Augmented Piano Chords

When I view the augmented chord chart some of these chords don't seem to make sense to me.

Why does an A augmented chord contain an E# instead of F?
Why does a B augmented chord contain a F## instead of G?
Why does a C# augmented chord contain an E# instead of F?
Why does an E augmented chord contain a B# instead of C?

Finally, how can a key contain 2 sharps?

Thank you,
BBrockman@optonline.net

Playing Patterns over Chords in The Right Hand

by Fann
(Malaysai)

Can you kindly show me how to perform patterns over chords in slow songs? I'd like to learn to 'fill in' the chords in a nice way.

Thanks

Are We Supposed to Play All Notes of a Chord At The Same Time?

by AYA ALANSARY
(IRAQ)

Do we have to press the notes of the chord together or press them one after the other?

Playing The Bass in the Left Hand

by Jerry
(Sri Lanka)

Hi David, I am already enjoying your lessons. Its taking time but i am gradually getting there.

Pls let me know why you play only one note chords for certain songs on the bass side(left hand). Why dont you play the full chord. any reason for it?

Thanks

Jerry

What is the V in a Minor Scale?

by Jack
(Nador, Morocco)

Hi David

I don't understand what is the dominant V in minor scale.

What this mean : Vmin/Ma = for example (Em*)
what does this >> (*) means??

Thank you

Combining the Melody and the Chords in the Right Hand

by Jay Jung
(Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

I just restarted playing piano after a long break. I am more into accompanying than solo.

I understand a bit the different groove patterns and playing in different creative style. But I have no idea what to do with my right hand since I don't want to hit the melody line.

The clip for Let It Be is what I want.

If I know what to practice I will practice really hard. But the thing is I don't know where to start and what to practice.

Could you please reply on that.

Thanks

Jay Jung

Feeling the Music Beats When Playing Piano by Chords

by Jerry
(Sri-Lanka)

How do I spot the music beats in a piece?

I have learned to play a few chords by ear on the organ. Will this help me to play the piano or is the process different?

Could you teach me a few ways to fill in the chords in a song as well?


Sorry for asking so many questions.
Hope you will oblige.

Thanks

Jerry

How to Add a Groove

by Aly
(Ireland)

How do you add in a groove to a song without making it sound like a mess?

What's between Chords and Left Hand Accompaniment in Classical Music?

by Ido Ronen from www.piano-play-it.com
(Israel, Tel-Aviv )

Hi, I can understand from your question that you can read right hand and some chord symbols, but when it comes to the left hand?oops! Lots of students experience difficulties in read noted on the bass staff.

To begin with I suggest you check out this page on how to read piano notes on the bass clef. It will help you to get a better understanding and get some useful tips on this issue.

Now, it would be superficial to say that the left hand part is only based on chords in classical music. However, in many cases you can play a chord in the left hand and a melody in the right hand, and the result will sound close to the original composition.

Let?s take the famous piece ?Fur Elise? by Beethoven for example:

In the beginning:

Play

There is a very clear harmonic structure which can be written by chord symbols in the following manner:

Play

Playing the second example however, will be an insult to Beethoven and he will probably turn over in his grave since there is much more content in the accompaniment than a simple chord.

In blues, pop, rock etc. the chord symbols are written above the melody and if you know how to read the upper clef and the chord signs you should be able to play immediately.

It's a different story in Classical music. The composer writes the part of the left hand with specific notes. The left hand often accompanies the main melody but not always. The composer chooses to write the specific part of the left hand because he adds a unique interaction between the voices of the chord and his style of arrangement. That?s the beauty and the art!

Here is another example in which you can see some chord inversions, and their texture, as chosen by the composer.

Mozart sonata in C (k.545):

Play

If you get the same melody as written above with only chord symbols, you would probably play it as written below, (maybe in a different chord position):

Play

Mozart would be very sad if you play his work using the 2nd example because it will lack interaction of his accompaniment and characteristics of his time.


My point is that behind many compositions in classical music there is a clear structure of melody and chords (harmony structure), but the beauty of that music is the way the composer chooses to present the harmony.

In many cases I rewrite complicated compositions for my students by using only the main melody and chords. It helps them to understand the harmonic structure behind the piece, but that is only an introduction to reading the left hand part, and playing the whole composition.

It?s not possible to rewrite all compositions this way- for example ,Bach's writing is polyphonic (it means that there is more than one melody which runs at the same time), so the left hand is playing the melody as well, and could not be represented by a single chord at that time:

Invention no.8:

Play

In this case you cannot escape from learning immediately the part of the left hand.


To summarize, if you want to enjoy and play classical music you should know how to read the notes on the bass clef. I suggest you take it step by step by following "reading piano notes on the bass clef lesson"; this is where we teach about reading notes in the lower register.

And if you'd like to learn more about harmony - I suggest that you to consider purchasing the book Harmony and voice leading - that?s the bible of understanding the world of harmony.

---

Why should you buy the "Harmony and Voice Leading" books on Ebay?

- On eBay you'll find every book from the collection that has ever existed
- You know exactly what you're getting (and you it will work :-)

NEW Harmony and Voice Leading Book

Provides material for homework assignments, classroom demonstrations, and periodic reviews. A generous assortment of excerpts from the literature for assignments in analysis. Volume I corresponds with the first half of the text.

Is Classical Music Based On Chords (In Left Hand)?

by David
(Madrid)

Comparing blues for example and classical music, is there any logical behind left hand notes?

In other words, left hand notes in classical is all greek to me (or hebrew as you said), so is classical music based on chords?
Very good job man.
Thanks a lot!
Regards
David

Piano Groove

by chad
(California)

I was working on the amazing grace tutorial and was having trouble with the groove. Am I playing both the g chord in the right hand and in the left for bass. then right hand, then left hand then switching chord to the next? Can you help explain the groove.

Thanks for your good lessons just struggling with the groove with this song and knocking on heavens door.. confused with the both, right left right and both

About Fingerings of Chord Inversions

by TRYDER

It's been said that it is best to start with this 1,3,5 formula except on the 2nd inversion, but I personally feel more comfortable doing it my way - which is 1,2,4, - 1,2,5, - 1,2,4(right hand); left hand I'm not really sure about(5,4,2- 5,4,2-5,4,1)...

Is this o.k. David? I may just need to practice the practical way I guess - If this is how I need to go about it!

Answers would be much appreciated - HINT "David" Lol

Daisy

by Daisy
(UK)

Message: Can you please tell me, if I play the chord of Bm = BDF# and then add a Bb note above this, what chord does that then give me?

open voicing

by Cheri
(Mccall)

Do you have any tips for making it easier to visualize the open chord ,is there a formula or something like that ?
I find myself getting very confused to what chord you are playing It really hard to see what chord it is in open position like that.

Voice Leading within a Chord

by Emma

Hi David,

Could you please explain to me how to play these notes? (image attached). I'm a bit confused as it is a 3-note chord but only two of them are tied. Thanks a lot.

Key signature and chords

Why, when a piece of music is written in say C major, or E flat, or any other key signature, that same piece of music includes many different chords from other keys, and just a few (if any) from the key it is written in?

I know a few musical people, but they do not give me a simple answer. My own theory is that perhaps the piece would be too boring if all chords therein were in the same key. Is that right?

Or is there another explanation staring me in the face? I am a late beginner,and this question nags at me,like some kind of hurdle stopping me from just getting on with learning.

Will you upload videos for chord theory lessons?

by Ryan
(Hong Kong)

Hi, David. I found this site two weeks ago and feel so lucky to have you as my online teacher. Your explanation is very clear and I've learnd to play piano quickly.

I've already finished learning the beginning chord lessons and am ready to go deeper into the chord theory and jazz chords. But I found it very tiring to learn chord theory by reading because the explanation are often long and require some thinking. I wonder if you would upload videos for these courses later?

Chords to this intro?

by Chris
(Pennsylvania, USA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EooiBaW1BA

Can you help me figure out the chords in the intro to this song? I can't figure any of them out--I'm not familiar with any of the jazzy chords. No sheet music exists for the intro.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I've been trying to play this for so long without any success!

How to Play a G/C or F/C Chord?

by Rev. White

How do you play a G/C, or an F/C chord (L/hand), while the right is playing notes above middle C. If this is on a video please let me know which one; or if I may, would you make one. (I am trying to learn "People Need the Lord," in the key of C, from a lead sheet).

Thanks again, David, for all your help!!!

Rev. White