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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 7:29 am 
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Mr. Electonica Dude
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I'm gonna assume everybody knows where the individual notes are on the keyboard. Google if you don't.

There are 12 major chords , just like a guitar. The easiest way to find them is to take the root note and apply the following formula to find the notes of any major chord.

Lets use C (eveybody knows where middle C is right?)

To find the notes of any major chord remember ......Whole Step, Whole Step , Half Step , Whole Step.

Remember also a whole step is two notes from where you started and a half step is one note .

Now let's apply this to the C chord and find all the notes.

Play the root note C

Now whole step , whole step for the next note E , then half step , whole step for rhe last note G.

This works on any note you begin with.

Let's try a couple more then I'll let you in on a little secret.

Play the root note Bb , whole step , whole step for the next note D , then half step , whole step for rhe last note F.

Now try this.........

Gb , whole step , whole step for the next note Db , then half step , whole step for rhe last note Db. 8) All black keys.


Now for the good stuff..........

I hope you noticed that 3 of the major chords were made of all white keys:

C F G

And I hope you noticed that 3 of the major chords were made of white keys on the outside, with a black key in the middle:

D E A

And did you notice that 3 of the major chords were like an Oreo cookie? Black on the outside, white on the inside?

Db Eb Ab

That only leaves 3 major chords, one of which is all black, and one of which is white, black, black, and the other the reverse -- black, white, white.

Gb (all black) B (white, black, black) Bb (black, white, white)

And that's it. Now practice these until you can find them easily.

You now know and should be able to find all the major keys and notes with ease with practice.

If you get stumped , just remember , whole step , whole step , half step , whole step.

You now know 12 piano chords.

Next stop ? Making major chords less boring with inversions.

msg

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 3:57 pm 
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Way cool Geno. I'll try and give this a spin this weekend. I've always had enough musical theory grounding to build chords, but never a system to help remember them. Once I left the piano they were gone, and I had to reinvent the wheel next time. :oops:

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 5:43 pm 
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Tinhorn
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Great info Geno!

I think a good way of learning chords is to know the scale (the song key) they come from and how notes change from each type of chord and the natural chords in thirds built on each scale.

Definition: "whole step" (or "step")two note movement in same direction on adjacent notes
"half step" movement of 1 key (or fret) up or down

MAJOR SCALE scales have WHOLE STEPS except between scale numbers 3 & 4 (i.e. E to F on C major) and 7 & 8 (i.e. B to C in C major).

Definition: "TRIAD" a 3-note chord based on note leaving out 1 scale note
C major scale equal (all natural, white notes): C D E F G A B C
(i.e C E G; F A C; G B D" these chords represent most used I (TONIC), IV (subdominate) & V (dominate);
The get their name by building triads on 1st, 4th, and 5th scale numbers. The I, IV & V are "major" chords.

Triads built on scale numbers 2, 3 & 6 are MINOR TRIADS (distance between first note and 2nd note of chord is 3 half steps).

The remaining 7th degree of a scale when building a triad results in DIMINISHED TRIAD (i.e. B, D, F NATURAL).

GOTTA GET BACK TO WORK... Hope I haven't confused you too much for now. will try to ge back to it.

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Last edited by dennyc765 on Fri Oct 24, 2008 10:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 6:02 pm 
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Has Been To Cheeseland
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That's some good info, Denny. I'm wondering whether this would be better as a seperate thread, as it seems to be more in the nature of general music theory as opposed to keyboard specific applications. Maybe it's just me, but I have a decent understanding of basic music theory ("theory" being the key here), but I've never managed to translate that to playing the keyboard in any meaningful way, which is where I think Geno was headed here. Just a thought.

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 6:29 pm 
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I love this stuff, but it's so confusing for me. I just listen to something and like a chameleon I memorize and become the part. I should try and learn to read music.


nah . . . :wink:

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 7:35 pm 
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Tinhorn
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JM,

you are ABSOLUTELY correct!

However, the keyboard is such a VISUAL representation of the notes and helps understanding. Got off on a tangent there, but meant well. Eventually, everything fits together!

dennyc765

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 8:07 pm 
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Nice one guys -

Marvellous stuff -

Richard

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:46 pm 
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RZ wrote:
I love this stuff, but it's so confusing for me. I just listen to something and like a chameleon I memorize and become the part. I should try and learn to read music.


nah . . . :wink:


RZ- we would get along great. When I first took guitar lessons at age 7 my instructor was a keyboard player who played a little guitar. He was a former school teacher and BIG into making his students learn to read music and understand music theory. In retrospect, I am positive I was ADD/HD as a youngster (though we called it "spirited" back then...lol). You can imagine how much I "enjoyed" being forced to read music and understand theory at age 7!

Well I used to drive the instructor crazy because I would figure out how to play the lesson perfectly by ear and from memory rather than reading the music. He'd tell me: "look at the book, count, go to measure # 15." I'd just sit there are give him a dumbfounded look kinda thinking..."why?" I lasted about 6 months with that teacher.

I really wish I had the concentration level and apptitude to really learn music theory and apply it because I know it would help me improve as a musician. OTOH....On guitar, I can pretty much play what I "hear" in my head so.....you get it.


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PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 2:07 am 
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I didn't really want to get too much in theory but to express easy ways to learn the basic chords for the play by ear guys.

NOBODY plays a piece of sheetmusic exactly the way it is written. When I use it , I use it more of a guide as what is going on and give my interpretation of what is writen to the best of my abilities.

I go to the Van Claiborn International Piano Competion every year at TCU. One of the many criteria scored is how the assigned piece of music is interpreted.

Anyway , we'll try to get you guys playing several hunderd chords VERY shortly with no memory drills or theory. OK?

Then I'll give some tips on being flashy on the board. Then if you want we can dive into the instruments themselves and learn how to program patches , control them with midi , etc.........

Glad to see all the interest.

msg

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 5:34 am 
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Quote:
we'll try to get you guys playing several hunderd chords VERY shortly with no memory drills or theory. OK?


yeah buddy!!!!!

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 1:02 pm 
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Oh, this is good...

Very good for me...

Thanks Geno, and not just for the lessons, but for the lessons in monkey-mind terms...Just keep treating me like I'm a 7-year old and we'll do fine!! 8)


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 3:00 am 
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Tinhorn
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stettoman wrote:
Oh, this is good...

Very good for me...

Thanks Geno, and not just for the lessons, but for the lessons in monkey-mind terms...Just keep treating me like I'm a 7-year old and we'll do fine!! 8)


I second that!! Thanks Geno!!

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PostPosted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 4:49 am 
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Tinhorn
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You're on target, Geno! (and you did good job!)

dennyc765

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PostPosted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:19 am 
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mrskygod wrote:
Anyway , we'll try to get you guys playing several hunderd chords VERY shortly with no memory drills or theory. OK?

Then I'll give some tips on being flashy on the board. Then if you want we can dive into the instruments themselves and learn how to program patches , control them with midi , etc.........


.....one more time, which one is middle C?

:^o


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:38 pm 
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Bartman wrote:
I really wish I had the concentration level and apptitude to really learn music theory and apply it because I know it would help me improve as a musician. OTOH....On guitar, I can pretty much play what I "hear" in my head so.....you get it.


You're describing me for sure. I have to really focus on what I'm hearing in a song and then after a while I get it. However, if I don't continue playing it I'll lose it. In fact, there are several songs I wrote and performed that I don't remember how to play anymore. :(

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rz-land


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:47 pm 
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RZ wrote:
Bartman wrote:
I really wish I had the concentration level and apptitude to really learn music theory and apply it because I know it would help me improve as a musician. OTOH....On guitar, I can pretty much play what I "hear" in my head so.....you get it.


You're describing me for sure. I have to really focus on what I'm hearing in a song and then after a while I get it. However, if I don't continue playing it I'll lose it. In fact, there are several songs I wrote and performed that I don't remember how to play anymore. :(


I think we are related. I have trouble playing the same thing, the same way twice.


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 6:10 pm 
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I have trouble playing anything once.

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