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Learn 144 Piano Chords in an Hour Using Simple Shapes
Rating: 4.7 out of 5(588 ratings)
4,147 students

Learn 144 Piano Chords in an Hour Using Simple Shapes

Instant recall of 144 piano chords from day one — no sheet music, no scales, no theory. Play songs today
Created bySimon Glenister
Last updated 4/2026
English

What you'll learn

  • Instant recall of 144 piano chords using a simple shapes method — in under an hour
  • Pro tips for making those chords sound impressively musical
  • Learn any song you want by finding its chords online and playing them immediately
  • Play with both hands without reading sheet music or learning scales
  • Never forget a chord again — because you understand the pattern, not just the shape
  • Build songs and write your own music using the chord toolkit from this course

Explore related topics

Course content

10 sections • 103 lectures • 2h 1m total length

  • Meet your piano guide1:12

    A quick hello and a promise to you that I'll deliver what I say I can

  • Anchoring ourselves6:25

    Let's make the keyboard less intimidating and use some simple shapes to easily find our way around the keyboard

  • Two minute White note finding practice1:48

    Simple use of shapes and patterns can help you find your way around the keyboard easily...no more need for stickers on the keys!

  • What is a chord? How do I make one?4:08

    Chords are our building blocks for playing songs - there's a simple secret to how you put one together, using a really simple-to-remember pattern. Here is where you play your first chord.

  • Bus analogy!2:25

    Here's how we can use fun imagery to embed the things we need to remember to be abe to build a chord

  • White picket fences and triangles6:29
  • What's to come1:24

    Introduction to a table that demonstrates the range of chords we're going to cover in the course. We'll fill out the formula as we go through. That's not all the course does but it's a core part

  • Minor (Sad) Chords2:20

    Most of the songs you hear are made up of happy and sad songs. Here's how to make the sad ones. With these 14 chords, you can now play thousands and thousands of songs.

  • Finding chords to the songs you want to play4:41

    The best way to learn is by having fun. What better way than by learning the songs you want to. Here we look at where you can go and find the chords to the songs you want to play, with some simple tips to make it easier for you.

  • Your first song - putting that all together6:14

    The point of this course is to get you playing the songs you want as quickly as possible. Watch me go through the process of working out how to play this one. With that knowledge, you are now equipped to start having as much fun as possible learning the songs you want! How quick was that!

Requirements

  • A piano, keyboard, or free piano app on your phone or tablet
  • No musical experience or knowledge required, complete beginners welcome

Description

The problem with how piano is usually taught

Most beginners are told to start with scales, read sheet music, and work through exercises for months before they play a single song they recognise. It's slow, it's frustrating — and most people quit before it gets fun.

There's a better way. And it takes about an hour.

What this course does differently

This course is built around one insight: piano chords follow simple, repeatable shapes. Once you understand the pattern, you don't need to memorise hundreds of individual chords — you just apply the formula. In under an hour, you'll have 144 chords at your fingertips.

No sheet music. No scales. No theory overload. Just shapes, patterns, and songs.

What you'll be able to do by the end

• Play 144 chords — major, minor, seventh, augmented, diminished, sus2, sus4, slash chords, inversions and more

• Pick up any song online and work out how to play it yourself

• Play songs with both hands without reading a single note of music

• Understand the simple logic behind all chords so you never forget them

• Write your own music using the chord tools you've built

• Make chords sound musical — not just correct — using simple pro techniques

• Sound accomplished far faster than traditional lessons would allow


What else is included

The course also includes a complete chord dictionary — over 70 short reference lessons covering every major, minor, 7th, augmented, diminished, sus2, sus4 and slash chord across all 12 keys. Once you've learned the system, the dictionary is yours to keep as a permanent reference — dip into it whenever you need a specific chord, or use it to explore further at your own pace.


Who is this for?

• Complete beginners — no experience or musical knowledge needed

• Adults who tried piano before and stopped — this approach is different

• People who want to play songs they love, not just exercises

• Anyone who finds traditional music lessons slow, boring or confusing

• People learning on a keyboard, digital piano, or even a piano app on their phone


Why this method works

Most songs use only four or five chords. Once you understand the shapes system, you can find the chords to virtually any song in seconds and start playing it immediately. No years of groundwork required.

The shapes aren't a shortcut — they're how chords actually work. You're not learning a hack, you're learning the real underlying logic in a way that sticks.

About your instructor

Simon has 20 years of experience as a professional touring musician, 4 record contracts, and millions of YouTube views. He holds a post-graduate qualification in Education from Cambridge University and has spent 15 years teaching music to underserved youth in some very challenging circumstances,  — which means he knows exactly how to explain complicated things, quickly simply and get results.

He's taken everything he knows about what actually gets people playing quickly and built it into this course. No filler. No padding. Just the fastest route from complete beginner to playing the songs you love.

What students say

“I have been playing for about 30 minutes a day for about 7 days after following about 70% of the course. I have just finished playing chorus and verse of Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me”, both hands! I’m a complete beginner and I have wanted to play an instrument all of my life. There was a moment, brief but a moment, where I wasn’t thinking about where my hands were but just enjoying playing the piano.” — Verified student


“It’s so silly they don’t teach piano like this from the start. I can’t believe that it took me 2 music teachers and 1 year of frustration before I found someone who could just explain it.” — Verified student


“Making something that appears extremely complicated into something simple and understandable is an art. This course is the first I have ever done that had me hooked from the first minute.” — Gerry, verified student


Rated 4.7/5 from 578 ratings · 18,000+ students across all platforms

What you need

• A piano, keyboard, or free piano app on your phone or tablet

• About an hour of your time

• No prior musical knowledge whatsoever


30-day money-back guarantee — if it doesn’t work for you, you pay nothing.

Who this course is for:

  • Adults who tried piano lessons before and gave up
  • For beginners, or people who've tried before but not quite got there
  • Anyone who wants to play songs they love without years of practice
  • People who find traditional music lessons too slow, theoretical or intimidating
  • Young people excited to learn an instrument quickly
  • Songwriters or musicians from other instruments wanting to add piano

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