Play Piano By Ear - Free Video

I came across these play by ear free videos from the founder of HearandPlay, Jermaine Griggs. My students will love these flash cards that help you learn the number system.

VIDEO LESSON: Finding the key to any song


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zm9-YtDGqA

Jermaine Griggs of Hearandplay.com teaches you how to find the key of any song... 30 minute lesson.


VIDEO LESSON: The KEY to getting to the next level in your piano playing (FREE link to 28-pg report included)...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf6qJ

Free pdf for numbers flash cards:
www.hearandplay.com/numbers

Jermaine Griggs, Founder of Hearandplay.com, shares another strategy for getting to the next level. Here he explores the "number system" and why it's so important in playing songs, chords, and patterns on the piano. THIS INFORMATION IS INVALUABLE.

Here's another related topic:

http://ladydpiano.blogspot.com/2008/08/nashville-number-system-explained.html

Have a great weekend!

Endings To Songs

So, you might be saying to your buddy, "Hey, how are we going to end our song?" Maybe these ideas will help you!
Here are a few examples of Endings, all in the Key of C:

1. "The Classic Ending" Abmaj7 Bb C
Once you realize that this is really the flat six of the scale as a Major7 chord, the flat 7 as a Major chord and then the I chord, it becomes easy to reproduce by going to the key you are in and finding the numbered chords. Here are the endings of this example in some other keys:

D Major - BbMaj7, C, D
Eb Major - CbMaj7, Db, Eb
E Major - CMaj7, D, E
F Major - DbMaj7, Eb, F
G Major - EbMaj7, F, G
A Major - FMaj7, G, A
Bb Major - GbMaj7, Ab, Bb

Now if you replace the simple numbers of the scales of these it would be:
Major Key you are in - b6Maj7 Chord, b7Major chord, and 1 Major Chord

Remember - Every key functions in exactly the same way in the "numbers." Understanding the "numbers" is the key to the Key.

2. "RnBi-ish" ending Am/F G/E F/D F/G C
3. "Mellow ending" Fm/C C
4. the "oh what-an-ending" F C/E Cm/Eb Fm/D C

Here are some endings to slow songs:

CLASSICAL OR URBAN ENDINGS
Key Eb LH/RH

Ab / G-C-Eb
G / F-Bb-Eb
F / Ab-Bb-C-Eb
Eb / F-G-Bb-Eb

Eb / C, Db, Ab *hold each note down as you play
/ C-F-A or C-Eb-Ab
/ B-Eb-F-Ab
/ Bb-Eb-G

/ Eb, D
C / Ab-Bb-C-Eb
D / Bb-C-D-F
Eb / F-G-Bb-Eb

Gb / E-Bb-Eb
F / Eb-A-Eb
Bb / D-Ab-Eb
Eb / Db-G-Eb

Eb, D /
Db / F-B-Eb
Gb / E-Bb-Eb
F / A-C-Eb-Gb
Bb / Ab-C-Eb
Eb / Db-G-C-Eb

I like this great sounding ending:

Eb Bb/ GbM7, Eb Db/ C, then Ab Eb/ Cm

2-5-1 is a very common ending. The 5-1 is probably the most common ending for most songs (ie hymns and Happy Birthday). If you're in the key of C, the G chord (V Chord) would come before the last chord, the C chord (I Chord).

A lot of times, it sounds good to play the V chord as a V7 chord (dom7) chord. A dom7 chord is 1-3-5-b7 (C7 is C-E-G-Bb). If you're playing in the key of C, the V7 would be G7 (G-B-D-F). Play the V7 this way 3-7b-1 or G7 would be B-F-G, which omits the 5 note of the chord. Substituting a V7 instead of a V before going back to the I gives a song a more jazzy/gospel sounding ending. On a VI-I ending add a iv minor chord as a passing chord. It gives it a slow jazzy ending. In other words:

IV - ivmin - I

In C major, this would be:
F - Fmin - C

I wanted to add some turn around/endings here:
* 1 6 2 5 (pretty common ending w/ diatonic chords, C6 am7 Dm7 G7)
* 1 b3 b6 b2 (b3 b6 b2 would all be M7 chords)
* right before the last chord, go up 1/2 step & play a Major7 chord
* easy Amen Cadence ending is 4 -1

If you're looking for some creative endings that could be added to songs, some of them probably could be modified and used as turnarounds. My friend, James Stevens, has a great site and great info to endings:

http://www.jamesstevens.com/likeariverendings.html"

And here is a cute way to end my blog on endings...
Take a look at how Caleb likes to end his songs:

http://calebplayspiano.blogspot.com/2008/09/calebs-song-endings.htm


http://www.LadyDpiano.com

Nashville Number System Explained

The Number System

To simplify the process of playing any song in any key, the pros use a number system. This system refers to the ROMAN NUMERALS which represent the functions of the various chords used.
Nashville Number System

1. Chords in any given key center are based on scale tones.
2. By numbering scale tones we create chords built with thirds.
3. For each scale tone there is an appropriate chord, according to the key.
4. Chords have different functions which create a sense of tension and release.
5. Those functions are consistent among all keys, so the same relationships exist between chords and melodies when the key is changed.

First, look at the key of C major. The 7 chords for this key, which correspond to the major scale tones are:

I - Cmaj7
II - Dm7
III - Em7
IV - Fmaj7
V - G7
VI - Am7
VII - Bm7(b5)

Chord progression: Cmaj7 Am7 Dm7 G7
Number System: I vi ii V

Apply the same concept to every key. By learning the functions of the chords, and developing a different point of view about learning a song, you can quickly change keys on the fly with many pieces of music.

When you learn a song, plan on playing it in several keys, and apply the numbers approach to your perception of the song itself. You start with notes, then grow to chords. Now you are forming chord progressions.

The best explanation of the Nashville Number System
http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/nashvillenumbersystem.html will help any musician learn to jam on the spot with greater ease. That's what makes the number system so user friendly.With the number system, you change keys simply by assigning the number 1 to the key of the song and then numbering the other notes accordingly. Learn to play by ear and have fun!

The Nashville Numbering System - 2nd Edition An Aid to Playing by Ear. By Neil Matthews, Jr. Stylistic Method. 64 pages. Published by Hal Leonard. (704491) See more info...

http://www.LadyDpiano.com