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Intermediate Studies
Intermediate Studies
Lesson 1 - Section 1
Major Scales
Remember our discussion in the Starter Studies about half steps? At the end of the discussion I asked you to file away the words whole step and natural. Well bring them back out because we are about to talk about them.
In the image for this section there are two measures. In measure 1 is the C scale. This scale is 1 octave (from 1 C to another C). It’s formal name is the C Major scale. A Major scale is a scale that sounds relatively happy when you play it. Play the C Major scale on your keyboard now. Each scale has a formula to use to play it. The formula for a Major scale is:
whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half
This formula refers to half steps and whole steps. A whole step is 2 half steps. It is that simple.
Put your right hand thumb (#1 finger) on middle C. To go from C to C sharp is one half step. To go from C sharp to D is another half step. Add them together and you get 1 whole step. Look at measure 1 in the image again. The BLUE areas above the notes show the whole steps. The YELLOW areas above the notes show the half steps.
Play each note up the scale, and as you do, notice how each whole step or half step is determined. Try this until you have a good idea of what we are trying to show for the Major scale formula.
Note: The fingering to play this scale is 1,2,3, curl your thumb under your palm then 1,2,3,4,5.
Now look at measure 2. This is the D major scale. All major scales are constructed in the same way. Put your right hand thumb (#1 finger) on D. To go from D to D sharp is one half step. To go from D sharp to E is another half step. Add them together and you get 1 whole step.
Look at measure 2 again. The BLUE areas above the notes show the whole steps. The YELLOW areas above the notes show the half steps.
Play each note up the scale and as you do, notice how each whole step or half step is determined. Try this until you have a good idea of what we are trying to show for the Major scale formula.
Note: The fingering to play this scale is 1,2,3, curl your thumb under your palm then 1,2,3,4,5.
Intermediate Studies
Intermediate Studies
Lesson 2 - Section 1
Using Key Signatures
Imagine that you are the composer of a song. And, you would like to base your song on the B scale. That means that B is going to be the root. Since the song is based on the B scale, the song is said to be in the Key of B.
From the previous lesson, you learned that when you constructed a major scale using the root note B, there were 5 sharps (black keys). Check this again on your own keyboard (remember whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half). Now you could either label each sharped note on the staff that needs to be played during the song or you could use something new. You could use a Key Signature.
Look at the image for this section. The first measure on the left shows the B scale in eighth notes. Each note that needs to be sharped for the B Major scale is labeled with a sharp sign. This method could get very messy and hard to look at for the reader. Can you imagine what it would look like with lots of sixteenth notes?
Now look at the measure on the right. Instead of labeling every sharped note within the measure, the sharped notes are all shown at the beginning of the staff before the Time Signature. This keeps the staff cleaner and easier to read. The performer of your music can tell at a glance that there are 5 sharps used in this song over and over again. And, that this music is written in 4/4.
When I get ready to play a piece of music, I first look at the Key Signature and then the Time Signature. This is the standard approach for many musicians. You may have over heard musicians speaking to each other and saying, “Hey man. What key is this in? And what’s the tempo?” These are the two most important questions other than, “Hey dude what’s the ending do?”
Every musician is concerned, up front, about how to start a song and how to end a song. It’s like new directions to a person’s house; “Where do I start and what will I see when I get close to the end of my journey?”
Lesson 2 - Section 2
Memorize the Key Signatures
There are many tips for figuring out what key a song is in. However, in 40 years, I’ve never seen a professional musician in any genre use any of these so called tips. The only people I’ve seen use these tips are the Intro-to-music teachers.
As far as I know, the only way to learn the different Key Signatures is to memorize them. The more songs you play, the faster you will learn the different Key Signatures. It is less important to know what key you are in and more important to know which notes will be flatted or sharped. However, when we get into chord progressions, it will be easier on you if you take the time to memorize this stuff ahead of time.
Here is what you would need to memorize:
In the Key of C, there are 0 sharps and 0 flats.
—————
In the Key of G, there is 1 sharp.
In the Key of F, there is 1 flat.
—————
In the Key of D, there are 2 sharps.
In the Key of B flat, there are 2 flats.
—————
In the Key of A, there are 3 sharps.
In the Key of E flat, there are 3 flats.
—————
In the Key of E, there are 4 sharps.
In the Key of A flat, there are 4 flats.
—————
In the Key of B, there are 5 sharps.
In the Key of D flat, there are 5 flats.
—————
If you memorize these Keys and which notes are sharped or flatted, you will be covering 90% of the songs ever written. There are songs written in the Key of F sharp which has 6 sharps, C sharp which has 7 sharps, and G flat which has 6 flats, but they are rarely used outside the world of classical music.
Lesson 2 - Section 3
The Key Tree
In the image for this section is a graphic representation of what you saw on the previous page. It would be a good idea to bookmark this key page. The root for each key is RED. The sharp(s) or flat(s) are GREEN.
Let’s practice a few Key Signatures.
In the Key of G how many sharps are there? Which note is sharped?
In the Key of F how many flats are there? Which note is flatted?
In the Key of B how many sharps are there? Which notes are sharped?
In the Key of E flat how many flats are there? Which notes are flatted?
In the Key of B flat how many flats are there? Which notes are flatted?
Now record these questions and answers on your music note book. Repetition is your partner in learning.
You are ready now . . .
In your simple song book that I asked you to get in earlier lessons, are there any songs with Key Signatures other than C? If so, practice playing some of them. If not, try to find another simple song book that has flats and sharps. Look for songs in the Keys of G, F, D, and B flat.
You are doing well. Keep up the good work. I think it is time for one of those big teddy bear hugs again. Give yourself a BIG one. See you in the next lesson.
Intermediate Studies
Intermediate Studies
Lesson 3 - Section 1
Using Naturals
Pretend you are still a composer writing a new song and the new song is in the Key of D (2 sharps). In the melody line, you find that one of the notes that is normally played as a sharp needs to be played as a non-sharp. To do this, you would label it with a Natural note sign. Look at the image for this section. See the C on the staff? The Key Signature says to sharp all C‘s. However, see the little parallelogram to the left of the C note? This is a Natural sign.
Notes with a Natural sign next to it are played normally without being sharped or flatted
Intermediate Studies
Intermediate Studies
Lesson 4 - Section 1
Minor Scales
All of the Major scales have a cousin. Major scales are related to minor scales. Unlike the cheerful Major scale, the minor scale is darker. Minor scales are more introspective and mysterious.
The relationship between 1 major scale and it’s cousin the minor scale is the number of sharps or flats. They both have the same number. The C scale is void of any sharps or flats. It’s cousin, the A minor scale, is also void of any sharps or flats. Here is a list of the major scales and their cousins, the minor scales.
C Major and A minor
G Major and E minor
F Major and D minor
D Major and B minor
A Major and F sharp minor
E flat Major and C minor
E Major and C sharp minor
A flat Major and F minor
B Major and G sharp minor
To find the minor cousin of a Major scale is easy. Play the root note of any Major scale, then count to the left down the keyboard 3 half steps. The formula for constructing a minor scale is:
whole-half-whole-whole-half-whole-whole
On the final quiz for Intermediate Studies you will be asked for the formula for constructing a Major scale and a minor scale. Both of these formulas should be recorded in your music note book.
Intermediate Studies
Intermediate Studies
Lesson 5 - Section 1
Math in Music Again
It is Music Math time again. Every Major scale has Roman Numerals assigned to each note. Please view the image for this section now. The root note, C in this case, is I.
D is II
E is III
F is IV
G is V
A is VI
B is VII
High C is back to a root note
Not to hard too remember is it? This part is easy. It gets somewhat more confusing as we go so please pay close attention.
As we mentioned in previous lessons, songs are written based on a scale chosen by the composer. Each scale has a root note. In the previous example the root note is C. So far so good?
If I asked you to play the 5 note in this scale on your keyboard, which note would you play?
Answer = G
If I asked you to play the 7 note in this scale which note would you play?
Answer = B
The reason this lesson is so important is that it is designed to give you a good foundation for learning chords and for ear training in the lessons that follow. Both are valuable tools needed to play the piano or any other instrument well.
Lesson 5 - Section 2
Chord Progressions
If we were to write a song based on the C scale shown in the image for this section, the first and the last chord of the song would be C in most cases. Another way of saying this is if a song has a root note of C, the song would many times start with a C chord and end with a C chord. The song feels resolved, finished or complete in this way.
If you have some sheet music with chords on it, you would notice that many times the first chord of the song is based on the root note and the last chord of the song is also based on the root note. There are exceptions to this musical rule and we will study those later. If you don’t know what sheet music is, it is a single song published for the general public so that they may learn and enjoy playing a song that they have heard; such as on the radio or in a movie.
So what is a C chord? A chord is a set of notes, usually played with your left hand. As your left hand is playing a chord, your right hand is usually playing the melody. Chords are shown either in the bass clef as notes or they are shown above each measure in the treble clef. In the later case they are sometimes referred to as the guitar chords.
These chords have a ordered pattern we call a progression. This progression is chosen by the composer. And, the progression usually repeats throughout the song. A simple chord progression would be:
I-IV-V-I or in the image example above C-F-G-C
Remember, a song usually starts on the root and ends on the root. The chords in between can be many and very different as long as they return to the root. This method of song writing gives the song a feeling of beginning and ending. If I were to write you a song in C and used the 5 chord (in our example G chord) to end the song, you would tell me without really knowing anything about music that the song sounds incomplete. “Why didn’t you finish this song?,” you would ask.
Lesson 5 - Section 3
Chord Progression Example
Let’s take a look at a very simple song called “Balloons.”
The song ashionw in the image for this section is in the Key of C. The root note is C so, the first chord of the song is C and the last chord of the song is C. The chord progression is I-IV-V-I. Play the mp3 audio file below the image to hear “Balloons.” There is a four beat (or 1 measure) count off.
Notice that the song feels complete. It starts on C and ends on C in both the chords and the notes (most importantly the chords).
Play the right hand melody line (the treble clef notes) on your keyboard along with the mp3 audio file a few times.
Now look at the bass clef. One measure is missing something that I forgot to put in. Do you see what is missing? Hint: It starts with the letter R and ends in the letter T.
Lesson 5 - Section 4
No Chord Progression Resolution
Play the mp3 audio file below the image in this section to hear “Balloons” ending with a G chord and a “D” note in the melody line.
Sounds like it needs to play on to get to an ending doesn’t it? The song feels incomplete.
Play the melody line on your keyboard. Do your fingers and brain tell you to play the line again and again because it is not over with?
This is why chord progressions and root notes are so important. They are used by the composer to bring a sense of “closure” in a song. Sometimes, the composer will purposely leave the song open with no closure. The audience is left feeling incomplete after the song. It can be a very uncomfortable feeling.
This is similar to a movie that dose not clean up all the loose ends in the plot at the end of the story. When I watch a movie like that I find myself saying something like, “Well what happened to those characters X and Y? Where did they go? What a lousy film!”
We all feel at ease with closure. It is a part of life and as you know, music reflects to us . . . a lot about life.
That’s the end . . .
BTW . . . did you find that missing rest in the last measure of the bass clef?
Intermediate Studies
Intermediate Studies
Lesson 6 - Section 1
Left Hand Chording
While we are learning chords and how to construct them, I have an assignment for you. It’s the “Rocking Hand Motion” that you see in the two pictures displayed in the image for this section. This hand motion will be used for playing many Left Hand basic chording rhythms.
These basic rhythms can be played in the left hand while the right hand is playing the melody line. In the next section will be the rhythms I want you to learn. Practice each left hand rhythm for 2 minutes every day for 2 weeks. It is important that you do this to train your brain to keep a steady rhythm in your left hand so that you can be free to play a melody line in your right hand.
4/4 – 90 BPM metronome clicks
3/4 – 90 BPM metronome clicks
2/4 – 90 BPM metronome clicks
Lesson 6 - Section 2
Left Hand Chording 2
Let your hand relax and rock back and fourth like the pictures in the preceding section. Your center knuckle is the pivot point.
All of the left hand rhythm patterns in the image for this section are based on a root note of C. That means you are playing a pattern based on the C scale and the chord C.
Now play the mp3 audio files below the image. You will hear metronome clicks at 90 BPM (beats per minute) for each Time Signature shown. Use this 90 BPM tempo with the correct Time Signature to practice each left hand chord pattern. Refer back to the hand posture images at the beginning of the lesson, if needed, to see the left-hand roll back and forth motion.
When you have finished go to the next section and it is time to say “Good Job” again. Well done.
Lesson 6 - Section 3
Good Job!
Again you have succeeded in earning your self another Golden Star award certificate (just click to download the PDF).
Bear hug time again too. Give yourself a big one. You are doing very well. And you are worth it! I will see you back here for Lesson Number 7.
By the way, is it time for another pop quiz yet?
Have you memorized Key Signatures and the Major and minor scale formulas?
Hmm-m-m-m-m-m-m . . .
Intermediate Studies
Intermediate Studies
Lesson 7 - Section 1
What Do These Symbols Mean?
Instead of having a whole quiz, I have a single question for you . . .
Refer to the image for this section.
Question: What are the dark lines with the dots inside the red circles above and what do they mean?
Hint: They are part of a road map for a song.
Select your answer from the following. Choose only one:
1- Cut the tempo in half for each measure inside these funny brackets (left & right tempo change), then proceed with playing the song at normal tempo.
2- Skip these measures inside the brackets if you play the Tuba or the Bass Drum.
3- Whistle the notes inside these funny brackets (left & right whistling signs), then proceed with playing the song on the piano.
4- Play what you see inside these funny brackets (left & right repeat signs) twice, then proceed with playing the rest of the song.
Write down your answer, then proceed to the next section to find out if you were correct.
Lesson 7 - Section 2
Repeat Signs
Answer: The correct answer it #4.
Select your answer from the following. Choose only one:
1- Cut the tempo in half for each measure inside these funny brackets (left & right tempo change), then proceed with playing the song at normal tempo.
2- Skip these measures inside the brackets if you play the Tuba or the Bass Drum.
3- Whistle the notes inside these funny brackets (left & right whistling signs), then proceed with playing the song on the piano.
4- Play what you see inside these funny brackets (left & right repeat signs) twice, then proceed with playing the rest of the song.
That’s it for the quiz. However, remember that the scales, formulas, and all the other stuff you were taught prior to this quiz will be on the next quiz. Proceed to the next section.
Intermediate Studies
Intermediate Studies
Lesson 8 - Section 1
Chord Study
Let’s look at the chords used in the “Balloon” song from our earlier lessons. Please refer to the image for this section. The notes of the chords are written in the Bass Clef of the staff. The chords are also written above the Treble Clef in text format:
C or C maj
F or F maj
G or G maj
As you can see from the color coded notes on the image of the keyboard, the formula for constructing a Major chord is:
4 half steps + 3 half steps
Play the C Major chord (green notes) on your keyboard. Now play the F Major chord and then the G Major chord. Major chords are this easy. In fact, almost all chords are this easy if you know the formula to construct them.
Let’s look at some other formulas:
Minor chords (such as Am, Dm, and Em)
3 half steps + 4 half steps
Dominant (flatted) seventh chords (such as C7, F7, and G7)
4 half steps + 3 half steps + 3 half steps
Minor seventh chords (such as Am7, Dm7, and Em7)
3 half steps + 4 half steps + 3 half steps
Major sixth chords (such as C6, F6, and G6)
4 half steps + 3 half steps + 2 half steps
Major seventh chords (such as Cmaj7, Fmaj7, and Gmaj7)
4 half steps + 3 half steps + 4 half steps
Play each one of these types of chords on your keyboard. Use the formulas shown to construct each chord. Do this 3 different times using the root notes C, F, and G.
Now try building some Major chords on sharps and flats. Use the root notes E flat, A flat, C sharp and F sharp.
Spend about 20 minutes doing this.
Lesson 8 - Section 2
Simplified by Using Thirds
Next, let’s begin to simplify the chord formulas using whole and half steps.
The formula for constructing a Major chord would be:
Two whole steps + one and one half whole steps
Using Major and Minor Thirds to Build Chords
Two whole steps is called a Major third. Any note combination that is two whole steps apart anywhere on the keyboard is called a Major third.
One and one half whole steps is called a minor third. Any note combination that is one and one half whole steps apart anywhere on the keyboard is called a minor third.
Now, using major and minor thirds, let’s construct our finished formulas:
Minor chords (such as Am, Dm, and Em)
minor third + major third
Dominant seventh chords (such as C7, F7, and G7)
major third + minor third + minor third
Minor seventh chords (such as Am7, Dm7, and Em7)
minor third + major third + minor third
Major sixth chords (such as C6, F6, and G6)
major third + minor third + 1 whole step (see note*)
Major seventh chords (such as Cmaj7, Fmaj7, and Gmaj7)
major third + minor third + major third
* Note: one whole step is called a Major second. Any note combination that is one whole step apart anywhere on the keyboard is called a Major second.
Record all of these chord formulas in your music note book.
You can also note that:
Major third = 4 half steps
minor third = 3 half steps
Major second = 2 half steps
minor second = 1 half step
Lesson 8 - Section 3
Chord Construction
Refer to the image for this section.
Consider that Major sixth chords such as C6, F6, and G6 would use the number VI (6th) note in each scale.
Consider Major seventh chords such as Cmaj7, Fmaj7, and Gmaj7 would use the number VII (7th) note in each scale.
Question: If you saw the chords C9, F9, and G9, which top note in the chord would you expect to play?
Answer: 9 notes away from the root note.
For a C9 chord that would be the root plus 9 notes, which would be a D note
For an F9 chord that would be the root plus 9 notes, which would be a G note
For a G9 chord that would be the root plus 9 notes, which would be an A note
Starting to make sense yet?
When you see a chord name like C6, it is telling you to play the chord C Major and also add the number VI (6th) note.
Congratulations! You now have the method and the knowledge to figure out any chord written for the piano! There are a few more tricks to learn but with what you’ve learned today, you’ll be able to figure out about 85% of all the chords you’ll ever see that are written using the chords letters and numbers such as D6.
Chords are like the different scales (with different numbers of sharps or flats). The more you use them, the more you will remember them without having to go through the construction process each time.
Remember . . . chords are just a group of notes that like to hang out together and help a melody line along the way.
Intermediate Studies
Intermediate Studies
Lesson 9 - Section 1
Ear Training
Welcome to Lesson Number 9. To help teach chords it is wise to teach Ear Training as well. Ear Training is something that each musician learns in order to help them to be better players.
I’d like you to be able to increase your skills, so Ear Training is important and rewarding. It’s great to be able to pick out someone playing a minor or a Major chord in a song. And, when you are reading music, Ear Training helps your brain to perceive the possible sound of a chord before you play it. That’s nice.
And if you play the chord, and you hear something unexpected, you can check later to see if that chord is written correctly or if you played it correctly. Keep this in mind, that there are lots of publishing mistakes in written music. I’ve read many pieces of music with lots of errors. So don’t assume that you’ve made the mistake until you’ve checked it out.
Below are some Ear Training exercises. Look at the chord symbol and then play the corresponding mp3 audio file below it to hear the chord.
When you are done, try to play each chord on your own keyboard. Remember to use your chord formulas as needed. Do this for 20 minutes total. Hear it . . . then play it, for each chord several times.
F
F6
F7
Fmaj7
F9
Fm
Fm7
Lesson 9 - Section 2
Recalling or Anticipating the Sound of a Chord
To help remember how each chord type feels when you play it, it is helpful to pick out a song that you already know and use it as a guide for your mind’s ear. Yes, instead of mind’s eye, musicians use their mind’s ear. It helps them to mentally recall a sound before they reproduce it on their instrument.
As an example, in the song “Anchors Aweigh” by George Lottman and Alfred Miles, the “first chord” is a Major chord. So the organic sound and feeling of that first chord is how a Major chord sounds and feels when you play it.
First Chord Song List - Example
Major Chord (such as F): “Anchors Aweigh” by George Lottman and Alfred Miles.
Minor Chord (such as Fm): “After The Fox” by Hal David and Burt Bacharach.
Major 7 Chord (such as Fmaj7): “Blue Autumn” by Bobby Goldsboro.
Dominant 7 Chord (such as F7): “Bye Bye, Love” by Felice Bryant and Boudleaux Bryant.
Major 6 Chord (such as F6): “Star Dust” by Mitchell Parish and Hoagy Carmichael.
Minor 7 Chord (such as Fm7): “Aquarius” by James Rado, Gerome Ragni, and Galt MacDermot.
Major 9 Chord (such as F9): the first full measure of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” by Douglass Cross and George Cory.
Try and mentally hear each song in your head with your mind’s ear.
Isolate that first chord of the song in your head.
As you practice, you will find that the chord progressions in each song have an organic pattern that you can feel . . . you can sense . . . which means that you will be able to anticipate each chord before it is played. This is the real power of your mind’s ear at work.
Making Your Own First Chord Song List
Your assignment over the next two weeks will be to look through song books and find songs that you know that start with each chord type shown in the list above. We are doing this because a "First Chord Song List" is unique to each person.
Using the song list above as an example, write the chord type, name of the song and the composers for the song in your music note book. Use songs that you can easily recall and hear clearly in your head; ones that you can hum, whistle or sing with confidence.
Lesson Preview: In addition to chord types, we will also be using this same “Song List” technique for note intervals in later lessons.
Intermediate Studies
Intermediate Studies
Lesson 10 - Section 1
Learning to Play a New Song
When you first begin to practice a song that has notes written for the left hand and for the right hand, there is a customary way to practice.
First, break the song up into smaller pieces (8 to 16 measures at a time). Some songs will have section markers or numbers such as A, B, C, and so on, every 8, 16, to 32 bars (bars and measures are the same thing).
In these smaller pieces, practice the left hand part first and then the right hand part. When you feel confident about playing each part alone, combine both parts and then play this small portion of the song with both hands.
Use this same method to go through the entire song.
When you are done, play the whole song through with both hands. When you run into a trouble spot, stop.
For trouble spots, rehearse the trouble spot until you feel it will no longer give you any more trouble. Then back up several measures and try playing from this earlier point in the song on through the trouble spot. Do this for each trouble spot you encounter.
When you are done practicing the song in this way, you will have learned to play the song. This is a standard rehearsal technique used by many musicians and conductors.
No.1
No.2
No.3
Lesson 10 - Section 2
Three Practice Songs
Time to put all that Left Hand Chording practice to work. Look at each of the three practice songs in the image for this section. In the Bass Clef, a Left Hand chord pattern is shown based on the C Major chord. And, in the Treble Clef is a melody line for your Right Hand to play.
Play each mp3 audio file under the image and listen to each practice song No.1, No.2 and No.3.
As you listen, let your eyes read through the notes on the staff in each measure.
When you are done listening, stop the mp3 audio file player and play each practice song above beginning with No.1.
Spend 5-10 minutes practicing each song.
Lesson 10 - Section 3
Another star is born. Congratulations!
I am proud of you for coming this far. Please add this to your collection of gold star certificates. I applaud you. Good Job! You have now completed the Intermediate Studies portion of “Piano on the Net.”
Click or tap on the image of the certificate to download the PDF for printing.
In Advanced Studies we will begin our study of Jazz. One of the defining factors in the genre of Jazz is improvisation. In improvisation, a new melody line is performed to the chords of a song; but using your mind’s ear to create this new melody line without ever having written it down first.
Basically, you listen to the chords and then play along with them using whatever new melody you hear in your head.
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