Piano for Performers, Singers & Song Writers

Explore the keyboard by identifying white keys as natural notes and black keys as sharps or flats, with c before two black keys, and the two-name rule for black keys.

Master the major scale by learning tone and semitone movements, do-re-mi notation, and the tone-tone-semitone pattern, with practice across all 12 keys.

Learn major scale fingerings using the three five rule for white keys, with F as an exception, and apply black-key patterns that avoid the thumb and descend onto white notes.

Explore major intervals as distances on the piano, distinguish melodic from harmonic intervals, and use the C major scale to identify major seconds through major sevenths and the octave.

Identify chords as two or more notes played together, with a three-note triad forming chords. See how triads arise from notes and connect to the major scale for chord types.

Master major chords as triads built from the one, three, and five of the major scale. Learn the four-three rule and feel the happy sound of major chords.

Explore how minor chords form from major chords by flattening the third, using one flat, three and five flats formula, and practice with cycle of fifths and cycle of fourths.

Practice piano by cycling through major and minor chord progressions, moving through sequences in multiple keys with counts and both hands, including the six four five progression.

Explore how diminished chords are built from one flat three and flat five, as stacks of two minor thirds, and apply one-handed voicings across keys via the cycle of fourths.

Learn how augmented chords extend major triads by raising the fifth, with a 1-3-5 formula and C, F, and G examples, including symbol alternatives and left-hand practice.

Examine how time signatures count music, with top and bottom numbers indicating beats and note value, including four-four, three-four, and six-eight, and practice counting patterns for piano.

Master basic rhythms and time signatures, and experiment with chord progressions like one-five-two-four in 4/4 and 6/8, exploring on-beat and off-beat patterns.

Master slash chords and their applications in piano playing for performers, singers, and songwriters by reading chord charts, identifying bass notes, and using inversions to create rich progressions.

Master a simple trick to find piano chord numbers in any key using one and five, unlocking six and four, to play progressions in all 12 keys.

Learn how to use the sustain pedal to connect chords and create fluid piano lines, using a step approach on a 1-5-6-4 progression for acoustic and electric keyboards.

Explore common chord progressions, including the 1-5-6-4 pattern, used in hundreds of songs, shown in C and G. Practice this progression in root position, and try it in other keys.

Learn the 1-5-2-4 chord progression, convert the two to a minor diatonic chord, and practice with a metronome from 40 to 65 bpm in C and G.

Explore the 1-2-6-4 chord progression, a sentimental four-chord pattern, and practice in C and G to understand how rearranging these chords shapes songs for singers and songwriters.

Learn the six four one five chord progression (vi–IV–I–V) using John Legend's all of thee as a reference, focusing on inversions, first-position voicings, and solo practice in key of G.

Explains the six four to five chord progression in the key of C, combining one, four, two, six four, and five chords with timing, and encourages practicing in other keys.

Learn the 6-1-5-4 chord progression with major and minor chords, count it in four beats, and practice in C, G, and all 12 keys for singers and songwriters.

learn to search for free song chord charts online, choose chord charts and PDFs from sites like corecharts.com, and identify the key and chords to play on piano.

Learn to read song sheets by following how chords flow and are placed over lyrics, practice with simple keys like C, and play familiar songs online with chord charts.

Learn how chord charts differ from song sheets, using lead sheets with melody in treble clef and chords on top, and practice songs with clear counting and time signatures.

Demystify chord inversions in piano by flipping triads from root position to first and second inversions, then apply them to sound, practicing with C, F, and D chords.

Learn smooth voice leading by using chord inversions to connect a 6415 progression (Am–F–C–G) and keep shared notes fixed while moving noncommon notes to create a fluid, coherent melody.

Use chord inversions to create progressions that align a melody with chord tones. Decide a progression, build a melody from chord notes, and invert chords to place notes on top.

Explore the high octave eighth-note rhythm by using right-hand chord inversions, keeping top and bottom notes steady. Count one and two and three and four to groove with the rhythm.

Learn the six-eight percussive piano rhythm in 6/8 time, using inversions like 4165 and adding a steady left-hand bass to progressions such as one two six four.

Master the two on split rhythm by playing eight-note right-hand patterns with inversions, supported by the left hand, across common progressions like 1-5-6-4 to create songs or covers.

Master the quarter note shuffle by playing right-hand chords on quarter notes in 1–2–3–4 patterns, in the key of G, with left-hand rhythm and melody ideas.

Explore a quarter note shuffle with one note displaced, shifting the top note up within the scale for each chord change to create a new rhythmic texture.

Study third harmonies as a duet, adding a voice two steps away from the melody to create major and minor thirds. Mary had a little lamb shows the duet approach.

Explore sixth harmonies as an inverted third, learn to build melodies by moving one and six intervals, and apply the technique to simple melodies like Mary had a little lamb.

Explore triad harmonies and inversions by adding two notes to the melody, practice third and sixth harmonies, and learn to harmonize entire or partial melodies.

Learn the one, two, three, two pattern over a simple chord progression, using triads as the lowest, middle, and top notes, and apply inversions for a cohesive sound.

Master the three one to one right-hand pattern and voice it over a C chord. Apply this pattern to any progression, and explore the Halo intro in A.

Learn to play ascending and descending right-hand arpeggios as broken chords, using a C major example, and mix patterns across chord progressions to groove and inspire songwriting.

Learn left hand patterns to enrich your piano sound using the 1-5-1 pattern, with the thumb hitting the octave above, applied to progressions like 6-4-1-5 and 1-5-6-4; practice along.

Master the 1-5-2 left hand pattern, with the two a whole step above the one, and practice it in progressions like 6-4-1-5 and 1-2-6-4.

Learn the 1-5-1-2-3 left hand pattern, apply it to chord progressions such as 6415 with inversions, practice on time, and integrate subtle melodies to enhance piano accompaniment.

The lesson demonstrates the moving left hand pattern 15152515 and guides practice from 1515, then adding a 2, applying to the six four one five progression in c sharp.

learn a 6/8 left-hand up arpeggio and right-hand down arpeggio pattern (151/152), applied to songs like oh holy night and hallelujah, with I to III to IV chord movement.

Learn how to form major add2 chords and sus2 and sus4 chords, using simple one-two-five and one-four-five formulas with c major add2, f major add2, and g major add2 examples.

Practice a piano cycle with add2, sus2, and sus4 chords, using the cycle of fourths and fifths to reinforce major voicings and suspended tones for performers, singers, and songwriters.

Expand your sound by using add2, sus2, and sus4 chords—major add two and minor add two—in common progressions, delaying resolution and creating ambiguous, richer textures in your playing.

Explore grace notes as a powerful embellishment by flipping the second to the third in major and minor chords, with progressions like C G Am F.

Target the third of every chord to create melodic embellishments, using the one-two-three approach and grace notes to make the third stand out across major and minor chords.

Learn the five for three approach to target the third using one two three and five four three patterns across C, G, F chords, with scale notes and mindful embellishments.

Explore the sus4 to the major embellishment on one and five chords, using progressions like C-G-Am-F, and replace the third with four or two, with grace notes to the major.

Explore sixth harmonic fills and sixth intervals to craft lines, invert thirds to form sixths, and use lead-in melody 1753 with sixth chord to enrich progressions in c and f.

Explore sixth harmonic fills that color two- and four-chord progressions, using 4316 and related shapes to harmonize minor and major chords across common progressions.