Keyboard Chords: Learning to Play

The basis of any musical instrument is the melody, and the basis of the melody is the notes. In order not only to learn how to play the synthesizer, but also to be able to compose music, it is important to distinguish between different types of chords.

Chords are most often triads, but there are also those that consist of four or more notes. Major sounds come from the C major scale. With their help, you can play perky, funny music. For beginners, triads are best. To understand how they are played, you need to understand the structure of the chord. It is best to take the most common one as a basis - do-mi-salt.

• The "C" note is the main one in this triad and sets the key. It is played with either the little finger of the left hand or the thumb of the right.
• "E" is called a major third, because it takes the third place in the triad relative to the entire scale: do-re-MI. It is played with the middle finger regardless of which hand the musician has.
• And finally, the "salt" is the fifth. Its key is raised by seven semitones, and it completes the chord.

The initial major scales also include G major, B flat. Their chords will look like this: g-si-do (second octave) and si-re (second octave) -fa sharp (second octave).

To learn how to play chords on a synthesizer, it's best to purchase an instrument with auto accompaniment. This will allow you to better understand the location of the triads, as well as simplify the learning process. Chords are always played with the left hand, while the root melody is played with the right.

Self-study shouldn't stop at learning theory. It takes a lot of practice to apply knowledge. For a better understanding, it is worth watching instructional videos and tables of rhythmic patterns.

There are many major triads. For clarity, it is worth giving the scheme according to which the major scales are built: tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone.

The distance between the nearest keys is called a semitone. This is the interval between a white key and a black key, or between two white keys if the black key is missing. The tone is composed of two semitones.

Using this information, you can compose a major scale in pictures, starting from any note, and also choose the appropriate chords for them.

Minor chords allow you to play a lyrical, sad melody. It is impossible to rely on the formula for constructing major scales, since this scheme is only suitable for keys in their natural form. Minor scales are not played in their natural form. They are recorded in harmonic and melodic minor keys.

Harmonic minor is characterized by raising the seventh note to a sharp. If you look at this using the A minor scale as an example, you get the following: A-B-C-D-E-F-G sharp. In the melodic minor key, two notes rise at once: the sixth and seventh, but when moving back, the sharps are canceled. It looks like this: la-si-do-re-mi-fa sharp-g sharp, and vice versa - sol-fa-mi-re-do-si-la.

Minor sounds are also scale-based. For example, the root note of an A minor scale chord is “A”. The third note from the root will be the second in the triad. In this case, it is "before". Two more keys are counted from the second key. This will be the ending sound. This is the note "mi". All minor chords are built using this scheme. For example, in the D-minor scale it is D-F-la, in the E-minor scale - E-Sol-si.

There are other ways to add variety to your synthesizer performance.

When using the arpeggio, the chord is played not together, but overflow, that is, the keys are pressed sequentially. The most famous types of arpeggios are long, short, and broken.

Long arpeggios are played like this: the major chords of the key are taken and played continuously from bottom to top. To play correctly, you need to keep the same rhythm. You also need to consider the position of your fingers on the keyboard. The sequence for the right hand is as follows: thumb-index-middle - repeat three times - thumb-index-middle-pinky. For the left hand: pinky-nameless-index-large-nameless-index-large - repeat three times.

In general, long arpeggios are triads played alternately with a small interval.

A distinctive feature of short arpeggios is the use of the main chord of the key. In A-minor it is A-C-E, in C-major - C-E-G and so on. There is no distance between the hands. One hand "duplicates" the notes played by the other. Right hand finger position: first-second-third-fifth-first-second-fourth-fifth-first-second-third-fifth. Then the cycle is repeated four times. Left hand fingers: fifth-fourth-second-first-fifth-fourth-second-first-fifth-fourth-second-third-fifth. The cycle is repeated until the end of the octave.

In broken arpeggios, the triad sequence is violated, that is, the first note is played first, then the third, then the second. For example, in C major it will not be C-E-G, but C-G-E. The finger placement for both hands is identical to that for short arpeggios.

For In order not to get tired when playing the arpeggio, there are some nuances to keep in mind. Posture should be level. Feet firmly touching the floor. The shoulders and hands are relaxed. Press the keys with your fingertips.

First, you need to figure out what a seventh chord is. This is a four-note chord. The name is taken from the Latin "septime", since the interval between the extreme notes is equal to seven keys. You can make a seventh chord from a simple chord. This technique is called inversion. For example, the seventh chord in the B flat major scale is A sharp D F G sharp. The B7 or BB7 symbol stands for this chord.

To make learning easier, it is worth listening to some recommendations.

• To hone your sense of rhythm, you should use songs as a basis.
• The first time you need to play slowly, otherwise there is a risk of confusion.
• First, play with each hand separately. And only then they connect.
• It is worth practicing with different techniques of the game, such as legato - smooth and staccato - jerky.
• It does not hurt to experiment with loudness, using the technique of playing the piano - quietly, forte - loudly, crescendo - a smooth increase in sound, diminuendo - fading.
• To relax your hand, there is a special exercise. Putting your hand on the keys, imagine that there is a light bulb in your hand. This will help keep the brush from bending and prevent it from being pressed against the body of the tool.

A lot of chords and their variations can make your head spin at first. But, practicing with the main triads, after a short amount of time you can freely navigate the "sea" of sounds.