| Think of chords as three objects stacked on top of | | | | Then skip the next white key, and then play the next |
| one another. Each object represents a piano key, and | | | | white key. |
| thus each chord contains three notes. | | | | Put more simply, "play a key, skip a key, play a key, |
| The notes in chords are not always stacked in the | | | | skip a key, play a key." |
| same order. In other words, the three objects are | | | | If you are a piano teacher, consider the theme to the |
| always the same objects, but may appear in different | | | | kids show, Rugrats. The easiest way to get a child to |
| places in the stack. The positions are, obviously, | | | | understand chords is to play them the opening bars of |
| bottom, middle and top. | | | | the Rugrats theme, which contains a perfect group of |
| In order to play in a piano style such as LEAD SHEET | | | | ascending two-note chords. |
| STYLE, which encompasses almost all popular music, | | | | In fact, you can make root position chords all over the |
| your first task should be to learn all twelve major | | | | piano, starting on any note, if you use the above |
| chords in root position. | | | | formula. |
| Let's start with a C chord. You need to visualize a C | | | | Try it. Play root position chords all over the piano, only |
| chord as a group of three piano keys played (for the | | | | on the white keys. |
| purposes of this illustration) with the left hand. | | | | Now let's go back to the C chord. |
| You may look at the piano and ask, "But which three | | | | Note that the bottom key of that chord, the one |
| keys? There are dozens of keys!" | | | | furthest to the left, is the key we found and named C, |
| It's easy to find a C chord at the piano. Look at the | | | | and is the one called the "root." |
| pattern in the black keys on the piano. You'll notice | | | | For that reason, because C is the bottom, or lowest, |
| there are groups of two and three black keys, | | | | key in the chord, the chord is named after the C, and is |
| alternating across the entire keyboard. | | | | thus called a C chord. C is the root of the chord. |
| The note C is defined as the white key to the left of | | | | The first objective of any student seeking knowledge |
| any group of two black keys. Go ahead, plunk out a C, | | | | of the working of chords is to learn the root position of |
| anywhere on the piano. | | | | at least the following chords: C,F,G,D,E and A. |
| Now that you've found C, and yes, there are several | | | | Start with a C chord in root position and build from |
| on the piano, let's make a chord. | | | | there. It's easy to scale the massive structure of music |
| Play that key named C, hold it down, and then skip the | | | | theory if you start in the right place and proceed |
| next white key to your right. Play the next white key. | | | | slowly. |