Hello, and welcome back. I'm Joseph Hoffman.
Today we're going to be doing something challenging.
A new more advanced technique called playing chords.
A chord is anytime you play two or more notes at the same time.
So let's get started. Come on over to the piano
and I want you to look at this range of notes right here
and touch on your screen the note that is called C.
If you're touching this note, you are correct.
Now touch the note above it called G.
If you're touching this note, you're correct.
Now we're going to take these two notes C and G
and play both of them at the same time with one hand
and that will make a chord.
Sounding like this.
[Playing piano]
I love the sound of chords, don't you?
One thing to remember when you're playing chords is to have excellent piano posture.
So let's review a few things about piano posture.
First of all let's talk about how your hand should look after you play the chord.
Playing a chord takes a lot of energy for the fingers,
because it's two, sometimes three or even four notes.
So every time you play a chord when you're done playing the chord
I want you to relax your hand.
Can you hold up your hand like this kind of in a limp shape?
Sometimes I call this the dead fish hand because it's really
floppy and limp just like a dead fish.
So hold up your hand like this, and let your Mom or Dad
or someone come up and flop your fingers.
They should just go up and down really floppily.
And that let's you know that your hand is relaxed.
So every time you play a chord when you're done with that chord
make sure your hand relaxes like this once you're done.
Okay, now another thing to remember is that the thumb
doesn't play on it's tip.
It plays on it's side edge like this.
Also please remember that your pinky shouldn't play along this part in here.
It should play more near it's tip. Okay.
It doesn't have to point straight down like this.
Just play somewhere where it's comfortable near the end of the pinky.
I just remembered something.
I said last time I wouldn't call things by thumb and pinky anymore,
and I've been still calling them thumb and pinky.
Now you know finger numbers so I should be calling this what?
Finger number one.
And what should I be calling this?
Finger number five. That's right.
So for chords, we're going to be using finger number
one for C if we're using your right hand, and finger five, your pinky, for G.
Now these other three fingers aren't going to tuck under here
because that would create tension.
That would not be good for playing chords.
Plus then they're not ready to play any other notes.
So they are just going to relax and float up so they are out of the way.
Okay so maybe just on the piano lid
close your piano lid if you have a piano lid,
otherwise you can just do this on your lap or on the floor.
Just practice touching your thumb along it's edge and your pinky somewhere near the tip.
Touch those two fingers on the piano lid.
And then relax. Touch. Relax. Touch. Relax.
Remember when you relax, it just feels limp like a dead fish.
And then these three fingers are just floating up and out of the way.
Not sticking straight up like this, but just relaxed.
Play. Relax. Try this with me. Relax. Play. Relax. Good.
Now we're going to try it with your left hand.
Your left hand also uses one and five.
Remember your thumb plays on it's edge near the tip, but more on the side.
And your pinky also plays near the tip.
But remember to keep it relaxed.
It doesn't have to tightly curve to play on it's tip.
It's just going to be relaxed and long.
Here we go. Play. Relax. Play. Relax.
Play. Relax. Play. Relax.
Let's try both hands now.
Here we go. Play. Relax. Play. Relax.
Play. Relax. Play. Relax.
Now we're ready to try it on the piano.
With your right hand, I want you to place finger one and finger five on C and G.
With your right hand, finger one goes on C. Finger five goes on G.
Remember to have good piano posture.
We want you to not be sitting too close to the piano.
Now letting your middle three fingers, fingers two, three and four
float a little bit up into the air so only your thumb and pinky are touching.
Let's practice playing chords. Here we go.
Play. Relax. Play. Relax.
Let's do that one more time with you watching my hand from the side
so you can see how my wrist moves and how it floats up when I'm done.
Here we go, one more time.
Play. Relax. Play. Relax. Play. Relax.
Now let's try it with your left hand.
Use finger five on C, and finger one on G now.
Here we go. Play. Relax. Play. Relax.
Play. Relax.
You're ready to use chords to play a song now.
I'd like you to sing "Frog in the Middle" while you play chords.
We'll play one chord every time you sing the word "frog".
And then at the end of the song when you do can't catch me,
we'll play three chords, one on each word.
I'll show you once, and then the second time you try it with me.
Here's how we'll do it. I'll use my left hand.
Frog in the middle,
frog in the sea.
Frog in the middle,
can't catch me!
Will you try it with me this time?
Let's use your left hand.
The right hand usually has been going first but in piano it's most often the
left hand that is in charge of playing the chords for our songs.
So let's get started with your left hand for "Frog in the Middle".
Place finger five on C and finger one on G.
Let your fingers two, three and four float a little bit in the air
and drop down on the notes every time we sing the word "frog".
Here we go.
Frog in the middle,
frog in the sea.
Frog in the middle,
can't catch me!
Super.
Now, at home by yourself, try it with your right hand
and then when you get really good at that, try it with both hands at the same time.
Have lots of fun practicing chords. Remember to keep your fingers relaxed.
Use gravity to drop into the notes rather than trying to
push the notes down with your fingers.
Just make it easy falling into the notes,
and then remember to relax after playing each chord.
Thanks for coming, and see you next time.