It is easy for a musician such as myself to take for granted those truths about music that I have known since childhood, and forget that many people are just now entering the world of music, and are not familiar with many of the basic facts of life concerning music.

When I take my car to a mechanic I expect the mechanic to speak to my level of knowledge about cars – not his level of knowledge – and it’s annoying when they talk over my head about things they falsely assume I know.

Yet I am guilty of exactly the same “sin” when it comes to music – I often assume too much.

And so for those precious people who are not familiar with basic musical terms, I am going to write the next few articles about the basics of music, assuming nothing.

(Musicians will want to skip this article)

Notes are the musical notation representing a fixed pitch. While the word strictly refers to the physical notation of a pitch, it’s more commonly used to refer to both the pitch and the notation. When we’re trying to figure out a piece of music, we rarely ask which pitches are being played; we always ask which notes are being played. But if we try to describe a song as having the same note in several places, we’re technically wrong. Considering that each note is a separate notation, even if the pitch is the same, it’s impossible to have the same note in several places.

Notes are named after the first seven letters in the alphabet — A, B, C, D, E, F, and G — and keep the same letter value regardless of the octave. But since there are twelve notes in a diatonic scale (a “normal” scale we are all used to – there are other kinds, but they are way beyond the scope of this article), the seven notes can be altered. To get the extra five notes, we sharp (raise by a half-step) and flat (lower by a half-step); the sharp and flat notes are the black keys on a piano. (White keys can be raised and lowered also, but again, that is beyond the scope of this article.)

The types of notes and their values are based on the amount of time they take up in a song.

Whole notes (in the language of music theory they are known as “semi-breve” notes) are four beats, which is equal to one measure in 4/4 time. They are represented by a hollow, oval note with no stem.

Half notes (also known as “minim” notes) are half of a whole note, or two beats. They are written as a hollow note with a stem that points up when placed below the middle of the staff, up when placed above it.

Quarter notes (or “crochet” notes) represent a quarter of a whole note, or one beat in 4/4 time. They are the most recognizable note: a solid black note with a stem.

Eighth notes (or “quaver” notes) are one-eighth of a whole note and are written exactly like a quarter note, but with a flag attached to the stem. When more than one eighth note is placed side by side, a solid beam connects the adjacent notes.

Sixteenth notes (or “demi-quaver” notes) are one-sixteenth of a whole note and represented as an eighth note with two flags or two solid beams.

Thirty-second and sixty-fourth notes represent the section of a whole note indicated by their names; they are drawn as eighth or sixteenth notes with an additional flags.

A 32nd note is known as a demi-semi-quaver.

And believe it or not, a 64th note is known as a hemi-demi-semi-quaver.

It’s also important to mention that a note’s value can be changed by adding a dot. Dotted notes represent the value of the original note, plus one half. For instance, dotted half notes are held for three beats, dotted quarter notes for a beat and one half, and so on.

(For you musicians who shouldn’t be reading this anyway, yes – I am well aware that I made some generalities in this article, but it is for beginners.)

For more detail on types of notes, go to Wikipedia on Note Values.

I just learned that a new course in jazz piano is coming out today that is five hours long on four separate DVD’s. There are so few good jazz courses around that I’m delighted someone has finally filled that need. You can check it out at Jazz Piano Course on DVD.

There are 3 exciting ways to create fresh chord sounds
for your songs. Once you learn these 3 ways you’ll never be
at a loss to know how to create great chord substitutions,
and for the rest of your life you can come up with original
arrangements of your songs.

These 3 basic methods are:

1. A simple question you ask yourself: “Into what other
chord will this note fit?” I will demonstrate this easy
technique many times on the DVD so you can SEE how easy it
is to come up with fresh chord sounds.

2. The “Half-Step Slide”. This technique creates all kinds
of new chords that you can use over and over again on song
after song.

3. The “Exchange a Minor 7th Chord For Any Dominant 7th
Chord” technique. This makes your playing sound more mellow
and gives it more variety.

These 3 chord substitution techniques will keep you busy for a lifetime coming up with your own fresh arrangments of songs.

For a musically minded person who is interested in testing the waters of piano lessons, but who is not quite sure if her commitment is all there, free online beginner keyboard lessons are a great way to quickly find out whether the piano is the right instrument to learn. After all, some people just don’t have the type of brain and fingers that are necessary to play the piano. It requires incredible hand eye coordination, plus a level of hand and finger agility that is rarely required in other areas of life.

I’ve known people who seem to be literally are incapable of playing notes on the piano. They try to play the most simple melody, and something odd happens — their fingers just can’t seem to do it. It’s no fault of theirs; it’s just an unfortunate result of the way they are wired. In most cases, these people are incredibly proficient in other ways. For example, my brother can’t play a lick of any musical instrument, but he can build a house from scratch. Me, I can play some of the most difficult piano pieces ever written, but I can’t hammer a nail straight.

To find out if the piano is right for you, try doing a Web search for free online beginner keyboard lessons, and find a website that offers a few introductory lessons, or articles about how to get started on the piano. Naturally, there is a wide range of these types of lessons; some are very poor quality, while others are as good as pay instruction. The key is to find the right one.

Of course, what you can expect to learn from these is relatively simple, and I can basically sum it up for you here. First, you’ll learn about which notes on the piano are which. The notes range from A through G, and the white keys symbolize the pure forms of the lettered notes, while the black keys represent sharps and flats.

You’ll learn the C major scale, and how to play it. Basically, the key of C major is where all piano students start, because it includes all of the white notes and none of the black notes, making it the easiest key to play in.

To play the C Major scale with your right hand, place your thumb on middle C (which is usually below the first letter of your piano maker’s name), and start by playing the first three notes. Then, cross your thumb under to play the fourth note, and continue with the rest of the fingers in your hand. If you practice this a few times, and the scale begins to sound more fluid and musical, then you know you are doing well. If you can’t play this scale at all, no matter how hard you try, then you may want to look into carpentry.

After learning how to play the C Major scale with your right hand, most free online beginner keyboard lessons will instruct you how to do the same thing with your left hand, which is just as easy.

After that, you’ll begin to learn chords, and soon, you’ll progress to playing in other keys, probably starting out with G Major and F Major. After that, you’ll learn minor keys, beginning with A minor, which, in its standard form, includes all of the same notes as C Major, except it goes from A to A instead of C to C.

Soon, you’ll learn music notation, how to read the staff, and about the various types of symbols that are used in reading music. This is where piano playing really becomes fun, as you begin to progress into more complex pieces of music. Of course, thanks to free online beginner keyboard lessons, you should know by this point whether you want to continue with more serious lessons. If you feel that you have a proficiency for the instrument, then you may want to look into serious, pay lessons. After all, this is the best way to receive in-depth instruction.

Meanwhile, sign up for a few keyboard lessons online, such as Duane’s Piano Chords & Chord Progressions Newsletter. You’ll soon know if you have the interest and desire to pursue the keyboard or piano.

(This is a guest article - opinions not necessarily mine)

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to write a song especially for a special celebration, or to honor someone that you love? Some people seem to have a natural talent for writing songs. Perhaps you’ve always believed you aren’t one of those people. Think again. If you’ve ever had the inkling to write a song, you probably have what it takes. All you need are a few tools to help you get started.

Would it surprise you to know that many bestselling books, blockbuster movies, and even songs started out as nothing but a title? Believe it or not, starting with nothing but a title is your best bet. Forget lyrics for now. Don’t worry if you can’t read music and don’t play an instrument. Focus on a title. The title should be born from the heart of the song, your inspiration for writing a song. What is it that moved you to want to write a song in the first place? That’s what your title should be.

Some rules of thumb for titling your song: keep it fairly simple. Three to five words are usually best. Sometimes one or two words can capture the emotion as well as 3 or 4. More than five is typically too many, unless it’s a comedy song. The title will often appear as a line somewhere in the lyrics of the song. But this isn’t necessarily the case. The title may simply reflect the subject of the song, or even who the song is for/about (for example: “Nadia’s Theme”).

Once you have a title, you have a starting point, a place from which your thoughts can flow. Now you need to think structure. Most every song ever written follows a similar structure: a verse, chorus, another verse, chorus, bridge, and chorus. A good pop song usually has no more than 2 to 3 verses at most. Don’t stress out too much over stanza numbers. You’ll probably want more than one, but if you can’t come up with more than two your song will be just fine. Similarly, don’t go overboard. Most listeners will fall asleep long before the ninth stanza.

When it comes to the chorus, four to six lines are probably adequate. You may even have as many as eight, but more than that and your song may become drudgery. An experienced songwriter may pull off a ten-line chorus, but for your first try you should keep it simple.

The bridge of the song is something like a short interlude. It too should be fairly simple, no more than four to six lines in length. The bridge is the part of the song that ties all of your thoughts together. It might be the solution to the problem you are singing about. It might be an epiphany that has resulted from all of the other thoughts in the song. It should not present a new thought, however; otherwise it’s not really a bridge, and it’s just another verse. It should be a natural segue from the ideas presented in the verses to the chorus.

Once your words are complete, you can focus on the melody. If you read music and play an instrument, this part is probably easy for you. If you aren’t a skilled transcriptionist and you want to have the music scored out, you may need to enlist someone to transcribe for you. This is probably not a necessity, though, unless you plan to have it played by a band or you want to market it.

Chances are, for your first attempt, just you and a piano or guitar will suffice. If you don’t read music, you can find a musical friend to help, or even hire a professional. This is an especially good idea if you plan to present the song publicly.

Your first song doesn’t have to be a billboard hit. Music is meant to touch the soul. If that’s what your song has done, even for just a few people, then you’ve accomplished what you set out to do. Writing songs just for your own personal benefit can be a good thing, even if no one else hears them. It can be very therapeutic, and it’s an excellent way to express your inner emotions. Once you start, you might find you have a knack for song writing after all.

(Guest article)

For the musical tools to create any kind of music see the Play Piano Catalog.

If asked to name a piano piece that is near-perfect, one noted example comes to mind for many people. That piece is Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy. Clair de Lune, the third and most famous movement of Debussy’s Suite Bergamasque, has entranced listening ears for over century. It has been the inspiration for many dramatic film sequences, as well as the song “When You Wish Upon a Star” from Disney’s Pinocchio.

The son of a china shop owner and a seamstress, Claude Debussy began to reveal his brilliance at the age of seven when he started learning the intricacies of the piano. He soon attracted the attention of Mme. de Fleurville, whose son-in-law, French poet Paul Verlaine, would help inspire the piece with one of his poems. Verlaine was also acquainted with Frederique Chopin, as he was one of Chopin’s pupils.

Debussy began his proper musical studies at the illustrious Paris Conservatory at the age of eleven. He spent twelve years studying under the giants of the age, stealing their secrets and arguing against the rigidity of the musical theory of the day. Debussy favored dissonance, which was a thorn in the side of his more strictly harmonious teachers. His love of experimentation, however, proved to be his greatest musical asset.

Early works by Debussy were heavily influenced by both his love of Richard Wagner’s operas and his general distaste for the operas of Italian luminaries such as Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi, who was one of the reigning kings of the style. Though Wagner had been dead for several years before Debussy discovered his works, a cult had grown up around his music.

Wagner’s influence was not to last, though, as Debussy’s pieces tended to be more introverted than the extravagant Wagnerian sounds. He wrote his Suite Bergamasque, containing Clair de Lune, in his late 20s. As a sublime example of Debussy’s sensual, quiet style, Clair de Lune may be perhaps his most lasting gift to the music world.

This lustrous piece was inspired, as were his earlier pieces, by one of his friend Verlaine’s poems. Verlaine’s poem “Clair de Lune” contains a reference to a bergamask, a clumsy dance performed by the natives of Bergamo. The French spelling of bergamask gives the entire suite its memorable name. The name “Clair de Lune,” literally translated as “moonlight,” is a perfect name, since the piece gives distinct images of moonlight with its rolling notes and glorious harmonies.

Played properly, Clair de Lune requires a technical mastery of sweeping left hand movements and modulations in intensity to reach its timeless quality of melodic and counter-melodic beauty. While the piece is played mostly pianissimo, its brief journeys into louder dynamic ranges present a need for a highly-developed knowledge of the keyboard. This, combined with the ability to re-interpret the feel of the music according to one’s own personality, makes Clair de Lune music that has stood the test of time. It is a piece that is constantly evolving, living and breathing in the fingers of pianists the world over.

Clair de Lune is not for beginners. If you are a beginner or near-beginner, go to Piano For Beginners.

(This is a guest article.)

Chord substitutions is precisely what the name implies: the substitution of one chord for another during a chord progression. It’s a technique often found in jazz music (but other genres, as well) used to add a little extra pizzazz to a piece of music. Chord substitutions contribute to the element of surprise; it keeps the progressions from becoming predictable, without compromising the overall tone of the piece. Instead of playing a constant, consistent G chord, for instance, musicians will sometimes use chord substitutions to replace that G with a G6 or Gmaj7, depending on the song and the effect desired. Chord substitutions are a great way to add a kick to an otherwise monotonous progression.

There are many things to consider when working with chord substitutions. First of all, chord substitutions will be especially easy when the two chords share a number of common notes. C major, for example, can be easily substituted with A minor because both of these chords contain a C and E. But it isn’t just enough to share common notes; the common notes in chord substitutions are best received when they drive the chord. The first two notes of a chord (including the root) are what give a chord its defining characteristics. If chord substitutions contain these notes in an insignificant place, the substituted chord won’t be as interchangeable. Let’s consider C major and A minor again. These chord substitutions works because the two common notes, C and E, are the two most important notes within the C major chord. The root note, C, shifts in these chord substitutions, but it is still present enough to keep the chord’s essential quality. But it’s important to mention here that, rules and regulations aside, chord substitutions are really in the eye of the beholder; if you think it works and like the sound the chord substitutions have created, feel free to explore it. There’s no rule in chord substitutions (or music, for that matter) that can’t be broken.

There are 3 types of chord substitutions that will keep you busy creating your own exciting chord progressions for a lifetime. Click on Chord Substitutions

I took piano lessons from the time I was 6 until about 13, but didn’t really get into music until I had a chance to play piano in the school combo my freshman year in high school. The piano player in the group was a senior and had just graduated, and there was no one else good enough to play in the 4-piece dance band.

I wasn’t good enough either, but I was the best of the bunch, so despite the fact that I didn’t know chords and didn’t know how to improvise at all, they took a chance on me and told me I could play if I would learn enough chords to get by in a few basic songs. The idea of getting to be the piano player in a group of older guys was exciting, and so I immediately tried to find out how to learn some simple chords. I sent for a $2. chord chart that was advertised in a magazine, and the day it arrived I learned 2 chords — Cmaj7 and Dm7. That was enough to play “Frankie and Johnny”, and I was hooked on chords!

From then on it was a lifetime pursuit to learn more and more chords and then learn how to apply them in songs. And in that quest I have accumulated many, many chord charts, and even published some of my own.

But up to now, there has not been a chord chart that “talks” — plays the chords so you can hear them and explains the logic of how they are formed. So I thought “Why not? Since MP3 files can now be embedded in PDF ebooks, I’ll make a chord chart that talks and walks the listener through all the basic chords — 96 of them, to be exact.”

To learn more about it, click here: The Talking Piano Chord Chart

I’m sure that you have had the experience sometime in your piano-playing life when someone asks you to play a song — but in a different key than in which it is written. It might be a singer wanting you to lower the song a step so he/she doesn’t screech. It might be a song leader wanting you to play a song in a more comfortable keys for a congregation or group. It might be a trumpet player looking over your shoulder and wanting to play along with you — but when he/she plays the same note you are playing, it sure doesn’t sound the same!

So….it’s your job, as pianist, to get that song moved to a different key — changing key on the piano. That’s transposition — playing or writing a song in a different key than in which it was originally written.

Modulation is similar but different — modulation means the process of getting from the old key to the new key. In other words, if I’m playing in the key of C, and then want to play in the key of Eb, I have to learn to modulate — move smoothly from one key to another without being too abrupt and jarring.

There are basically 3 ways to transpose:

1. by intervals

2. by scale degrees

3. by solfege — the moveable “do” system.

But since solfege applies mostly to singers, we will ignore that possibility and just take up the first two:

1. Transposing using intervals: If the new key is an interval of a minor 3rd above the old key, then all notes in the song will also be an interval of a minor 3rd higher. In other words, if you are transposing from the key of C to the key of Eb, which is a minor 3rd higher (or major 6th lower — whichever way you want to look at it), then all melody notes will also be a minor 3rd higher:

“G” in the key of C would become “Bb” in the key of Eb.
“E” in the key of C would become “:G” in the new key of Eb.
“A” would become “C”, “B” would become “D”, and so on.
All chords would also move a minor 3rd higher.
The “C chord” would become the “Eb chord”, the “F chord” would become the “Ab chord”, and so on.

2. Transposing using scale degrees: Each key you play in has it’s own scale degrees. In the key of C the scale degrees are: C=1, D=2, E=3, F=4, G=5, A=6, B=7, C=8. In the key of Eb, however, Eb=1, F=2, G=3, Ab=4, Bb=5, C=6, D=7, Eb=8. So if I want to transpose Silent Night, for example, from the key of C to the key of Eb, I need to notice what scale degrees I am using in the key of C, and then use those same scale degrees in the key of Eb.

For example, Silent Night starts on the 5th degree of the scale, goes up to the 6th, back to the 5th, then down to the 3rd. In the key of C that is: G-A-G-E. But in the key of Eb it is Bb-C-Bb-G. Why? Because the scale degrees 5-6-5-3 are constant — we just need to apply them in each key. What about chords? Same idea. If the chord progression on Silent Night is the I chord followed by the V chord, followed by the I chord, followed by the IV chord, etc. — then in the key of C that means C-G-C-F-etc., but in the key of Eb it means Eb-Bb-Eb-Ab-etc.

Modulation means getting between keys, so let’s say you are playing in the key of C, but you want to get to the key of Eb smoothly, without jarring the nerves of the listeners. There are lots of ways to do it, but the main point is that you have to get to the V7 chord of the new key. So from the key of C to the key of Eb, that means getting to Bb7. How do we do that smoothly? We look for chords with common notes. Since the V of the V of the new key would be Fm7, we have C as a common note. So we hold the C in the C chord, and move the rest of the C chord to Fm7, then Bb7, then Eb, and presto — we are there! I realize that may be a bit hard to follow with just printed words to follow, but if you saw it happen (like on a video) you would understand it instantly, I think.

Hope this has helped you understand both the process and the difference between transposing and modulating but words alone can be confusing, so if you want to SEE it done and clearly see HOW it is done, check out “How To Transpose & Modulate” Then it will become crystal clear for you.

Watch this video then read the caption below:

Acclaimed Jazz pianist Patti Moran McCoy plays “When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder” at Pastor Andrae Crouch’s church on Easter Sunday, 2005.

Patti McCoy is a wonderful friend and neighbor of mine, and is one of the world’s great jazz pianists. When she was still a teenager she was known as “the little girl of jazz” and played with most all the jazz greats of the 60’s and 70’s including the great Scott LaFaro and Ray Brown. She recorded about 8 albums, fronted her own quartet, and played at Birdland (famous jazz club) in New York. (Her stage name was Pat McCoy, in case you want to track down her recordings at Amazon or elsewhere.)

When I got my MA at Southern Oregon University I interview her on tape while she played and talked about the development of jazz piano from ragtime right up to contemporary. If you’re interested, it’s a GREAT listen. “Jazz Piano From Ragtime To Contemporary”

Several people have asked me if guitar chords are the same as piano chords.

The answer is yes and no.

No — because they are fingered entirely different, and of course the tone color of the sound is different.

Yes — because the notes that both instruments use to form the chords are exactly the same: the G7 chord, for example, is ALWAYS G, B, D, and F, no matter what instrument plays it.

Guitar chords, chords played specifically on a guitar, differ only from other types of chords by virtue of instrument; they’re simply a series of three or more notes played together. These notes don’t necessarily have to be played simultaneously, however. Broken chords (also referred to as arpeggios) are three or more notes that aren’t played at the same time but closely enough to still be heard as a group or whole. And even the three-note rule is open to the occasional exception; some guitar chords consist of only two notes, but they still function as chords because they work diatonically in the same way that a major or minor chord would.

Guitar chords might very well be the most important element of guitar playing; after all, they’re the basis of what makes a song. Most people picking up a guitar for the first time figure out a few guitar chords before even going for their first lesson, and still more teach themselves guitar chords without any help from an instructor. Self-taught guitarists learn guitar chords in a number of ways. Some learn by listening to their favorite songs and slowly picking out the notes, a common yet often frustrating process. Others figure out guitar chords by learning to read guitar tab, a type of sheet music intended for fretted instruments that uses a graph-like chart to show where on the frets the fingers are placed. Both techniques are common among those learning guitar chords, though the number of self-taught guitarists who never learned to read tab is fairly high.

Just like any other instrument, the sheer number of possible guitar chords can often be overwhelming for a new guitarist. And even the frequently taught guitar chords are beginning to fall by the wayside, making room for a variety of guitar chords created by tuning the strings in almost innumerous ways. Though power chords (guitar chords using a base note, an octave note and the fifth) are still the most common type of guitar chords, new bands are increasingly experimenting with alternate tunings to create new sounds; alternative bands such as Sonic Youth have been toying with this way of playing interesting guitar chords for decades.

To understand chords better, click here.

Rhythm and blues, in its most modern definition, is soul and funk-based style of pop music that started during disco but truly flourished well after disco’s death. Originally, however, in the 1940s rhythm and blues was a term coined as a non-offensive way to refer to African-American music. As the form carried on, it slowly began to lose the stigma as a non-racist moniker and became a truly influential and important genre of music not necessarily particular only to African Americans.

Rhythm and blues, influenced by jazz and gospel music, is often credited as being the originator of modern pop music; it has heavily influenced both rock and hip-hop music, two of the biggest music markets today. It came into popularity in America in the 1950s, just prior to rock and roll’s thriving inception, and overlapped with the very popular jazz music of the time. As rock and roll grew in America, so did rhythm and blues; rock and roll fans often listened to rhythm and blues, just as rhythm and blues fans sometimes latched on to rock on roll.

The Bubble-Gum Rock of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s grew out of the rhythm and blues of the 40’s — everyone from Elvis to Ricky Nelson to Fats Domino was strongly influenced by the R&B musicians that preceeded them.

Rhythm and blues hit big in the UK in the 1960s, as well; however, the distinction between rock and roll and rhythm and blues was far more pronounced. The UK rhythm and blues scene (which eventually morphed into soul) was largely embraced by a scene of mostly teenagers known as mods. These rhythm and blues fans differed greatly from the rockers, who listened only to rock and roll and held rhythm and blues (and the mods that went with it) in high disdain. The social dysfunction between these two groups caused large problems within the combined music scenes of rhythm and blues and rock and roll; the characteristic tension is documented in “Quadrophenia,” a fictional movie depicting fairly non-fictional situations.

As decades passed and rhythm and blues grew in popularity in the United States and abroad, it shifted shapes and became known as simply R&B, a slower, more melodic version of the original rhythm and blues form that is often seen as the modern counterpart to hip-hop.

I have had many people call or write me and ask me
something like this:

“I play by ear, or by chords, but lots of music doesn’t
have chord symbols written in — how do I know what chord
to play when?”

“Our hymn book doesn’t tell which chords to use — how can
I know what to play?”

“I read music but don’t have a clue what chords are being
used. How can I know what they are?”

If you want to play a song using chords instead of the
written sheet music notes, but the song doesn’t have any
chord symbols printed (such as Cm7, G13, B , D dim7, etc.)
then learn this important skill.

There’s a logic behind every note written in music, &
you can learn to understand that logic, and therefore
understand music.

If you can read music to some degree but don’t “see
through” the written music — don’t understand what you are
seeing — now you can put on your “chord glasses” that good
chord detectives wear to see through all that mass of black
printed notes on a white page of sheet music to quickly
understand what chords are being used and the “family
logic” behind it all.

The “family logic” is this: In every key there are
certain chords which are organic to that key — “family
members”, so to speak. For example, in the key of F the 3
most used chords are F, Bb and C. In the key of G the most
used chords are G, C, and D. In the key of Eb the most used
chords are Eb, Ab, and Bb. Do you see a pattern here?

Chords are based on scales, and the chords which are
used the most in any key are built on the 1st degree of the
scale, the 4th degree of the scale, and the 5th degree of
the scale. They are identified by using the Roman numerals
I, IV, and V.

So the most used chords in any key are the I chord,
the IV chord, and the V chord. They are the primary chords,
and they are all major. They occur way more than other
chords. The next most used chords are the ii chord, the vi
chord, and the iii chord — all minor chords.

Just knowing these simple facts gives a musician a
giant advantage when learning or playing a song. If he or
she knows the most likely chords that are going to occur in
a song, based on the key of the song, then they can scrape
together other evidence quickly to build an air-tight case
that they know the chords of that song.

For example, let’s take two musicians about to play
from a piece of sheet music. Both read music, but only one
knows chords and music theory. The first musician looks at
the notes and sees a Bb in the bass clef as the first note,
a Eb in the bass clef in the second measure, a Bb in the 3rd
measure, an F in the fourth measure, and so on. He can play
what he sees, but nothing else, because he doesn’t grasp
the fact that the first few measure have given away the
fact that the primary chords have been outlined.

The second musician looks at the same music, but with
“X-ray eyes”. He sees through the same notes into the chord
structure behind the scenes.

The first musician is tied to the written music and
limited to the notes printed on the sheet music, while the
second musician has the best of both worlds: he can read
the music and play it as it is written, but he can also add
chords and fills and come out with a much bigger, more
interesting arrangement than the first musician.

The benefits of becoming a chord detective are many:

It allows a musician to immediately identify what key a
song is in…

It allows a musician to know POSITIVELY which chords are
most likely to occur in each song…

It allows a musician to look at the first measure and the
last measure and immediately know the harmonic form of any
song…

Plus:

It works in any key — major or minor…
It works with any kind of hymn or gospel song…
It works by releasing a musician from being “tied to the
written music”…
It works by allowing a musician to add chords of his or her
own…

The bottom line is this: knowing chords and music
theory allows a “chord detective” to develop “see through
eyes” that immediately perceive the structure of a song and
then allow that musician to use both the written score and
any fillers or improvisations he or she desires to add to a
song.

You’ll learn to “read” music like a map, by using
clues to figure out what chords are being used, then
playing by chords instead of the printed score.

Please go to “How To Become a Chord Detective”

The Samba is a sort of carnival genre of music and dance. Rooted in Rio de Janeiro, it’s the most popular and well-known genre to come out of the Afro-Brazilian culture, a culture created by the slave trade from Africa to Brazil. It’s a very percussive, energetic form of music; as its roots are in carnival parades and celebrations, the samba’s earliest forms has occasional similarities in dynamic to that of marching bands. But the similarities end there; samba is a full-fledged form intended for dancing, not marching. It’s rhythmically unique and culturally vital to Rio de Janeiro and other parts of Brazil.

Like many music and dance genres, the samba is rooted in peasant culture. Groups of neighbors in poor Rio neighborhoods played the music together to sing and dance to and soon adapted the style to become part of their yearly carnival celebration. The samba quickly became an integral part of carnival; the celebratory music was played during carnival parades, and its inclusion made carnival samba a large production. Each samba school (a samba group named so because they often practiced in school yards) performing at carnival included singers, dancers, and an overwhelming drum section in addition to other instruments. The samba schools created large, colorful floats and the dancers’ costumes were equally as intricate and bright. A samba school’s preparations for carnival (which takes place early in the year) would often start as early as July with an incredible number of people working behind the scenes to create the aesthetic. Musicians, too, started this early, working to create an original composition to be used as the yearly parade piece.

Samba stayed largely within the Brazilian underground until 1917 when the first samba recordings appeared; “Pelo Telofone” is believed to be the first recording, though the composition has been attributed to a few different people. This recording and the others that followed brought samba out of the Rio underground and into the limelight; the irresistible energy found in samba quickly caught on in the United States where it became a music and dance phenomenon. The samba dance, a Brazilian tango-based 2/4 step taken directly from the carnival dancers, was altered as it shifted cultures, and soon became the ballroom samba that most Americans know today. The traditional samba is still danced in Brazilian carnival parades.

Click here for information on many different rhythms.

When I operated a piano school many beginning younger students would try to read the notes by assuming that the little numbers above the notes in their piano books were the notes they were supposed to play. We finally convinced them that those were finger numbers, not note numbers — #1 does not mean Middle C and #2 does not mean D, and so on — but were the numbers of their fingers: thumb is #1, index finger is #2, and so forth.

And some piano students (not mine) are told that the fingering written on the printed sheet music is absolute — those are the fingers you MUST use. But it turns out that while they are good suggestions, they are not the best fingering for each individual person or each individual sitution.

For clarification on the common sense of fingering, please go to “The Logic of Piano Fingering”

It’s that time of the year when people think about the meaning of their lives, and what they would like to accomplish the next year.

I’ve always been a goal-setter — ever since I was a little kid. That doesn’t mean I reached the goals I set — far from it — but I did set lots of goals and actually reached some of them.

And one year I set a HUGE goal and reached it — a goal to improve more at the piano in one year than I had during the previous five years.

To read about the goal I set to improve at the piano in one year more than I had in the last five, click on “I dare you to improve more at the piano in 2008 than you have in the last five years”

Can You Become The Piano Player Of Your Dreams in 2008?7

Piano Playing Goals To Accomplish in 2008

As you begin this new year, here are seven goals for you to accomplish within one year — 2008. Of course you can have as many goals as you want, but these 7 goals will take you a long way toward being the piano player of your dreams.

Goal #1: Learn ALL the chords. Not just a few, but ALL the chords. No, it’s not impossible once you grasp the logic of it all. All The Chords In The Whole Wide World

Goal #2: Learn to read chord symbols such as Cm7, Eb9, G7sus, and so on. They are the shorthand of music and allow you to use the written music as a map rather than a straight jacket. Play More Notes Without Reading More Notes

Goal #3: Learn to play in all 12 major keys, not just your favorite keys. Since there are 12 months in the year, you can take one key per month and really master it. For example, in January play everything in the key of C. In February play every song in the key of Db, and so on throughout the year. Learn To Think In All 12 Keys

Goal #4: Learn how to improvise a new melody over the same chords. Improvise!

Goal #5: Learn Music Theory. Until you understand what makes music tick and how it all works, you’ll just be playing notes by rote. Music Theory

Goal #6. Learn how to arrange songs using a variety of styles instead of playing every song just as it is written in sheet music. Dress Up Naked Music

Goal #7: Learn specific techniques that the pros use. Do you know how to straddle? Do you know how to create a cascading waterfall? Do you know how to create an intro to a song with just two chords? Do you know how to create suspensions? Learn at least a few of these pro techniques in 2008. Pro Secrets

If you are a beginner, or a near-beginner, be sure to take the Crash Course, since it starts at square one and over the year covers some of all these subjects, but of course not in the depth you would get by focusing on those individual subjects.

Whatever you do, I wish you a wonderful 2008. Make it the best year ever!

Blessings,

Duane

Here’s wishing you a great ‘08! Watch this short video on using chord substitutions to play “Auld Lang Syne”.

Come on over to http://www.playpiano.com/Articles/47-AuldLangSyne.htm to read the story of Auld Lang Syne.

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas season, and hope your piano playing plays a big part in it. It’s so great to be able to sit down and play for groups of family and friends anytime, but particularly at Christmas when everyone is in the mood to sing along.

Thanks for all your friendships and support this past year, especially during the difficult period in the heart of the Christmas season when we had to close the studio for a week due to a death in the family and the necessary travel time connected with it.

Many of you have emailed your understanding and support, and Muriel, Bev and I deeply appreciate it.

Christmas blessings all over you!

Duane

“Piano lessons for adults who need to understand what they are playing”

It’s only a few weeks before Christmas, but there’s still time to learn to make your Christmas Carols more interesting and colorful.

If you haven’t seen this short sample video, take a look:

That sample video was only about 9 minutes long. Imagine how much you could learn with a DVD on Christmas Carols that lasts two hours!

Come on over and take a look at:

http://www.playpiano.com/musical-courses/christmas/ChristmasCarolsAll4.html