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Hi Tim,
I’ve watched this video multiple times with reduced speed and still don’t quite get it. It has indeed covered a lot of ground. On the one hand, I trust that with time and subsequent videos things will get easier. On the other, while I appreciate your method and approach, I feel it’s a bit overwhelming and a little loss when I sit at the piano. Might it help if you could provide some “drills” to practice with, something like you did in module 1? For example, you have shown in the video multiple ways of playing chords with the right hands as well as a few ways of accompanying with left hands, and “expect” us to use them flexibly as we go. I think it would be helpful if you could provide some exercises that – for example, say playing block chords for the following 8 bars, switch to combination of sus2/sus4 for the next 8, arpeggio for the next 8… etc. Obviously, you can’t list all possible combinations, but something along that line will be a great help.
For full disclosure, I started learning keyboard 2 plus years ago. I took note of your training from early on but felt it’s too advanced for me. Now after a couple of years of trials and errors I’m coming back thinking I’m more prepared. But I guess not so much! That said, if I still have trouble following, I think brand new beginners would have more as I had before. Does that make sense?
Thanks,
Leo
Thank you for your detailed explanation about what’s confusing you about this video, Leo. In retrospect, overlaying the C-Major scale numbers over the right-hand keys is counter-productive, because when you’re playing an F Major chord where the F is the 1-note of the chord, it’s not helpful to have a “4” on it, even though it IS a 4 of the C-Major scale.
There are several things going on at the same time in this video:
1) Chords are changing between C(1-chord) F(4-chord) and G(5-chord). Do you feel like if there were an animated arrow/line that was moving to each of those chords in the little chord chart that it’d be helpful, or is looking at the left-hand root notes of each chord enough for you?
2) I’m quickly talking about the fact that the F chord notes C-F-A is an F chord in the 2nd Inversion… Are you able to easily see that the C-F-A notes are an F chord since the left hand root note is an F, or is that hard to easily see?
Yes, I agree that a followup “drill” video breaking down the different playing patterns would be helpful. I’m adding that to my to-do list. Thank you for your feedback, I’m only able to understand where members are getting confused with this sort of feedback.
So good as well as so cool too.
I have been told that when doing accompaniment I should stay around the C3 and C4 keys with the right hand, is this a sensible way of doing it?
Yes, there’s a “sweet spot” for playing chords, and it’s kind of around middle-C… Playing any lower than the G below middle-C with the right hand gets kind of “muddy” sounding (too low) and can also get in the way of what your left hand is doing, and playing more than an octave above middle C can make the chords sound kind of sparse… It sounds great sometimes to do it for a change, but in general it sounds nice and full when playing more in the middle.
It really boils down to what sounds good to you.
Hi Tim,
love your simplified teaching methods and especially eliminating sight reading/sheet music. I have followed every video in sequence till now, but I get bogged down with a recurring difficulty – to identify the synchronisation of everything with a count. This means many passes through the slo-mo video, repeated for each of the following aspects. Eg, here, Twist and Shout.
1. To determine the sequence of notes. (you say it is a 1,4,5 song but hidden in the detail, its actually a 14541… sequence).
2. Some are doubled, eg the “sequence” becomes 11 4 55 44 1
3. Some chord CHANGES are on the count, some on the “and”
4. 1 of the chords seems neither on the count or the “and”. Possibly because you are simultaneously explaining as you go – but maybe intentional.
5. A clarification point – It seems the first note is “always “1”. There is not an “AND 1 and 2…. etc”, where the first note is on the “and”
6. I sometimes try to look at sheet music to verify – full or cheat, but they often just show another slightly different version of the tune, to confuse more.
Nobody else seems to comment on this, so maybe there is some intuitive understanding (or ability) that I am missing, But until I spend about an hour, just identifying which notes to play and when, I cant seem to progress (this is just one line of Twist and Shout). Also, the next time you use the same song, there is often some little difference (other than the intended variation), maybe just a random embellishment, that completely throws me, and I have to go through the same entire process to spot the difference.
Ultimately, to progress, I have to make a table first:
count on the top row (1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & etc),
then a row each for LH and RH, showing which notes are played on each count or “and”.
Heelllppppp!
Schaun.
Lots of great questions. Saying a song is a “1 4 5” song describes the chords played in the song (if it’s in C: C F G) it doesn’t predict the order of the chords. As you said, the chord progression could be 1-4-5, or 1-4-5-4, or 1-5-1-5-1-4-1, etc, the combinations are almost endless. It also doesn’t predict how long to stay on each chord which makes sense, right? -Because every song is different. Songs would get pretty boring if they all changed chords at the same predictable place. 🙂
Very often chords will change at the beginning of a bar/measure (on the “1” count) or in the middle of a bar on the “3” count, but they can change literally at any time. The most common alternate timing is called a “push”, which is what you’ve been hearing… Instead of the new chord playing on the 1, it plays on the AND count after the 4 (4 AND). If you’re looking at a chord chart it will show that chord in the next bar even though technically it played on the 4 AND of the last bar. If you know the song you can probably
I made three videos listening to songs for “pushes” starting with this one: Timing Genius #4 Check them out; 4-6 focus specifically on “pushes” (chord changes happening right before the 1 or the 3 count), and I think you’ll find the whole Module useful.
If you’re counting and you can tell a chord change isn’t happening on the 4 AND or the 1 count but somewhere in between, that means the push is a 1/16th note instead of an 1/8th note
We count 1/8th notes: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
We count 1/16th notes: 1 ee & a 2 ee & a 3 ee and a 4 ee and a
…So a 1/16th note push but be on the 16/16 “a” before the 1. 🙂
The weird thing about “pushes” and timing in general, is that if you can “feel” where the chord change is coming you don’t have to actually be able to count it, you can just play it. (Not that it’s not good to know what it is you’re playing.)
In later Modules I show how I mark chord pushes on a chord chart by drawing in a “\” above the chord (because the line is pointing back to the last measure), or you could even write in a “P” for “Push” above chords that push if that helps remind you.
The Twist & Shout timing you’re talking about, the third chord pushes on the 4-AND instead of playing on the one. Sheet music would show it as:
|D G | A |
…but the “A” is pushed, so it’s really playing on the 4 AND of the previous bar/measure, that’s what you’re talking about.
I don’t know if you appreciate it, but the fact that you can hear when the timing is different or surprising because of a push etc is really good, and even though it’s taking you time to figure it out right now, it’ll keep getting easier over time. 🙂
In case it helps, check out the Fill Toolbox Module, take a look at the PDF, the last two pages are nothing but 1/16th note counts displayed graphically, showing all the different ways to play the fills timing-wise. It may feel a little advanced for you, but at the same time it may get you used to recognizing different timing variations, I hope you find it helpful.
On a final note, there’s no law or rule that says you can’t first play a song “straight” without any chord pushes first. I could play Twist & Shout without that push and it would sound fine, so it’s great that you can hear when things are different but at the same time you don’t always have to chase down every detail to play the basics of a song. 🙂
It sounds like you’re doing great, enjoy the process! 🙂
Thanks Tim, I was a bit embarrassed at asking such a lengthy and detailed question. I really appreciate your equally detailed (and very clear) answer.
It was a very good question and deserved a detailed answer! 🙂
Very useful tips Tim. The best part is that you keep referring to the habits you inculcated in us early on .. and building up on the same. Like moving from simple fingering to octaves to fifths. It indeed is a professional approach to strengthen and repeat same drills each time and keep improvising as skill improves or the song requirements change. Simplicity of your teaching approach rocks !
BTW..Tim…I have noticed that while playing octaves or fifths, your left hand index finger keeps sliding up and down between two surrounding black notes. I am sure it must be some kind of adaptation from more advanced levels of playing. I feel it perhaps keep your left index finger on some kind of a ‘navigational’ path… for the left hand?
It’s easy to wind up with your hands/fingers way to tense when you’re learning to play the piano, and trying to keep the fingers you’re not using to play notes at the moment up and lifted away from the keys takes a lot of effort, so in general my fingers not being used are relaxed and “resting” on whatever key/keys that are under them. It’s really light, but I tend to let them actually touch the keys, that keeps them relaxed and “ready” to play. I think that’s what you’re seeing when you talk about where my left index finger is when I’m playing octaves etc.
I’m having that an ha moment. Beautiful!!
It seems to be difficult but when i train it become easier
Great to hear!
Love this! Anyone can advance from basic to beautiful so much more quickly with your teaching tips. THANK YOU for your great teaching:D
Thanks very much for your help(:
Thank you so much
U r the best keyboardist
Joel,…..I am at the same place as you. I have done what you are doing. Having played guitar for decades, and no piano, and knowing music,…..I agree with you that getting this module is critical. I have been here a couple months, and I’ll be darn if it isn’t coming along now. At first I thought that I was just incapable of doing two different things at once. Also, during this time, I’ve taken what Tim has taught us, and what I know about music, ….and I am making up boogie-woogie stuff, three chord progression songs with bass he taught us,….using all the inversions a lot….In fact, I find that I use the inversions much more than the One chord. Stick to it, one day soon, Bam!…..you’ll tell yourself, “Hey, I’m doing it”….and that is where the real fun starts, in my opinion.
Ive been on this module for quite a while now. I am practicing a lot because I got no rhythm. This is hard for me to get in sync with the tempo plus get the keys right. I mean it dont even sound like a song if I dont have the timing right. A lot of practice. But I know if I keep working at it I will get it down. I don’t want to skip ahead. Being that this is the case, any suggestions or just continue doing what I’m doing?
Timing and counting is weird to get used to for someone who isn’t used to counting along with songs, I assume you’ve already watched the introductory “timing” Module here: Introduction to Timing
If you haven’t already, you should check out the “Timing Genius” Module as well, once you get the hand of counting along with songs you listen to you can be “practicing” your timing any time there’s music playing. 🙂 Next step is to tap your fingers to it, tap your left hand in quarter-notes and your right hand
Check out the “Keyboard Clinic: Splitting Your Brain” video on clapping/tapping along to music. I hope that helps you get started, let me know what followup questions you have. 🙂
Started from the bottom now we here!!
Lol
Nice tutorial.though unfortunately i am not able to access a physical piano; i only have one in my phone which cannot play chords
Even though a physical keyboard would be best of course, there’s a lot of *mental work* you can do thinking through everything and understanding things even if it’s just with your phone, so nice job.
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Love this lesson. Sine I am on my iPad and can’t slow it down it would be helpful to have the chord sequence. Example. C chord twice, then f chord twice then back to c then G or whatever the sequence is. Hope that makes sense
All videos should be able to be slowed down to 75% or 50% now, let me know if you have a problem doing that with any videos. 🙂
Tim I’m trying to practice how to arpeggiate and using the sus 2 and 4. I can visualize it when the chord is in its root from but I’m struggling with identifying the 2 and 4 in the inversions. Using C chord the 2 is d and the 4 is f. Can you please tell me what the 2 and 4 is in the 1st and 2nd inversions of C?
Marcella, in the 1st inversion of C-Major you’re playing EGC with your thumb(E) 2nd finger(G) and pinkie(C). You’re going to move your thumb only to play both the sus2 and sus4 (I’m using the dash to indicate the C is the inverted note farther away from E and G: EG-C => DG-C (sus2) => FG-C (sus4)
For the 2nd inversion the best way to set yourself up to play the sus4 is to play the G-CE notes with you 1(G) 2(C) 4(E) fingers. That leaves your pinky finger free to play the sus4(F) note, and your open 3rd finger is free to play the sus2(D) note.
A good thing to get comfortable with would be to play the same chord multiple times but change the fingering each time, like this (using the numbers to indicate which finger to use 1(C) 3(E) 5(G) => 1(C) 2(E) 4(G) …alternating back and forth between the different finger playing in the same chord. The 1st inversion doesn’t have much alternate fingering usage, but the 2nd inversion does: 1(G) 3(C) 5(E) => 1(G) 2(C) 4(E) …alternating back and forth. If any of that is an uncomfortable stretch, don’t worry about it, it’ll get easier over time. Hope that helps.
This question was what I was hoping to learn as the videos progressed. I am so happy Marcella asked. I was slightly confused by the third paragraph of the answer. I was under the impression we should be trying to play the inversions in claw like positions with our hands so it’s easier to just go for the root note and plop down the marionettes. This last paragraph seems to contradict that instruction?
Marcella’s question was specifically about how to play sus2 and sus4 variations of 1-3-5 chords, and in the root position the fingering is the same, because your 2nd finger is already over the 2 note, 4th finger is over the 4th note. But in the 2nd inversion G-C-E (with E being the 3 note), you can’t really play the sus4 (moving the E to an F) playing it with the regular fingering (which is 1(G) 3(C) 5(E) with the numbers referring to fingers.) so the alternate fingering to do that would be 1(G) 2(C) 4(E), which leaves your 5 finger open to move to the F sus 4.
I think overall I was saying that even though there’s “best” fingering for most chord inversions, depending on what you’re about to do next an alternate fingering might be better, so having the ability to play a chord with multiple fingering gives you more freedom. With that said, the “play the root note and plop down the marionette fingers” is absolutely true and the best/easiest way to do it normally. (Hope that helps.)
This lesson was really helpful for me thanks hope to see more
Nice video great content keep it up
Do you have a pdf that outlines the keys to use. Having trouble with the speed. The video speed controller doesn’t work on my iPad. Get an error install.
Thanks,
.jdt.
Unfortunately the Chrome speed controller doesn’t work with iPad/tablets/phones, only computer/laptops. I’m hoping to add a built-in speed controller in the near future, stay tuned. Now regarding your question about “what keys to use”, are you saying you need the speed slowed down to better see what I’m doing? If there’s any specific question you have, please let me know.
Wow; thats is very interesting and inspirational. Thanks for the great work. You make it look so easy and indeed with your excellent teaching skills I have been able to improve my playing so rapidly. Thanks Tim
well done. played for rock band when young. i will stick with this technique and most likely join paid program as soon as i incorporate this information into my style. I only got as far as the 1/4/5 progression but the amazing parts are there.
Thanks Tim.. I would find time to practice my piano skills.. i havent been practicing for two years..hmmmm
I have spent a lot of time looking over videos, and this is probably the best video lesson I have found to date. Outstanding in every way, from the simplest song choice, to the length of time allowing us to absorb the examples. The idea of beginning with a basic approach and then slowly adding embellishment is probably the most strikingly genius part of your presentation. I will be going back to look at your other videos to see if more use this approach.
In my particular case, I am unable to escape playing full chords with my left hand and melody with my right because I don’t sing. I have been looking for videos that play a simple single key melody run than can then be embellished by understanding which chords can be constructed to embellish that single key run. In other words, the notes might be C-F-F-G, but the chord construction to fill out the melody might not be the same. What are the most common or natural chords to use with notes? What are the most common key strikes to move from one chord to another (not chord progressions) For me as an idiot beginner, I am always searching for these examples.
Your example of right hand work in this lesson gets very close to what I am looking for. I hope you might put out something along that line or direct me to one of your lessons that exemplifies how to do the embellishment on simple single key melodies.
That’s great to hear. Module 20 is on Adding Melodies To Chords, and it sounds like it’s exactly what you’re talking about. Module 7 is more of an intro “Figuring Out And Playing Melodies” which you should probably check out first. I’m very interested in adding more examples or different ways to approach adding melodies to chords if you feel like there’s more to be explained, so let me know if you have any questions once you’ve gone over those Modules. 🙂
I’m really getting it now Tim – Top marks tuition buddy! J