Keyboard Master
By Maurice Ellis
The easiest way to learn Chords, Keys and Scales,
in hours, not months, using very simple formulas.
.
Copyright 2008 Maurice S. Ellis
Contents page
Parts one to ten
1) Introduction
2) How to find chords and scales using simple formulas.
3) Why play chords when one finger will do?
4) How to work out the keys.
5) Now for the scales.
6) Finding chords from scales.
7) Chord chart with formulas.
8) Augmented and diminished chords.
9) Keys and scales chart
10) Formulas mentioned.
How to learn chords, scales and keys in hours not months.
For keyboard and chord-piano players.
Introduction.
If you are a beginning keyboard player you will probably be a little worried as to
how you are going to be able to remember masses of chords, scales and keys
without having to constantly refer to charts and diagrams. Well, I have put
together the information in this instruction booklet to make your life much easier.
You will learn in minutes what it takes some people months to learn. Don’t doubt
this because it really works and it is so simple. Once you understand the formulas
you’ll be able to play most chords you will ever need, learn how to play the scale in
every key and be able to instantly recognize which key any piece of music is in. And
what’s more, you will no longer be frightened of sharps and flats.
If you are taking up a new challenge then you are a layman. Therefore, if you
are like me, you would like to learn it in the least technical way possible. This is
what I have tried to do with this instruction book on learning to play a keyboard in
the shortest possible time. I will assume nothing, except your desire to play the
keyboard to the best of your ability. These instructions are not meant for those of
you who want to become an accomplished pianist. They are designed primarily for
players of keyboards with built in chord accompaniment. However, they should be
of benefit and interest to pianists.
Is it hard to learn to play a keyboard? Well, that depends on you. It has been
said that everything is hard before it becomes easy. Many keyboard players take it
up because they struggle to get to grips with playing the piano to a good standard
- I know that I certainly did, but they still have a desire to produce good music –
for their own pleasure of for others.
If this is the case with you then there is only one thing you have to do Practice! This, of course, is once you know the necessary techniques, and they are
easy to learn.
This manual is for those who want to play from Chord music. Also known as Fake
music or Lead sheets. This means that you only get the Treble clef with all the
necessary chords shown above the staff. Base clef is omitted in most cases.
The great thing about modern keyboards is that they produce a really good
accompaniment to your melody, and this can be done by using only one finger to
play the chords. However, it is better to learn how to play full chords - I’ll explain
why later. These are easy to learn by using simple mathematical formulas. Don’t let
that put you off. The only maths you will need is the ability to count up to seven.
You’ll see what I mean later on in this book. There are hundreds of chords which
would take you ages to learn by heart so this system will teach you all the chords
you need within a couple of days- really!
There are several things you will need to know before you can hope to become a
good keyboard player:
1) Be able to name all the notes on a keyboard.
2) Be able to read the melody line from a piece of sheet music.
3) Be able to understand what that other stuff is written on the music sheet.
4) Be prepared to practice.
If you cannot read the melody line on a lead sheet go to your local library and
borrow a book on music theory. Music theory will not be taught in this book - well,
maybe a little. Theory is important. The more you understand the theory of music
the easier it will become for you to put everything together and become a more
accomplished player. After all, you wouldn’t expect to become a pilot without
learning the theory of flight.
There are thousands, if not millions, of articles on the internet dealing with musical
theory. Why not do a search and you may be very surprised at some of the useful
Information you come across. So let’s get on with it.
A
B
C
D E
F
G
A B
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
<<<Middle C
Above is the treble clef showing all the notes from A to C. Most pop songs, played on a keyboard using
the built in accompaniment, will normally be in the above range. If you have problems figuring out the two
lines below and above the staff – including the space - just remember they are A, B, C, below and above.
Middle C refers to the middle note between the treble and bass clef, not the middle of the keyboard. The
A at the bottom is the top line of the Bass Clef.
How to find chords and scales using simple formulas.
The only musical knowledge you need is the ability to read the melody line and
how to find the notes on a keyboard. If you can do that playing keyboard is easy. Did
you know that a keyboard can be played using mathematical formulas? Well, it can
but some people find it difficult to get to grips with maths. However, with this
system you only need to be able to count up to seven. Now, there are very simple
formulas to help us find all the important chords, keys and scales.
Tip!
If you are a beginner at playing the keyboard you would be better off practicing with
familiar songs. Choose songs you know really well, such as Silent night, Love me
tender etc. This way you won’t struggle too much with the melody and you’ll be
able to concentrate more on the chords.
Here are the formulas. Explanation follows.
2212221: Diatonic Scales.
2122122: Minor scales.
4 + 3: Dominant chords. = Triad (3-note chord)
4 + 3 + 4: Major 7th chords.
4 + 3 + 3: 7th. Chords (4-note chord).
4 + 6: 7th. Chords (3-note chord).*
*This is easier to play but I recommend you go for the full, 4-note 7th chord,
Using inversions.
3+4+3. Minor 7th Chords. (4 note chord).
3+3: Diminished chord.
4+4: Augmented chords.
2 + 5: Suspended 2nd chord.
4 + 5: Suspended 4th chord.
3 + 4. Minor chords. Triad (3-note chord).
And that's all there is to it. Who needs chord charts? Just learn the formulas
above and you will be able to find all the scales and all the most widely used chords
on a keyboard. And the great thing about this system is that you don't actually
have to remember loads of scales and chords because, with these formulas, you
already know them all!
Now for the breakdown:
Here is how it works:
Finding the scales.
Let's start where everybody starts from - Middle C.
Every note which we start with, for our formula, is always the 'Root’ note and is
zero-rated. In other words it is never counted. See below:
C: Diatonic scale. C is zero rated because it is the root note.
CDEFG ABC
02212221
If you start at C and count every note from there - including the black notes using the above formula, you will play the C scale. C is the root note, now count 2
and we hit the D. Now count 2 again and we hit the E, now count 1 and we hit F,
and so on. No matter which note you start on - as the root note - you will always
end up playing the correct scale. Try it out for yourself right now. Easy, isn't it? In
about two minutes you have learned how to play every scale you will need.
Look at the scale of Bb below:
Bb C D Eb F G A Bb The Bb scale using the formula underneath it.
0 2 2
1 2 2 2
1
It works every time and takes a minute or so to remember.
Try finding any scale picking any note to start with.
Minor scales: Use the above rules and the following formula to find all the
minor scales: 02122122.
Now for the best part!
How to play all the most important chords without having to remember how
to play them all. And remember, count all the notes including the black ones but
not the Root note.
Major chords
Major chords are always written like this: C, D, Bb, and E. They are not written as
Cmajor etc.
Let's start with C again: Formula: 4 + 3
The name of the chord is always the ‘Root’ note.
Always count up the keyboard to the right/higher notes and not down.
C is the root note. Count 4 which takes us to the E, then count 3 which takes us to
the G. So C + E + G is the C chord.
Now try Eb.
Eb is the Root note. Count 4 which takes us to the G. Now 3 which takes us to the
Bb.
So - Eb + G + Bb - is the Eb chord. And there you have it.
7th Chords.
Formula: 4 + 3 + 3. (4-note 7th. chord). (Major chord formula + 3).
C7: Root note C + 4 is E + 3 is G + 3 is Bb. (C + E + + G + Bb) 4-note chord.
D7: Root note D + 4 = F# + 3 is A + 3 is C (D + F# + A + C)
So, with the Major and Minor chords just add 3 to the count to get a 7th Chord.
Usually written C7 and Cmin7
There is another 7th. Chord you will often come across. It is the Major 7th.
E.G. CM7 – CMaj7
This is a normal chord but you need to add 4 instead of 3 to get a Major seventh.
E.G. C7 = C + E + G + Bb. C Major7 = C + E + G + B. And the same applies to all
Major Seventh chords. 4 + 3 + 4
Minor chords. F#min
Formula: 3 + 4.
Let's start with F# minor.
F# is Home note: Plus 3 is A + 4 is C#. (F# + A + C#)
Ab minor. Ab is the Root note. Plus 3 is B + 4 is Eb. (Ab + B + Eb)
N.B: Major and minor chords are usually always triads - 3-note chords. Seventh
chords should always be 4-note chords to give them depth.
To change a dominant chord into a minor just lower the second note - within the
formula - one half step. (Semitone).
C = C + E + G. The second note is E so lower it a half step to Eb.
C minor = C+Eb+F.
G = G + B + D. The second note is B so one half step back takes it to Bb.
G minor = G+Bb+D.
Minor 7th.
Formula: 3+4+3. (Minor formula + 3).
D minor 7th. Dmin7
D is the root note: Plus 3 is F + 4 is A +3 is C. (D + F + A +C). (The inversion of
CDFA may be easier for you to play as below).
Most songs can be played using only the major, minor and seventh chords.
There is also a minor Major7. Cmin/Maj7
Use the same rules as before. Minor chord formula: 3 + 4. Now add 4 and you get a
minor/Major 7th.
Diminished Chords. (o = dim).
Formula: 3+3. Usually written G o, or Gdim
Gdim: G is the Root note + 3 = Bb + Db. (G + Bb + Db).
Augmentedchords. (aug) (Usually written +, or aug)
Formula: 4 + 4.
B+: (aug)
B is the Root note + 4 = Eb + 4 = G. (B + Eb + G).
To get a Diminished or Augmented 7th. Just add 3, or add 4 to get Major 7th.
Suspended or Sustained chords.
A suspended (Sus), sometimes called a Sustained, is a chord in which the third is
replaced by either a perfect fourth or a major second, but the fourth is far more
common. This type of chord is more common in country music but still worth
knowing about.
Sus2: 1st, 2nd and 5th notes of the scale.
Sus4: 1st, 4 th and 5th notes of the scale
Csus2 would be C + D + G.
Formula: Root + 2 + 5.
Csus4 would be C + F + G.
Formula: Root + 5 + 2
Simply remember to play the first, second and fifth note within any scale to find a
Sus2, and the first, fourth and fifth note to find a Sus4.
Now you have formulas for just about every chord you will need to play on your
keyboard. There are other chords such as 9th, 13th etc, but you will rarely need
them when playing popular music. However, with a little experimentation, you can
figure those out for yourself.
6TH Chords:
To find a 6th chord such as Cmaj6 just add two semitones/steps instead of 3 as with a 7th chord.
There are, of course, inversions to all the chords which you can easily work out for
yourself. Any combinations of each chord will work on a keyboard. You simply
choose the one which works best for you, or is easier for you to play. Sometimes
you will not be able to play a particular inversion as it might go beyond the 'Split'
point on your keyboard. For example, I cannot play Bb7 on my keyboard in the first
mode as it goes past my split point which is the F below Middle C. So I play the
inversion: F, Ab, Bb, D. The ‘Split Point’ is the note which separates the melody
area from the chord area.
We are discussing here only the most widely used chords. The more
experienced you become with your playing the less you'll need the formulas. But
heh! If these formulas help you remember your chords use them all the time.
Have you noticed that the Major, Minor, 7th, augmented and Diminished chords
all have a formula containing combinations of only two numbers? 3 and 4.
There is a print-out of all the formulas for you to use at the end of this booklet, and
there is also a Chord chart. Always include the root note otherwise you will get the
wrong chord.
Why play full chords when one finger will do the same job?
This is a question that many people ask. With the likes of Casio and Yamaha you
can simply play a chord by using one finger but this can sometimes produce
problems. With these keyboards you will get instructions on how to play a seventh
chord with two fingers. However, not all keyboards use the same method. So, if
you suddenly have to play a different keyboard you may be stumped.
Like most keyboard players there is always a desire to play piano. Now, you simply
cannot play chord piano by using only single notes. It would not sound good at all.
You will always need at least two, three or four notes in the accompaniment to make
your playing sound acceptable. Also, you cannot play arpeggios unless you know
chords. An Arpeggio is simply playing each note of the chord one after the other.
Another good reason for not relying on one-finger chords is that you cannot play
a minor, 7th, diminished, augmented or major 7th chord with just one finger.
Built-in accompaniment is very clever but it cannot read your mind. The keyboard
will always seek out the correct chord relative to your fingering. For example; if you
place your fingers on E + G + C it will play the C chord.
If you place your fingers on G + C + E it will still play the C chord. And the
same applies if you place your fingers on just the G + C. However, if you place your
fingers on just the C + A it will play an A minor chord. To play any chord other than
a major you will have to use at least two notes.
To play a C minor you will have to place your fingers on C + Eb. To play a C7
you will have to place your fingers on C + Bb. To play any 7th or Major 7th chord
always play the root and last note of that chord. To find any Minor always use the
first and second note of that chord
.
Unfortunately the above rules do not apply to Augmented or Diminished chords.
If you played C + Eb you will get a C minor chord as these two notes are the first
two of the C minor chord and also the first two notes of the C augmented. You will
have to use three notes to play the diminished and augmented chords. So, maybe
you now understand why playing chords with just one finger is not such a good
idea. Actually, you will probably find it much easier to play full chords, once you get
used to them, as it can be easier to move from one chord to the other rather than
trying to get one finger to fall onto the right note each time when you change from
chord to chord.
How to work out which key the music is in.
Do you look at a piece of music and, when you see a few sharps or flats, have a
problem with remembering which key it is in? Well, there is a very easy way to
figure it out. Have a look at the sketch below. What key is it in?
Okay. This is how you figure out the key:
The first sketch shows four flats. Look at the flat furthest to the right. It is D flat.
Now, on your keyboard, count back from D flat five steps/semitones. Count all the
black and white keys. You should be on Ab. And that is the key. It doesn’t matter
how many flats there are it works every time. Always count back five steps from
the flat furthest to the right on your piece of music. Method 2: This is the easiest
way: find the flat furthest to the right, go back one flat and that is the key. One flat,
Bb, is in the key of F. Look at the sketch below with six sharps.
The sharp furthest to the right is E sharp. This formula is easier. Count forward
only one step/semitone from the sharp furthest to the right, in this case E sharp,
and that will be the key. E sharp plus one step takes you to F sharp which is the
key. The same formula applies to any key with sharps in it. Just count one step
forward from the last sharp to the right.
There is a chart at the end of this book showing all the keys.
Now for the scales.
Are scales important? Yes they are. Until you know your scales you will never
become an accomplished musician, and you will limit your own progress and
enjoyment. About 98% of songs will use only the notes relative to the key it is
written in. So if you know the scale of a particular piece of music you will also know
which notes you will be playing in that song. Before attempting to play a song, which
you are not familiar with, it is a good idea to practice the scale first. By doing so
you are actually playing the notes to that song, but not necessarily in the right
order. Practicing scales will give your fingers dexterity and speed up your ability to
find the right notes in a song. Here is another good reason to know your scales: If
you know the scale/key of a particular song you can find which chords to play using
a simple formula.
Finding chords from scales.
You may come across a piece of music which does not show which chords to
play piano music is normally like this, b ut you’d like to play it on your keyboard.
So, how do you figure out which chords to play? Quite simple, really. There are
three dominant chords in each scale based on the 1st. 4th. and 5th. notes in that
scale. If you played only the three main chords in each song you’ll play to an
acceptable level, but your playing would sound a lot better if you also played minor
and seventh chords. Also, you should experiment by inverting the chords to see if
you get a more pleasurable sound; although this doesn’t apply when playing built-in
accompaniment. Major chords always sound better when inverted and not in the
root position. Inversions are simply playing the notes of the chord in a different
order. E.G: Bb7 = Bb + D + F + Ab. So you can invert it to F + Ab + Bb + D. Also,
this is easier to play. This, of course, really only applies when you are playing piano
style. When counting the notes in a scale, for the 1st.4th.and 5th notes, the root
note is counted as 1. So, in the scale of C, the first chord (Note 1) would be C
major, the second chord (Note 4) would be F major and the third chord (Note 5)
would be G major. As a beginner I used to work out the Key (scale) I would be
playing in (2212221) write it at the top of the page, and then I would write the
Formula along side it.
So the top of my page would look like this:
Key = G. (G A B C D E F# G). Formula 4 + 3. Main chords = G, B and C. If I missed
a chord I would simply play one of the three main chords for that scale and usually
got away with it, but not always. NB. You should always try to play a chord which
has the melody note in it.
But you do need to know your scales before you can
work this out.
Practice at least one scale each time you sit at your keyboard. First with your
right hand, and then with your left. Try running up and down the keyboard. This is
a good warm-up exercise for your hands.
This will also speed up your ability to
find the right notes when you are sight reading.
Chord chart with formulas.
Major
Root note + 4 + 3
7th.
Root note + 4 + 3 + 3
Minor.
Root note +3 + 4
Major 7th.
Root note + 4 + 3 + 4
Minor 7th.
Root note
+3+4+3
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
Ab
Bb
Eb
C#
F#
These are the most widely used chords. Some have been inverted for ease of playing.
The next chart contains the most widely used Augmented and Diminished chords.
Augmented and diminished chords.
Augmented = Aug or +
Root note + 4 + 4
Diminished = Dim or o
Root note + 3 + 3
C
D
E
F
Add three to the
count to make a 7th.
to Dim or Aug
chord.
G
A
Some of the chords
have been inverted
for ease of playing.
B
Ab
Bb
Eb
C#
F#
Try inverting some of the chords.
Keys and scales.
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
Cb
C#
Db
Eb
F#
Gb
Ab
Bb
To find the Key when you see 'sharps'/# count one step/semitone up from the last sharp on the right.
To find the Key when you see 'flats'/b count back five steps/semitones to the left from the last flat on
the right. Alternatively, apart from one flat – Bb – which is in the key of F, look at the flat immediately to
the left of the last flat to the right and that is the key. Practice at least one scale every day.
Here are all the formulas mentioned.
Chords.
Major: Root note + 4 + 3
Minor: Root note + 3 + 4
Seventh: + 3 to the two formulas above.
Major 7th: Root note +4 + 3 + 4
Minor 7th: Root note + 3 +4 + 3
Minor/Major 7th: Root note + 3 + 4 + 4
Augmented: Root note + 4 + 4*
Diminished: Root note + 3 + 3*
*Add + 3 for 7th to the two formulas above.
Suspended chords: Sus2 = Root + 2 + 5. Sus4 = Root + 5 + 2.S
Scales formula.
Major scale: Root note plus 2212221
Minor scale: Root note plus 2122122
Finding the key.
Keys with sharps: Find the sharp furthest to the right and go up one step/semitone.
Keys with flats: Find the flat furthest to the right and go back five steps/semitones.
Alternatively, the flat immediately to the left of the last flat on the right is the key.
One flat – Bb – is in the key of F.
Remember this!
Don’t be worried about sharps and flats. Most songs use only the notes to the
key/scale the song is written in. When you come across a song you haven’t played
before always work out the key, and practice the scale of that key several times
before you play the song.
Try to practice at least one scale every day for a couple of minutes. You’ll be
surprised how many times you can play a scale in two minutes. In the end you’ll be
pleased you did.
Another tip! With a song you are not familiar with, study it before attempting to
play. Find the key, practice the scale and play each of the chords written to
familiarize yourself with the song. So that, when you play the song, it will be like
you already know it.
Well, that’s about it. You now have enough information to be able to progress
rapidly on your keyboard. I hope you found all the formulas useful. Good luck with
your playing and don’t forget, keep practicing.
Everything is hard before it becomes easy.
Copyright 2008: Maurice S. Ellis