Rock Piano 101 - Must-Have Chord Skills

Name: Rock Piano 101 - Must-Have Chord Skills
Rating: 4.6 (38 reviews)

Learn the basics to create your own rock piano arrangements! This lesson develops the chord skills you need for success.

Created byWillie Myette

Last updated 3/2018

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

How to use triads.
When to use triads vs. 7th chords.
Understand triad inversions and slash chords.
Learn different examples to quickly bring into their playing to make cool arrangements.

Course content

1 section • 12 lectures • 59m total length

Introduction & Triad Basics6:56
Master all major and minor triads and basic inversions, learn practical triadic rock piano harmony, explore fingering, five-finger scales, arpeggios, and when to use seventh chords.
Root Position Minor Triads3:56
The sheet music is in this lesson. Please download it to follow along.
Triad Inversions4:13
When to Use Triad Inversions7:22
Explore how triad inversions streamline chord transitions by using common tones, minimizing hand motion, and choosing the easiest path between progressions like 1-4-5.
Seventh Chords & Usage in Rock4:27
Putting Chords to a Melody6:10
Learn how to voice chords under a melody using inversions and left-hand chord tones, with pedal techniques for smooth rock piano accompaniments.
Rock Accompaniment Techniques4:39
Rock Accompaniment Example A3:53
Practice rock accompaniment by moving through chord inversions such as G chord root position and C chord first inversion with a solid pulse, controlled pedal, and expressive intensity.
Rock Accompaniment Example B5:16
Develop the rock piano accompaniment by breaking chords in the right hand into eighth notes, using inversions and varied rhythms, practicing exercise B for strong, flexible rhythms.
Rock Accompaniment Example C3:16
Master rock piano accompaniment by injecting ghost notes and subtle left-hand padding while coordinating the top-note thumb accents on the beat, as demonstrated in the example exercise.
Rock Accompaniment Example D4:06
Master rock piano accompaniment by syncing left and right hands with sixteenth-note patterns, building from strong quarter notes to broken-chord figures in C chord, and creating your own variations.
Slash Chords & Conclusion4:55
Explore slash chords and alternate bass notes, including C slash E and C slash G, learn triads and inversions, and apply poly chords to rock piano chord progressions.

Requirements

You will need a piano or keyboard for this course.
Students should know how to find all the notes on the piano.
Students should have a basic understanding of scales (be able to play at least on major scale)
Most of all...have the patience and willingness to practice. It doesn't happen overnight!

Description

Have you ever encountered a tune that has only one or two chords for the whole tune? Have you struggled to find ways to comp through that same chord without playing the same thing over and over again? Being able to play triad structures through a single chord can help you generate new ideas, build comping (chord) grooves, and provide various options for things to play on a single chord.

In this first lesson we are going to cover triads, their inversions and usage. I will also show you how and when to use 7ths chords and chord slashes. Later in the lesson you'll learn 4 different Rock Piano Accompaniment patterns that you can practice.

We are also going to use a snippet of the Beatles classic song "I Saw Her Standing There" to show you how to apply different triad and seventh chord options to a rock melody.

Once you're done with this lesson, you will have the tools you need to pick up a rock lead sheet (chords and melody) and start creating your own arrangements. If you practice the exercises in the lesson (and sheet music that is provided) you will have all you need to tear it up the next time you jam out on your classic rock songs.

Here's what one of my students had to say:

"Willie Myette is a brilliant teacher! Ask any question about your piano playing and you can be confident that he has the knowledge and experience to sort out your problem.

His videos are chock-full of great stuff taking you through your chosen lesson step by patient step, and the group coaching sessions give you even more insight into the mysteries of, in my case, jazz piano.

I've been learning with him for just two months and I can't believe I'm hearing the sounds that are coming out of my piano now - and it's me playing it!

Thank you so much Willie!"

-Janet

Who this course is for:

Piano players ready to set the foundation for all rock piano lessons.
If you are stuck when a chord lasts for a measure or longer
You want to create your OWN rock piano arrangements
You want to play songs by ear or from lead sheets