How To Memorize Every Major & Minor Chord On Piano
Summary
TLDRThis video focuses on learning major and minor chords on the piano, essential for all types of music. It teaches how to fluently recognize and play these chords by grouping them into manageable sets. The instructor emphasizes understanding the visual and tactile feel of the chords, reducing memorization by linking major chords with their minor counterparts. The video also provides practice tips, such as using metronomes and breaking notes up, along with various techniques like progressing in half steps or following the circle of fifths to master these foundational chords.
Takeaways
- πΉ Major and minor chords are foundational for playing piano and are used in nearly every type of music.
- π― It's crucial to become fluent in recognizing and playing these chords automatically, similar to how we recognize words when reading.
- π There are 12 major chords and 12 minor chords, but learning the major ones first helps simplify the process.
- π’ Organizing the chords into four groups of three based on shape makes them easier to learn and practice.
- πΌ Root position refers to the original position of the chord with each note in order starting from the root.
- πΆ The first group consists of major chords that only use white notes: C major, F major, and G major.
- πΉ The second group includes major chords that have a black note in the middle: D major, E major, and A major.
- π€ The third group consists of major chords that go black-white-black: D-flat major, E-flat major, and A-flat major.
- π΅ You can transform a major chord into a minor chord by lowering the middle note (the third) by a half step.
- π‘ Practicing different groups, using metronomes, drum tracks, or mixing chords, helps you become faster and more accurate with these chord shapes.
Q & A
What are the most foundational chords to learn first on the piano?
-The most foundational chords to learn first on the piano are major and minor chords. These are common and useful in virtually all types of music.
How can someone become fluent in recognizing and playing these foundational chords?
-You should practice until you can find and recognize the chords from any note automatically without having to think about it. Think of them as one shape, similar to how we read whole words instead of focusing on individual letters.
How can learning major and minor chords be simplified?
-You can simplify the process by first learning the 12 major chords and then learning how to change them into minor chords. This reduces the amount you need to memorize, as the minor chords are variations of the major chords.
What is the structure of major chords in root position?
-In root position, a major chord has one of each note in order, starting from the root. The root is simply the note the chord is named after.
What is a useful method to organize and learn major chords?
-You can organize major chords into four groups of three by their shapes and then learn one group at a time. This method allows you to work on manageable chunks.
What are the three major chords that only use white notes?
-The three major chords that only use white notes are C major, F major, and G major.
How does changing a major chord to a minor chord work?
-To change a major chord into a minor chord, you lower the middle note (the major third) by a half step to form a minor third, while the outside notes (the root and the fifth) remain the same.
What is the difference between a major and a minor chord in terms of intervals?
-In a major chord, the interval between the root and the middle note (the major third) is four half steps. In a minor chord, the interval between the root and the middle note (the minor third) is three half steps.
What is the 'perfect fifth' in chord structures, and why is it useful?
-The perfect fifth is the interval between the outside notes of a chord in root position, which is always three and a half whole steps away. It is useful because it provides a consistent framework for recognizing and playing both major and minor chords.
What are some practice methods to improve fluency with major and minor chords?
-Some practice methods include moving through chords in groups, using a metronome or drum track, breaking the notes up, and practicing chord progressions in half steps, around the circle of fifths, or alternating between major and minor chords.
Outlines
πΉ Mastering Major and Minor Chords on Piano
The first paragraph introduces the foundational importance of major and minor chords in piano playing. It emphasizes how these chords are widely used in all kinds of music and highlights the goal of becoming fluent in recognizing and playing these chords from any note without hesitation. To simplify learning, it's suggested to focus on root position shapes and to organize the chords into manageable groups. The paragraph explains that by learning the 12 major chords and understanding how to convert them into minor chords, you can significantly reduce the amount of memorization needed. Grouping the chords by shape into four groups of three is also suggested as a learning method.
πΆ Visualizing and Practicing Perfect Fifths
This section discusses the concept of perfect fifths and how recognizing this interval is beneficial for playing both major and minor chords. It introduces the idea that perfect fifths, which span three and a half whole steps, often share the same visual pattern on the keyboard (same color notes) and are essential to developing a tactile and visual memory of chords. The discussion shifts to practicing the fifths in both white and black notes, noting exceptions with B and B flat. The paragraph explains how these fifths provide a solid framework for learning both major and minor chords.
πΌ Converting Major Chords into Minor Chords
This paragraph covers how to transform major chords into minor chords by lowering the middle note (major third) by a half step. It explains that this results in a minor third interval, while the outer notes remain the same. The explanation walks through specific examples of converting major chords into minor ones, focusing on groups of chords based on their shapes and patterns. There is also a brief mention of how black and white keys change during this transition, with some additional insight into how to handle the differences in shape and note spellings.
π Tactile and Visual Practice Strategies
The paragraph offers practical advice for practicing the chords, including the suggestion to focus on one group at a time, gradually increasing speed, using metronomes, or adding rhythmic variations. It encourages breaking the chords down into smaller components and mixing groups for better mastery. A specific suggestion is to move through the chords in half steps or follow the circle of fifths, a method that helps learners familiarize themselves with the consistent spacing between chords. The goal is to get comfortable with finding and transitioning between chords more fluidly.
π Exploring Alternative Practice Techniques
In this final section, various practice methods are recommended to ensure fluency with chords. One suggestion is to move through the circle of fifths, ensuring that every key is played. Another involves practicing both major and minor chords back to back (e.g., C major followed by C minor). These techniques challenge the learner to find shapes quickly, ensuring their confidence in hitting all 12 keys. The paragraph concludes by encouraging periodic review and repetition, especially when stumbling upon these chords during real music playing.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Major chords
π‘Minor chords
π‘Root position
π‘Intervals
π‘Perfect fifth
π‘Half steps and whole steps
π‘Chord groups
π‘Black and white key patterns
π‘Circle of Fifths
π‘Metronome and rhythm practice
Highlights
Major and minor chords are foundational for piano playing across various music genres.
Fluency in finding and recognizing chords from any note is essential.
Learning to think of chords as one shape, similar to recognizing whole words, is efficient.
There are 12 major and 12 minor chords, totaling 24, but learning can be simplified.
Learning the 12 major chords first and then how to change them into minor is recommended.
Dividing chords into four groups of three by shape makes learning manageable.
Root position chords are the original chord positions starting from the root note.
The first group of major chords consists of C major, F major, and G major using only white keys.
Finger technique can vary, but sticking to one method simplifies learning.
The second group of major chords forms a triangle shape with a black note in the middle.
The spacing between notes in chords is identical despite different appearances.
E major is a common point of confusion due to the presence of a black key.
Maintaining a chord's symmetrical shape is crucial for accurate playing.
The third group of major chords follows a black, white, black pattern.
The last group of major chords has unique shapes with all black keys or mixed patterns.
The outside notes of root position chords always form a perfect fifth interval.
Perfect fifths are consistent in terms of note spacing and color matching.
Turning a major chord into a minor involves lowering the middle note by a half step.
Learning minor chords becomes easier once major chords are memorized.
Practicing chords in groups and mixing them challenges memory and recognition.
Using the circle of fifths is an effective way to practice all 12 keys.
Practicing major and minor chords in sequence helps in recognizing patterns quickly.
Transcripts
major and minor chords are the most
common useful and foundational chords to
start learning first on piano you're
going to end up using these in some way
for pretty much whatever kind of music
you want to play
we need to start working towards getting
these foundational chords completely
fluent so you can find them and
recognize them starting from any note
automatically without having to think
about it thinking of them as one shape
think about how we read words we don't
look at every individual letter we
recognize the whole word as one thing
and it's much quicker that way there's
12 of each of those types of chords so
that's 24 things to memorize but we can
start limiting how much you actually
have to memorize by just learning the 12
majors and then learning how to change
them into minor it's really helpful to
split them into four groups of three by
shape and then learn one group at a time
so just having those organized in those
groups and learning one group at a time
gives you manageable chunks to work on
we're just talking about root position
shapes here which if you don't know is
like the original chord position it has
one of each note in order starting from
the root and the root is just the note
that the chord is named after i'm to go
through these major chord groups first
and then the minors talk about some tips
for recognizing them and ways you can
practice there's timestamps below for
each section the first group is the
three major chords that only use white
notes and that is c major
f major
and g major
i'm not really gonna focus on technique
here but just a quick word on fingers
you end up using all different kinds of
fingers in actual music depends where
you've just come from where you're going
to as to what's going to make sense but
i would recommend just sticking to one
thing at the moment you could either do
one three and five
or one two and four
i'm just using one two and three here
because it helps me keep my hand out of
the way of your view the second group is
the three chords that have when they're
in root position have a black note in
the middle it's kind of form a triangle
shape if you connected the dots that is
d major
e major
and a major
and just as a reminder whilst these
shapes appear different on the keyboard
the spacing between the notes is
identical even though the chords look
like a different shape if you count the
amount of half steps between these
chords you'll see what i mean that's why
they're the same type of chord they use
the same intervals and to learn more
about that and to approach building
chords check out my previous video
linked in the description below the
spacing between the root and the middle
note for a major chord when in root
position is four half steps it's
probably quicker to see that by jumping
two whole steps so if you're in doubt
when you're about to play one of these
you can check that we call that note in
the middle the major third the one that
sometimes gets people here is e major
because in the head people are thinking
oh there's a black key in the middle
they sometimes either do that or that by
accident so a useful thing is before you
even think about the exact notes just
keep a sketch of the shape of the chord
in your mind so all of these chords
whilst not perfectly even they are kind
of roughly uh symmetrical so when you
play an e major that's pretty much in
the middle that note this now has is a
much more of a lopsided shape we've got
two notes squished together here and a
big gap there and the same the other way
around if you play that note so remember
it's kind of symmetrical as well as
learning theory and stuff playing piano
is a very tactile thing we've got to get
used to the visual side and the feel of
these shapes the next group is the three
major chords that go black white black
so it's kind of like an upside down
triangle shape and that's d flat major
or it might be called c sharp major
sometimes e flat major
might be called d sharp major other
times and a flat major
which might possibly be called g sharp
major as well if we just use those flat
names a sec if we think about those last
two groups d e and a major well like
that white black white
d flat e flat and a flat major or the
other way around black white black and
the last group then is three chords that
all have unique shapes this is the only
major chord that only has black notes in
it so we could either call that g flat
major or f sharp major if we call it g
major imagine a g being flattened like
that if we call it f sharp major imagine
an f
being sharpened
and then the last two are b flat major
and b major now these go opposite so b
major is white black black
and b flat major is black white white
and again remember they look different
but the spacing between the notes is
identical and here's another handy tip
that works for both the major and minor
chords the outside notes of these chords
when they're in root position is always
a perfect fifth which is three and a
half whole steps away but the handy
thing about perfect fifths is apart from
when we start on b flat and b
they're always matching colors so if you
get used to the feel of that distance
and how that looks and how that feels
under your fingers that's a really
helpful thing to give you the framework
for the outside of these chords and this
is helpful when we get to minor chords
as well so um a fifth of all the white
notes is this distance like this
you can see it's the same distance of
white notes each time and when you
practice this a bit
that a sixth just feels too big and the
one before it a fourth feels too small
and you get to the point where that
feels just right and when we start from
black keys the feel of the distance is
the same except they're now matching
black notes
so these are all fifths here like this
and then we've just got to remember to
watch out for these opposite colored
places when we start from b
or b flat
once you have a major chord memorized
you can then adjust the pattern like i'm
about to show you to turn it into a
minor chord you don't need to start
learning all 12 major chords before
starting on the minors in fact you'll
probably find learning both types
starting from the white keys more useful
and more common as a beginner when we're
playing these in root position like this
all we're going to do to turn this into
a minor chord is lower that middle note
by a half step
now the middle note is only three half
steps or one and a half whole steps from
the root but remember the outside notes
are the same the note we had before in
the major chord we'd call that a major
third and now the one we've moved it to
is now called the minor third so c major
f major and g major then turn into the
triangle shapes with a black key in the
middle
c major becomes c minor f major becomes
f minor g major becomes g minor
the three major chords that had a black
key in the middle when you turn them
into minor chords they all become white
notes so d major move that a half step
down moves to a white note
becomes d minor e major becomes e minor
move that down a half step and a major
becomes a minor
so in those two groups they all kind of
switch around if we look at the next
group turning d flat major into minor
we've got another white note in the
middle here
that's because when we move that down a
half step there's no black key in
between so we still get the same kind of
looking shape and that's going to happen
again with a flat major
moving that note down there we get this
because there's no black heat in the
middle there you might encounter some
funny spellings here whether you call it
a flat or g sharp we're not going to
focus on the spellings at the moment i
have got a video up on how to spell
chords and scales as well you can check
out we're kind of primarily focusing on
just visualizing the notes at the sec if
we look at e flat minor though well when
we had e flat major
if we lower that by a half step now this
time we actually get a black key in the
middle and this happens to be the only
minor chord that only has black notes in
it e flat or d sharp minor and the last
group then g flat major goes from all
black keys to black white black we put
that third down a half step
b flat minor looks like this if we
convert major put the third down a half
step
and
b major was like this if we convert that
to minor and move the third down a half
step so we've got a couple of random
shapes again then but like i said if you
just work on memorizing the major chords
then that one trick to changing to minor
when you get good at seeing that pattern
shift quickly it automatically gives you
12 more chords without having to
actually memorize 12 more individual
things and the good thing is you can
extend that to when you learn different
kinds of chords too every new pattern
you learn gives you 12 new chords and it
limits the amount of things you have to
memorize
so practicing these on your own then i
would suggest to start off by doing one
group at a time and you could even just
start with literally just going up and
down
moving through the chords up and down
like that
do that at your own pace try and get a
little bit quicker for a challenge maybe
put a metronome on to try and force
yourself to find the next one quicker or
you could even put a drum track on you
could get creative and come up with some
kind of rhythm pattern to make it more
interesting
you could try breaking the notes up too
and then mate try this in the next group
as well d e and a again try the same
tactics come up with the rhythm force
yourself to do it quicker and then do
that through each of the groups then try
mixing groups together you can perhaps
do the white notes and then the triangle
shapes mix the triangle shapes with the
upside down triangle shapes mix and
match to try and challenge yourself
focus more on any weaker groups or
weaker specific chords and eventually
try and go through all of them and
here's a couple of tactics when you're
doing basically anything when you're
trying to hit all 12 keys
a good way to do it is to move up in
half steps so start from c start from d
flat start from d so you go c major d
flat major d major e flat major e major
and so on and then you could repeat that
with minor chords and this one's really
good because it really gets you used to
how those shapes morph um depending on
where you start so as you're doing that
basically each note that you're playing
moves up by the same amount and you
imagine if something moves up by the
same amount the spacing between the
things that you move is gonna stay the
same and when the spacing's the same
that means it's the same type of chord a
couple of other ways to hit every key is
to move around something called the
circle of fifths if we move a chord up a
fifth each time it's actually going to
end up hitting all 12 keys and come back
round to the beginning to save
constantly getting higher and higher or
running off the edge you can just change
the octave so if you look at the circle
of fifths i'll put that up on the screen
it would be c
and then g
and then d
and then a
and then e
and then b
and and so on you could do that
backwards as well which is actually
moving around in fourths we sometimes
call that the circle of fourths too or
you could try doing the chords from just
the white notes and then just the black
notes so c major d major e major f g a b
and then the same from the black keys
and lastly one more thing you could try
you could try doing major and then minor
so c major c minor d major d minor e
major e minor and so on just little
things to challenge yourself to find
these shapes quickly you don't have to
do this for ages and occasionally if
you're ever using these chords and when
you're actually playing music and you
find yourself stuttering over when
you're using them perhaps it's time to
take a quick five minutes um a few times
in a week for a little bit just to
brush up on your fundamentals
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)