Beginner Piano Lesson #6
Building Confidence with Chords and Melody
Goal: Play a simple melody with left-hand chord accompaniment.
Warm-Up (5 minutes)
Play these five-finger patterns slowly:
Right Hand (C Position)
C – D – E – F – G – F – E – D – C
Left Hand (C Position)
C – B – A – G – F – G – A – B – C
Repeat 3 times with steady timing.
Review Chords
C Major
- Notes: C – E – G
F Major
- Notes: F – A – C
G Major
- Notes: G – B – D
Practice changing between:
C → F → G → C
Play each chord four times.
Rhythm Exercise
Count:
1 – 2 – 3 – 4
Play a C chord on beat 1 and hold for all four counts.
Repeat with F and G chords.
Simple Song Exercise
Right Hand Melody
C – D – E – C
D – E – F – D
E – F – G – E
G – F – E – D – C
Left Hand Chords
- Measure 1: C Major
- Measure 2: F Major
- Measure 3: G Major
- Measure 4: C Major
Play slowly and keep a steady beat.
Music Theory Corner
What is a Measure?
A measure (or bar) is a section of music separated by vertical lines. Most beginner songs use 4 beats per measure.
Example:
| 1 2 3 4 | 1 2 3 4 |
Learning to count measures helps keep your timing accurate.
Practice Challenge
Try playing:
C chord (4 beats)
F chord (4 beats)
G chord (4 beats)
C chord (4 beats)
Without stopping.
Aim for smooth chord changes rather than speed.
Homework
Practice 15–20 minutes daily:
- Five-finger warm-up (5 min)
- Chord changes C–F–G–C (5 min)
- Song exercise (10 min)
Lesson #7 will introduce the C Major Scale and your first simple two-hand song.