Resource For Those Learning The Basics Of Piano Playing

REMEMBER - MAJOR KEYS SOUND HAPPY!

Major scales are made up of the following intervals:

T T S T T T S

C D E F G A B C

(The example above is C major)

The T stands for `tone`: Playing a tone means you`re playing 2 notes that have either a white OR black key in-between them.

The S stands for `semi-tone`: Playing a semi-tone means you`re playing 2 notes that are DIRECTLY next to each other.

An example:

. A tone would be the notes D and E (they have the Eb note in-between them)

. A semi-tone would be the notes B and C (they are directly next to each other)

How to play a Natural Minor scale!

REMEMBER - MINOR KEYS SOUND SAD!

Natural Minor scales are made up of the following intervals:

T S T T S T S

C D Eb F G Ab Bb C

(The example above is the C natural minor key)

A good way of looking at a Natural Minor scale is that is has the exact same key signature as the relative Major key. ____-Relative Major and Minor keys are explained in more detail on page 4!____-

For example, C minor has the same key signature as Eb major. All you need to do is play all the notes that belong to the key of Eb major, but starting on a C instead of an Eb.

How to play a Harmonic Minor scale!

REMEMBER - MINOR KEYS SOUND SAD!

Harmonic Minor scales are made up of the following intervals:

T S T T S T+ S

C D Eb F G Ab B C

(The example above is the C minor key)

The T+ means that the interval between the last Ab and B of this example is actually more than just a tone. They are 3 individual notes apart - Ab - A - Bb - B. You`ll understand if you play an Ab and then a B on the piano.

Instead of thinking of the T+ interval all the time, it`s best to know that for Harmonic Minors, you have to sharpen the 7th degree of the scale.

Example: in a C Natural Minor scale, the 7th note of the scale is Bb. When you sharpen this it becomes a B and you`ve got yourself a C Harmonic Minor scale!

This sharpened 7th note isn`t part of the key signature in the Harmonic Minor - instead, it`s called an accidental. Accidentals are always written on the sheet music. So, if you ever encounter ANY note that isn`t part of the key signature, it`s called an accidental!

Working out the relative Major or Minor key!

MAJOR KEYS SOUND HAPPY, MINOR KEYS SOUND SAD

Remember, every Major key has a relative Minor key.

To get from a Major key to the relative Minor, count down 3 semi-tones from the first note of the Major scale.

An example:

. If you want to find out the relative Minor of D Major, counting down 3 semitones from the note of D will give you the note of B.

. This means that the relative Minor of D Major is B Minor. Easy! Try and do this for all keys.

The similarities/differences between Major and Minor keys:

As we know by now, Major keys sound happy and Minor keys sound sad or mysterious.

Major keys and their relative Minor keys will always share the same key signature.

The only thing you have to really have to remember to play in a Harmonic Minor key is the accidental (sharpen the 7th note of the scale - remember to look at page 3)!

There are lots of different scales besides the Major and Minor keys. Some of these are known as `modes`. These are more advanced, however, and we won`t cover them just yet.

How to play a chord:

A basic chord will use the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of the scale it is in.

If your hand can stretch, you can play the octave note too

An example:

. A G Major chord will contain the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of the G Major scale.

. The 1st note is G, the 3rd note is B and the 5th note is D.

. If your hand can stretch comfortably you can include a G an octave above

The difference between a Major chord and a Minor chord:

The easiest way to get from a Major chord to a Minor chord is to flatten the 3rd note of a Major chord.

To get from a Minor chord to a Major chord, you should sharpen the 3rd note of the chord.

An example:

. A G Major chord will have the notes of G, B and D.

. Flattening the 3rd note will give you a G Minor chord of G, Bb and D.

. This is because in a G Minor scale, the 3rd degree is Bb (remember the T, S, T, T, S, T, S)

Keys with Sharps in their key signatures:

The common keys with Sharps in their key signatures are these:

C major/A minor (has no sharps in the key signature)

G major/E minor (has F# in the key signature)

D major/B minor (has F# and C# in the key signature)

A major/F# minor (has F#, C# and G# in the key signature)

E major/C# minor (has F#, C#, G# and D# in the key signature)

B major/G# minor (has F#, C#, G#, D# and A# in the key signature)

The rhyme to remember the order of the sharps in the `sharp` key signatures is:

Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle

If you are given a piece of music with a key signature, to work out what key you`re in, look at the very last Sharp in the key signature and move up 1 semitone. This will give you the major key.

NOTE!!! If the piece sounds sad or it sounds as if it`s a minor, it`s probably not the major key but the relative minor!

An example:

If you have an F# and C# in the key signature, moving up 1 semitone from C# will give you the note of D. This means you`re in the key of D major! If the piece doesn`t sound happy like a major key, it`s probably going to be in the key of B minor, which is the relative minor of D major!

Keys with Flats in their key signatures:

The common keys with Flats in their key signatures are these:

F major/D minor (has Bb in the key signature)

Bb major/G minor (has Bb and Eb in the key signature)

Eb major/C minor (has Bb, Eb and Ab in the key signature)

Ab major/F minor (has Bb, Eb, Ab and Db in the key signature)

Db major/Bb minor (has Bb, Eb, Ab , Db and Gb in the key signature)

The rhyme to remember the order of the flats in the `flat` key signatures is:

Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles Father

If you are given a piece of music with a key signature, to work out what key you`re in, look at the second-to-last Flat in the key signature. This will be the key you`re in!

NOTE!!! If the piece sounds sad or it sounds as if it`s a minor, it`s probably not the major key but the relative minor!

An example:

If you have a Bb and an Eb in the key signature, the second to last Flat is Bb. This means you`re in the key of Bb major!

If the piece doesn`t sound happy like a major key, it`s probably going to be in the key of G minor, which is the relative minor of Bb major!

Key signatures in general:

There are 2 main types of keys - Major keys and Minor keys.

You can usually tell if a piece is in a Major key because it will sound happy. You can usually tell if a piece is in a Minor key because it will sound sad.

The key signatures tell us which key we are in.

Remember, key signatures have Flats OR Sharps in them, but NEVER both.