Hello, and welcome back. I'm Joseph Hoffman.
Today we're learning how to play a new kind of chord, the V7 chord.
It's a very cool and useful chord.
Let me show you how we use the V7 chord in "Dinah",
then I'll show you how to do it yourself.
Come over to the piano, and let's watch "Dinah" with the V7 chord.
Sometimes my left hand will play a three note chord like this.
We call that the I chord.
Then there's another chord, like this called the V7 chord.
Listen to how it sounds with "Dinah".
[Playing piano]
Notice how that sound gives a very interesting flavor or color to the ending.
[Playing piano]
Knowing how to play different kinds of chords like the I chord or the V7 chord
will make your songs sound a lot more interesting and give you more variety
and flavors to use in your music.
So, let's learn how to do the V7 chord.
First, let's practice on a flat surface like your piano bench or a table.
And let's review the three note chord which we'll call the I chord.
You'll need to touch your finger five, three and one on the flat surface
while lifting your finger two and four.
Just practice touching those three fingers down while you lift fingers two and four.
Good. Now for the V7 chord, you'll need to touch fingers
one, two and five down while lifting fingers three and four.
So let's practice that. Just touch fingers one, two and five
while fingers three and four float in the air.
Touch. Touch.
Now go back to the I chord.
Now finger comes up and finger three goes down
with one and five also touching.
And now switch again.
Now fingers three and four are up, while one, two and five are down.
This is the shape of our fingers that we'll need to use for the V7 chord.
Okay one more time. Try the I chord two touches, now the V7 chord two touches.
Good. Now let's find the notes on the piano.
Okay. I'm going to place some green circles where the I chord is.
For "Dinah", we'll use G, B and D to make a I chord.
It sounds like that.
For the V7 chord, we're going to use an F sharp, and C and D.
And remember for this chord we'll use finger one, two and five
because they will fit nicely over those three notes and it will sound like this.
The V7 chord always sounds best when it goes to a I chord next.
Notice the V7 chord has a little bit of a troubled or a tense or anxious sound
until it gets back to I.
It's like you're in trouble, oh everything is okay.
Or you're really upset, and then you figure things out, it's a nice day again.
Thunderstorm, and then blue skies.
So now on your piano, see if you can find the notes for the V7 chord.
First come to a I chord, and putting finger five of your left hand on G,
see if you can play G, B, D. The I chord.
Good, now try the V7 chord by bringing finger five to the F sharp,
and fingers one and two will cover up C and D.
If you have small hands and that's too big of a stretch,
you can simplify it by just playing C and D with fingers one
and two and then go right back to the I chord.
And that sounds nice too.
Now let's try adding the I and V7 chord to a song you know, "Dinah".
Okay, I'm going to use both hands but for right now, why don't you just use
your left hand playing the I chord or the V7 chord.
For "Dinah", there are going to be three I chords in a row, then a V7 chord,
followed quickly by another I chord.
Let's practice that once.
I'll play the melody in my right hand and the chords in my left hand.
You just focus on playing the chords in your left hand along with me.
Get ready for a I chord, finger five on G. Ready go.
Another I chord, another I chord.
Now get ready for the V7 chord, pause and get your fingers ready,
here we go and, now quickly back to a I chord.
Good. Now push pause and practice the shift from the I chord to the V7 chord
and then quickly back to the I chord.
Then push play again when you're ready to try it with me.
This time we're going to do it without a pause.
Here we go, three I chords. Here we go.
Another I chord, another I chord.
Now V7 back to I.
Good job.
Now let's practice that one more time.
Ready go.
[Playing piano]
V7 I.
Good. Now the next line has two I chords in a row, followed by a V7
and then going back to I, and the shift doesn't happen as quickly this time.
So let's try the second line of "Dinah", this time just two I chords in a row
going to the V7. Ready go.
Another I chord, get ready for V7, here's back to the I chord.
Good, now let's put those two lines together.
Remember you can push pause to practice anytime,
and try it with me when you feel ready.
Back all the way to the start with our three I chords in a row.
Ready go.
[Playing piano]
Great work. If that didn't go exactly the way you wanted on your first try,
don't give up. Even if it didn't go the way you wanted on your third or
fourth or fifth try, just keep practicing these chords.
Work on just your left hand until you are really comfortable with those shifts,
and then you can try playing the melody in your right hand while your
left hand plays the chords.
That will sound really professional.
From our website, you can also download the music to "Dinah" with the chords
written in above the notes.
In music, it's tradition to use Roman numerals for chords.
"Roman numerals?" you ask?
Well, the Romans lived thousands of years ago,
and they invented a system of writing numbers different from our own.
To them, capital I means one, and capital V means five.
So in music, if you see a capital V written over the notes, it means play a V chord.
If you see an I, a capital I, it means play a I chord.
So on your music in "Dinah", you'll see I or V7, which really means
one or five seven, which are the chords we worked on today.
If you'd like to make a video or yourself playing "Dinah" with chords,
and then post it on my Facebook page, I'd love to watch you play.
Thanks for watching, and I'll see you next time.