Exercise: Here are some songs that use the C major scale. You will need to make use
of the hand over, thumb under technique.
The First Noel 59
Allegro thumb under
& 34 3 2 1 2 31 2 34 5 4 3 2
ä Î
·· ·
?mf 43 · ·
6 · · ··
&·
? ä Î
34 5 432 1 32 1 2 3 4
hand over
Joy to the World 60
Andante 4 ä 3 2 hand over 2 1
5 13
&
?mp ·
· ··
5 ·· · ·
& ä
?
2 31 23 4 5
1
thumb under
Page 101
The G Major Scale
The next scale we are going to look at is the G major scale.
R.H.
#1 2 3 1 2 3 #4 5
& key note G
WW H W WW H
key note G first tetrachord joined second tetrachord
L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 #2 1
?
WW H W WW H
first tetrachord joined second tetrachord
G Major Key Signature
Composers will often write pieces based around the notes in a certain scale. If a piece is
based on the notes in the G major scale, we say that the piece is in the key of G major.
In order to indicate what key a song is in, composers add a group of sharps or flats after
the clef mark. This group of sharps or flats is called the key signature.
# · · · ·Here is the key signature for G major. ·
&
?# · · · · ·Note that it has one sharp in it, F #. Glance up at the G
major scale above. You can see that there is only one
sharp on the scale, attached to the note F.
You can easily determine the key signature for any scale if you know what the scale looks
like written out on the musical staff. For example, remember the C major scale? It has no
sharps or flats. Therefore, when no sharps or flats appear at the beginning of the piece,
you know that the piece is written in the key of C major.
Sharps and flats written into the key signature apply to the whole piece. aTnhaFt#m. eTahnes that
whenever the note F appears in a song written in G major, you play it as only
ntime you will not play it as a sharp is if the note is preceded by the natural sign ( ).
Page 102
Exercise: The following piece has two left hand positions. Start with the first hand
position aGnmd aswjoirtckheyw.hRenempreommbpeter dth. aNt othtiicsemtheeankseythsaitganlal tFusreatrheaFt t#esl.ls you that the piece
is in the
61
MidCdle
C D E F G A B C D GABCD
G 12345
54321
Second L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 R.H.
Moderato First L.H.
# 43 3 24 1 5 2 3
&
mp
? # 43
51 25 53 51 25 35
9# 2 4 2 3
&
? #
51 42 5 4 3 51
Second L.H. Position
17 # 3 4 3 2
&
? #
15 25 35 51 25 53 52
First L.H. Position
Page 103
Exercise: The following piece has two right hand positions. Start with the first right hand
position and change where indicated. Notice that there are no sharps or flats, so it is in
the key of C major. MidCdle 62
F G A B CC D E F GG A B C D
54321 12345
L.H. 1 2 3 4 5 Second R.H.
First R.H.
Allegro
44 3 2 13 2
&
?f 44
12 34 2
51 2 3 2
&
w
?w w
43 2 4
Second R.H. Position
93 1 5 2 4 3 1 5 2 4
&
?w w w w
41
13 1 3 242 35 2
&
w
?w w 24
2
43
Page 104
Exercise: Now you will have to switch to a different hand position for both hands.
63
L.H. C D E F G C D E F G R.H. GABCD GABCD
5432 1 12 3 45 L.H. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 R.H.
Moderato 4 5 2 4
1 3 5
& 44
? 44
5 13 4
51 45 52
&
?
5 13 G hand position 4
9 · 1 5 1
&
?
25 13 4
13 5 1 4 1
&
? Î Î Î
2 54
17 2 Î C hand position 5 13
1
&
?Î
5 13 15
Page 105
WE’RE JAMMIN’!
Jam Track Two
Exercise: Here is another Jam Track for you to have some fun with! This piece is in
the key of G major which you have just learned about. Listen to the track with piano
first, and practice your part several times before you jam out with the band.
02
 · · · ·
? #4 · · · ·
5 #1 23 12 53 42 31 5 43
&
?#
42
5 2 1 3 1
4
·
13 # 4 45 2 1
&
?# ·
34 5 3 1 4
5
20 # 4 5 31 2 4 1 2 1 3 4 5 1
&
?#
1 5 13 5 3 2 4 13
Continued on the next page..
Page 106
2
28 # 4 5 31 2 4 1 2 1 3
&
?#
3
1 5 2 35 ·
33 # 4 5 3 1 521 ·
&
?# ··
5 2
1 35
Play this track to jam out 02x
the song with the Rocket
Band!
Page 107
Chapter 14. Tempo Revisited and a New Intervalqq
q
In this chapter, we’re going to look at more tempo marks, including legato, allegretto,
poco, and lento. You’ll also learn more about the dotted notes.
For right now, though, let’s look at a new interval: the 6th.
The 6th
When there are four white keys in between two notes played consecutively or simultaneously
on the piano, you are dealing with a 6th.
On the musical staff, 6ths are written:
1. When the first note is on a space and the next note is three
lines above it.
2. When the first note is on a line and the next note is three
spaces above it.
&q &qq
6th
? q ?q
When playing 6ths, it is necessary to move either the pinky (5) or the thumb (1) to reach
the extra notes. Let’s take a look at what this would mean on the keyboard, starting with
the right hand in the C position. For extra help, see the video lesson.
R.H.
10
BCDE FGA
1123455
The thumb can now play either the C or B note, while the pinky can play either the G or
A note. CA BG
6th & q q & q q 6th
Page 108
Here’s a brief recap of the intervals we’ve covered so far. 64
Melodic Intervals
& 6th
2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Harmonic Intervals
&
2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
Now, let’s look at what this will mean for the left hand in the C position.
L.H.
BCDEFGA C
55432 11
Again, the thumb can now play either the C or B note, while the pinky can play either the
G or A note. CA BG
6th ? q q ? q q 6th
65
? Melodic Intervals
4th 5th 6th
2nd 3rd
? Harmonic Intervals 4th 5th 6th
2nd 3rd
Page 109
Legato
Legato is an Italian word that means “smoothly.” When you see it before a piece, you
should play that piece so that all the notes are joined into a smooth flow.
Exercise: Play the following piece in a smooth way. Remember that the dotted half note
means that you should hold the note for an extra beat.
C Position
FC G A B C D E F G
Legato 1 5 3 5 43212345 66
L.H. R.H.
& 43
4
?mp 43
51
53 3
52
5 3 4
&
?
42 51 3 4
91
5 23
&
?
4 5 3 14
4
13 1
&
?
53 5 1 3 fine
fine means “finish” in Italian
Page 110
Allegretto
Allegretto means to play quickly, but not quite as quick as allegro.
Exercise: The following piece has both hands moving to cover the extra keys demanded
by the intervals. Note the 1st and 2nd time endings.
C Position
BC DE FG ABCD E FGA
55 432 111123455
L.H. R.H.
Prelude 67
Allegretto Î ä ä
ä ä Î
& 4 Î ä 1 3 ä Î ä 1 3 ä
ä Î ä Î
mp ä
? 4 ä
531 531
7 ä 1 3 ä Î ä 2 4 ä Î ä ä
ä Î ä ä Î ä ä Î
&Î
4 21
? ä
531
13 12 4 1. 2.
&Î Î Î
?Î · Î · Î Î
51 fine 51
Page 111
Dotted Notes
In Chapter 6 pg 48, you learned that a dot after a note makes that note longer by half its
original value. You practiced with the dotted half note.
h. h q= + = 3 beats
A dotted quarter note functions in exactly the same way.
q. q e= + = 1 ½ beats
In other words, a dotted half note equals three tied quarter notes, while a dotted quarter
note equals three tied eighth notes.
h. = q_ q_ q
q. = e_ e_ e or i_ q_ e
Exercise: Count or clap this exercise aloud.
44 q q q_iq q_iq q_iq
Exercise: Now, do the exercise again, but written the correct way (using dotted quarter
and half notes).
44 q q q. e q. e q. e
Page 112
Poco
Poco is Italian for “a little.” It is another performance indicator that goes in conjunction
with other tempo indicators.
Exercise: The following piece should be played “a little” andante, or at a walking
pace. C Position
BC DE FG ABCD E FGA
Poco 44an5dante 55 432 111123455 68
L.H. R.H.
& 3
3 5 5 4
ww
?f 44 ww
15
5 13 25
51 35 52
&
15
? ww ww ww
13 15 14
95 3 5 5
&
ww
? ww
51
5 13 25
13 1 35 52
&
? ww ww 15 24
13 15 41
Page 113
Lento
You already learned the Italian word adagio, which means to play slowly. Lento is used
interchangeably with adagio to indicate that you should play the piece slowly.
cYveorusisohnooufldthaelstiomneostiegnthaatut rteheforlecttoemr monthtaimt ea,poprea44rstimafete. r the clef mark is a shortened
c = Common Time
69
Exercise: The following piece should be played “a little” andante, or a little bit at a
walking pace. Use the extended C position to reach all the notes and be careful with the
dotted notes.
Lento Antonín Dvořák
3 5 2 Î
w
& c
14 5
?mpc w w ww Î
5 1 51 52
63 2 Î
&
? w ww Î ww
1 15 153 21 1
11 5 2 1 4 5
Î 3 2
&
? Î w w ww
2 15 1 15
16 2
Î 3 2 Î
&
? Î w w ww Î
15 5 1 15 153
Page 114
WE’RE JAMMIN’!
Jam Track Three
Exercise: This Jam Track for you to play includes use of the dotted half note you have
just been learning about. Practice your piano part and listen to the first track with piano
before you go on to play with the band in the second track.
03
& ## Moderately 512 513
44 513
2 4
? ##44
5 1
5 ## 513 512 513 15 www 512
& w
5 1
? ## 2
1 2 5
9 ## 513 513 513 www 513 512
&
? ##
1 2 3 4 1 2 5
15 ## 513 15 www 512 513 15 513 512 www 512
&
? ## w w
1 25 3 1 25 1 5 2 1 5
Are you ready to play with 03x
the Rocket Band? Let’s have
a go!
Page 115
Chapter 15. Two New Scales
In this chapter, you are going to learn two new scales: F major and D major. Also, you’ll
learn the last two intervals: 7ths and 8ths.
The F Major Scale
Whereas the G major scale had one sharp, the F major scale has one flat, B b.
1 234 cross 1 under key note F
&b b 1 2 3 4
WW H W WW H key note F &b ·
first tetrachord second tetrachord ·
?b
key note F joined
Note the key
?b 5 4 32 1 3 2 1 signature.
b
WW H W WW H
first tetrachord joined second tetrachord
The fingering for the F major scale is a little different from the scales you’ve learned so far.
When your right hand plays the scale, it would be too awkward to cross your thumb under
your middle finger. Instead, your right thumb will go under your right ring finger.
11
Practice the F major scale, ascending and descending with both hands. Remember that
when playing a descending scale with your right hand, the right ring finger crosses over.
When playing a descending scale with your left hand, the thumb goes under.
Exercise: Play this piece with both hand separately. cross 3 over 70
&b 43 5 5 43 3 2 113 21
? b 43
1 1
23 3 1 2 2 3 45
cross 1 under
Page 116
Exercise: This piece has a moving right hand position. In other words, the right hand
position has to adjust to cover all the notes. The following positions will help you get used
to the movement needed to encompass the notes outside the regular hand position.
Bb
CDE F G moves up and again
12345
CDE F GA CDE F GA
12345 12345
Allegretto 71
5 51 41
1 4 13
& b 44
?mfb 44 ww ww ww
52 15 25 51
5 Î 31 41 51 Î 31 41 51 Î 31 41 21 Î
&b
? b ww ww ww ww
25 51
52 1 15 1 35 35
9 35 35 1 2
&b
? b ww ww ww
52 51 51 15 52
13 1 2 3
5 123 5 123 5 1
&b
? b ww ww ww
15 25 51 52
Page 117
The 7th
Now that you’re becoming so good at moving your hands around the keyboard, let’s try
a new interval: the 7th. This interval is measured by having five white keys between the
notes.
The 7ths can sound slightly dissonant to begin with, so don’t worry if they sound a little
funny to you. They take a little getting used to.
On the musical staff, 7ths are written:
1. When the first note is on a space and the next note is
three spaces above it.
2. When the first note is on a line and the next note is
three lines above it.
7th &q q &qq
? q q ?q q
When you play 7ths, you will need to reach your fingers even farther. Look at the hand
position below. Note that on the left hand, your thumb will play not just G and A, but B as
well. On the right hand, your pinky will play G, A, and B.
If you need extra help with the hand position, play Video Lesson 12. 12
L.H. R.H.
CDE F GAB CDE F GAB
12 3 45 5 5
5432 1 11
? & Î
CB B
C CB B
C
Page 118
Exercise: Use the left and right hand positions shown below to play the following piece
and accustom your ear to 7ths.
72
BCDE FGABCDEFGAB
55432 111123455 5
L.H. R.H.
Moderato
& 44 1 5 54 3 45
Î Î
?mf44 ww ww
51 15
5 15 15 51 4 31
5 Î Î
& Î
? ww ww
8 15 24 51 42 5 13
31
&Î Î 35
?
15
513 51 3 51
15
Page 119
Here’s a quick recap of the notes we’ve covered so far.
FGABCDE FGABCDE FGABCDE F
&
?
Exercise: This piece has no sharps or flats, which means that it is in the key of C major.
It also has a lot of movement around the 6th and 7th intervals, so take your time getting
used to the shifting intervals.
73
5 5 5 51 51 5 51 5
1
& c 1 1 1 1
?mp c
51 4 32
5 1 5
&
? 5
1 1 51
5 51 51
51
9 51 51 51 5 5 31
& 15 1 1
15
?
14 21 5 4 3 15
Page 120
The D Major Scale
The next scale we’ll look at is the D major scale. D major has two sharps: F#and C #. Take
some time to memorize each scale individually. It is easy to memorize a scale once you
know the rule that every scale is made up of two tetrachords joined by a whole note.
cross 1 under
& ## 1 23 1 2 3 #4 5
#
WW H W WW H &## ·
first tetrachord joined second tetrachord ? ## ·
cross 3 over This is the key
signature for D
5 43 2 1 3 #2 1 major.
? ## #
WW H W WW H
first tetrachord joined second tetrachord
Exercise: Familiarize yourself with the D major scale with the following piece.
74
Allegro
&## 44 5 1 5 1 45 5 1 4
Î
1
? #p# 44
2
54
5 ## 1 4 5 4 21 5 32 1 4 32 1
&
Î Î
? ## Î
1
2 2 5
Page 121
Exercise: This piece is in D major also. The expression cantabile means to play the
piece with a singing style.
Kum-Ba-Ya 75
Cantabile
&## 44 1 2 4 54 13 5
w
? ## 44 · ww ww · ww
24 14
7 ## 42 1 4 5
& w
·
? ## ww ww 14
12 ## 4 15 31 42
4 21
& w
ww w
? ## ww 24 ww
2 14 51 42
4
Page 122
Accidentals
You already know that sharp, flat, or natural signs may appear before a note in a musical
score to alter that note’s pitch. You know that a piece’s key signature tells you what notes
will be sharp or flat for the duration of that piece, unless preceded by a natural sign.
An accidental is a note that pisrescheadrpe,dflbayt,aor#n, abtu, roarl ncothnatrtadryoetos the key signature. In
other words, the note will be not appear in the key
signature.
Exercise: This piece is in C major, so it would normally have no sharps or flats in it. So,
the sharps that appear in the piece would be considered accidentals.
Allegretto 76
& 43 5 4 3 2 1 35 1 24 1
#
?f 34 · #
13 1 4
5 2
52 3 4 123 2
5 53
& # #
#
? · #
5 5 23 13
21
93 5 1 241
&
?
5 12 45 35
Page 123
The 8th or Octave
At last, we’ve reached the last interval in music: the 8th, or as it is more commonly known,
the octave. The octave is measured by having six white keys between the two keys being
played. The two keys being played will have the exact same letter note: for example, the
distance between F and F, when there is six keys in between them, is one octave.
On the musical staff, octaves are written:
1. When the first note is on a space and the next
note is four lines above it.
2. When the first note is on a line and the next
note is four spaces above it.
8th &q q &qq
?q q ?q q
13
For more about octaves, play Video Lesson 13.
Before we go further, let’s do a recap of the 7 intervals. 77
Melodic Intervals
& 4th 5th 6th
7th 8th
2nd 3rd
Harmonic Intervals 4th 5th 6th
&
7th 8th
2nd 3rd
78
? MelodicIntervals
2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
7th 8th
? Harmonic Intervals
2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
7th 8th
Page 124
Accelerando
In the piece below, you’lll learn two new tempo indicators. Accelerando means that you
should gradually increase the tempo. The word a tempo means that you should return to
the original tempo.
Exercise: Try to navigate the piece below without the help of the fingering system.
Poco allegro 79
15 4 3 5 ä 4 3 2 Î ä b 1
& 44 ä b
?f 44 ww ww wwaccelerando #ww
51 13 15 42
52 5 Î ä b ä Î 15
& ä
?a tempo ww wwaccelerando #ww
14 1 15
31 42
9 5 1Î 1 5 ä 4 3 b Î
& b
? awwtempo ww Î
14 1 51 42 51 fine
Page 125
Repeat with D.S. al fine
Let’s say that you want to repeat the second half of a song rather than begin again from
the beginning. The sign D.S. al fine will help you do that. It stands for Dal segno al fine
and means that you should repeat the piece from the % sign and play until you reach the
word fine.
Exercise: Practice the piece below with just the left hand to get yourself used to the
movement. Then, add the right hand. Remember to play slowly to accustom yourself to
the movements required. 80
Moderato andante
&## 43 5 34 43 2 1 5
?mp## 43 n
5 13 5 13 5 13 5 13 5 13
2
6 ## 5 23 4 53 2 %1
&
? ## n b
5 13 5 13 5 13 5 13 5 13
3 12 3 4 12 3
11 ##
n
&
? ## n
5 13 5 13 5 13 5 13 5 13
16 ## 2 1 2 3 4 D.S. al fine
&
? ##
5 13 5 13 5 13 5 12 153 fine
Page 126
Fortissimo: Making it Loud
You may also see volume indicators on a musical score. The letters ff stand for fortissimo,
which means that you should play very loudly. Similarly, the letters pp stand for pianissimo,
which means that you should play very quietly.
Exercise: At this stage, you have played enough to be able to abandon the fingering
system. The fingering indicated in the scores below is a guide only. If you can find a
fingering that is more comfortable and natural to you, then play the piece that way.
Allegro moderato 81
5 5 3 2 31 13 12 3
1
& 44 # ff
? f44f · pp Î
Î #
1 5 15
5 13 15 1
5
61 3 1 51 3 ff 3
&
1 #
? # 5 Î #
# 35 1
51 13
51 51
11 31 13 2 1 3 4 5
&
? #
pp
· Î w #w w
w #w w
15 15 15
1 fine
5
Page 127
WE’RE JAMMIN’!
Jam Track Four
Exercise: This next Jam Track is in the key signature of D major. You have been
learning about the D major scale in this chapter. Practice through your piano part a few
times, before jamming it out with the Rocket band!
Listen to this track to hear what the full 04
band and piano sound like all together.
4 4 45
& ## 44 2 1
2 3
? ##44
5 32 1 2 4 5 3 2 1 2
5 ## 5 4 3 2 1 2 5 3 5 4 2 1
&
? ##
3 2 5 4 3
8 ## 2 4 5 1 51 ww51
&
? ## w
2 5 2 3 14 2 1
When you can play this piece confidently by 04x
yourself, you are ready to jam! This track has
the band but no piano. So you can play the
piano part on your own!
Page 128
Chapter 16. Metronomes and More
In this chapter, you are going to learn how to use a metronome to check your tempo.
You’ll learn one final note (a sixteenth note) and how to play scales in contrary motion.
The Metronome
qHave you ever seen a piece of music with mm = 72 or some other number written
above it? This is an extra tempo indicator that is used in conjunction with a metronome.
A metronome is a device that clicks at a certain
rate, set by the user. Those clicks function like a
tapping toe, or counting aloud “one-two-three-four.”
The mm in the example above stands for Maelzels
Metronome, which is an old style of metronome
that measures time through the mechanics of a
pendulum, which swings faster or slower depending
on the position of an adjustable metal weight.
A metronome is set to beats per minute. If you set
it at 60, then the metronome will click once every
second, or at 60 beats per minute. This is quite a
slow setting.
qThe = 72 in the example above tells you to
set your metronome to 72 beats per minute. The
value of a quarter note is equal to the value of the
metronome setting. So, there will be 72 quarter
note beats per minute.
You can practice perfecting your timing using
the Rocket Piano Metronome, the free
software included with this book. Perfect
your sense of rhythm! Never drop the beat
again!
Page 129
The Sixteenth Note
The last note value that we will look at in this book is the sixteenth note. Like the eighth
note, it will often appear grouped in pairs or larger groups.
Two sixteenth notes equal one eighth note, while...
e = jq = x + x ...four sixteenth notes equal one quarter note.
q = jjjq = x+x+x+x
When counting sixteenth notes, you count: “ONE-e-and-a-TWO-e-and-a-THREE-e-and-
a-FOUR-e-and-a...”
1 2 3 4 1- e and a 2-e and a 3-e and a 4-e and a 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
44 q q q q jjjq jjjq jjjq jjjq iiiq iiiq
Exercise: This piece looks quite difficult due to the number of notes, but play through
slowly, or adagio, to begin with. Then, try to increase your speed as you get used to the
counting. Can you play this piece allegro?
82
5 432 1 51
& 44 Î Î
? 44
Î
5 13
3
& Î
?
Page 130
Exercise: Use the Rocket Piano Metronome to practice your rhythm with this piece.
83
Andante moderato
& 44 13 45 1
? 44
5 13
4
&
?
8
&
?
Page 131
Scale in Contrary Motion
A scale in contrary motion is where the left hand is ascending and the right hand is
descending, or vice versa. Playing scales in contrary motion is a good way to get used to
fingering and playing scales. It is also a good starting point to practice the independence
of both hands.
Exercise: Practice the following scales. Go slowly to begin with. If you need additional
help, play Video Lesson 14.
14 R.H. descending, L.H. ascending
C major & 5 4 3 2 1 32 1 · ·
· ·
?
· ·
5 1 · ·
·
1 43 2 1 32 5 ·
& R.H. ascending, L.H. descending
?
23 1 23 4 5
1
231 23 4
9 5 R.H. descending, L.H. ascending
&
? #4 3 2 1 3 2 1 ·
·
G major 5 #
1
43 2 1 32
13 1 R.H. ascending, L.H. descending
& 2 3 1 2 3 #4 5 ·
? # ·
1231 234 5
Page 132
Reading Notes Above/Below Lines
Just a brief comment about reading notes above or below the lines. You have already
seen the note with the line running through it (Middle C) as well as the note beneath the
line.
qq
Extra lines can be added to indicate the position of musical notes that fall off the musical
staff. Those lines are called ledger lines. They are useful for extremely high or low
notes.
&q qqq ledger lines
For now, we’ll use notes that fall no further than two lines below or above the staff, but be
aware that notes can be written like those you see below.
C DE F GA B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C
&
?
same notes but written
differently using added
ledger lines
Page 133
Chapter 17. Chords
Now, you’re ready to learn about chords! You’ve already been playing chords all this time.
That’s because you are playing a chord any time you play two or more notes together.
To understand chords completely, you must know what a triad is. A triad is a chord with
three notes. The three notes in a triad are:
www ● the fifth note www 3r5otrdoht
35r ortdoht ● the third note
● the root note
The type of triad name will come from the root note on the bottom. If the root note is on
the bottom of the triad, it is said to be in root position.
A triad can begin on any note in a scale.
Below are the triads in C major.
R.H. 135 www www www www www www
& www 513
L?.H. www315 www www www www www www
135
Exercise: Play through the above triads slowly to get used to playing three notes at
once.
Chords are usually played with 15
the left hand, while the right hand
is free to play the melody.
Page 134
Exercise: Practice playing chords with the following piece. 84
Moderato
1 35 3 13 5 15 1 5
& c
? c 135
513 135
5 15 15 1 125 1 2 5
&
? 351 315
513
10 5 231 5 231
www
& 351
? www www
14 1 5 3 1 5 4 135
&
? 153 315 315
Page 135
Primary Triads
The most frequently used triads are those that begin on the first, fourth, and fifth note of
the scale. These are called the primary triads.
When these chords are written down, they are usually identified by Roman numerals.
For example, in the key of C major, the three primary triads will be C, F, and G. (In other
words, C, F, and G are the root, or bottom, notes of these triads.)
Position Triad Chord To see these chords played
1st note C major I watch Video Lesson 16.
4th note F major IV
5th note G major V 16
Here are the I, IV, and V progression chords, with each in the root position.
I w w IV Vwww w w w
& www1 2 3 www 5 6 7 8
4
I w w IwwwV Vwww w w w
? www
1234 5678
Exercise: Play through slowly to get used to the movements and sounds.
& 44 351 531 315
IV IV I
I
? 44 531 513 513 ·
I IV IV I
Page 136
Chord Progression
When there is a series of chords in a row, it is called a chord progression. The I, IV, V
progression that you have just learned is very popular and used in many compositions.
Chords may not always appear in root position. When playing the chord progression, the
hand must jump around a lot, from one root position to another. To avoid this and improve
the playability of a piece, the chord may be inverted. Inverting a chord involves altering
the note that is played on the bottom or top of the chord. In other words, the notes are
shuffled to better suit their playability.
? wwwI IV V
F root note is moved up G root note is moved up
The F and G chords are now played in what we call the first inversion position. Try to
play the chords in this way and note how much easier they are to play.
Exercise: Play the following chord progression with the IV and V chords in the second
inversion position.
? wwwI IwwwV wwwV
CF G
(1st inversion) (1st inversion)
Page 137
2nd Inversions ·
For the G chord (V), you can shuffle the notes yet again.
? www www www
Now the chord has been altered twice from it’s root position, the G chord is now in the
second inversion.
Every time the bottom chordal note is moved to the top of the chord, the chord goes
through another inversion (first, second, third, and so on).
Exercise: Compare and contrast the chord progressions with and without inversions.
Play the original I, IV, V progression.
? 44 351 ·
I IV IV I
Now, play the I, IV, V progression with the new inversions. Note the difference in
quality.
I IV IV I ·
? 44
CF CG C
(2nd inversion) (1st inversion)
Page 138
Exercise: Practice with the following piece using the Rocket Piano Metronome.
85
Allegretto
& 44 q= 961 234 ä 1 b 4 3 ä b n b
ä b n b n b
? 44 ä Î ä Î 125 ä Î
4 513 1 1 31 4 1 31 4
& ä b n b ä b n ä b n
? ä Î
7 153 125 1 4 531
& ä b n b ä b ä b
? 315 ä Î ä Î ä Î
1 5
10 4 15 14
&ä ä ä b n b
? 153 ä Î ä Î ä Î
Page 139
Primary Triads in G major
The primary triads in the key of G major have the same shape as the C triads. Although
the notes are different, the inversions and finger positions will be the same.
In the key of G, the three primary triads are G, C, and D.
Position Triad Chord
1st note G major I
4th note C major IV
5th note D major V
The I, IV, V progression of G major, with all the chords in the root position, looks like
this:
R.H. I w w IwwwV Vwww w w w
www
# 12 3 4 567 8
&
I w w IwwwV Vwww
L?.H. # www
1 2 3 45
Now, with the new inversions of chords, it looks like this: #V
? I IV # D ·
www C (2nd inversion)
G
(root position) (1st inversion)
Exercise: Play through the G major I, IV, V progression separately to being with, then
play with both hands together.
& 44 351 351 513 512 315 · ·
? 44 153 153 135 153 153 · ·
Page 140
Ethxeer135cispeo:siPtiroanc.tice the G major triads with the following piece. For left hand chords use
86
Allegro
&# 44 1 24 13 1 4 31
Î
? #f44 www
6# 5 4 321 41 2 3 4
&
Î
? # www
12 # 3 2 4 1
&
? #
17 # 4 1 14 Î
&
Î
? # www www
22 # 1 3 1 4 14
&
Î
? # www
Page 141
Primary Triads in F major
The primary triads in F major are also the same shape and inversion as the other triads,
except with different notes.
In the key of F, the three primary triads are F, B b, and C.
Position Triad Chord
1st note I
4th note FBmbmaajojor r IV
5th note V
C major
The I, IV, V progression of F major, with all the chords in the root position, looks like this:
R.H. I w w IwwwV Vwww w w w
&b www
12 3 4 567 8
I w w IwwwV wwwV
L?.H. b www
1 2 3 45
Now look at the I, IV, V progression in F major with the chord inversions.
I IV V · ·
? b44 www Bb C
F (1st inversion) (2nd inversion)
(root position)
Exercise: Play through the F major I, IV, V progression separately to begin with, then
play with both hands together.
&b44 315 351 513 251 153
? b44 135 153 135 153 135
Page 142
Exercise: Practice the F major triads.
87
Allegretto
&b 43 2
mf
? b 34 135 5 135
7 b 4 1
&
? b
135
13 1 2
&b
? b
153 153 51
19
&b
? b
Did you ever imagine you’d be
playing songs this complicated
when you started?
Page 143
Primary Triads in D major
The primary triads of D major are D, G, and A.
Position Triad Chord
1st note D major I
4th note G major IV
5th note A major V
The I, IV, V progression of D major in the root position is as follows:
R&.H.## I w IV Vwww w w w
www w www 8
12 34 56 7
I w w IwwwV wwwV
L?.H. ## www
1 2345
And now the same progression, except with the chord inversions:
? b44 I IV V · ·
www G A
D (1st inversion) (2nd inversion)
(root position)
Exercise: Play through the D major I, IV, V progression separately to begin with, then
play with both hands together.
&b44 153 531 531 215 351
? b44 153 135 153 153 153
Page 144
Exercise: Practice the D major triads with the following piece.
88
Lento
&## 44 3 2 4
www 135
www www
? ## 44 www 153
5 ## 1 4 2 3
& Î
Î www
? ## w 15 www 135 135
w
9 ## 1 4 3
www
&
www
? ## www www
13 ## 4 5 2 1 41
&
www
? ## www
Page 145
Block and Broken Chords
What you have been playing are block chords. These are chords made of three or more
notes, all played together. #www Block chords of the scales
we’ve looked at already
? www www www
CGF D
The opposite of a block chord is a broken chord. This is when you play the notes of a
chord separately. Below are broken chords of the scales we’ve already looked at.
? #
C G FD
For more information watch Video Lesson 17. 17
Exercise: Practice block chords by playing the following bars with C, G, F, and D.
Adagio
& 44 135 315 # 531 #153
# #
? 44
135 135 135 153
Now, practice broken chords in both hands by playing the following with C, G, F, & D.
Adagio
& 44 1 3 5 3 1 5 1 3 15
#
#
? 44
51
531 51 51
Page 146
Chapter 18. Minors
In this chapter you’ll learn about the minors: minor keys, minor scales, and minor
intervals.
Every major key has a corresponding minor key. The minor key is always relative to a
major key.
The relative minor scale always begins on the sixth note of any major scale.
Let’s take C major as an example.
& · · 18 · ·
1 2 34 567 8
A
The sixth note is A, so in C major (with no sharps or flats), A is the relative minor.
Now we play the scale starting on A. · · ··
&
So, C major and A minor have the same key signatures. Thus, they are relative.
We’ll now look at the three types of minor scales/keys, starting with A minor.
The Natural Minor Scale
The natural minor scale uses only the notes of the relative major, which, in the case of
A, is C major. The other two minor scales are both variations of the natural minor scale.
& · & · · · ·
? · ? · · · ·
a natural minor ascending a natural minor descending
Page 147
The Harmonic Minor Scale
In the harmonic minor scale, the seventh note is raised a half step, or up a semi-tone.
The harmonic minor is the most commonly used minor scale.
In A harmonic minor, the G (G being the 7th note in the scale) is raised up to G #. · ·
·
A harmonic minor scale
·
& # # ·
? # # ·
The Melodic Minor the 7th note is rtaoisGed#
by a semi-tone
The descending melodic minor uses different notes from the ascending version of the
scale. On the way up the sbceacloem, teheF6#thanadndth7ethGnwoitlel sbeacreomraeisGed#.a half step or semi-tone.
In this instance, the F will
When playing the scale on the way down, you will n(FotnuasnedaGnyn.s)harps at all. Rather, you’ll
play the same notes as in the natural minor scale
A melodic minor scale ·
& # # n n
? # # n n ·
When ascending, the When descending, the 6th
and 7th notes (G and F)
6ratihseadndto7Fth#nanotdeGs a#.re are played as natural.
Exercise: A good way to practice and learn these scales is to play them in contrary
motion. You should also practice playing the other major scales we have learned in
contrary motion as well.
Page 148
Minor Intervals
Now that you’ve learned all eight major intervals, you are ready to learn about minor
intervals. Minor intervals can be measured by taking a major interval and flattening/
lowering it by a semi-tone.
For more information watch Video Lesson 19. 19
The first interval we will look at is the minor 3rd interval. A minor 3rd looks similar to the
major 3rd interval, except that it is flattened by a semi-tone. In other words, minor 3rds
are always three semi-tones apart, while major 3rds are always four semi-tones apart.
Eb
Major 3rd Minor 3rd
CDE & b bMajor 3rd Minor 3rd
Exercise: Go through the notes in an octave from Middle C and play the major 3rds, then
their subsequent minor 3rds.
& 44 31 31 # n 31 b
# n b
b # n
? 44 b # n
5 31 b # n # n b
b # n # n b
&
?
Page 149
The Perfect 5th
Now, the next step is to make a full chord. Any time a note is a 5th apart, it is called a
perfect 5th. You should recognize perfect 5ths, as you’ve played them before. A perfect
5th is always seven semi-tones apart.
& 44 # · ·
? 44 # · ·
Notice that in the last perfect 5th above, there is a B and an F#. This is because F# is ·
·
Texhaecretlfyosree,vFen#isseinmcil-utodneedseavwenaythfrooumghBi,t which means that its relation to B is a perfect 5th.
is not in the scale of C major.
For more information watch Video Lesson 20 20
Minor Triads
Once you understand minor 3rds and perfect 5ths, you can learn the names to the triads.
Here are some minor triads beginning with C minor.
& 44 b b b # b ·
b b # b ·
? 44 b
EF GA BC
CD minor minor minor minor minor minor
minor minor
For more information watch Video Lesson 21. 21
Page 150
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