Playing chords on the keyboard

     Now I am going to teach you to play chords on the keyboard. CHORDS are simply groups of keys played together and each chord has a specific chord pattern just like each scale has a specific scale pattern.

     Chord patterns are often made from combinations of the intervals THREE and FOUR.

    Any chord can be started on any white key or any black key.

     I'll start by showing you the chord pattern called the Major chord. In this chord pattern the number 4 represents FOUR (the interval equal to 4 semitones or 4 half steps) and the number 3 represents THREE (the interval equal to 3 semitones or 3 half steps).

Major chord:    4    3

     Here is an example of how to play this chord using your RIGHT hand thumb (finger number 1), index finger (finger number 2) and ring finger (finger number 4) starting on the white key of D:

     Play the white key of D with your RIGHT hand thumb (1). Keep your thumb on D, count up FOUR and play the black key of F# with your index finger (2). Keep your thumb on D and your index finger on F# , count up THREE and play the white key of A with your ring finger (4). Play all three keys together.

     You just played D Major chord since you started on the white key of D and used the Major chord pattern:    4    3

     Difficult? Of course not. Music is simple and when it stops being simple and fun it stops being music!

     Now try playing the Major chord pattern starting on other white keys or on black keys. Major chords are known by whatever key you start on, for example D Major chord, D# Major chord (which could also be called Eb Major chord), E Major chord and so on).

     Notice how the Major chord pattern can be started on ANY white key or ANY black key?

What are chords used for? Chords are used to add structure around melodies.

   Don't worry about the significance of the names of the chord patterns or which specific fingers to play each key with for now. Just continue to use whatever fingers feel comfortable and have fun playing around with them!

     Remember, any chord pattern can be started on ANY white key or on ANY black key.

     Here are some other chord patterns made from combinations of the intervals THREE and FOUR.

     In these chord patterns the number 4 represents FOUR (the interval equal to 4 semitones or 4 half steps) and the number 3 represents THREE (the interval equal to 3 semitones or 3 half steps).

Major chord:    4    3

minor chord:    3    4

diminished chord:    3    3

augmented chord:    4    4

dominant seventh chord:    4    3    3

minor seventh chord:    3    4    3

Major seventh chord:    4    3    4

     In the Understanding of Music Seminar™ you will learn the names of the strings and frets on the guitar as well and how to play scales and chords on the guitar with the same simplicity you just learned to play them on the keyboard!
 
     You will learn how to read and play music for the keyboard AND guitar!
You will learn how to start coordinating your fingers! You will be given a simple ten minute daily practice schedule and you will understand more about music than most musicians learn in a lifetime!
 
     By the end of the weekend YOU will be reading and playing music by Johann Sebastian Bach slowly on the keyboard with both hands together even if you have never touched an instrument before that weekend!

     In the Understanding of Songwriting Seminar™ you will learn how to create your own melodies and how to create chords that fit with those melodies!
     You will learn how to fit melodies to lyrics and how to create different rhythmic patterns for various styles of music! You will also learn about song structure and blues improvisation and lots of information about copyrighting, recording and promoting your songs.
     By the end of the weekend you will be writing your own original songs in just a few minutes for each song!

(please note that you must be an Understanding of Music Seminar™ graduate in order to attend the Understanding of Songwriting Seminar™ - absolutely no exceptions).

     Can it really be this simple to learn music? The thousands of graduates who have attended the seminars all think so. Just look at What People Are Saying About The Understanding Of Music Seminars™.

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