Tab

How're you doing? Have you tackled Amazing Grace yet? I know, I know, it's far from Beethoven, but I hope to give you some references for you that will help you practice.

Here's our first exercise. Think about a song that you heard on the radio today. It doesn't matter what genre of music it was, just think about it. Maybe the lyrics come to mind, or maybe you can hear the chorus repeat in your head. Wouldn't it be nice to sit down at a keyboard and be able to play that song?

Want to learn how it's done?


Most of everything you need to know about a song is written in a chord progression. This is true for most popular songs, however if you think back to our earlier lesson, you should recall that every melody is built around a series of chords!!!

If we know the chord progresson to a song, it is usually very easy to pick out the melody, as that is generally what tends to stay in our minds when the song ends. Fortunately for us, most chord progressions are already written out for us!

How can that be? All the work is already done?

Heck yeah! Believe it or not, you can usually find the chords to a song by entering the song title followed by "tab" into your search engine. TAB stands for "tablature", which is a form of notation for music commonly used for guitars.

Why are we looking up guitar music?

Actually, the majority of TAB is just a sequence of letters A through G. You may come across a few diagrams of the guitar strings, but all you need to pay attention to is the sequence of the chords.

Let's look at an example: Piano Man, by Billy Joel.

Step 1: Open your search engine, whether it be Google, Yahoo, Lycos, etc.
Step 2: Type "Piano Man tab" into the search engine field.
Step 3: Look for a link that has the title of the song, the artist, and either "tab" or "chords"
Step 4: Analyzing the tab!

If you used Google, you should have come up with this link here. If you came up with something else through a different search engine or by change in links, I will transfer the TAB to our little working area here.

At the top of our TAB will be some diagrams of the guitar strings, but below, you'll see something like this:

Intro
G   C\G   D*   C Cmaj D(X2)



G   D          Em          C
It's 4 o'clock on a Saturday
                      D
The regular crowd shuffles in
      G      D        Em
There's an old man sitting next to me
  C           D         G   C\G   D*
Making love to his tonic and gin





C Cmaj7 D G            D         Em
He says, "Son, can you play me a memory?
C                          D
I'm not really sure how it goes,
    G            D           Em
But it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete
C             D             G
When I wore a younger man's clothes"
Em             A7
Oh, la da da ditty da,
Em7         D      D D7 G\D D
La da ditty da da dum

At first sight, this may seem a little confusing, so let's break it down into bite-size pieces.

Intro
G   C\G   D*   C Cmaj D(X2)

This is obviously the introduction to the song. If you're familiar with this song, you may be able to hear it in your mind. These are the chords that the introduction melody revolves around. Always take the first letter you see, and for the most part, you can ignore everything that's attached to that letter. (there's one exception that we'll get to in just a moment)

The first chord is G. So we would find G on the piano... (can you still remember?) Reference your key chart if you've forgotten!

Play your G, and then add two evenly spaced keys on top. It should look something like this.

Pat yourself on the back if you got that right! Great job!

Now let's look at the next chord, which is C/G. Hm. Let's just take the first letter we see attached here, C, and ignore the rest of it for now. We can come back to that later.

Play your C note, then add two evenly spaced keys above. Here is what it should look like.

What's next? D. Before we attempt this one, I have to make a small note.

There are two types of chords that you should be aware of; major and minor. When you play a major chord, the chord itself should sound "happy" and "light". It's difficult to tell the difference until you actually hear a minor chord, which often sounds "sad" and "dark".


I bring this up because if you played a D chord smilar to the way we played a C or G, you will get a "sad", "dark", or minor sounding chord. This will be explained when we get into some music theory, but for now you're going to have to memorize that D is an exception.

So let's learn how to play a D major first. Play a D, then we're going to add two evenly spaced notes above it, HOWEVER, the note in the middle needs to be raised a half step. This means we'll be playing one of the black keys.


Your D chord should look like this:


((insert image))


Just remember that we have a black key in the middle for D!

Intro
G   C\G   D*   C Cmaj D(X2)

The rest of the Introduction is cake! We progress back to C, stay on C ("maj" means "major"), then back to D.


Give that a couple of tries. See if you can flow from one chord to the next without pausing. Go as slow as you need, just remember to be consistant when playing. It doesn't matter how fast or slow your rhythm is, just keep it the same!


Feel free to give the rest of this song a try. I have created some notes about specific chords at the bottom of this post so that you may use it as a quick, separate reference when practicing.


See you next time!




*Notes

Experiment!

Remember those old math tables you had to memorize back in 3rd and 4th grade, and how those teachers used to quiz you day after day until you slept and dreamed about numbers? Don't worry, I'm not going to ask you to memorize anything in this blog, however I do want to engrain into your head the importance of practicing piano from all angles. Sure, you can sit down and tickle the keys here and there, but the more you experiment and examine all aspects of music, whether it be through listening, reading, or composition, the more you see, the more you know. This is the most important concept I have learned throughout my music experience. It's as simple as that! The more you see, the more you know!

In order to offer some additional resources to how you can experiment with music from a broader perspective, I have created a list of items to pursue when tackling this lifelong hobby of learning piano.

1.) Compose! -- You don't need to compose a symphany to learn about music. The more you create, the more you discover. Here is a list of programs that I highly recommend when looking into music composition. For most of these, you don't need anything more than a computer mouse and an ear. I have also provided some links that will offer a more advanced variety of composition tools, in case you need them!

• Noteworthy Composer
• Easy Music Composer
• Fruity Loops
• Finale
  

2.) Research! -- Learning about the different classical periods and transitions in music will help you to understand why technique and repertoire are so important when learning piano. Just think; you're playing with history! You could be working on a piece written centuries ago. Learning the difference between a baroque piece and a romantic piece can be motivating and give more meaning to the notes on the page in front of you. For further resources, I recommend visiting wikipedia, specifically the entry relating to the different classical periods.

3.) Listen! -- Go out and pick up a CD, or check out iTunes and find an artist that inspires you. Set a goal, find a song that you aspire to play someday and write it down. Keep yourself motivated so that you can pursue and accomplish that goal!

The purpose of this was to re-iterate the importance of diving into music from all aspects. Sure, you're just learning piano, but if you want to really get inside the keys and feel the music, I recommend spending time in other areas of music, especially composition. This has been the most helpful tool for me, and you may surprise yourself with what you can create and learn!

No Money? No Problem!

I was sitting in front of my laptop after my last blog post thinking about what I could do to further motivate and help my readers with their piano, when it occured to me... in order to practice, it'd be nice to have something to practice with, right? Now before you start worrying about the big hole that a keyboard might leave in your wallet, I've come up with some solutions that everyone can afford!


1.) Pianos -- Believe it or not, this option may not be all that expensive. A full upright piano can be a little pricey, but you'd be surprised how many people have a piano at home that they don't want or use, yet can't transport. If you're looking for an upright, I would check your local music store, as well as your local Freecycle / Cragslist community. You may just find someone willing to give you their piano if you can provide the transportation to do so!


2.) Keyboards -- This option is perhaps one of the most common when starting out on the piano. There are many nice keyboards available at a wide variety of price ranges, depending upon what you are looking for. When deciding on a keyboard, make sure you test it yourself. My personal preference is to go with something manufactored by either Yamaha or Korg, which are two reputable brands, however it is important that you choose something that you enjoy playing. When trying out your keyboard, pay attention to the weight of the keys as well as the sound and recording options that are available. One final test that I recommend would be to drag your finger from the top key to the bottom to ensure that the keyboard does not lock up or freeze.


3.) Outside Resources -- Who ever said you had to spend money to play on a keyboard? One of the largest resources for you to consider would be to check with the local schools and colleges in your area. You may be able to set a time to practice with a real piano. Religous establishments such as churches, mosques, and synagogues are also a good option to consider!

4.) Virtual Resources -- When all else fails, you can always resort to the internet! I have compiled a list of links that will offer an online-equivalent of a keyboard in order to practice on. Many of these offer the option to use your computer keyboard as a replacement for piano keys. It may be a little awkward at first, but it's a good visual and a fun way to learn!

• Virtual Piano
• Noteworthy Composer
• Java Piano
• Musical Keys
  

C's, Keys, and Chords, oh my!

We talked about relations in our last post, and once we have you comfortable with finding your way across the keys, we'll then come back to the idea of relationships and the concepts behind chords.

Let's find some keys! I'll be revisiting this theme of visualization often with the hopes that you begin to think about this every time you sit down at the keyboard. If you'll notice on the piano, there are two different sets of black keys grouped together. There is a set of 2 and a set of 3 that alternate across the keys.

If we focus on the set of 3 black keys, we'll find the note A between the last two.

If you can find A, you can find any key on the piano. Now just go up the alphabet from A to G.

** this picture can be found anytime under Music Resources
as "Piano Keys" on the sidebar **

It's important that you get to know these keys as quickly as possible! There are ways to help you remember where notes are, for example: The note D is in between the set of 2 black keys. Some might call this the Doghouse and remember that D is there. For me, I found it was easiest to remember where A was so that I could form reasons in my own mind why a key is located where it is. For now, I want you to remember where that A key can be found. Don't forget!

Here it is again.


Last time I promised that you'd be playing a song by the end of this lesson, so let's get to it!



Aside from learning where the A key is located.. (here! ), the only other thing that I want you to remember is the idea of the chord. Every song and every melody that you hear is based on a chord. How simple or how complex the song may sound is irrelevant. Whether you're playing R.E.M. or Mary Had a Little Lamb, these melodies are based around chords.

What exactly is a chord? We could get technical about this definition, but for our purposes, a chord is when you play three or more notes at the same time. For example, this is a C chord.

This is a C chord because C is the ROOT, meaning it is the note in the bottom. The great thing about chords is that you only need to know one note while you're playing it, and that is the ROOT. So if we wanted to play an F chord, the first thing we do is find F.

Now, we just add two evenly spaced notes on top, and we form an F chord.

Many songs that you hear are based only on three or four chords. For example, Amazing Grace is just C, F, and G. We know C and F, so let's look at G. First, find the note G.

Next, add two evenly spaced notes on the top, and we have a G chord.

Now that we know the chords C, F, and G, let's play Amazing Grace. Here is the chord pattern:

C -- C -- F -- C

C -- C -- G -- G

C -- C -- F -- C

C -- C -- G -- C

I have recorded the chords and the melody so that you can play along. Click on the following link to hear the song. (( Please note that this site does not work with Mozilla Firefox. ))

Amazing Grace


Congratulations! You've learned how to play your first song on the piano. We'll go into more depth on chords and melodies later on, but feel free to ask questions! I'm here to help!

Linked

There is a book that inspired me to begin our first lesson on the subject of color, as opposed to music. While this book itself has little to do with either topic individually, it offers a great deal of insight into how relationships exist all around us and why we should pay attention to them. Linked: The New Science of Networks, by Albert-Laszlo Barabasi is a great book for any person of any profession or interest in relationships.

Why color? If I told you that the sound you hear when you play a C on the piano has traits similar to the color red, you might consider beating your head on the table in anticipation of some long-winded mathematical problem. You're right in assuming that mathematics are involved, but the answer can be simplified. Color is a product of light, which is simply a vibration of varying rates that create a reaction within the optic nerve in your eye. According to Edwin D. Babbitt's Principles of Light and Color:

"As C is at the bottom of the musical scale and made with the coarsest waves of air, so is red at the bottom of the chromatic scale and made with the coarsest waves of luminous ether."

If you follow this pattern, you might find something interesting about the order of colors.

C: Red
D: Orange
E: Yellow
F: Green
G: Blue
A: Indigo
B: Violet

Remember Mr. Biv? Roy G. Biv, that is. Furthermore, if you relate each of these fine colors of the Rainbow to the planets and their color analogies, you'll soon find that the note C can be traced to the planet Mars.

C: Mars
D: The Sun
E: Mercury
F: Saturn
G: Jupiter
A: Venus
B: The Moon

(( I'd also like to take this time offer my respects to Pluto. You'll always be a planet to me. ))


Now, you might be asking yourself what the importance is behind learning these relationships. I felt this was a good way to see how music is much more than numbers or dots on a page. It has logical relation and reasoning to many things outside mathematics, colors, and planets. Most importantly, I wanted to use this example as a way of showing music as a visual art. The more you can visualize when you play, whether it be where you hands are or what comes to mind when you hit a note or strike a chord, the faster you will learn. These will strengthen the connection between mind, hand, music, and heart.

The strongest advantage that the piano has over other instruments is its visual element, thus why it has become such a large gateway into music. Everything is right in front of you! You can see all of the keys in one clear view, and you would know how to find a C note even if the keyboard expanded out twelve miles in either direction....

... or would you?

I suppose that will have to be addressed in our next lesson! Fear not, we'll have you playing a song by our next lesson. Tune in soon! (no pun intended)

Reference: The Pythagorean Theory of Music and Color