Beginner Piano Lesson #15
Building Smooth Chord Changes & Melody Playing
Warm-Up (5 Minutes)
- Play the C Major Scale up and down:
- C D E F G A B C
- Right Hand: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5
- Left Hand: 5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1
- Finger Exercise:
- C-D-E-F-G-F-E-D-C
- Play slowly and evenly with each hand.
New Chords
Practice these three chords:
| Chord | Notes |
|---|---|
| C Major | C-E-G |
| F Major | F-A-C |
| G Major | G-B-D |
Play each chord four times, then switch smoothly to the next.
Pattern:
C → F → G → C
Repeat 5 times.
Rhythm Practice
Count:
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Play the left-hand chord on:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Keep a steady beat.
Simple Melody
Right Hand:
C – D – E – G | G – E – D – C
Play slowly while holding C Major in the left hand.
Coordination Exercise
Left Hand:
- C chord (4 beats)
- F chord (4 beats)
- G chord (4 beats)
- C chord (4 beats)
Right Hand:
- Play the melody above while changing chords.
Musical Tip
Try to look ahead to the next chord before moving your fingers. Smooth transitions are more important than speed.
Practice Assignment
- C Major Scale: 5 times
- Chord progression C–F–G–C: 10 times
- Melody exercise: 5 times
- Play everything together at a slow, steady tempo
Goal for Lesson #15: Develop smooth chord changes while keeping a steady rhythm and simple melody.