hi guys,iv,e learnt most of the chords in the left hand i need for now ,ie,major, minor, 7, major7 ,minor7 ,dim and aug.plus the inversions,here,s my problem iv,e got into the habit of going from root c7 to f or g7 to c root,ect,ect,ect,is there an exercise that i can do ,that i can practice to be able to learn to play the above in all inversions,my teacher says that normally if a piece of music start in the chord of ,lets say f,then the chord of f is usually in the root,to start with, mike.

Hi Mike: A key to acheiving professional sounding chords is to strive for 'smooth' as possible voice leading, meaning not to move your hand (and fingers) unneccesarily when transitioning to succesive chords, but to find appropriate chord voicings (chord inversions) which minimize jumping around the keyboard. If at all possible, keep the finger (individual chord voice) on the same note(s) or move them only a 1/2 or whole step, during a chord change.

I recommend practing (memorizing) all the basic 'left hand' chord types (and in every key) in all inversions, and then practicing & memorizing them (with smooth voice leading) in these most commonly played chord progressions:

I - VI - IV - V - I

I - VI - II - V - I

Ok, I guess that should keep you busy . I believe with your teacher's guidance, you're headed in the right direction to succesful left hand chord playing. Good luck.

Scott

Back in the 70's a popular teaching technique was the 'pointer system' where the root was played with your left pointer finger and the 3rd of the chord above and the 5th below. Try this with a 'C' only and build all your other chords around that center. I think you'll find that it's pretty easy to form most of the chords you will need without too much movement.
I agree with Scott that it would be best to practice some common chord progressions. Also, look at your music and see what key signatures you use most often and then concentrate your practice in those keys. Practice, practice, practice.

Here you go. Practice playing/memorizing all the below chords in all inversions as well as memorizing the following chord progressions in all keys (especially in the keys you described above) and you'll be on the right track to playing success. After you've memorized these, you can build upon this by adding 7ths to all these chords, learning the 'minor' chord progressions, and then learning alternate voicings (including rootless type jazz). The musical learning path is a life long road, so no matter where you're at now, there's always going to be 10x more to discover.

I - VI - IV -V - I

key of C: C - Am - F - G7 - C

example of above left hand chord progression utilizing smooth voice leading:

(C: C,E,G) - (Am: C,E,A), (F:C,F,A) - (G7: D,F,G,B) - (C:E,G,C)

key of G: G - Em - C - D7 - G
key of D: D - Bm - G - A7 - D
key of F: F - Dm - Bb - C7 - F
key of Bb: Bb - Gm - Eb - F7 - Bb

I - VI - II - V - I
key of C: C - Am - Dm - G7 - C

example of above left hand chord progression utilizing smooth voice leading:

(C: C,E,G) - (Am: C,E,A), (Dm: D,F,A) - (G7: D,F,G,B) - (C: E,G,C)


key of G: G - Em - Am - D7 - G
key of D: D - Bm - Em - A7 - D
key of F: F - Dm - Gm - C7 - F
key of Bb: Bb - Gm - Cm - F7 - Bb

thanks scottyee.mike

Hello...........There are some excellent lessons/tutorials available free at
http://psrtutorial.com/Resources/R_ChordSecrets/r_chordsecrets.html

They aren't just for Yamaha PSR users either! I used these lessons and now play full chords and "special" chords regularly. I used to be a "single finger" chord player.............darn I wish I learned this stuff earlier! Good luck. -charley

Scott,
Nice lesson. I sure would like to see you start a thread to share some of your vast amount of knowledge in this area. Basically a music making/playing tutorial. Also if you could start a second thread in addition where others could post their comments to keep your original post clean and just with lessons in it would be very cool.
Thanks for the tips.
Terry

------------------
jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

Scott,
I agree with Terry. It would be great if you could find the time to present a mini-course to share some of your knowledge along these lines.

I have a question relative to the Roman numeral chord sequence notation. I understand that the sequence of say I-V-II in the key of C (for example) represents chords whose roots are
C-G-D. But as far as determining whether the chord is a major, minor, 7th, etc. I don't see how that is determined by the Roman numeral sequence. What am I missing?
Paul C.

Hi Mike

The thing about what fingering and and hand position for the left hand is indeed important to sound good and make it an easy thing to do.

When playing left hand chords on your arranger keyboard, the MOST important thing to know is are you playing it in a piano style, or an organ/keyboard style.

If you are playing in a piano style where you are moving around a bit more, and/or using actual piano music, (with treble and bass clef), then yes you need to know and be able to play around in all the different inversions.

If you are playing from a "lead sheet", meaning music that only shows the melody and a chord symbol, and you are only playing and holding a chord in the left hand while the keyboard supplies the backround accompaniment, then the VERY BEST way to play your left hand is between the notes "F" to "F"! This would be playing "organ/keyboard style".

In a nutshell, if you are playing piano style/music you move around like you see piano players do. The organ/keyboard style between "F" to "F" you play all chords without hardly moving your hands, never going out of position.

I make my living showing hobbyists how to play organ (and keyboard). And while we now teach the fingering system "which ever finger gets there first wins", this is intended for senior citizens who want to learn to play, know they don't have a lot of time to learn, want to play for fun as a hobbyist, and sometimes have physical elements to deal with like arthritis.

Anything that works for fun as a hobbyist is ok. BUT, if you are serious and are just learning it is easiest in the long run to learn it the "right way".

Any fingering system that requires one to take their eyes from the music to see if their fingers are in the right place after a little practice means extra hard work, missed notes, loosing your place in the music, etc. This would include the pointer system.

I myself play from the "C" chord root postion, and then play the closest inversion, without moving out of position if possible. The problem with this position however is some chord in order to sound good requires you to jump out of postion like FM7, G13 just to name a couple of often used chords. If I had the time and desire now there is no question I would learn the "F" to "F" approach.

As to regarding what inversion to use on the first chord, if you are playing piano style, then first choice most often would be to play in root position.

If playing organ/keyboard style, regardless of key, you play your chords (almost always) in the same position all the time.

Here are a few examples of playing "F" to "F" with the bottom note shown first:

C chord: GCE,
F chord: ACF,
G chord: GBD,
G7 chord: GBDF,
Am chord: ACE,
Am7 chord: ACEG,
Dm chord: DFA,
Dm7 chord: DFAC

Hope this helps.

Best

Scott Langholff

[This message has been edited by Scott Langholff (edited 06-17-2003).]

Actually after reading over my post, if I had the time, patience, desire etc, I would learn the piano style left hand. Because in the real world, away from the nice arranger style backrounds, (even with the backrounds), your music will sound better, being able to add stuff that will make it sound richer.

I really wish now I would have continued with my piano lessons. But after two years (3rd and 4th grade) with a nun as a teacher (she didn't use a ruler on my hands, but she sure had a mouth), that was all I could take. So, what if I was in 3rd grade and told the nun I wanted to learn how to play swing music? True story, I think you know where that went.

I am first a trumpet player and decided that the left hand was made to hold a trumpet and to hold chords in the left hand organ style.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Scott

Hello again

Attn: Scott Yee.

I agree with Terry. I know you have the backround on this. I would love to find the shortcut way to play piano style left hand, in conjunction with how to work with a Yamaha arranger fingering system.

I guess knowing the MOST used postions would be the biggest help.

For example: I know most good piano players play C9 as E,Bb,D. Realizing the bass player is playing the C and G. Same ought to hold true with the PSR2000, Tyros etc, but I don't really know the ins and outs of this yet.

Can you maybe enlighten us?

Thanx

Scott Langholff

Paul,
A minor chord in the roman numeral system is lower case. So in the key of C, "A minor" would be iv. I can't recall now what dominant and major 7th are. I'll take a guess:
V7 is G 7 (dominant).
IM7 is C major 7th.
ii7 is D minor 7.
iv7 is A minor 7.
Starkeeper

Hello

The "six minor" in Roman numerals actually would be: vi for Am (in the key of C), and vi7 for Am7

Sorry for not being for more specific. The Roman numerals signify the degrees of a scale. In a 'Major' (ionian) scale:

I : major
II: minor
III: minor
IV: major
V: dominant 7th
VI: minor
VII: 1/2 diminished

Perhaps a better way to distinguish the quality of the chords built on the scale degrees would be to notate the minor degrees in small case and the 1/2 diminished chord with a '0' with a slash going thru it. Unfortunately I don't know how to notate the slash to this posting so I'll have to just show the 0 part:

Major Scale:

I - ii - iii - IV - V7 - vi - vi0



Hi Paul. I'm certain most members here don't want me wasting SZ bandwidth posting on and on about basic music theory. but fortunately there's already a wealth of information on the internet covering this topic. Just go to 'Goggle' and search these words: piano, keyboard, voice leading, chord progressions, chord voicings, etc.

Here are a couple I found:
http://www.angelfire.com/fl4/moneychords/lesson.html
http://www.apassion4jazz.net/progressions2.html

WOW!!! .... I might be able to correct Scott Yee on something .... that's "google" not goggle ... ......
t.

[This message has been edited by tony mads usa (edited 06-17-2003).]

The weird frustrating thing is that arranger keyboard 'left hand' spit & full keyboard chord recognition differs between brands & models. They share basic type chord recognition, but unforuntatly, not for the more professinal sounding jazz (rootless) type chords.



Scott, in addition to dominant 9th type chord voicing you mentioned, and the basic type chords (triads, and 4 note chords) which include the root, here are some other chords (without roots) I know that the Yamaha brand arrangers left hand 'fingered mode' will recognize. this also demonstrates the smooth voice leading when playing a basic II-V- I chrod progreession:

II - V - I Chord Progression:

Key of C:

Dm7(9): (F-C-E)
G13: (F-B-E)
C69: (E-A-D)

Key of C#:
Ebm7(9): (Gb-Db-F)
Ab7(13): (Gb-C- F)
Db69: (F-Bb-Eb)


The above rootless style chord voicings work (of course) in all the other 10 keys as well. This makes a total of 36 chords. Memorize these chord fingering patterns to expand your left hand arranger playing potential to sound like a real PRO piano sounding left hand arranger chord comp kb player. - Scott

Tony, you mean I ain't perfect?
I appreciate your perception, you must have been wearing your goggles (glasses) . . . giggle giggle. - Scott

Thank you ScottY. You really make me happy today.

thanks guys for all your help,putting up this query has made me realise things that i managed to work out for myself,but also made me aware of progressions,what scott langolff said is what i realised about playing chords without moving your hand up and down the keyboard,while i have been learning for the past year i think that i have learned alot,my teacher only teaches me little bits at a time,so i always ask loads of questions and take notes,but,if you don,t know what to ask,then you don,t get told.hopefully many others will get some help from this post,cheers mike

Thank you ScottY. You really make me happy today.

I just finished putting up the next two lessons in Secrets of Chords and Chord Progressions and guess what? The lesson dealt with the "Blue Moon" chord progression: I - VI - II - V. This is the second chord progression Scott mentioned early in this thread. Here is a direct link to the lesson:
http://psrtutorial.com/Resources/R_ChordSecrets/R_Ch202/W29_BlueMoon/w29_bluemoon.html

The second lesson (week 30) deals with embedded chord substitutions for this chord progression.

Scott, I hardly think you sharing your musical knowledge with us is a waste of bandwidth. To the contrary I can't really think of a better use of the bandwidth.
Terry

------------------
jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

hi Terry, I guess what I actually meant to say was that there is already such a wealth of music theory knowledge already available on the web, that rather than taking up undue bandwidth, providing links to existing internet sites on the subject might be better. Joe Water's 'Secrets to Chords & Progressions' tutuorial series located on his PSR Tutorial website is a fine example of this. I particularly like chapter 30 about inserting neigbhoring 'chromatic approach' type chords to the basic I-vi- ii- V progression.

One of the reasons pro musicians prefer to add 'chord substitions' (chromatic approach, tri tone subs, etc) to this progression is that after awhile, hearing this chord progression played over and over gets BORING. Chord substituions can add spice and a more contemporary or sophisticated sound to an otherwise basic standard progression. Experminenting with chord substitions & voicings is one KEY ingredient to sounding like a pro vs amatuer.


The I-vi-ii-V7-I progression is used extensively on so many popular songs over the years. Just to name a few songs: Let's Call the Whole Thing Off, Heart and Soul, Sleigh Ride, Hey There, Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Try to Remember, Have yourself a Merry Christmas, I Love YOu For Sentimental Reasons, Put Your Head on My Shoulder, Daddy's Home, Telstar, Breaking Up is Hard to Do, Penny Lane, Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue. One of the reasons this has become such a standard progression, is that the interval between each chord is up a perfect 4th. This internval provides the strongest harmonic movement in western music, with the V7 -I final cadence producing the strongest movement of all.

In fact, whenever you you play a domininant 7th chord, like G7, it 'begs' for you to play the I chord (C) in order to resolve the sound of instability in the G7? If you haven't already tried this, please go to the keyboard NOW and play a G7 chord. Play that G7 chord a few times. Doesn't it seem to be wanting you to follow that chord with a C maj chord? Please 'report back' after you've tried this out yourself, and tell me if you agree with me or not. Scott

Scott,
In a major scale, the V chord is not assumed to have a flatted seventh, although it IS very common. The number system refers only to a basic tiad, unless an embellishment is added.
The rest of your description is right on the money, and very easy to understand.

Gee Uncle Dave, what's a tiad? I haven't heard of one of those in music could you elaborate. What notes are tiads made up of?
Terry



------------------
jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

True. That's why I added the 7 (as an embellishment) to signify the addition of the flatted 7th in the V chord.

btw: The REASON our ears beg to hear a I chord (C) following a V7 chord (G7) is because of the unstable tri-tone interval: B & F (3rd & b7) which occurs in all major dominant chords. Prior to the 20th century, the tritone interval (b5) was considered the devil's interval and accepted music required that a major dominant chord be 'resolved' to a more stable chord. Only in the 20th century is the dominant chord now commonly played (ei: in the Blues, and jazz & rock) without requiring resolution to a I chord:
http://www.angelfire.com/fl4/moneychords/Blues.html


Scott

My typist has the day off.
Of course I meant TRIad.
Damn mittens - really get in the way of good typing !

I'd hate to find out how those mittens might affect your arranger keyboard playing.

Dave,
Glad you straightened me out on that....I was beginning to feel ripped off for my college music theory classes tuition.

Scott, with those arranger mittens, man can ya' play some big time power chords or what?
Terry

------------------
jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

[This message has been edited by trtjazz (edited 06-18-2003).]

Btw: On the subject of mittens, a memorable experience I had was attending a concert by the legendary jazz pianist-vocalist, Shirley Horn, who wore gloves, with the finger tips of the gloves cut off. She (of course) played & sang splendidly. She is one of my all time favorite jazz pianist-singers who I had the priviledge to meet in person. You can listen to a radio show featuring her & her music here. HIGHLY recommended:
http://www.theconnection.org/shows/2002/05/20020509_b_main.asp#

Scott

[This message has been edited by Scottyee (edited 06-18-2003).]