There’s no doubt that the human ear is hooked on this repetitive chord progression, and it turns out there’s a scientific reason why these particular chords interact so strongly with the tonic. The concoction of different frequencies of the pitches within these magic chords create a whole loa...
Dominant chords are not always resolved to the tonic chord, and additional musical effects are created when dominant chords are followed by chords such as the vi (Am in the key of C) or IV (F in the key of C). Try playing these chords after the G7 in the 'cliffhanger' progression a...
Each piece of music, be it a song, symphony or concerto, is written in a specific ‘key’. But what do we mean when we refer to a musical key, why are there 24 of them, and how do composers choose which key to write in?
If you are ever playing piano for church and playing with a guitarist, you'll definitely run into this! What A Capo Does (and what this means for piano chords) A capo changes the key that a song is played in. For a guitarist, they can play a C chord shape but actually be playing...
When learning to use piano pedals effectively, it’s helpful to avoid common mistakes that can detract from your performance. Here are key pitfalls to watch for: Over-pedaling: Constant pedal use can cause a blurred, muddy sound. Lift the pedal briefly when changing harmonies to maintain clari...
As with any new skill, consistent practice is key. Even just 15 minutes a day can make a big difference over time. Exercise Patience It's important to remember that learning an instrument is a journey, not a race. There will be some chords that are more challenging to master, ...
Creative songwriters love to borrow chords from scales outside of the main key. In fact if you lay out the diatonic chords of C major, you’ll find that ii, ii and vi are all minor and can all be used as predominant chords before V.In...
Explore the key differences between piano chords and scales, understanding the role each plays to refine your skills and enhance performance.
Decide on the tempo:this is measured in Beats Per Minute (BPM) and tells you how fast or slow your song moves Figure out what key you’re in:most songs are in a major or minor key and always correspond with the musical alphabet (A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, ...
Where do diminished chords typically occur? Diminished triads naturally occur on the seventh scale degree of any major scale, or the second scale degree of any minor scale. For example, in the key of C major, if you build a triad using B as the root note, you’ll naturally get a B ...