| Most people who took piano lessons as a kid, | | | | remember than the entire score of the song. |
| including me, grew up learning to read music | | | | Not only that, but that chord progression -- |
| exactly as it is written on the printed page. | | | | A, G, F, E7 -- repeats several times during |
| Being able to read music is a valuable | | | | the song, so once you know the form of the |
| skill, and I am delighted I learned that | | | | song, you have a huge advantage over someone |
| skill at an early age.But there is a downside | | | | who is chained to the written music and has |
| to only being able to read music without | | | | no idea about the logic of the song.So how |
| understanding what you are reading. A couple | | | | does a person learn this "musical shorthand"? |
| real-life examples illustrate the point:What | | | | It's no secret -- there are books galore on |
| happens when you are playing and your sheet | | | | learning chords, plus web sites that teach |
| music slips off the piano and onto the floor? | | | | chords, or you could even pick up a chart of |
| Unless your name is Victor Borge and you can | | | | chords in your local music store.Then buy a |
| turn the situation into comedy, you will | | | | "fake book" -- a songbook with hundreds or |
| probably find the situation extremely | | | | even thousands of songs, each song showing |
| embarrassing. I have seen it happen several | | | | just the melody of the song with the chord |
| times to pianists who play well but who don't | | | | symbols listed above it. Each song alone |
| know how to improvise, and it's not a pretty | | | | would be known as a "lead sheet", but |
| site. It happened to me once years ago as | | | | cumulatively the collection of songs is known |
| well. I was accompanying a singer and someone | | | | as a "fake book". Then every day play a dozen |
| opened a side door, letting a gust of wind | | | | or so songs just with the melody in your |
| sweep into the auditorium and right across my | | | | right hand and the chord in your left hand. |
| piano. The sheet music scattered onto the | | | | It will sound barren at first, but you're |
| stage and a couple pieces blew off the stage. | | | | learning how it works.After a couple weeks of |
| If I hadn't understood the music and had a | | | | that, instead of playing the melody in your |
| grasp of it's harmonic form, I would have had | | | | right hand, sing the melody (doesn't matter |
| to stop, pick up the music, get it back in | | | | at all how it sounds) and use your right hand |
| order, and so forth, delaying the soloist and | | | | to break up the notes of the chord you are |
| the performance. As it turned out I had | | | | playing in your left hand. Once you get the |
| several people ask me how I kept playing | | | | hang of it, you can start breaking up the |
| without the music in front of me. I replied | | | | chord in both hands and experimenting with |
| that I knew the chord progressions of the | | | | various rhythm patterns.I am not saying it's |
| song, so was able to "wrap the chords around | | | | easy; I am saying it's fun and exciting and |
| the singer" and therefore keep the song | | | | that it is worth it many times over!Duane |
| going.So what are chord symbols, and how do | | | | Shinn is the author of over 500 music books |
| they work?Chord symbols are a shorthand way | | | | and music educational materials such as |
| of writing what is going on harmonically in a | | | | DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord |
| song. For example, if I were to write the | | | | charts, musical software, and piano lesson |
| chord symbols of the first line of What Child | | | | instructional courses for adults. His |
| Is This? (also known as Greensleeves and | | | | book-CD-DVD course titled To Play Chord |
| several other titles) in the key of Am, I | | | | Piano In Ten Days!" has sold over 100,000 |
| would write:Am G F E7 -- which | | | | copies around the world. He holds advanced |
| corresponds to the first line of the song and | | | | degrees from Southern Oregon University and |
| would appear directly above the melody line | | | | was the founder of Piano University in |
| in the treble clef, so all the pianist would | | | | Southern Oregon. He is the author of the |
| need to do would be to read the melody (tune) | | | | popular free 101-week online e-mail |
| of the song -- not all the supporting notes.I | | | | newsletter titled Secrets Of Exciting Piano |
| think you can see that once you know a few | | | | Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" with |
| chords this would be infinitely easier to | | | | over 70,000 current subscribers. |