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There are two ways to teach yourself musical intervals. First is making song list and second is using scale degrees.

Each of these has positives and negatives.

The song list is great for a quick and easy way to recognize intervals. However, this way will not make you great at intervals. You will only be able to tell the interval once you go through each of the songs in your list which is time consuming and hard.

Using scale degrees is harder but in the long run is better. You might not be able to recognize the interval right away but with time and practice this method will ingrain the intervals into your brain so that you can easily name a certain interval.

Song List

First is making a song list. This song list is made up of different familiar songs that the first few notes in the song has a certain interval. For example the first interval in Amazing Grace is a Perfect Fourth.

When making a song list you should use songs that you are very familiar with. Using songs you know well will make it easier to recognize the interval quickly.

Also make sure you make an ascending list and a descending list. Because intervals go up and down you need to have a song for both of these.

Here is my song list that helps me with my intervals 

Interval	Ascending	Descending
Minor 2nd	Jaws Theme Song	Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
Major 2nd	Silent Night	Mary Had A Little Lamb
Major 2nd	Silent Night	Mary Had A Little Lamb
Minor 3rd	Greensleves	This Old Man
Major 3rd	O When The Saints	Swing Low Sweet Chariot
Perfect 4th	Amazing Grace	I’ve Been Working On the Railroad
Tritone Augmented 4th Diminished 5th	Simpsons Theme Song	Blue Seven (Sonny Rollins)
Perfect 5th	Twinkle Twinkle Little Star	The Way You Look Tonight
Minor 6th	The Entertainer	Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone
Major 6th	Hush Little Baby	Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen
Minor 7th	Star Trek Theme	Watermelon Man
Major 7th	Superman Theme	I Love You (Cole Porter)
Octave	Somewhere Over The Rainbow	There’s No Business Like Show Business (Notes 2 and 3)

Now that you have your song list practice each of the intervals and how it sounds in the song. Practice these everyday so you can quickly recognize them.

Scale Degrees for Musical Intervals

Musical Intervals trough scale degrees is the better of the two ways yo learn intervals. Making a song list is helpful because it is a quick way to remember intervals. It can e harder though when you are trying to figure out an interval quickly.

If you use the song method then you have to go through each of the songs and find the one that matches the interval. If you use the scale degree method then you can easily remember what the interval is in a shorter amount of time.

In this method you need to sit down at the piano or your preferred instrument and find the root or tonic note. This note is the first note in the scale.

Once you’ve found the root play a major second. Listen to what it sounds like. Play it a few times.

Now hum along while you play the interval. Do this a few times.

Then hum the interval without playing it. Do this a few times. Then check your accuracy by playing the interval.

Once you feel confident with a major second play a major third and do the same process.

When using this method listen closely to each interval. try and tell the difference between each interval. Try and notice the difference between a major third and a perfect fourth. Listen for what each interval sounds like and put that into your memory.

Using the scale degree method you are programming your brain to recognize an interval based on the starting note. Once your brain learns theses intervals you will be able to tell quickly what interval is being played.

Conclusion

Both the song list method and the scale degree method are useful in learning musical intervals. My personal opinion would be to make a song list first so that you can hear the differences in the intervals.

Once you are comfortable with this then move on to the other method of playing and humming the intervals. Learning your intervals this way will help you to quickly find the intervals without having to replay the song in your head. You will automatically know what the interval is because your brain has been programmed to recognize it.

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The layout piano keys is actually a lot easier than it appears. When beginners look at the piano keyboard its easy to get intimidate. The piano is just a repeating pattern of notes that goes up and down the keyboard.

Once you learn the trick to the pattern you will easily know every note on the piano keyboard. Here we will discuss how easy it is to learn every key on the piano in a matter of minutes.

High Notes Versus Low Note

Before we can even start learning the layout piano keys we have to understand how the notes on the piano work.

The piano keyboard keys are laid out with the lower pitch notes to the left and the higher pitch notes to the right. So, if you play the note farthest to the left you will hear the lowest note the piano is capable of playing and then to the right the highest note on the piano.

Take a look at the image above and you will see that as you get further to the left the notes are lower and to the right they are higher in pitch.

This is important because as you start to learn to read music and play by ear you will be able to easily know in which direction to go to make a lower or a higher pitch note.

Number of Keys on the Piano Keyboard

The piano is one of the most diverse instruments there are. It is capable of playing a wide range of notes and pitches on a single instrument.

Even though there are a wide range of notes, most piano players say within the center part of the piano, close to Middle C. (More on Middle C later)

There are 88 keys on a full standard piano. Some keyboard or synthesizers will have less then that. Digital pianos generally have a full 88 key range.

Whichever you have makes no difference. Whether you have a full piano or digital piano, or a 61 key synth you can still learn the pattern and the layout piano keys.

White Keys and Black Keys

On the piano keyboard you will notice that there are two different types of keys; white keys and black keys.

The white keys on the piano are known as naturals and are longer. The black keys are known as sharps and flats. These keys are shorter and skinnier than the white keys and there are fewer of these than the white keys.

These black keys are what you are going to use to help you identify the notes on the piano. So let’s get started.

Finding The Pattern

Let’s look at the image below of the piano keyboard. I know what you are thinking, “How in the world am I going to remember all of these keys?” Its actually very easy. Study the image and see if you can find a pattern.

If you look at the black keys they follow a pattern of a set of two and then a set of three. All the way up and down the piano you will notice this pattern repeats over and over again.

Look at the images and the layout piano keys and you will see the pattern of two and three.

Finding C and Middle C

Now that you have found the the pattern of black keys you can now easily learn the layout piano keys.

Find any two black note that are together, now move one note directly to the left.(This is known as a semitone, or half step)

This note is known as C. Now that you know where C is, you can label all the C notes on the piano keyboard. Look up and down the piano and find any set of two black notes that are together and find all of the C’s on the keyboard.

Middle C

Now that you know where all the C notes are on the piano keyboard we need to label Middle C. Middle C is important because this is where the separation between the treble clef and bass clef takes place.

This is also where you usually separate which hand plays which notes. If the key is below Middle C then you usually use the left hand, and if it is above Middle C then you usually use the right hand. This is not always the case but most of the time it holds true.

To find Middle C on a piano, you need to find the center of the piano. This is usually where the brand name of the piano or keyboard is. (If your synthesizer doesn’t have a brand name in the middle then you will just have to find the C closest to the middle.)

Once you have found the brand name, you can easily find the set of two black notes and find the C. This is Middle C!

Octaves on the Piano

Remember when we learned how the C notes repeated over and over again up the piano keyboard? This repeat of notes from one C to the next is know as an octave. An octave is simply the distance from note, to the next of the same pitch. So, moving from Middle C up to the next C from it would make an octave. You can also move down octaves. Going from Middle C to the C below it would be moving down one octave.

Octaves are important because it shows us how the layout piano keys repeats itself throughout the piano keyboard.

Piano Note Pattern

Now that we can find C and know what an octave is, it is time to learn the rest of the pattern.

If you look at the close up of the set of keys you will see that there are 12 keys. There are seven white keys and five black keys.

Piano Note Pattern

Now that we can find C and know what an octave is, it is time to learn the rest of the pattern.

If you look at the close up of the set of keys you will see that there are 12 keys. There are seven white keys and five black keys.

This set of keys is a group of notes that repeats itself throughout the piano keyboard. Look at the image below and you will see how this set of note repeats itself over and over again.

These 12 keys are the base notes for the layout piano keys. Once you learn these you can easily learn every note on the piano keyboard.

Now that you know the piano key layout, you need to learn the piano notes. Click here to learn the notes on the piano using this pattern!

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Some of the most basic piano chords are by far the some of the easiest and most common chords to learn and play.

These chords are very easy for the beginner piano player to learn, and can make a song sound great. Using these basic chords will help you easily learn new chords fast, while also allowing you to make some really great music today.

Most chords have 3, 4, and even 5 notes in them. Most of the chords on this page will have only two or three notes. No need to get crazy with tons of notes in one chord.

Learn the chords on this page and you will be able to play a lot of great songs with little effort.

The Basic Piano Chords

In the beginning stages of your piano learning experience you will need a good arsenal of easy to play piano chords under your belt. Here are the most basic, and most commonly used piano chords you will need.

When I use the word basic I don’t mean that they are not useful, it just means they are easy to play with little effort. They are also the most common chords used in music.

These should be some of the first chords you learn.

For even more chords, here is an even larger collection of chords.

You can also get a FREE Printable Piano Chord Chart by entering your name and e-mail address below.

Major Chord

Major chords are the most common basic piano chords. Once you learn this chord you will be able to play almost any other chord out there.

To play other chords you simply have to make small adjustments to the major chord. Learn the major chord before any other chord. This will be the foundation for all other chords will ever learn.

The major chord is made by playing the first, third, and fifth notes in the major scale.

Start by finding the root note of the scale (this is the note that the scale is named after.)

If you want to play a C Major chord you would start on a C note.

Next, play up the C major scale until you reach the third note in the scale. Then finally add the fifth note to create a major chord.

Once you learn this chord, you will be on your way to learning other basic piano chords.

Here are all of the note names for each major chord.

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Minor Chord

A Minor Chord is the second most basic piano chord. It should be the second chord that any beginner should learn. Once you know how to play a major chord, the minor chord is simple to play.

This chord is built by playing the first, flat third, and fifth notes in the major scale. This can be a little more difficult than some of the other basic piano chords, but if you know the major chord there is a trick.

Start by playing a three note major chord as described above. Then move the middle note one key direclty to the left.

If you wanted to play a C Minor Chord, you would start by finding C Major which is C, E, G. Now move the middle note, E, to the note directly to the left, Eb.

With that small change of one note, you can learn a whole new set of basic piano chords.

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5 Chord

The 5 chord is a very easy chord to learn and play. It is just like a major chord with one difference. It is made up of two notes instead of three, the first and the fifth note in the major scale.

To build these basic piano chords you start on the first note in the scale, and then add the fifth note in the scale.

Another way to play this chord is by playing a major chord and removing the middle note. It’s that easy. Just take a way one note and now you have brand new chord.

Take a look at the image above and you will see a C5 chord. This chord starts on C, and ends on G. You can use this formula to build any 5 chord.

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Suspended Chord

The suspended chord, also known as a Sus chord, is a very contemporary chord. It is made up of the 1, 4, and 5 of the major scale.

To build this chord you simply start on the root note of the scale, then add the fourth note in the scale, and finally add the fifth note of the scale.

This chord is very powerful. To add something a little different to a song, add the suspended chord in place of a major chord.

Most of the time the suspended chord will resolve to the major chord, meaning it sounds best to end with a major. For example, if you are playing a Csus chord, it sounds most natural to resolve to the C Major chord.

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2 Chord

The 2 chord is like the brother of the suspended chord. The sus chord uses the forth note in the scale while the 2 uses the second. The 2 chords are great basic piano chords that can easily be learned and used by beginner piano players.

This chord is like a major chord with one small difference. Instead of using the third note in the scale you use the second note in the scale.

To build this scale you need to use the root note of the scale, add the second note, and then end with the fifth note.

Get a Free Chord Chart containing all of these chords when you enter your name and e-mail address below.

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These are all great basic piano chords. If you learn these five chords you will be able to play just about any song.

A lot of songs will have chords that aren’t listed here like Dominant 7 and Major 7 chords.

Don’t let those confuse you. Use these chords wherever you can instead of a more complex chord. They can give a similar sound, and make playing a song a whole lot easier.

For more chords including illustrations, fingering, and notation check out the Piano Chord Encyclopedia.

It has just about every chord oyu will ever need with detailed pictures and diagrams of how to play each chord.

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Dec 06, 2016

Understanding Musical Modes

Musical Modes are a powerful tool that all musicians need to to know in order to enhance their playing. The primary use for modes is soling and improvisation in styles such as Jazz and Rock.

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Nov 21, 2016

Free Piano Chord Chart

A Free Printable Download PIano Chord Chart. Diagrams o all the main chords used to play piano.

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Aug 30, 2014

Free Printable Piano Chord Chart

Printable Piano Chord Chart for major and minor chords. Including sheet music and fingering for all chords. Look no further for free piano chord chart

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Jul 30, 2013

Piano Key Chart

Learning the keys and notes on the piano can be a difficult task for beginners. This PIano Key Chart is a great tool for people just starting out learning the notes on the piano keyboard.

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Mar 02, 2013

Use Music Theory Intervals To Play By Ear

Music theory intervals are one of the key components to playing by ear. Use these simple tricks to use musical intervals to start playing by ear.

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Aug 04, 2012

Learning To Read Sheet Music Is Not As Hard As You Think.

Learning to read sheet music is not only for people with a special talent or a superior IQ. Anyone can learn to read piano notes and understand sight reading.

Continue reading “Learning To Read Sheet Music Is Not As Hard As You Think.”

Aug 04, 2012

Music Note Symbols and How To Use Them

The ability to read music note symbols is important in a musician’s musical education. Quickly recognizing a note, rest, or other music symbol helps to navigate music and understand a piece of music.

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Aug 03, 2012

Cm Chord on Piano I Tips to Build and Play

The Cm Chord: How to play, build, and use the C Minor Chord on the piano. With Fingering and Inversions. Easy to use techniques to find this chord easily every time.

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Jul 30, 2012

Piano Lessons Made Simple Newsletter | The Piano Informer

The Piano Informer is a Free weekly newsletter with tons of great tips and tricks to becoming a better piano player.

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May 01, 2012

Phrygian Scale Mode

The Phrygian scale is a very common scale used by Jazz musicians. It has a very unique sound that has a Spanish feel to it. It is great for soling and improvising.

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Each of the 12 Major Scales correspond with one of the twelve notes on the piano keyboard. Each note on the piano has a major scale that starts and ends on the note the scale derives from.

In other words, if you pick any note on the piano, there will be a scale that goes along with that note.

Each scale has a key signature which tells the musician how many sharps or flats are in the key.

In this lesson I’m going to show you a simple trick that you can use to find any of the major scales.

12 Major Scales Charts

To make things super easy for you, I have included a Free chart that includes all the major scales in an easy to read format.

You can download a copy of the 12 major scales written on sheet music exactly like the image below.

I have also included a helpful chart with piano notes for each of the scales. You can print and download these for future reference.

Major Scales Chart

Major Scales Key Chart – Sharps

Major Scales Key Chart – Flats

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About The Major Scale

Each major has a unique set of notes. Even though these notes are different, each scale sounds almost identical. Only people with a very trained ear can tell the difference between one key or another just by listening.

The reason for this is beacuse the distance between each note stays the same. This is known as an interval.

If you listen to the audio below you can hear what the C Major Scale sounds like. 

 C Major Scale

This next clip is the D Major Scale.

Listen to this scale closely. Can hear how it sounds almost identical to the C Major Scale? The C Major Scale and D Major Scale have the same intervals making them sound similar.

This is why you can play a song in any key. Since the intervals are the same, you can play a song in any key and it will sound exactly the same just a little higher or lower in pitch.

 D Major Scale

Because the intervals are the same, a musician can play a song in any of the 12 keys.

So…. if you learn every key, you can then learn to play any song in any of the twelve keys.

Even though the intervals for the 12 major scales are the same, the notes in each scale are different. Take a look at the example: 

C Major Scale: C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C
D Major Scale: D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#-D

Each major scale has the same intervals, but the notes in each scale are different as shown above.

Whole Steps and Half Steps

To make a major scale you must understand the difference between a whole step and a half step. All major scales are built from a pattern of whole steps and half steps.

A half step is the smallest distance in music. Moving from one note to the note directly next to it is an example of a half step.

 Moving from C to a Db is a half step.  

A whole step is a combination of two half steps. Taking two half steps and combining them together creates a whole step.

Two half steps make a whole step.
Moving from C to D is a whole step.

Moving from C to Db is one half step, then moving from Db to D is the second half step. This movement is known as a whole step.

If you need more help with half steps and whole steps, click the links above for a more detailed explanation.

Let’s Make A Major Scale!

To make one of the 12 major scales you have to use a certain combination of whole steps and half steps. Once you learn this pattern you will be able to apply it to any major scale.

Once you decide which scale it is you want to play, find the note which the scale is named after. For example, the C Major Scale would start on a C note.

This starting note is called the Root. This will be the foundation in which the major scale is built.

Each of the 12 Major Scales are made up of seven different notes. It starts on a root, and ends on a root. The scale itself only has seven notes, but often times an additional root is added to the top of the scale giving is eight notes.

There are only seven unique notes in the 12 major scales.

To build a major scale you have to follow a pattern of half steps and whole steps. To build this scale you must follow the pattern below:

Major Scale Pattern
Whole Step, Whole Step, Half Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Half Step

If you follow this pattern you can make any major scale you want. Pick any note on the keyboard and follow the pattern above.

If you paid close attention you would have noticed that there are more than 12 major scales in the chart above. There are actually 15 major scales.

How can there 15 major scales if there are only 12 keys on the piano?

That’s because there are  what’s known as enharmonic scales. This means that some of these scales repeat themselves but will be called another scale.

But that’s going to be in another lesson.  You can find more about enharmonic equivalents here.

The 12 Major Scales are crucial to learning the piano. Once you learn all the scales, you will be able to play songs in any key. You will also be able to transpose or change the key of a song to whatever key works best for the situation you are in.

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