much better than watching some awesome musicians do what they do best while you rock out!

Check out these great and underrated keyboard acts at Coachella and get your inspiration game on!

Miami Horror

This synth-pop quartet will take you back to the 80s in the best possible way. With keyboard heavy sounds right out of Miami Vice and a penchant for simple and catchy songs, this Australian band is at its best mixing traditional sounds with electronic styles and minimalistic beats. Miami Horror is sure to get you dancing immediately!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn7FXGaHTNs[/embedyt]

BadBadNotGood

One of the very few jazz acts to grace any of Coachella’s stages, BadBadNotGood is actually quite the opposite. With sounds ranging from more ethereal tunes to traditional jazz sounds, this quartet features some truly inventive use of digital and acoustic pianos to really push musical boundaries. This is a great way to mellow out after an intense set.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bGhAsdXc6M[/embedyt]

Chvrches

Indie trio Chvrches is all about electronic instruments. From synths to drum pads to 808s, the band’s catchy tunes are a perfect example of electro-pop done right. The synths and keyboards might sound simple, but they perfectly complement the music and make for some memorably catchy tunes. Chvrches energy will have you moving like crazy the whole time you listen.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Eo84jDIMKI[/embedyt]

Matt and Kim

At this point essentially elder statesmen in the indie pop game, Matt and Kim’s keyboard sounds are bouncy and always on the upbeat side. Their shows are packed with great energy and chill vibes with their incredibly catchy piano melodies making it impossible not to smile and want to dance!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgBeu3FVi60[/embedyt]

Rufus du Sol

Rufus–the “du Sol is only in America–toes the line between electro-pop and house music. What’s always present though are some silky smooth piano chords that are sure to elicit some spontaneous dancing. This is a great set to catch when you’re looking to take the energy of your day in a more chill direction.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKa6nkmqHFQ[/embedyt]

GoGo Penguin

The second jazz ensemble to make this list, this jazz trio steers towards the more traditional jazz. Featuring bass, drums and piano, the awesomely named GoGo Penguin also features an amazing collection of musicians, as well as a truly talented pianist. The band is a great way to change up the mood of your Coachella experience!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXPoQiZzdO0[/embedyt]

Don’t miss out! Catch some of the best keyboard acts out there, and use any of our apps to learn piano easily!

The post The Best Underrated Keyboard Acts at Coachella 2016 appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

While learning with a teacher is a great option, it’s not always an alternative. It can be expensive and can be more time than you’re able to commit. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t be more serious about playing the piano. You can find the best solution for you, and make sure to optimize your learning. If you’re trying to decide what way works best for you, check out this guide and find the best method for you to become a musical pro!

The Academic Route:  Piano Lessons

Studying with a qualified teacher is one of the best options!

Nothing beats a good teacher in terms of formalizing your education. Instructors can help you master technique as well as good posture and other musical fundamentals. Depending on your location and your desired level of expertise, the cost of piano lessons can vary between 30 and 70 dollars.

You can also take group lessons, which are great for beginners. It can be great to work with other musicians at your level to help you grow together. Group lessons can cost slightly less than private lessons, between 25 and 50 dollars. However, the most important thing to keep in mind is that you should find the right teacher for you and your skill level.

The Mobile Way: Apps

If you’re not afraid of technology, try out a great iOS pieano learning app, Simply Piano.

Thanks to our awesome mobile technology today, learning things on the go is an easy option for those with less time on their hands. Apps can be a great way to learn a whole variety of music-related skills that make the difference when starting on the piano. There are great apps to learn musical notation such as Music Tutor (which has a free, ad-supported version for iOS) or Note Perfect (for iOS). You can also find great tools for ear training, and great apps to learn popular songs and improve your playing skills. The best thing about apps is that they are quick and much lighter on your wallet when you look at this relative to the cost of piano lessons.

The Online Way: Sites and Video

Hit the World Wide Web and learn from tutorials on your own.

If you’re more into learning on your own and do not have the budget to support the cost of piano lessons, then the internet is the place for you. For those who feel they are better suited to self-learning, they can find a wide variety of different options. There are online learning tools that help with notation, such as musictheory.net, which also helps you with ear training and other important fundamentals. If you’re a more visual learner, then you can find a great treasure trove of content on YouTube, which features a ton of great lessons and tutorials that can help you master invaluable skills.

Find the best path for your piano learning journey! 

The post This Is How Much Piano Lessons Should Cost You in 2016 appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

A lot of time has passed since those childhood classes, and now you’re ready to tackle this wonderful skill with newfound enthusiasm. The only thing standing in your way is…well…everything. Where do you start? How do you start? What do you do to get yourself on track to start playing piano again?

For starters, relax! The best student can only learn so much without a good teacher, so finding the right one is the best place to start. Different folks learn in different ways, and learning how to play the piano is no exception.

Naturally, there are a variety of ways to learn this new instrument. This step-by-step guide will help you get a handle on the what, where, how, and whys of modern day piano classes.

Use a Human Teacher

Learning the piano from a teacher is the most traditional method. Either an instructor will come to your home or you will go to a studio or your teacher’s home, depending on your arrangement, and you learn directly from the teacher. The teacher imparts whatever knowledge s/he has available.

The benefit of this type of piano class is that you are learning with a human being who understands human nature, inhibitions, and concerns. The teacher can tailor the speed of the classes, vary the style of the music, and stop to answer questions about nuances.

The downside to a human teacher is that you are limited to their breadth and scope of knowledge. Anything beyond these parameters you will miss out on. It also means you will learn any errors that the teacher has trained himself into, picking up any unusual idiosyncrasies of the teacher as well.

Turn to the Web

Others opt to learn piano online, and there are a number of advantages to this approach. The breadth of knowledge is endless, you can find a tremendous variety of resources, and you can work at your own pace and on your own schedule.

On the other hand, becoming an online pianist is sort of a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) service, meaning it’s harder to tailor lessons to what you need to know or want to discover.

Additionally, there is nobody to correct the flaws in your playing, though you will be learning from a computerized – and therefore nearly flawless – teacher.

Install an App

Finally, there are smartphone and web applications that combine the best of both worlds into one easy to use resource for learning piano.

Apps let you tailor your learning style and pace. The technology also monitors your progress and makes changes to the classes according to your current level. You can start with piano lessons for beginners and progress through the ranks to become as accomplished a pianist as you like. In the world of piano apps, the world is your oyster. 

If you want to go in the app direction, we recommend trying our latest app Simply Piano. It will guide you step by step giving you instant feedback as you play. You can choose from various courses depending on your level and taste.

So, learning to play the piano can be as fast or as slow, as basic or as challenging, and as intensive or as easygoing as you’d like. That’s the beauty of modern day piano classes. You choose the level, pace, and depth.

So pick a learning method, and start down the path to piano fluency today!

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