| Chances are if you've ever taken piano lessons, you | | | | are few things more thrilling than to sit down at a piano, |
| probably spent at least a little bit of time on piano | | | | impromptu, and provide accompaniment for any song. |
| chords. But learning the names of a few basic chords | | | | Those musicians with a bent toward writing original |
| and actually understanding chord theory are two | | | | music will find that knowing theory is essential in |
| different things. And while it's possible to learn to play | | | | creating music for lyrics. Even if you don't transcribe |
| the piano without learning chords, there are several | | | | the music yourself, chord theory will give you the |
| benefits to learning theory. | | | | means of communicating your ideas to the |
| Many piano students complain that music theory is too | | | | transcriptionist. The final product will be exactly as you |
| hard to understand. They quickly give up in favor of | | | | envision it. |
| simply playing piano by reading a score of written | | | | Once you understand how chords work, you're also in |
| music. Those who take the time to get the basis of | | | | a better position to learn to play other instruments; if |
| chord theory find that chordal theory helps them in | | | | not play them yourself, be able to work with other |
| several ways. | | | | musicians in the setting of a band. For example, |
| Learning chord-based theory is something like learning | | | | another instrument which relies heavily upon chord |
| math. You can simply memorize the fact that 2 + 2 = | | | | theory is the guitar. This is why many piano players |
| 4, and that may get you by for a few years in school. | | | | find it easy to pick up on playing the guitar. In a band, |
| Or, you can learn and understand why 2 + 2 = 4. | | | | the music relies very heavily upon the lead of the |
| Once you do, you'll be able to succeed in math when | | | | guitar and the piano. A knowledge and understanding |
| the formulas become much too hard to simply | | | | of chord theory ensures that the pianist and guitarist |
| memorize and regurgitate. The same is true of chord | | | | are always on the same page, so to speak. |
| theory. It's one thing to memorize a chord chart. If you | | | | It's vital to find a good instructor when it comes to |
| don't understand how chords work, your skills won't | | | | chords. It may mean the difference between giving up |
| get you very much further than basic piano playing. | | | | in frustration and success by becoming proficient. |
| One of the most obvious benefits of learning chords is | | | | Taking advantage of jam sessions in your area will |
| that you will soon develop the skill of playing piano by | | | | also help you put chord theory skills into practice in a |
| ear. Have you every watched a band play, such as | | | | casual environment. You'll be able to learn from other |
| those on late-night TV talk shows? The pianists seem | | | | musicians whose passions are similar. Plus, students |
| to be able to pick up any song, off the cuff, and begin | | | | who learn chord theory notice a marked improvement |
| playing it without the advantage of sheet music or | | | | in their general piano playing skills. |
| having practiced. That's music theory at work. There | | | | |