Playing Piano By Ear: Complete Guide for Aspiring Musicians

In this lecture, we dive into the layout of the keyboard. We take it step by step in understanding where the notes are as well as their names. We also talk about the sharps and the flats. By the end of this section, you will know the layout of the keyboard, where each note is, and what you are looking at when you look at a keyboard.

When you complete this lecture, download the blank piano diagram and use it as practice to write down and become familiar with the notes on the keyboard.

We will learn what Major and Minor scales are as well as taking a look at how the two differ. We also start into learning scales by learning the C Major scale.

In this lesson, we learn to play the D Major Scale.

In this lesson, we learn to play the E Major Scale.

In this lesson, we learn to play the F Major Scale.

In this lesson, we learn to play the G Major Scale.

In this lesson, we learn to play the A Major Scale.

In this lesson, we learn to play the B Major Scale.

In this lesson, we learn to play the C# (or Db) Major Scale.

In this lesson, we learn to play the D# (or Eb) Major Scale.

In this lesson, we learn to play the F# (or Gb) Major Scale.

In this lesson, we learn to play the G# (or Ab) Major Scale.

In this lesson, we learn to play the A# (or Bb) Major Scale.

Continue to learn scales with these practice excersizes.

We learn in this lesson what the Nashville Number system is, why we use it, and the benefits of knowing how to use it.

We will go over the Nashville Number System in this lesson. We look at what numbers in any given key are assigned to each note. We look at it in a couple of keys to show how it really applies to whatever key you would like to play in.

Here, I will give you some practice exercises with the Nashville Number System.

I have attached a chart as a reference for you in all the major keys of what the numbers and chords will be. You can use this throughout the next several sections to refer to.

We begin to dive right into chords in this lesson. We will learn what a chord is, how to piece together a chord using notes, and what it looks like. We also go over what a major chord is and how to play the major chords. This is where we start putting all of what we have learned so far together.

Now that we have gone over what a major chord is, we look at minor chords. We see the difference between a major and minor chord and also learn how to play your minor chords.

After looking at triad chords in the previous 2 lessons, we learn how to add a 4th note to our chord. Sometimes chord charts call for this and we learn what it means and how to play them when they do.

Now that we know the chords and how to play them, we look at a couple of different ways to voice or play these chords. These are called inversions.

It's time to put all we have learned about chords together in a practice exercise. Here I give you some ways to practice using chords.

In this section we will be covering rhythm and timing. We go over what measures are and take a look at a couple of the most common time signatures.

We look at what 4/4 timing is in this lesson. I will also give you a rhythm pattern in 4/4/ timing to practice and get use to playing and hearing 4/4 timing.

In this lesson we go over 3/4 timing, how to play a pattern with it, and look at an example of a song with 3/4 timing.

We learn what 6/8 time signature is in this lesson. We learn a rhythm pattern and I show you a song that has 6/8 timing.

Practice what you have learned in this section with this practice exercise.

I have added a link to a metronome where you can select 4/4, 3/4, and 6/8 time signatures as well as change the bpm (beats per measure) or speed. Use this to hear what the rhythms sound like and to play along with.

We move from to using our entire left hand. We expand from what we have been using in our left hand.

We start to put it all together in this practice section. Put the rhythm, chords, and left hand together.

We learn how to read chord charts as well as Nashville Number System charts in this lesson.

Here is some practice for you on chord charts and Nashville Number System charts.

We will look at how to examine and analyze songs to determine what key the song is in. We look at what chords are major and minor in any given key.

In this lesson, we will learn how to break away from the rhythm patterns we have learned. We use the rhythm patterns to keep us in time, but do not actually play them out.

In this lesson, we will learn how to break away from the rhythm patterns we have learned. We use the rhythm patterns to keep us in time, but do not actually play them out. We also look at what the sustain pedal does and how to use it in our playing.