How To Play Piano Chords?

How to play piano chords? Find out the different ways you can
use chords to accompany a melody!

A chord is nothing but a combination of notes played together to create a rich sound.

It is used primarily for harmonizing a melody.

In the simplest form, you play a piano chord with your left hand while your right hand is busy playing the melody. Pros play chords with both their hands, with the melody becoming the top note of the chord played on the right hand.

Learn to Play Piano the Right Way with Rocket Piano

If you are totally new to chords and are not sure on how to play, then you better watch these videos carefully. You can pause and watch them over if you are not sure.

There is nothing to be intimidated about chords. It's like learning any new music concept. With practice you too will be able to play piano chords.

Can't Play with Both Hands...Help

One common question that most students ask is "I'm not able to play the piano with both my hands together". This is when students start using their left hands to play piano chords along with their right hand which plays the melody.

The answer to this question is to keep the following in mind.

Learn both the hands separately

Slow down the tempo while learning

Break the song into smaller chunks and learn

I Don't Have Large Hands

Another common question (this is more of a concern) that students ask is that they don't have large hands. So how can they play piano chords?

While this may be true for most students (especially with women), you really don't need big hands to be able to play piano chords.

Besides, you always start with the simple chords first. There is no point attempting to play a tenth chord when you don't know how to play a seventh.

Over a period of time, with more practice, your fingers stretch more. Even otherwise, you will be able to find alternatives (chord inversions) if you are not able to stretch your hands to play a chord in a particular position.

Learn How To Play Piano Chords?

Here are some suggestions on how to play piano chords.

Arpeggios/Broken Chords

- An easy way of playing chords is to play the notes of a chord in an arpeggiated manner i.e. play arpeggios with your left hand. Play a constant up and down pattern to accompany the melody.

Fixed/Block Chords

- Another easy method of playing chords is to play straight chords i.e. all the notes together, you can choose to play the chords in the root position or use any of the inversions. You will need to try out various rhythmic patterns while playing in this style.

Chord Picking

- Play the chords in a pattern that alternates between the bass note and the remaining two notes i.e. play the root note on one beat and the other two notes together on the next beat. Keep on repeating the same pattern.

Right Hand Chords

- This is an advanced way of playing chords where you play chords with both the hands, with the melody note becoming the top note of the chord played on the right hand.

Chords can be used in many different ways but these are some of the methods that should answer most of your queries on how to play piano chords. Start using them right away!

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Tool to Learn Piano Chords

Keyboard Chord Finder: Instant access to over 2,000 chords and variations - in the palm of your hand! The KCF1 features a large LCD display, a Find feature, and more. It's a great way to learn new chords and quickly find chord names from any position on the keyboard.

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