Music Theory Piano Lessons

For more free piano lessons with pictures and illustrations, simply choose a free piano lesson below and fill out your e-mail address and first name ...

E-mail: First Name:

------------------------------
Hear and Play Music, Inc. Online!
http://www.hearandplay.com
FREE 10-DAY PIANO COURSE

Hi friend,

Welcome to music theory lesson #6! You've completed:

Day 1: Major Scales
Day 2: Minor Scales / Blues Scale
Day 3: Whole Steps, Half Steps & Intervals
Day 4: Major Chords & Minor Chords
Day 5: Chord Inversions

... but we still have 5 more lessons to finish:

Day 6: Seventh Chords
Day 7: Blues Chord Progression
Day 8: Scales & Chords
Day 9: Ear-Training
Day 10: Playing in every key

* All 10 lessons are taken right out our 300-pg workbook, "The Secrets to Playing Piano by Ear." While we provide thousands of musicians with the opportunity to learn the basics and fundamentals to playing the piano by ear for free (online), we cannot survive as a company without marketing our 300-pg workbook. Thus, you will read about it from time to time. However, if you are tremendously helped by these lessons, imagine what 300 pages will allow you to achieve? So... I recommend that you try out our free lessons and at any time, if you become more serious about learning to play the piano, visit: http://www.hearandplay.com/course

Enjoy the 10-day e-mail course!

* 60 more lessons are available online! Just log-in from our homepage with the username "piano" and password "piano"

Note: "piano" without the quotation marks ( " " )

-----------------------------------
Lesson 6: Seventh Chords
-----------------------------------

Now that you know how to build a major chord, we want to introduce you to another type of chord.

If you remember, a 3-toned chord is called a "Triad."

A 4-toned chord is called a "Seventh" (what we will learn today)!

A seventh (or dominant) chord is built similar to a major triad. In fact, a Seventh chord is a major chord with an added "minor third" interval on top.

Do you get it?

Remember... a major triad is a:

major third + perfect fifth

(Note: Major triad = Major Chord)

Also, remember:

A (major third) = 4 half steps or 2 whole steps
A (minor third) = 3 half steps or 1.5 whole steps

----------------------------------------------------------
Seventh Chord = major third + perfect fifth + minor third
----------------------------------------------------------

For example, a (C major) chord is: (C) - (E) - (G)

To create a C Seventh Chord (or C7), simply add a minor third on top of the (G).

------ from G to A flat is 1 half step
------ from G to A is 2 half steps
------ from G to B flat is 3 half steps

3 half steps = "Minor Third" interval

So... by adding a (B flat) to a (C major chord), you have now created a (C7) chord.

C7 = (C) + (E) + (G) + (Bb)

Try playing this chord in all 12 keys! (C7, D7, E7 and so on ...)

Note: This chord is one of the most utilized chords in gospel music. The added minor third creates the "blues" feeling used in gospel hymns, blues, r & b, rock, etc.

---In our 300-pg course, Seventh Chords are covered in depth. The coursework teaches you how to play this chord in all 12 keys. You will learn scale degree names, major seventh chords, minor seventh chords, altered seventh chords and more. Visit:

http://www.hearandplay.com/course

... for more information on the 300-pg course!

We hope you enjoyed this lesson on seventh chords. See ya tomorrow!

Jermaine
P.S. - Call us if you have any questions (1-877-856-4187)
-----------------------------------------------------------

Lesson six was taken from our 300-pg workbook, "The Secrets to Playing Piano by Ear!" The technique taught here is just one of several different techniques taught in our 300-pg course.

Visit: http://www.hearandplay.com/course

... for more information on our 300-pg course (only if you're serious about playing the piano by ear).

This Lesson is brought to you by Hear and Play Music Online! http://www.hearandplay.com

The author of this course can be contacted at: webmaster@hearandplay.com or by visiting:

http://www.hearandplay.com/contact.html

No part of this course may be reproduced without the permission of the author. Please e-mail Jermaine Griggs if you would like to feature his course in your e-zine or newsletter.

(C) Hear and Play Music

For more free piano lessons with pictures and illustrations, simply choose a free piano lesson below and fill out your e-mail address and first name ...

E-mail: First Name: