Posts: 5078

Re: Teaching chords to young ones

Reply #2 on: April 30, 2004, 12:59:54 PM
Yes, they are strong enough, believe me.
The problem lies elsewhere. Imagine playing a C major chord (CEG) with fingers 1-3-5 (RH). You
must brace fingers 1-3-5 in order to press the keys, and you must relax fingers 2 4 so that they
do not press any unwanted key. It is this selective bracing/relaxing of different fingers (they all
want to move sympathetically) that is the real problem for children trying to play chords.
How do they learn to do it? By doing it over and over again until they can do it! But it is important
that the above is pointed about to them so that they know where the problem lies and direct their
efforts in the correct direction. Saying that it is a matter of strength will direct their efforts not only
in the wrong direction (since it is not strength that is needed), as it will be inefficient (since adding
more strength without sorting out the finger co-ordination/independence will not result in any
improvement). Result: frustration, discouragement and loss of motivation (summed up in the often
heard sentence: I will never be able to do that!)
As for teaching chords apart from a theoretical point of view. Although Jenny is right that a working
knowledge of scales will help. It may take many months and it is not strictly necessary. Here is how
to do it in a couple of weeks (or days if the child is up to it):
1.
Make a clear aim: to memorise the names and notes/keyboard placements of the 12 major
chords in root position. (Think about it: it is only 12 chords! It should be childs play!)
2.
Start with F major. Spend a lot of time showing the chord pattern: start on F, skip a note to A,
skip a note to C. Make them say aloud the name of the chord as they play it. Do not rush this step: if
this is well learned, the other chords will be a piece of cake. Play the chord all over the keyboard.
Refer to the black keys to locate the white keys. They must work on it until they know that the F
major chord is centred around the group of three black keys. Only when the F major chord is
thoroughly memorised, move on to the next step (this may take several sessions).
3.
Now tell them that there are only three major chords that have only white keys: F major, C
major and G major. Show how they are formed exactly the same way (start on the note that gives
the chord name and skip a note). Then blow their minds by pointing out that if you start in the chord
of F, the last note of the chord is C, so by starting the process of chord formation on the last note of
the F chord, you get the C chord. Likewise by starting on the last note of the C chord you get the G
chord. And the three of them have white keys only! You spent enough time on step 2, this step
should come very quickly (in my experience it comes almost immediately).
4.
Now, spend sometime with these three major chords. Pick up nursery rhymes and play the
tune in the key of C, and uses these three chords to harmonise the melody (any melody in C can
always be harmonised by C G F chords). This will not only reinforce their chord recognition
skills as it will ear train them in the beginning the harmonisation will be by trial and error (more
errors then trials!) but soon they will start harmonising by ear (which is one of the most valuable

skills a musician can have). Moreover, now they will know what they are doing all this chord stuff!
How can it be boring when you are showing a direct application? Even a s you move to the next
step, keep doing this one.
5.
Once the F-C-G chords are thoroughly memorised, keep the process of going to the last note
of the previous chord and building the new chord from it. So, the last note of the G chord was D:
There, you have the D major chord. But now, you must have a black key in the middle. Do not
worry explaining any of this at the moment. The explanation can wait for the day once they know
their scales and intervals. The only important thing at this stage is chord recognition. By the same
process you get the two next chords: A major and E major. These three new chords (D A E) all
have a black key in the middle. Stick with these three chords for as long as it takes for them to
thoroughly know them (believe me, it will not take long). If you feel they can take it, give them
nursery rhymes (or any simple tune they are familiar with) in other keys for them to harmonise.
Here is the secret rule. Consider the sequence so far:
FCGDAE
With this chords you can harmonise any tune in the keys of C G D A. Just pick the chord to
the right and the chord to the left and you have it. So, if your tune is in G major, the chords C-G-D
should harmonise it. If it is in the key of D major, G-D-A should harmonise it. This will introduce
them to modulations.
So reinforce this for your students: three chords on white keys only; three chords with one black
key in the middle. And they all are linked by their last note. Once this step is completely ingrained,
add the next three chords.
6.
Now instead of following the process we followed so far of creating a chord form the last note
of the previous chord, we will make a little detour. Up to now we had three all white chords, and
three all black chords. Now, simply teach them three new chords: they all have one white key in the
middle: Db - Ab Eb.
These three chords are linked to each other (the last note of Db major - Ab - is the first note of the
Ab major chord, and the last note of Ab major - Eb in the first note of the Eb major chord), but
seem not to be related to the previous ones (F-C-G-D-A-E). Thats Ok, it will all come together in
the next step.
In the meantime, these three new chords will harmonise any tune in the key of Ab major.
So where did we get do far? We have three white key chords: F-C-G
We have three black key in the middle chords: D- A-E.
These six chords are linked: F-C-G-D-A-E
And we have three chords that have a white key in the middle and seem unrelated to six above: Db
Ab Eb.
Now we must tackle the last three chords: They are three of a kind.
7.
Show them the Bb major chord. This chord has a unique pattern that no other major chord has:
A black key followed by two white keys. By this stage, your students should be thoroughly used to
the sound of a major chord, so even if they play the wrong notes, they will know it straightaway
by ear. This is a most important chord, because it will link all the chords learn so far:
Db Ab Eb Bb F C G D A E.

It will also allow them - at this stage to harmonise any tune in the keys of Db Ab Eb Bb F
C G D A E by using the chords to the right and to the left.
8.
Finally, introduce them to the last two major chords: B major, which is the mirror image of Bb
major it has one white note followed by two black notes, and Gb major, which is the only chord
with only black keys. Now you can complete the sequence:
Gb Db Ab Eb Bb F C G D A E B
By the way, you have just showed them the cycle of fifths (but this can be explained later, much
later). For the moment you have taught them the twelve major chords in a way that they can easily
remember:
3 white key chords: F C G
3 black key in the middle chords: D A E
3 white key in the middle chords: Db Ab Eb
3 one of a kid chords: Black- White white: Bb
WBB B
BBB Gb.
And if they start at the BBB chord (Gb) and always start the new chord from the last note of the
previous one, they should get all the twelve chords in the sequence of the cycle of fifths.
9.
Once they can do that in their sleep, see if they can do it chromatically, that is following the
sequence: C Db D Eb E F Gb G Ab A Bb B.
The most important advice I can give now is not to rush each step. Take as much time as needed at
any step: it will be time well invested, since it will save time on the following steps.
Once they know their 12 major chords (by ear, by key pattern, by note name), move on to the minor
chords.
10.
Minor chords can be taught in ten seconds if the major chords have been thoroughly
mastered: go down one semitone on the middle key of the major chord. For instance: C major C-EG becomes C minor: C-Eb-G. If they truly know their major chords that is all you need to tell them.
The same goes for the next chords.
11.
Diminished chords: the last note of the minor chord goes down one semitone: for instance: C
minor = C Eb G becomes C dim = C Eb Gb .
Or the top two notes of a major chord go down a semitone.
12. Augmented chords: The top note of a major chord goes up a semitone: C = C E G becomes C
aug = C E G#.
13.
Seventh chords: Count three keys (black or white) up from the last note of the major chord
and add that note to the chord: C major: C E G. Add three keys from the last note: Ab A Bb.
Add the Bb to the major chord: C7 = C E G Bb
14.

Minor seventh chords: As above, but starting from a minor chord: Cm7 = C Eb G Bb

15.
Diminished sevenths: As above but starting form the diminished chord: Cdim7 = C Eb
Gb A
16. This gives you 7 basic chords in 12 keys to play about (a total of 84 chords). Once these are
thoroughly mastered, add inversions.
Best wishes,
Bernhard.