Have you ever tried reading about chord scale theory, or tried working out chords by yourself and thought huh!?
Unless you know already know the relevant chord/scale diatonic harmony theory, don’t stress, you are NOT alone. In fact, it is estimated that as few as 5% of people on this earth can actually read music, and this is unfortunately still the case amongst most beginner guitar and drum kit students. But is reading formal music notation the be all and end all? Well, try telling that to Jimi Hendrix or the Beatles! Amongst many other celebrity musicians, they carved their own successful careers without ever needing to learn to decipher the above image. Yet how did they create and play such amazing music? That’ simple, they could easily play chords! You don’t need to be a theory genius, nor a classical pianist to learn how to play major chords on the piano! It’s actually quite simple if you know the right trick. Besides, you will need to know how to play chords since they appear in practically every song you have ever heard! I cover this topic thoroughly in my new E-Book, and online piano course, where I actually show you how it’s done step by step. For those who haven’t heard about my brand Contreras Music, here is your free gift lesson straight from my latest paid course. Today, I am going to show you how to master ANY Major chord in as easy as 4, 3, 2, 1.
The first part of the formula is 4 + 3. This is the intervallic relationship between the 3 notes you will need. In plain English, it means the size of the gaps between each note of the major Chord. So start on the bass note of the chord you want to figure out. In this case we will start off easy with a C, since we want to learn the C Major chord. From here, we go up 4 chromatic notes, (meaning 4 Steps without skipping any black or white note) which gives us E. From there we move up another 3 consecutive notes, which gives us G. So again, 4 + 3 = C, E G. Now play those three notes at the same time!
So that was 4, 3, now it’s time to finish with 2 + 1. You need to practise this using 2 hands, but start off one at a time. Now this is the crucial part, make sure that you press down firmly, mould that chord shape into your hand, and then lift your hand off the keys, continually maintaining that chord shape! Place it back down onto the same chord and repeat the process 10 times minimum. I like to add a few extra reps at the end with my eyes closed, just to be sure that I have really learnt the chord shape!
So let’s go through that one more time. 4,3,2,1. Target the bass note of the chord you want to play, we’ll try a G major this time. 4 + 3 means starting from G go up by 4 consecutive steps, which gives you a B, then go up by 3 more consecutive steps, which gives you a D. 4 + 3, should give you a G, B D. Play all three notes at the same time check the sound for a bright, happy tone. Then apply the 2 + 1 principle. You must practise using 2 hands, but always start out with just one. Complete 10 proper repetitions minimum, then add a few with your eyes closed for an extra fun challenge.
And that’s it. Any major chord is now yours using the simple 4,3,2,1 formula! Go ahead and learn some new chords yourself right now. The more you know the better! Help out a friend by sharing this article with someone who is also learning music. Want the full PDF lesson and summary cheat sheet, taken from my paid E- Book, absolutely free? Just click the link in the description below and I’ll personally send you a copy straight to your inbox. Don’t forget to also follow me on Instagram and Facebook to get in touch about anything music related. Visit my Youtube Channel, Contreras music for a free video tutorial on this lesson. Most importantly, visit http://www.contrerasmusic.com/online-courses.html
to check out my new Premiere Piano Course which is specifically designed to fast track your learning. Remember, knowledge is true value, so Invest in yourself today!
Aaron. Michael, 1999. The Michael Aaron Adult Piano Course, Book 2. Alfred Music Publishing. Accessed from: https://books.google.com.vn/books?id=wiKLcJPmj-YC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=statistics+on+piano+students+and+chord+practise&source=bl&ots=rWQ82bFbmz&sig=ACfU3U0it4bCbdKjLJV5LPXsUgrzHfyIXA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi544HwuaDpAhWMSJQKHR81BVIQ6AEwAHoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=statistics%20on%20piano%20students%20and%20chord%20practise&f=false
The first part of the formula is 4 + 3. This is the intervallic relationship between the 3 notes you will need. In plain English, it means the size of the gaps between each note of the major Chord. So start on the bass note of the chord you want to figure out. In this case we will start off easy with a C, since we want to learn the C Major chord. From here, we go up 4 chromatic notes, (meaning 4 Steps without skipping any black or white note) which gives us E. From there we move up another 3 consecutive notes, which gives us G. So again, 4 + 3 = C, E G. Now play those three notes at the same time!
So that was 4, 3, now it’s time to finish with 2 + 1. You need to practise this using 2 hands, but start off one at a time. Now this is the crucial part, make sure that you press down firmly, mould that chord shape into your hand, and then lift your hand off the keys, continually maintaining that chord shape! Place it back down onto the same chord and repeat the process 10 times minimum. I like to add a few extra reps at the end with my eyes closed, just to be sure that I have really learnt the chord shape!
So let’s go through that one more time. 4,3,2,1. Target the bass note of the chord you want to play, we’ll try a G major this time. 4 + 3 means starting from G go up by 4 consecutive steps, which gives you a B, then go up by 3 more consecutive steps, which gives you a D. 4 + 3, should give you a G, B D. Play all three notes at the same time check the sound for a bright, happy tone. Then apply the 2 + 1 principle. You must practise using 2 hands, but always start out with just one. Complete 10 proper repetitions minimum, then add a few with your eyes closed for an extra fun challenge.
And that’s it. Any major chord is now yours using the simple 4,3,2,1 formula! Go ahead and learn some new chords yourself right now. The more you know the better! Help out a friend by sharing this article with someone who is also learning music. Want the full PDF lesson and summary cheat sheet, taken from my paid E- Book, absolutely free? Just click the link in the description below and I’ll personally send you a copy straight to your inbox. Don’t forget to also follow me on Instagram and Facebook to get in touch about anything music related. Visit my Youtube Channel, Contreras music for a free video tutorial on this lesson. Most importantly, visit http://www.contrerasmusic.com/online-courses.html
to check out my new Premiere Piano Course which is specifically designed to fast track your learning. Remember, knowledge is true value, so Invest in yourself today!
Aaron. Michael, 1999. The Michael Aaron Adult Piano Course, Book 2. Alfred Music Publishing. Accessed from: https://books.google.com.vn/books?id=wiKLcJPmj-YC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=statistics+on+piano+students+and+chord+practise&source=bl&ots=rWQ82bFbmz&sig=ACfU3U0it4bCbdKjLJV5LPXsUgrzHfyIXA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi544HwuaDpAhWMSJQKHR81BVIQ6AEwAHoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=statistics%20on%20piano%20students%20and%20chord%20practise&f=false