Beginner Piano Lesson #7

Review + Introducing Chords

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Play these five notes slowly with your right hand:

C – D – E – F – G – F – E – D – C

Repeat 5 times, keeping a steady rhythm.

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Lesson Topic: What Is a Chord?

A chord is when two or more notes are played together.

Today we’ll learn three simple chords:

C Major

• C – E – G

F Major

• F – A – C

G Major

• G – B – D

Play each chord slowly and listen to the different sounds.

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Exercise 1

Play:

C Major → F Major → G Major → C Major

Hold each chord for 4 counts.

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Exercise 2 – Simple Left Hand

Play single bass notes with your left hand:

• C (with C chord)
• F (with F chord)
• G (with G chord)

Count:

1 – 2 – 3 – 4

Keep both hands relaxed.

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Practice Song Pattern

Try this progression:

C | C | F | F | G | G | C | C

Many songs use this pattern.

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Music Tip

Look at your hands while learning new chords, but gradually begin looking at the keys less and listening more. Your ears are one of your most important musical tools.

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Homework (10–15 minutes daily)

1. Play C, F, and G chords 10 times each.
2. Practice changing smoothly between chords.
3. Play the progression:
   C – F – G – C
4. End by playing the C Major chord and listening to its full sound.

Next Lesson (#8): We’ll learn a simple melody using these chords and start reading basic music notation. 🎹

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Homework

Practice 15–20 minutes daily:

1. Five-finger warm-up (5 min)
2. Chord changes C–F–G–C (5 min)
3. Song exercise (10 min)

Lesson #7 will introduce the C Major Scale and your first simple two-hand song.

Beginner Piano Lesson #5

Playing with Both Hands Together

By Lesson #5, you’re ready to start coordinating your hands while keeping a steady rhythm.

Warm-Up (5 Minutes)

Play these five-finger patterns slowly:

Right Hand (RH)

• C D E F G
• G F E D C

Left Hand (LH)

• C B A G F
• F G A B C

Repeat 3 times.

New Chord: G Major

Notes: G – B – D

Practice these three basic chords:

Play each chord 4 times.

Rhythm Exercise

Count aloud:

1 – 2 – 3 – 4

Play:

• C chord on beat 1
• Hold for beats 2, 3, and 4

Repeat with F and G chords.

Simple Song Practice

“Ode to Joy” (Beginning)

Right Hand:

E E F G
G F E D
C C D E
E D D

Play slowly and count evenly.

Hands Together Exercise

Left Hand:

• Play a C chord and hold for 4 beats.

Right Hand:

• Play C D E F while holding the chord.

Repeat with:

• F chord + F G A B
• G chord + G A B C

Musical Tip

Try to keep your fingers curved and relaxed. If you make a mistake, keep going and stay in rhythm. Rhythm is often more important than playing every note perfectly.

Practice Goal for the Week

• 10–15 minutes per day
• Practice C, F, and G chords
• Play the beginning of “Ode to Joy”
• Try hands-together exercises slowly

🎹 Remember: Slow practice builds fast progress. Every great pianist started with simple exercises just like thes