LadyDpiano: Adeste Fideles

One of the best ways to improve your musicianship is by taking the time to sing and actively listen to musical materials you use everyday. Let's consider our most basic chords, major and minor triads. These chords are made up of different combinations of major and minor thirds. A major third (M3) spans the distance of two whole steps (G-B); a minor third (m3) covers one-and-a-half steps (G-Bb).

You can construct those triads by using formulas: Major triad = M3 + m3; minor triad = m3 + M3 (spelled from the bottom up). If you know your major and minor scales, you can refer to these relationships between the degrees of the scale. Try the following exercises at the piano to review thirds and triads.

Using the numbers 1 2 3 4 5, sing the first five notes of a major scale starting on G. Check yourself on the piano. Next break the triad down into its two stacked thirds. Sing 1 2 3 and then leave out 2, singing 1-3 (G-B, a major 3rd). Next, sing 3 4 5, then just 3-5 (B-D, a minor third). Finally, sing 1 2 3 4 5, then 1-3-5. Congratulations! You have just sung a major triad (G-B-D).

Sing:

G-A-B-C-D
G-A-B
G-B (M3)
B, C, D
B, D (m3)
G-B-D (Major triad = M3 + m3)

For a minor triad, use the minor scale as your reference. Remember, a minor scale has a half step between sale degrees 2-3, so Bb is scale degree3 in G minor. Follow the same steps as above: 1 2 3 4 5. Then 1 2 3, 1-3, 3 4 5, 3-5. Finally, 12345: 1-3-5. Congratulations! You have just sung a minor triad (G-Bb-D). Do this same exercise starting on other notes within your voice range and you will improve your ability to quickly construct and recognize thirds and triads... by ear.

Hear and Play has just released a new software, Song Tutor and the Vocal Mastery System is a good resource for the vocalist/musician. Be sure and catch the following former posts I blogged about.

Ear Training

Ear Training Piano Lesson

Friday Freebie: Ear Training

Learn Songs By Ear

Practical Approach to Ear Training

Types of Ear Musicians

photo credit: Sunny Spot via photopin (license)
article credit: Joan Stiles

Blessings,

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Photo Credit: Piano and Synth Magazine

Take a look at the above music and you will see that there are no repeating melody lines in the verse or chorus.

Adding harmony and fuller chords

I found the following chord chart at http://guitar.about.com and changed it a bit.

G            D         G  D  G     C G/D D
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant;
   Em  D   A  D A7 D G  D/A A7  D
O come ye, O come ye to Bethelehem.
G   D7 G D7sus D G    D G   Em  Am    D
Come and behold Him, Born the King of angels;

chorus:
     G     D   G D7 G
  O come, let us adore Him;
  G        D  G D7 G    D
  O come, let us adore Him;
  G D7    G  D  A7 D D7 G C
  O come, let us adore Him,
    G/D D7      G
  Christ the Lord!

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above:
"Glory to God, all glory in the highest!"
(chorus)

Yea, Lord we greet Thee, Born that happy morning;
Jesus, to Theee be all glory giv'n.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:
(chorus)

http://guitar.about.com

The words to the Carol O Come All Ye Faithful was originally written in Latin (Adeste Fideles) and was intended to be a hymn of the 18th Century, which it is, but has also come to be one of our beloved Christmas Carols about our Lord. The Englich translation by Rev. Frederick Oakley (1802-1880).

Be sure and visit his site for o-come-all-ye-faithful-piano-arranging-in-different-keys and for a Free Download, sheet music to O Come All Ye faithful.

Beginner Chord Chart

     C                    G
O Come All Ye Faithful
     C                    G
Joyful and triumphant,
     Am                G                D      G
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
    C              Dm
Come and behold Him,
    G            Am       G
Born the King of Angels;
     C
O come, let us adore Him,
                                   G
O come, let us adore Him,
    F                     G      Am
O come, let us adore Him,
   C   G        C
Christ the Lord.
C    G
O Sing, choirs of angels,
C                     G
Sing in exultation,
Am                  G                  D         G
O Sing all ye citizens of heaven above.
C             Dm        G       Am      G
Glory to God, all glory in the Highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Here is the same Christmas Song in the Key of A

A                       E
O Come All Ye Faithful
A    E    A    D A   E
Joyful and triumphant,
A F#m E B7 E          A E   B7   E
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
A        Bm    A Bm A
Come and behold Him,
E        A    F#m Bm E
Born the King of Angels;
A            E7 A E7 A
O come, let us adore Him,
A             E7 A   E7 A   E7
O come, let us adore Him,
A       E7 A E7 A   E7 A D
O come, let us adore Him,
A       E7     A
Christ the Lord.

Norman and other readers are asking for Mariah Carey's arrangement to this song. I haven't been able to find it, so if anyone has worked on the chords, please let me know.

Since I receive lots of emails requesting Christmas songs, I''ll try and post one daily, especially since to day is December 1st!

To help prepare your piano playing to improve around the holidays, you will want to research these two Christmas Dvds that I recommend from Jermaine Griggs and Yoke Wong:

ChristmasKeys1

Learn To Play Your Favorite Christmas Carols Now
Covering Silent Night, O Come All Ye Faithful, and many more
www.ChristmasPianoDVD.com

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King