Piano Lessons for Beginners: Part 1 - Getting Started! Learn some simple chords

Did you just buy your first keyboard and have no idea how to get started? Then you've come to the right place! In this mini-series I'm going to cover all of the basic concepts and teach you how to jumpstart your piano or keyboard playing career. Emphasis is on practical lessons with real-life applicability, aimed at pop/rock musicians.

In this video I'll be covering how to name notes, and then present some essential chords which will get you started: C major, F major, G major and A minor.

Next lesson we'll work on your accompaniment skills, so stay tuned! I plan on releasing a new video about once a month.

[MangoldProject]

For those of you who wonder about C major being "G C E" and not "C E G": they're both C major chords. "C E G" is the root position, "G C E" is an inversion. One is not "simpler" or "better" than the other, and I chose to teach the "G C E" form because it fits in better with the other chords.
If you want to learn more about chords, inversions and basic theory, check out my Piano Quickie series:

[Anima_cy]

I need a beginner version of this beginner version

[xlaythe]

I have this as a response to another comment, thought I would put it as its own comment:

For those of you who are total beginners, and possibly confused or overloaded (no need to reat the whole thing, but the concepts work off of eachother as you read on), some basic theory is super useful:

-SCALES (often used interchangeably with "key" even though they are slightly different things):
-Before looking at chords, we should be looking at what a "scale" is. Scales will have 7 notes in them (with some rare exceptions). The first note (lowest pitch, furthest left on the keyboard), is referred to as the "tonic" or "root" and it will determine the name of the scale (e.g. C Major). The 8th note is referred to as the "ocave." The octave is the same note as the first, but an "octave" higher.
-Ex: The key of C major are the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B. It repeats on upward, starting at the next C. Each time it starts again at C, it is in the next "octave." It works the same way going downward (to the left)
-You can also think of these 7 notes as numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (with 8 being the octave)
Place your right thumb (for this beginner lesson, we're using ONLY the right hand) on the white key immediately to the left of two black keys. It doesn't matter which set of two black keys. This note is always a C. Now put each of your other fingers in order on the white keys following. Your fingers are now on C, D, E, F, and G (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) -- thumb, index, middle, ring, pinky

Practice Exercise:s
1). Place your right hand as above, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Play up and down from thumb to pinky, then pinky and back:
-1, 2, 3, 4, 5...5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (aka C, D, E, F, G...G, F, E, D, C).
-This works best if you play with a metronome, starting at a slow tempo (60 bpm) and increasing it in increments of 5 or 10 each time you are 100% comfortable.

2). Now, with your hands starting in the same spot, we will play all 7 notes in the C Major scale (and the octave).
You will play with your thumb, index, middle first (C, D, E, -- 1, 2, 3), but instead of using your ring to play the 4th note (F), you will cross your thumb underneath and use it instead.
Your hand will now be shifted with your thumb on the 4th note (F), and your index, middle, ring, pinky fingers will now play the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th (octave), notes - aka F, G, A, B, C(octave).

3). Once you have the above down (practicing to a metronome as above will help you to advance in skill more quickly), you will be able to descend in reverse in a similar fashion
You will start in the position you have ended on in the previous exercise. Pinky on C, descending C, B, A, G, F (8, 7, 6, 5, 4) -- pinky, ring, middle, index, thumb.
Play all those notes in that order. To play the last 3 following notes, descending, you will now cross your middle finger over the top and play the next note down (E, 3rd note of the scale), followed with your index and thumb on D, C (2, 1).
-Now practice going back an forth between exercise 2). and 3).


-Now onto CHORDS, Yay!! (in this case, triads, the most basic chord that consist of 3 notes):
-Now with all the fingers on your right hand on 5 adjacents notes, starting with the C (immediately to the left of two black keys), Press down the key with your THUMB, MIDDLE, and PINKY. You are now playing a C chord (in this case, C Major or CM. We'll get to minor later). The name of the chord is based off of the lowest note (aka, the "root." The term "tonic" is not used for chords, only scales)
-The notes you are pressing are also referred to as "1, " "3, " and "5, " - you leave out the 2nd and 4th notes when playing a basic chord (also called a triad, because there are 3 notes)
-This shape, [1, 3, 5, ], [thumb, middle, pinky] works as a chord (triad), no matter where you start on the white keys. Wherever your thumb is determines what the chord is called (e.g. C Major). Again, we'll get to major/minor later.

-In the video he plays a C chord, an F chord, and a G chord. (as he said, if you don't say major or minor, just the letter, it will be a major chord by default).
-He is playing them in a more advanced way, called inversions (not important yet)
-The simple way to play them would be to place your thumb on C, and use your thumb, middle, pinky on C, E, G (1, 3, 5).
-Now for F, thumb on F (immediately left of the 3 black keys), and use thumb, middle, and pinky on F, A, C (1, 3, 5)
-G: thumb on G, middle, and pinky on B, D (3, 5)

When he plays multiple chords in order like this, it often repeats, and is referred to as a CHORD PROGRESSION.
Often times chords are referred to as numbers, written in roman numerals. In the case of the above progression, C, F, G, it would be referred to as a:
I, IV, V progression, because C is the 1st note of the key, F is the 4th, and G is the 5th. No matter what octave you play each chord in, it would still be called a "I, IV, V" progression.
-(a more advanced concept: in any major scale/key the chords go in order as: I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, viio, with lower case being minor, and the "o" (which is supposed to be small superscript) meaning it is a diminished chord. This pattern is referred to as CHORD ORDER.

-Now for INTERVALS! yay!:
-Now we are going to add black keys into the mix.
-if you play every key (including the black keys) you will end up with a pattern of 12 notes repeating the 13th being the octave. Moving one adjacent key up or down (right or left), INCLUDING black keys, you are creating a HALF STEP (aka semi-tone). If you move two keys adjacent (including black keys) it is a WHOLE STEP (aka whole tone).

-All twelve notes, including the black keys, is referred to as "chromatic." Using C as a starting point, the chromatic scale looks like:
-C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B, and C (octave). The "#" symbol is referred to as "sharp" (not hashtag, ha). Which means one half-step or semi-tone higher (to the right on the keyboard). The sharps are the black keys. This can also be written as:
-C, Db, D, Eb, E, F, Gb, G, Ab, A, Bb, B and C (octave). The "b" symbol is referred to as "flat" which means one half-step (aka semi-tone) lower (leftward).
-Also can be thought of in numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13(octave)

-The notes B to C, and E to F, do not have a sharp (#) aka flat (b) because there is no black key between each pair.


TBC!!!!

[wurffy]

Hey, might want to throw some tips here when I start playing piano with my teacher long time ago... Here's how to easily place your hands on the board for any chords...

For Major Chords:
Example for C Major (C, E, G) -
You will realize that the distance between C and E notes is 3 tiles and between the E notes and G notes is 2 tiles. Basically every basic major chords they have a distance of 3 tiles between the first two notes and 2 tiles between for the last two notes.

For Minor Chords:
Example for C Minor (C, D#, G)

Basically almost the same like major chords but this time the spaces between the tiles just get inverted... 2 tiles between the first two notes and 3 tiles for the last two notes.

Hope this helps. Cheers.

[ashnator]

I don't play the piano and don't owe one. But I'm attracted to the sound. Was born in a poor family where money was spend on survival needs. Your lessons are truly helping me to learn about piano. One day I wish to owe one and eventually play it. Thanks.

[jorgeguberte]

I have a deep appreciation for people who take their time to teach something and even more for those who do so for the love of spreading knowledge without any secondary interests. Thank you very much for these lessons, they will be very useful!

[kaiylasab]

C major = G C E
F major = A C F
G major= G B D
A minor= A C E

[johnomega]

2:42 C Major ( G C E )
3:25 F Major ( A C F )
3:43 G Major ( G B D )
3:52 A Minor ( A C E )
4:11 Bass Note

[lynnejones]

I took lessons for ten years as a kid/teen and remember notes but I don’t remember how to play. Your course is great. I’m so glad I found it. Thanks so much. Lynne😊

[akiani]

any guitarists here that wanna learn piano to expand their music theory knowledge?

[oraora]

Notes:
Chords:

C major - G C E
F major - A C F
G major - G B D
A minor - A C E

Left hand : base note : name of chord

[scooby]

For all who are confused about the C major and F major chords:
What he is playing is called an Inversion of a chord, which should come later. Not sure why this is the way it's being taught here

A C major chord consists of three notes : C E G

A C major chord in its root position is: C E G. (Starting with root note C. So if you start with the middle C, both E & G would be to the right of middle C)
An Inversion to this would be the same notes but in different order ie G C E (If this Inversion is for a C chord at middle C, then E would be the right of middle C and G would be at the left of middle C), which is being played in this video

[Flamingoe]

Thanks so much! On my brother’s side of the family, his grandma bought him a keyboard many years ago. He left a couple years ago, and now I fully had the keyboard to myself. As he stayed home, he never played the keyboard, I never saw him do it. (Never) He said that I could play the keyboard any time I liked because he hasn’t played it in years.
I wanted to learn the basics of keyboarding, since I had an interest, but now that he’s been gone for about a year, I am practicing now! This was very helpful, thank you! 🤗

[godwinameya]

I’m about to turn 21. I’ve wanted to play piano since I was a little kid. I wanna buy a keyboard asap and start learning. Wish me luck :)

[avelovesfrogs]

I'm 13 and I never really had interest in piano when I was young. But recently I've been wanting to know how to play the piano cause it's so calming and helps with personal problems. So thank you for making this vid! I still need to learn certain notes but I'll keep watching your videos. Thank you!

[jayjulian]

I went through the comments and was shocked that some people find it difficult! It is by far the greatest beginner piano lesson that I have came across while browsing on YouTube for Piano lessons! I just bought my piano and was following along, and the explanations are so simple and straight to the point that I'm filled up with joy bc I'm able to do what he was teaching without any prior piano lessons! Thank u sir! I already subscribed and want to follow just you for my piano lessons! I'm still on lesson one, started yesterday!

[jlittle]

Thank you Mangold Project. I'm 37 and just decided to learn my first instrument. Use the pause button and chew a bit for everyone saying that they need a beginner lesson for the beginner lesson, LOL. He said he's going to release a lesson every couple of months so that's time to get skilled at transition between notes, and look up songs with these cords.

[rayanekessia]

here I am watching a piano tutorial without actually owning one

[Janetsfaithtable]

I really appreciate this lesson my mom was a musician she played multiple instruments. I’ve been told she was born gifted and I’ve always wanted to play like her. She’s gone now but I’m practicing everyday now that I’m not working and your simple instructions have been so helpful. I look forward to all your lessons Thank you.

[noelwilde]

Thank you. I'm a guitarist who has had an accident and can no longer play that instrument and this video has been a great help. Thanks.