| In these Piano Chords for Beginners articles, we have | | | | D C D E ][ F F ][ |
| been looking at the most common chords and using | | | | When the snow lay ][ round about, ][ |
| them to make easy beginner piano music for some | | | | F F F G ][ F F C ][ |
| famous old Christmas carols. | | | | Deep and crisp and ][ e-ven: ][ |
| We started off with two carols that only require Major | | | | D C D E ][ F F ][ |
| chords, Silent Night and Away in a Manger. For Good | | | | Brightly shone the ][ moon that night, ][ |
| King Wenceslas, we will need to add a different type | | | | C Bb A G ][ A G F ][ |
| of piano chord to our repertoire: the Minor chord. | | | | Though the frost was ][ cru-el, ][ |
| Major and Minor Chords | | | | D C D E ][ F F ][ |
| To construct a Minor chord: | | | | When a poor man ][ came in sight, ][ |
| | | | C C D E ][ F F G ][ |
| 1. Look at the corresponding Major chord; | | | | Gath'ring winter ][ fu - u - ][ el. ][ |
| 2. Do not change the first or last notes of this chord; | | | | C Bb A G ][ F Bb ][ F ][ |
| but | | | | Practice this until you can play it from memory. |
| 3. Find the middle note of the chord and lower it by | | | | Good King Wenceslas Chord Accompaniment |
| one half-step or semitone. That is, use the next | | | | Now here are the piano chords to play with the tune |
| adjacent black or white note below the middle note. | | | | of Good King Wenceslas. Play the chords with your |
| In our Away in a Manger article, we learned that: | | | | left hand at a regular pace, while you play the melody |
| -- The D Major chord is: D F# and A | | | | with your right hand: |
| Therefore: | | | | Good King Wences -][ las looked out ][ |
| -- The D Minor chord is: D F A | | | | F-------Dm-------][F-------F-------][on the Feast of ][ Ste - |
| The chord symbol of the D Minor chord is: Dm. | | | | phen, ][ |
| Good King Wenceslas: Three Major Chords and One | | | | Dm-------C-------][F-------F-------][ |
| Minor Chord | | | | When the snow lay ][ round about, ][ |
| For this Christmas carol we will need the following | | | | F-------Dm-------][F-------F-------][ |
| piano chords: | | | | Deep and crisp and ][ e - ven: ][ |
| F Major: | | | | Dm-------C-------][F-------F-------][ |
| -- Notes: F A C | | | | Brightly shone the ][ moon that night, ][ |
| -- Chord Symbol: F | | | | C-------C--------][F-------F--------][ |
| Bb Major: | | | | Though the frost was ][ cru - el, ][ |
| -- Notes: Bb D F | | | | Bb-------Bb-------][F-------F-------][ |
| -- Chord Symbol: Bb | | | | When a poor man ][ came in sight, ][ |
| C Major: | | | | F-------Bb-------][F-------C-------][ |
| -- Notes: C E G | | | | Gath'ring winter ][ fu - u - ][ el. ][ |
| -- Chord Symbol: C | | | | C-------C-------][Dm------Bb------][F------][ |
| D Minor: | | | | The next article in this series will introduce the beautiful |
| -- Notes: D F A | | | | Seventh chords as we play a simple accompaniment |
| -- Chord Symbol: Dm | | | | for the old carol, O Christmas Tree. |
| Practice these four chords in the two octaves below | | | | To really progress in your playing of piano chord |
| Middle C on your piano until you are familiar with their | | | | accompaniments, you need to master the following |
| finger positions and can find them quickly. | | | | two basic skills: |
| Good King Wenceslas Melody | | | | -- you need to learn how to read music notes on the |
| The melody of Good King Wenceslas starts on the | | | | staves; and |
| first F note above Middle C. Begin to play with the | | | | -- you need to learn to play the accompaniment |
| fourth finger of your right hand. The ][ symbols in my | | | | chords that are represented by chord symbols in |
| notation represent bar lines separating the bars. There | | | | books of popular music: e.g. C, Cm, C7, Cdim, etc. |
| are four quarter-note or crotchet beats in every bar in | | | | With the right instruction these skills can be easily |
| this melody. | | | | acquired and can usher you into the satisfying world of |
| Good King Wences -][ las looked out ][ | | | | playing popular piano music with ease! |
| F F F G ][ F F C ][on the Feast of ][ Ste-phen, ][ | | | | |