Piano Practice - Lesson #1

Notes, Scales, Melodies, and Chords

Notes, Scales, Melodies, and Chords are the building blocks of music, and they all play an important role in creating beautiful and harmonious compositions.

Keyboard

The keyboard has a total of 12 keys in a black and white arrangement. The notes on a keyboard uses the alphabets A, B, C, D, E, F, and G to represent each note on the keyboard.

Note A note is a single sound that has a definite pitch, duration, and volume.

For example, the C note is the first key on the keyboard.

White notes

There are 7 notes on the white keys of the keyboard labelled C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Here is the list of white notes on the keyboard:

Black notes

There are 5 notes on the black keys of the keyboard labelled C-sharp (C#) or D-flat (D♭), D-sharp (D#) or E♭ (E-flat), F-sharp (F#) or G-flat (G♭), G-sharp (G#) or A-flat (A♭), A-sharp (A#) or B-flat (B♭) .

Here is the list of black notes on the keyboard:

C-sharp (C#) or D-flat (D♭)
D-sharp (D#) or E♭ (E-flat)
F-sharp (F#) or G-flat (G♭)
G-sharp (G#) or A-flat (A♭)
A-sharp (A#) or B-flat (B♭)

When several notes are played together in a specific order and rhythm, they form a melody.

Melody

A melody is the main theme or tune that is central to a piece of music.

Scales

Scales are sequences of notes that are played in ascending or descending order. The most common scales in Western music are the Major and Minor scales. Major scales have a happy and bright sound, while minor scales have a sad or serious sound. The pattern of whole and half steps between the notes in a scale determines its unique sound.

Chords

Chords are groups of three or more notes played together at the same time. They provide the harmony or background music that supports the melody. Major and minor chords are formed by taking the first, third, and fifth notes of a Major or Minor scale. Chords can also be built by stacking notes in thirds, creating chord progressions that can be used to write entire songs.

In order to play music on a piano, it is important to understand the relationship between notes, scales, melodies, and chords. Start by learning the basics of music theory, including the notes and scales, and then practice playing simple melodies and chords. As you become more confident, you can start to experiment with different chord progressions and harmonies, creating your own unique musical compositions.

It is also important to develop your ear for music by listening to a variety of musical styles and practicing playing along with recordings. Pay attention to the way different chords and melodies are used, and try to imitate what you hear. With practice and perseverance, you will become more skilled at playing music on the piano and creating your own beautiful and harmonious compositions.

In conclusion, understanding the relationship between Notes, Scales, Melodies, and Chords is essential for becoming a proficient musician. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, by studying music theory and practicing regularly, you can improve your skills and create beautiful, harmonious music on the piano.

PRACTICE

ASSIGNMENTS 1 – Write down all the notes for the C major scale. i.e the white keys only.

2 – Play all the notes from a C major scale using the above keyboard.

3 – Play around with a combination of notes. e.g. C-E-F

4 – Repeat the notes multiple times.

5 – Try another combination of notes. e.g. D-F-A

6 – Repeat the notes multiple times.

7 – Now mix the above combinations together to create a medoly e.g. C-E-F-C-F-E-F-C-E

8 – Try mixing together the other combinations to create another melody.

e.g. D-F-A-A-F-D-A-D-F

9 – Finally, combine the two melodies together, play around with it and do not worry about making mistakes. Just have fun and play around with the notes.

Remember: Applied knowledge is power!

NEXT LESSON

In the next lesson, we would look at the Major Chords and get a basic understanding of what comprises of a Major Chord.