New Member!!!

[play it by ear]

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!!!

[pianoguy]

     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.

[piano_luvr]

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. 

[c18cont]

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

[kaziel illian]

...Welcome...Noobie...


!LL