Some people question the value of learning piano chords, thinking that being able to read piano music negates the importance of learning piano chords.

If you only plan to ever play classical music, this may seem true. But really, understanding chord theory is important for all piano players. Knowing basic piano chords and music theory is what makes it such that you can still play without music in front of you. For example, imagine the terrific piano player who is unable to play even a simple child’s song without music on the piano. How much better to know basic chord theory so that the song can be played, with or without sheet music and to not be tied to the written music, but instead have the greater value of being able to play the piano with chords. For those who are less interested in classical music and want to be able to play rock and pop, chord playing is imperative!

First of all, maybe you are wondering what chords are. A chord is just two or more notes played at the same time. That’s it. Nothing trickier than that!

If you are content to play piano chords, without being able to read music, you can learn to play the piano much faster. You won’t need as much formal training, as the ear can help you find the top notes and the bottom notes that are played as piano chords.

What’s Involved In Learning Chords?

One thing that isn’t required is to learn a lot of music theory. That’s probably a relief to hear! But when you learn piano chords, there is some memorization involved. You will need to know some of the process of various chords and scales. Just like learning chords on the guitar, you will need to learn which notes go together, and when to use them.

Fortunately, there are programs on the Internet or through other sources that are designed specifically to teach one to play the piano by ear, or using the piano chord method. It is great to be able to play songs much more quickly than if you always have to read the music. Instead of practicing the theory and technique exercises over and over, instead you will be practicing chords by playing the music you love – the pop or rock songs that are why you want to play the piano in the first place!

What Will I Learn?

There are several chords that are basic enough that most programs teach them right at the onset. These include C major, F major and G major. These are played only on the white keys, and form the basis for many songs.

The next set of chords that are commonly taught include G major, A major, G minor, and the 7th chord (which can be G7, A7, or E7). These are usually taught by seeing them in relation to the major chords already learned.

All of these are learned in the root position, where the bottom note is the same as the name of the chord. After becoming comfortable with these chords, one can learn about inversions, where the chord order is changed. Using inversions gives you a lot more ways to play the song, with different sounds dependant on which notes are played in the piano chord.

When there is a steady base of music theory and piano chord instruction, learning to play the piano is much more cohesive, and ultimately, more enjoyable!