Did you know that music is based on natural "laws"
-- like gravity -- and by learning to understand how those natural laws work we
can actually understand what we are doing when we play -- we don't have to be at
the mercy of what someone else has written on a piece of music?
How many
of these facts do you know about music & piano playing? Test yourself and then
check the answers at the bottom of the page:
Did you know that by
learning just 3 chords you can play hundreds of songs?
Did you know that
there are only 12 major keys you can play in, but you only really have to master
one key to play most popular songs?
Did you know that it is possible to
easily match any melody note (tune) to a chord, so you can harmonize any note?
Did you know that Beethoven's Fur Elise and the blues song "Summertime" uses the
exact same chords for the theme of the song?
Did you know that it is
quite possible to predict what chord comes next in a song with accuracy
approaching 85%?
Did you know you can use the same chords to play boogie,
blues, new age, gospel, pop, rock, jazz, country - anything except classical
music? (And even some classics!)
Did you know that guitar chords are the
same as piano chords -- the only thing different is the instrument and the
resulting sound?
Did you know that hundreds of songs use exactly the same
form, so by learning that form you can know what's coming next in a song?
Did you know that by coming in through the backdoor of piano playing -- chords
-- you can start making wonderful and satisfying sounds on the piano in just a
few days instead of a few years -- even if you don't know Middle C from Tweedle
Dee?
Answers to piano playing music questions:
True. That's
because there are just 3 primary chords in any key -- like family members: Mom,
Dad, Child. Get to know those 3 and you've got it.
True. It's like
languages. It's great to be able to speak several, but you can get by with just
one. I'd love to speak other languages, but I can get by with just English.
True. Every note is part of several different chords. So it is easy to harmonize
any song once you know the secret.
True. Yep. They both use the A minor
chord and the E7 chord in their themes.
True. I know that's hard to
believe, but remember that music is based on math. Once you understand a thing
called the "Circle of 4ths" it's a piece of cake. In fact, I can tell you right
now that 85% of the time the G chord comes directly after the D7 chord. So next
time you run into the D7 chord, you have an educated guess of 85% that the next
chord will be some form of the G chord. (G, G7 etc.) If you're into amazing your
friends, that'll do it!
True. Apply different rhythms to the same
chords, and you have many styles of music! With the very same chords I can play
boogie, jazz, rock, pop, gospel, new age, ragtime.
True. Chords are
chords. Once you know them, you can apply them to any instrument.
True.
Musical forms such as "AABA" and "ABA" are the basis of thousands and thousands
of songs.
True. Understanding chords and how them form the skeleton of
music accelerates the learning curve exponentially.
The bottom line
is this: music is based on natural law and is mathematical in nature.
Understanding is the key to both rapid learning and getting more enjoyment out
of the process.
About the Author
A series or free lessons from Duane on the various
aspects of piano chords & music theory is available:
"Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions!"
|
