Piano Forum
Piano Board => Student's Corner => Topic started by: play it by ear on June 09, 2005, 04:35:17 PM
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Hi everyone, ive been playing for about a year and a half now, my freind started giving me lessons last year. I cant read music, but i know my scales and chords very well. Mostly i just listen to music on the radio or on cds and just try to learn them. For instance i leaned how to play Ordinary People by John Legend. Also i have made up about 7 of my own songs. Well my friend moved away and has pretty much left me to continue learning on my own. I had a few questions for the fine folks in this forum. first do you have any tips for me to improve my ear? I can pick up one note melodies very quick but finding chords are still difficult for me. Also what are some common chord progressions that could be used when composing songs, i like to play modern R&B type songs. Lastly if anyone could post some chord progressions to any songs they might know that would be awesome... THanks a lot everyone!!!
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I would encourage you to learn as much as you can about reading music. Playing by ear is great, (I do it a lot) but you can learn so much more by reading music. If you can already play by ear, then combining that with the ability to read music will make you a much better performer.
It sounds like you started out much like I did. I began writing some fairly simple piano compositions even before I got a teacher. When I did, however, It was like a whole new world was opened up to me. I became a better composer and performer because of my teacher. You should get one too.
As for chord progressions, There's a little improvising excercise I like to do. Play it as fast or slow as you like, in any time signature. Have your left hand play C-G-Abmaj7-Bb-Cmaj7 over and over, and improvise in the right hand.
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I totally agree with pianoguy. Having a piano teacher (a GOOD one) give you private lessons makes all the difference in the world. In fact, I'm going to go back to taking my piano lessons again. I miss them. I had to quit them two years ago due to low funds, but I'll be starting them up again this summer. :D
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Try:
Virtual Piano Chords...for some neat learning methods....(just put it in your server).
It shows you the keyboard and gives structure on that keyboard....
John Cont
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...Welcome...Noobie...
!LL