Get Started With 3 Note Piano Chords
Beginners are often intimidated by chords on the piano, how a chord is just playing 3 keys or more at one time. The tough part is knowing which keys to play. In this article I’ll introduce you to 3 note chords and how to easily discover the right notes to play.
3 Note Chords
Basic piano chords are 3 notes all taken from the same scale. So in order to begin learning piano chords you will want to be familiar with the scales for the given chord you want to play.
Example: You should be familiar with a C major scale to play a C major chord.
First Third and Fifth
To play the three note chord we must pick out the first, third and fifth notes from the scale. So if you want to play a C major chord you would look at the C major scale and pick out the first, third and fifth notes from that scale and play them all at the same time.
C major scale: C D E F G A B
The name of a chord is designated by it’s root note which is also the first note. So for the C chord the first note is the C note and that is also known as the root.
By first looking at the scale for the chord you want to play, then knowing where those notes are on the piano you can formulate any 3 note chord. A trick is you only really need to know the location of the first note and then move up from the first to the 3rd and 5th.
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When playing three note chords always use your thumb for the 1st note, then your middle finger for the 3rd note and finally your pinky for the 5th note, even if it feels a bit awkward at first.
Memorizing and Learning Scales
If you haven’t realized it already your scales are the key to understanding how to create piano chords. If you haven’t been practicing them be sure to start spending some time on them now.
Understanding scales is a beginner skill you can learn from online lesson videos, a piano lesson dvd also private instruction. The key is that you take the time to learn the basics and also practice them. To get a jump start check out the course we suggest to most beginners Learn & Master Piano.
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