So, you want to find out how to play piano by ear.  You suspect this skill is held back for those with “special” talent.  You are not right about that! 

What does it mean to play by ear?  Simply that the musician understands the essentials of
Diatonic harmony.  To understand this, you simply need to know a little about chords. 

For instance, in the Key of C Major we have 7 chords.  These are : C Maj.  D min.  E min.  F Maj.  G Maj.  A min.  And B half-diminished. 

Notice that these chords are lined up in order and that they are triads.  Most harmonic theory in the western world gives a number to these chords using roman numbers.  Simply put , we can call the C Major chord one, the D minor chord two, and such like.  You see how it works. 

Get to grips WITH THESE CHORDS! 

Now, once you familiarize yourself with these chords you get to learn something that most composers have know for many years and that’s certain chord progressions have tension and other’s don’t . 

To play piano by ear, you need to learn the most often used chord progression and that’s the 1-4-5 progression.  To put it into chord terms it’s simply the C Major chord followed by the F Major chord and then the G Major chord. 

Knowing these 3 chords will help you play piano by ear guaranteed[**].  How?  Because these chords are utilized in just about all the music here in the west!  Which is to say, most pop songs employ them.  And many , many classical compositions employ them.  They are the footing of modern western harmonic speculation. 

You may be asking yourself why these chords are so important.  You see it all has to do with the scale!  When you play a C major scale you are outlining the chords that can come from it.  When we construct triads using this scale, the chords that are generated give a certain sound.  Composers discovered the most stress exists between the 1 and the 5 chords. 

Now, the early composers prized tension as it meant that they could control how to build to climax and the way to release too. 

To play the piano by ear, learn these three chords in ALL keys.  You’ll soon get the secret!

Learn piano notes You’re never too old to learn piano, visit learn to play piano online  right now!

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,