Chord Exercise
Explore tutorials about chord exercise
Share this page
Showing 1-30 of 401 tutorials
Page 1 of 14
Piano inversion practice with just two chords, F# major and C# major (the I and the V), shifted on time through every inversion, then put through five rhythm patterns: three rhythms and two bonus seven-hit rhythms. Beginner to intermediate, with Jason Zac. We start with the theory: why F# major has six sharps, and why F# and C# are the I and the V, neighbours on the circle of fifths. Then the shift: keep the common note, C#, and move the other two notes to the nearest shape, so every inversion pairs with its partner. Fingering, floating the inversions up and down, and taking the same shift round the whole circle of fifths (and in fourths). The left hand has two jobs: a carbon copy of the right-hand inversion, or the root of each chord, with the octave for weight. Then articulation (staccato, legato, the pedal) and splitting the hands so one keeps the pulse. Then the rhythms. Rhythm pattern 1 has three hits (two F# and one C#, or one F# and two C#). Rhythm pattern 2 has five hits, split 3 + 2 or 2 + 3, never 4 + 1. Rhythm pattern 3 is in sixteenths. The two bonus rhythms have seven hits, in quavers and then in sixteenths. The piano is a drum here: keep the hands different, like a drum kit or a tabla. 👉 Try it now: tap the pulse on your knee and clap rhythm pattern 1 before you play it. Then make a rhythm of your own and tag me on Instagram. 🔔 Subscribe: new full lessons every Thursday and Saturday, 9:30 pm IST. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses & Private Lessons ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ============================= ▶️ Related Lessons 🎹 10 Rhythm Patterns That Make Chord Inversions Easy ➡️ https://youtu.be/DjPqzQqe_NY 🎼 How to Practice Chord Inversions Using the Circle of 5ths (Piano) ➡️ https://youtu.be/VwgRQNBq2uU 🎵 Every Major & Minor Piano Chord in Root Position + 2 Inversions (Circle of Fifths Practice, Part 1) ➡️ https://youtu.be/SOfunteeDXU 🎹 How to Change Piano Chords Smoothly (5 Fixes for Fumbling Hands) ➡️ https://youtu.be/YzFQFfvbIAw ============================= 🎓 Learn Music with Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac ➡️ https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) by skill level, topic & genre ➡️ https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com 🎛 More free music apps ➡️ https://apps.nathanielschool.com ============================= 00:00 - Two chords, two hands 00:29 - F♯ major: six sharps 01:29 - The I and the V 03:12 - The shift — keep the common note 05:05 - Fingering 05:33 - The next inversion + the left hand 06:49 - Articulation and the pedal 07:49 - The last inversion — and float it 08:56 - Round the circle of fifths 10:52 - Pair the shapes 11:53 - Rhythm pattern 1 15:46 - Rhythm pattern 2 18:20 - Rhythm pattern 3 — 16ths 20:12 - Any root and its fifth 20:28 - Bonus 1: seven hits in quavers 21:37 - Bonus 2: seven hits in 16ths 22:20 - The piano is a drum 23:14 - Your practice plan ============================= 💰 Donate on PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Lessons ➡️ music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music ➡️ https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #PianoLessons #PianoTutorial #MusicTheory #ChordInversions
How to end a song on piano: the long cadence is a five-chord ending — G, D/F♯, E7, A7sus4 and D — played under one held D, six beats round. Use it as the last bar of almost any song in D, and see three cadences hiding in it: plagal, perfect and secondary dominant. 🔓 Want to play this in every key, at your own speed? You start by hearing it, then build it. The right hand plays B, A, G♯, G, F♯ — that is 6, 5, ♯4, 4, 3 in D major — and the left hand follows underneath in thirds. Then the D on top comes in as eighth notes, and the chords appear by themselves: G, D over F♯, E7, A7sus4, back home to D. Then the theory. G is the subdominant, D/F♯ is an inverted tonic, E7 is a secondary dominant (a dominant chord from outside the key that resolves to its fifth) and A7sus4 pulls magnetically home. You hear plagal (IV–I), perfect or authentic (V–I) and the secondary dominant in one cycle, and why the held D is a different note in every chord: the 5th, the root, the ♭7, the sus4, the root again. You also sing the top line and the bass, which turns it into an ear-training exercise as well. Then the fun: anticipation, swing, bass movement, a trill, the left hand keeping the pulse, a blues-scale lick to fill the bar (with no pedal), the same exercise in D♭ major, and a small Bohemian Rhapsody twist with G♯°7 and Em7. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 📹 Everything for Life Bundle ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ▶ Related lessons • The Plagal Cadence on Piano: The 'Amen' Move That Adds Instant Emotion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioscYupDYko • Beyond V–I: 8 Piano Cadences That Change How Music Ends: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9Zdkdxd_HY • How to Use Secondary Dominant Chords to Write Colorful Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do-FwFW2Eag • Slash Chords on Piano: Turn Plain Triads Into Moving Progressions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjkwbSe5Xuc • Blues Scale Piano Workout: Major & Minor Blues Scales: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p46g4HXjtj0 • Free practice apps: https://apps.nathanielschool.com 🎓 https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All 1000+ lessons ➡️ https://learning-portal.nathanielschool.com ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 - The Long Cadence — play it first 00:27 - Welcome — what’s in this lesson 01:54 - An ending for any song 02:21 - Three cadences in one cycle 02:45 - One note that never moves: D 03:18 - Right hand: B A G♯ G F♯ 03:47 - Left hand: thirds underneath 04:44 - Ear training: sing the top and the bass 05:55 - Add the D on top — eighth notes in 6 06:55 - The D in the left hand too 07:16 - Name the chords: G · D/F♯ · E7 · A7sus4 · D 07:58 - What each chord does 09:18 - Tension and resolution 09:30 - The D plays a different role in every chord 09:58 - Basic rhythm done — now have fun 10:13 - Don’t play the D too loudly 10:52 - Bass movement and swing 11:17 - Anticipation: 1 e & a 11:53 - Left hand keeps the pulse 12:58 - Add a trill 14:15 - Bass walk: F♯ G G♯ A in thirds 15:26 - Sixteenth-note feel 15:54 - The D on top — thicken it up 16:27 - More options: the ♭7, plain diatonic 17:13 - Left hand follows like a hawk 17:54 - Your spice — or the old faithful 18:07 - All 12 keys — try D♭ major 19:21 - Fill the bar: D major blues licks 21:19 - No pedal on the licks 21:42 - The Bohemian Rhapsody twist 22:21 - Practice app · subscribe · see you next time 💛 PayPal: https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonzac 💬 WhatsApp: +91 77604 56847 📧 music@nathanielschool.com #PianoLessons #PianoTutorial #MusicTheory #PianoCadence
Circle of fifths piano practice, rhythm workout: play every major and minor chord around the whole circle, in every inversion, with arpeggios, the tresillo and the son clave. Piano lesson with Jason Zac of Nathaniel School of Music. This is Part 2. Part 1 gave you the shape of every chord in root position, first inversion and second inversion. Now the rhythm comes in, and your two hands start sharing the beat. First, one chord through its inversions while the left hand holds a root or plays a pattern of its own: 1 hit against 4, 2 against 4, 3+1, 1+3, and only beats 2 and 4. Then three broken-chord orders: low-middle-high-middle, high-middle-low-middle and high-low-middle-low. Then the tresillo over a left-hand root and stride, so you have to find the root and the inversion at speed. After that, the journeys: the same shape from chord to chord (white-black-white, black-white-black), then the whole circle of fifths and the whole circle of fourths. The last two rhythms are a first-inversion circle with the modified tresillo and a second-inversion circle with the son clave over a stride. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 📹 Everything for Life Bundle ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ▶️ Related lessons & playlists Part 1: every major and minor chord in root position + 2 inversions ➡️ https://youtu.be/SOfunteeDXU Circle of Fifths (playlist) ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-FzWCgbLnhEXKrulYDxLQJ Triads That Move: Piano Rhythm Workout With Swing, Tresillo & Clave ➡️ https://youtu.be/CNsXfo9D9RE The Tresillo: Pop's Most-Used Piano Rhythm, Explained ➡️ https://youtu.be/knJebrulzRI 10 Rhythm Patterns That Make Chord Inversions Easy ➡️ https://youtu.be/DjPqzQqe_NY 🎡 Free Fifth Harmony circle of fifths app (24 modes, including the piano mode) ➡️ https://circle-of-fifths.nathanielschool.com 🎓 https://nathanielschool.com 📚 Free tutorials library ➡️ https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 - Intro 01:18 - One chord through its inversions 03:47 - Hand ratios: 1:4, 2:4, 3+1 06:04 - Arpeggios: three patterns 08:23 - Tresillo with stride 11:11 - Same-shape journeys 14:45 - The whole circle in fourths and fifths 16:47 - First inversion + modified tresillo 18:29 - Second inversion + son clave 20:17 - Wrap-up 💰 PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 💬 WhatsApp ➡️ +91 77604 56847 ✉️ music@nathanielschool.com #PianoLessons #PianoTutorial #MusicTheory #PianoRhythm
Every seventh and ninth chord from one idea: keep the root in the left hand, go up a major or minor third, and play a triad or a seventh chord on top. Piano lesson with Jason Zac of Nathaniel School of Music. Major 7th = a minor triad a major third up (B minor over G). Dominant 7th = a diminished triad a major third up — and the whole blues (G7, C7, D7). Minor 7th = a major triad a minor third up. Then minor-major 7th, augmented, half-diminished and diminished. Ninths: a seventh chord a third up (B minor 7 over G = Gmaj9, B♭maj7 over G = Gm9). Dominant colours: G9, G7♭9, G7♯9. Beyond thirds: G6/9 and G13 from fourths. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 📹 Everything for Life Bundle ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ▶️ Related lessons Use SIMPLE Triads to Play COMPLEX Piano Chords: Jazz Extensions ➡️ https://youtu.be/sd7i44NVY3c Use SIMPLE Triads to Play COMPLEX Piano Chords: 7th Chords ➡️ https://youtu.be/1G6uZ0QRKN0 How to Play 9, 11 and 13 Chords on Piano ➡️ https://youtu.be/cX3wMi2jIA0 Quartal Voicings on Piano ➡️ https://youtu.be/S-_VtUP-Frc 🎓 https://nathanielschool.com 📚 Free tutorials library ➡️ https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Opening performance 02:09 Major 7th 06:07 Dominant 7th 07:17 The blues ecosystem 09:21 Minor 7th 11:10 Minor-major 7th and augmented 11:51 Half-diminished and diminished 13:16 Ninths 14:23 Minor 9 and minor 11 15:24 Dominant colours 16:30 Beyond thirds - 4ths 18:09 The recipe 💰 PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 💬 WhatsApp ➡️ +91 77604 56847 ✉️ music@nathanielschool.com #PianoLessons #PianoTutorial #MusicTheory #JazzPiano
Circle of fifths piano practice: learn every major and minor chord by its shape, in root position, first inversion and second inversion, with Jason Zac of Nathaniel School of Music. There are 24 piano chords, but they fall into just four hand shapes. The circle of fifths shows you which chords share a shape, so you learn them in groups instead of one at a time. In this lesson you go round the groups one by one: the all-white chords (C, F, G and their relative minors Dm, Am, Em), white-black-white (A, D, E and Cm, Fm, Gm), black-white-black (A♭, D♭, E♭ and C#m, F#m, G#m) and the six unique chords (F#, B, B♭ and E♭m, Bm, B♭m). Each group is played in root position first, with the root in the left hand and a rhythm of three short notes and one held note. Then every group again in first inversion (root on top) and second inversion (root in the middle), with the fingering I use for each shape. D and E in second inversion, for example, sit under the same hand. This is practice for your hands, not a theory talk. For the theory of the major and minor shapes, watch the lesson linked below first. Part 2 takes the same chords around the whole circle with arpeggios, the tresillo and the son clave. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 📹 Everything for Life Bundle ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ▶️ Related lessons & playlists Circle of Fifths (playlist) ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-FzWCgbLnhEXKrulYDxLQJ Learn ALL 12 Major & Minor Piano Chords (Triads) Using Intervals, Shapes & Theory ➡️ https://youtu.be/PAEz0Y82P1s How to Practice Chord Inversions Using the Circle of 5ths ➡️ https://youtu.be/VwgRQNBq2uU Make Chord Practice Fun With the Circle of Fifths (Part 1) ➡️ https://youtu.be/pu4mLLdZtYg 🎡 Free Fifth Harmony circle of fifths app (24 modes, including the piano mode) ➡️ https://circle-of-fifths.nathanielschool.com 🎓 https://nathanielschool.com 📚 Free tutorials library ➡️ https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 - Performance 00:10 - Intro 01:37 - Circle of fifths recap 06:31 - All-white major chords: C, F, G 08:57 - Relative minors: Am, Dm, Em 10:24 - White-black-white: A, D, E and Cm, Fm, Gm 12:09 - Black-white-black: Ab, Db, Eb and C#m, F#m, G#m 14:07 - The exclusive six: F#, B, Bb + Ebm, Bm, Bbm 16:31 - First inversion: root on top 21:39 - Second inversion: root in the middle 25:50 - Wrap-up and what’s next 💰 PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 💬 WhatsApp ➡️ +91 77604 56847 ✉️ music@nathanielschool.com #PianoLessons #PianoTutorial #MusicTheory #CircleOfFifths
Play the chord and the melody with one hand: hold a triad, move only the top note a step above or a half step below, and come home. Piano lesson with Jason Zac of Nathaniel School of Music. We start on G major. The top note of a chord is the one the ear follows, so it becomes the melody. Step above in the scale, or slip a half step below — the half step below is a leading tone and pulls you back in; the half step above borrows the flat 6 from G minor and changes the colour. Then every inversion, both neighbours together, what the left hand does, a real song (London Bridge), all seven chords of G major, and rhythm in quavers, triplets and semiquavers. 🌳 Chord Trees (free) — melodies over any chords, with neighbour, enclosure and chromatic-approach ideas ➡️ https://chord-trees.nathanielschool.com/melody 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 📹 Everything for Life Bundle ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ▶️ Related lessons Play Melody AND Chords in ONE Hand ➡️ https://youtu.be/uPi_uX1Y8GM How to Write a Melody on Piano Using Chord Tones ➡️ https://youtu.be/M6iwapB1iuA Compose & Improvise Better Melodies Using Scale & Chord Tones ➡️ https://youtu.be/h2K0ZqkZViw Iconic Melodic Phrases on Piano Using Chord Inversions ➡️ https://youtu.be/ws36zlXGmJQ 🎓 https://nathanielschool.com 📚 Free tutorials library ➡️ https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Neighbour notes on one chord 00:27 Two jobs in one hand 01:00 The top note leads the melody 02:05 Upstairs and downstairs 03:35 G major and its three shapes 04:38 One step up: Pa Dha Pa 05:08 One step down, and the chromatic pull 06:19 First inversion: Sa Ni Sa 06:52 Second inversion 07:15 Both neighbours, with a groove 08:17 What the left hand does 08:47 Up and down in one figure 09:28 Real songs: London Bridge 09:47 Writing melodies that land on chord tones 10:23 Chord Trees: melodies over any chords 11:19 The seven chords of G major 12:28 Every chord in every inversion 13:13 The full drill on all seven chords 14:13 Rhythm in quavers 15:46 Rhythm in triplets 16:48 Rhythm in semiquavers 17:20 Practice material and wrap-up 💰 PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 💬 WhatsApp ➡️ +91 77604 56847 ✉️ music@nathanielschool.com #PianoLessons #PianoTutorial #MusicTheory #PassingTones
Topics:
Piano inversion practice made musical: three drills to change any major or minor chord on time, with Jason Zac of Nathaniel School of Music. There are just 12 major and 12 minor chords. Master shifting between them with inversions and your creative brain is free for rhythm, melody and improvisation. In this lesson you learn three ways to shift chords — on time, and musically. Method 1 · The chord tree: take one note (F) and play the six major and minor chords that contain it — F, B♭, D♭, D minor, B♭ minor, F minor — with F on the bottom, in the middle and on top. Then go from four beats a chord to two, to one; sing the roots; hit and jump; and finally play with your eyes closed. Method 2 · Cadences: toggle 1 and 5 (the authentic, or perfect, cadence) and 1 and 4 (the plagal, or Amen, cadence) in C — major to major, major to minor, minor to minor and minor to major. Method 3 · Intervals: from C, go up an interval and back, then down the same interval and back — minor 2nd to major 7th, plus the tritone — keeping the notes the two chords share. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 📹 Everything for Life Bundle ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ▶️ Related lessons & playlists Piano Chord Voicings & Inversions (playlist) ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC Learn All 72 Piano Chord Inversions With ONE Exercise ➡️ https://youtu.be/w1SwhiI__Mo Find Every Chord That Fits Any Melody Note ➡️ https://youtu.be/JDkJp2Y0n48 10 Rhythm Patterns That Make Chord Inversions Easy ➡️ https://youtu.be/DjPqzQqe_NY 🌳 Free Chord Trees app ➡️ https://chord-trees.nathanielschool.com 🎓 https://nathanielschool.com 📚 Free tutorials library — search "inversions" ➡️ https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Performance 00:11 Three ways to shift chords on time 02:27 Method 1: The chord tree — one note, six chords 04:43 F on the bottom — all six chords 07:03 F in the middle — 4, 2, then 1 beat 08:09 Sing the roots 08:45 F on top 09:10 Level up: pedal, hit and jump, eyes closed 11:20 Method 2: Cadences — authentic and plagal 14:34 Method 3: Intervals up and down 17:02 Thirds — the note that stays 19:12 Perfect 4th, 5th and the tritone 20:08 The flips — 5ths, 6ths and 7ths 21:26 Recap — three ways to master chord changes 💰 PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 💬 WhatsApp ➡️ +91 77604 56847 ✉️ music@nathanielschool.com #PianoLessons #PianoTutorial #MusicTheory #ChordInversions
Learn Dolly Parton's Here You Come Again on piano — the intro riff, the bass line, every chord, and both key changes, from F# to G to Ab. This sounds like a simple pop song. It isn't. Most of the chords are sevenths, ninths and elevenths, and the whole song goes up a semitone — twice. So if you want to learn 2-5-1 progressions, slash chords and modulation from one song, this is a good one. We start with the intro riff. Your right hand holds an F# major chord and the thumb walks down — F#, F, Eb. Underneath, the left hand plays octaves: F#, Ab, Bb, B. The Ab isn't a chord. It's just the step that gets you to the Bb. The verse uses the same chords without the passing notes, then moves to Ebm7 and Abm7 — with the 7th in the bass — and two climbs over C#. The chorus is a 2-5-1 in A: Bm7, D/E, Amaj7, then G/A, the gospel 11th. Look at Bm7 and D/E. Your right hand doesn't move a single finger. Only the bass steps from B to E. That's the slash-chord rule — what's on the left of the slash goes in your right hand, the note on the right goes in your left. So Bm7 is really just D major over B. Then the song goes up to G, and up again to Ab for the outro. Nothing new to learn — the same shapes, a semitone higher. The one thing to watch: in G, the chorus starts on C minor instead of B minor. And if the licks aren't coming yet, just play through the chords. Here You Come Again was written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and recorded by Dolly Parton in 1977. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 📹 Everything for Life Bundle ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com 📺 RELATED LESSONS How to Play Slash Chords With Purpose on Piano (5 Pro Ways) ➡️ https://youtu.be/4LtOItbMiW0 Slash Chords vs Inversions on Piano ➡️ https://youtu.be/UhO-cWQLC-k Use SIMPLE Triads to Play COMPLEX Piano Chords: 7th Chords (Part 1) ➡️ https://youtu.be/1G6uZ0QRKN0 The 2-5-1 Jazz Piano Chord Progression Explained ➡️ https://youtu.be/SAOjr5ejxbs How to Read Chord Charts Like a Pro Musician ➡️ https://youtu.be/4qHUtgJ7XoE 🎓 https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All 1000+ free lessons ➡️ https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 - Here You Come Again — performance 00:52 - Why this song: Dolly Parton’s scale changes 02:43 - F# major: six sharps, and one is E# 02:56 - The intro chord: F#, F#maj7/Bb, Bmaj9 03:35 - The intro in three levels 04:56 - Octaves: hold the hand like a divider 05:28 - The bass lick: C#, Eb, Ab, Eb, F# 06:32 - The whole intro, slowly 07:11 - The verse 07:43 - Ebm7, Abm7 and the lick 08:11 - B over C# and the first climb 09:08 - Verse 2 and the second climb 10:04 - The chorus: a 2-5-1 into A 11:14 - Into E major: slash chords galore 11:54 - F#7, A over B, and the whole chorus 12:34 - Up to G: the guitar part 13:38 - Em7, Am7 and C over D 14:03 - The guitar solo on piano 14:58 - The chorus in G 15:47 - C over Bb into Ab: the outro 16:54 - Wrap-up 💛 Support these free lessons (PayPal) ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 💬 WhatsApp ➡️ +91 77604 56847 · https://wa.me/917760456847 📧 music@nathanielschool.com #PianoLessons #PianoTutorial #MusicTheory #DollyParton
Tritone substitution explained on the piano: one two-note shell voicing plays two dominant seventh chords. Keep F♯ and C in your right hand, move only the bass from D to A♭, and D7 becomes A♭7 — the jazz chord substitution behind countless ii–V–I progressions. In this lesson you start with a ii–V–I in C and hear what happens when D♭7 takes the place of G7. Then you build the shell voicing on D7 — the root and 5th in the left hand, the 3rd and ♭7 in the right — and see why those two notes are a tritone apart, whichever way round you play them. That is the whole trick: keep the same shell, change the bass, and the 3rd and ♭7 simply swap jobs. You practise it with a Charleston rhythm (then displaced), learn why it works for dominant 7th chords, and walk through all six shapes that cover the twelve dominants — with a tip for bass players on using the tritone as an ornament. To finish, you play the ii–V–I in G with A♭7 in place of D7. 🎹 Practise the tritone sub free in the Jazz Harmony Lab: https://jazz.nathanielschool.com/#tritone-sub 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 📹 Everything for Life Bundle ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ▶ Related lessons • Shell Voicings on Piano: Why C7 and F#7 Are the Same Two Keys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxnZBXL-1PA • Jazz Piano Chords: The Voicing Exercise That Teaches Every 7th Chord and Its Tritone Sub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHLV3iA-56s • Reharmonize Hallelujah on Piano: Secondary Dominants & Tritone Subs (Part 3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLWdZDcQugs • Beyond V–I: 8 Piano Cadences That Change How Music Ends: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9Zdkdxd_HY • Free practice apps: https://apps.nathanielschool.com 🎓 https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All 1000+ lessons ➡️ https://learning-portal.nathanielschool.com ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 - What is tritone substitution? One shape, two dominant chords 01:30 - The ii–V–I in C, and the D♭7 swap 02:24 - Shell voicings: building D7 03:25 - The 3rd and ♭7 are a tritone 03:44 - Same shell, new bass: D7 becomes A♭7 04:43 - The tritone workout: the Charleston rhythm 05:25 - Why it works: the 3rd and ♭7 swap jobs 05:58 - Six shapes for all twelve dominant chords 07:43 - The ii–V–I in G with the tritone sub 08:49 - More lessons: modulation and reharmonisation 09:25 - Recap 💛 PayPal: https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonzac 💬 WhatsApp: +91 77604 56847 📧 music@nathanielschool.com #PianoLessons #PianoTutorial #MusicTheory #JazzChords
How to play piano fills between chords — octave licks over modern pop voicings, in one two-bar exercise you can take to any key. Three rich chords in the right hand — Dmaj9, F♯m7(11) and E(add4) in A major — octaves in the left, and two beats at the end of the loop for a fill in octaves. You'll learn four octave licks, a triplet fill and a semiquaver fill, B minor as a filler chord, a second F♯ minor shape, and a voicing template that moves the whole exercise to A♭ major and any other key. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses & Private Lessons ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com 🎛️ FREE PRACTICE TOOLS — no signup Runway — build fills, licks and runs over a chord ➡️ https://runway.nathanielschool.com Metronome with swing, triplets and semiquavers ➡️ https://metronome.nathanielschool.com ▶️ Related Lessons 🎹 Stop Playing 1-5-8 In Your Left Hand (Pop Piano) ➡️ https://youtu.be/XWGhJMxhcE4 🎹 5 Fancy Piano Chord Hacks to Transform a Simple Triad ➡️ https://youtu.be/qTkiqeE2jw0 🎓 Learn Music with Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac ➡️ https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) by skill level, topic & genre ➡️ https://learning-portal.nathanielschool.com 🆓 Free tutorials website — every lesson sorted by topic and level ➡️ https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Performance: modern pop voicings with octave fills 01:14 Welcome: a full workout — voicings, octaves, time feels 03:05 The chords in A major: D, F♯m, E 04:10 Left hand: the root and the octave 04:43 The E chord is a placeholder for the filler 05:23 Swap in B minor: a ii–V to E 05:40 Right hand: Dmaj9 voicing (5 7 9 3) 06:04 F♯m7(11): A B E A under one thumb 07:04 E(add4): A B E G♯ 08:31 Bm7 as a filler chord on beat 3 09:15 Ghost notes and swing in the left hand 10:13 The simple three-note version 11:22 Octave fills: Lick 1 (A B A E → F♯) 12:18 Lick 2 and Lick 3, with the pedal 13:30 Recovery: land back on beat 1 14:08 The new lick 14:23 Dotted notes, triplets and semiquavers 15:45 Lick 4: A B C♯ G♯ → F♯ 15:57 Put it all together 16:27 Recap and the alternate F♯m shape 17:31 Play the whole etude again 18:29 Voicing templates: key numbers vs chord numbers 20:14 Transpose to A♭ major 21:07 A♭ improvisation with octave fills 21:43 Practice it in all 12 keys 💰 Donate on PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac · the school ➡️ https://instagram.com/nathanielschool 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Lessons ➡️ music@nathanielschool.com #PianoLessons #PianoTutorial #MusicTheory #PianoFills
Full lesson: https://youtu.be/w1SwhiI__Mo Every major and minor chord, every inversion — 72 shapes — from one note. Keep D where it is, play the six chords that contain it (bottom, top, middle), then do the same on its tritone, A♭. Not one chord repeats. 36 of the 72 already, and the rest gets exponentially easier. 🌳 Chord Trees — every chord that has your note in it, free: https://chord-trees.nathanielschool.com 🎹 LEARN WITH US — live online lessons, Bangalore centres: https://nathanielschool.com 🛠 25+ free practice tools: https://apps.nathanielschool.com 💛 Support: https://geni.us/DonatePayPal · UPI jasonzac-1@okhdfcbank 📩 WhatsApp https://wa.me/917760456847 · Instagram https://instagram.com/jasonzac #Shorts #PianoChords #ChordInversions #PianoLessons #MusicTheory
The third and the seventh are all you need. In this jazz piano tutorial we build the shell voicing for a dominant 7th chord, discover that those two notes are a tritone — so the same two keys give you TWO chords — and take the whole thing round the circle of fifths with the Charleston rhythm. Most of us learn chords the regular way — all four notes, every inversion. Here we do the opposite. A shell is a smaller set of notes: you keep the ones that matter and leave the rest out. For a dominant 7th that is the 3rd and the flat 7th. The bass player has the root, and the fifth does nothing. C7 is C E G Bb. Drop the C and the G and you are left with E and Bb — and those two notes are a tritone, the one interval that turns into itself when you flip it. So the same two keys are also the 3rd and the flat 7th of F#7. Twelve dominant 7th chords collapse into six tritone pairs, and we practise them as pairs, counter-clockwise round the circle of fifths, with the two shells 3–b7 and b7–3 sliding down chromatically while the left hand takes the roots. Then the groove. Once the shell is in your hand the tensions are one step away — b9, 9, #9, even a #5 — and you can play licks over it (you will hear where I stole one from). We put the Charleston rhythm on the shell, then the displaced Charleston, then both at once, and finish with a hand-independence ladder: the left hand holds the Charleston while the right climbs from semibreves to minims to crotchets to the 2 and the 4 — plus the cascade, and the snaps and claps that take your hands off the keys and teach you to come back in. Get your keyboard out and play along. Every exercise transfers to any key. 🎹 LEARN WITH US Live online lessons, Bangalore centres and the Everything For Life bundle: https://nathanielschool.com Piano, guitar or vocals, any level — message us on WhatsApp and our course advisor will get back to you: https://wa.me/917760456847 ▶️ WATCH NEXT 🎹 Jazz Piano Chords: The Voicing Exercise That Teaches Every 7th Chord and Its Tritone Sub — https://youtu.be/sHLV3iA-56s 🎹 10 Piano Exercises on ONE Chord (E7) — Dominant Seventh Chords Explained — https://youtu.be/22fTJTAE9WI 🎶 The Subdivision Exercise That Makes One Chord Groove — https://youtu.be/v2wMT78ZAlg 🗂️ Chord Voicing & Inversions — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC 📚 Making Chord Practice FUN with Circle of Fifths — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-D6G1jDe18TFflopjjnxRG 🎶 Hand Independence — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-On4vodpAoZqTlWDCS5jv7 🛠 FREE PRACTICE TOOLS The Jazz Harmony Lab — dominant cycles, ii–V–I and altered voicings, free in the browser: https://jazz.nathanielschool.com Master Key — the diminished seventh laboratory, for dominant 7ths and tritone substitution: https://masterkey.nathanielschool.com Groove Metronome — for the Charleston and the displaced Charleston: https://metronome.nathanielschool.com 25+ free browser tools for rhythm, chords, inversions, notation and ear training: https://apps.nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) sorted by level, topic and genre: https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 The regular way: four notes, four inversions 01:14 What a shell is 02:04 The dominant 7th: 1, 3, 5, flat 7 03:20 Why shells: pick and choose 04:41 Building the C7 shell 05:40 The 3rd and the flat 7th are a tritone 06:46 The first drill: semibreves over minims 07:15 Two shells: 3–b7 and b7–3 08:13 One shell, two chords: C7 = F#7 09:15 The six tritone pairs 10:40 Round the circle of fifths, counter-clockwise 12:58 Improvising on the shell 13:21 One step away: b9, 9, #9 and #5 15:04 Licks on the shell 16:01 The Charleston rhythm 16:54 The other Charleston: displaced 17:15 Both Charlestons together 18:27 The ladder: left hand holds, right hand climbs 19:33 The goal: right hand on the 2 and the 4 20:58 The cascade 22:15 Snap on the 2 and the 4 23:27 Clap at the four, then recover 24:46 In a nutshell 25:21 The app, the notes and the study guide 25:55 Thanks for watching 💛 SUPPORT THESE FREE LESSONS PayPal: https://paypal.me/jasonzac?locale.x=en_GB&country.x=IN UPI: jasonzac-1@okhdfcbank (Jason Zac) 📩 TALK TO US WhatsApp: https://wa.me/917760456847 Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonzac · https://instagram.com/nathanielschool #ShellVoicings #TritoneSubstitution #JazzPiano
Shell voicings are the two notes that actually describe a chord — the 3rd and the 7th — and in this jazz piano tutorial we run them through one long 2-5-1 chord progression until every 7th chord type and its tritone substitute is under your hands. The right hand plays two notes and nothing else. The left hand takes the root and the fifth. That split is how most working pianists actually voice a 7th chord, and it leaves your right hand free to improvise. The progression is deliberately long: Am7, D7, Gmaj7, Cmaj7, F#m7b5, B7, Em7, E7 — a major 2-5-1 running straight into the relative minor's 2-5-1, then a secondary dominant to send you round again. Every chord falls a fifth, so one finger stays put and the other steps down a semitone or a tone. Play it twice and you will have played both arrangements of all eight chords — the complete shell vocabulary of the key — because the hand keeps descending into the other shape by itself. Then we add the things that make it music: singing the roots, the chord names and the shells; five rhythms including the Charleston and its displaced cousin; and tritone substitution, where the same right-hand shape serves two different dominants because the 7th of one is the 3rd of the other. 📘 STUDY GUIDE + PRACTICE APP The Companion has the whole exercise notated, the crown-note table, the five rhythm grids and a practice log for all twelve keys. The practice app plays it back at any tempo with a metronome, in every key, with the regular dominants or the tritone substitutions. 🎹 LEARN WITH US Live online lessons, Bangalore centres and the Everything For Life bundle: https://nathanielschool.com Piano, guitar or vocals, any level — message us on WhatsApp and our course advisor will get back to you: https://wa.me/917760456847 🛠 FREE PRACTICE TOOLS The Jazz Harmony Lab — major and minor ii–V–I, dominant cycles and altered voicings, free in the browser: https://jazz.nathanielschool.com Master Key — the diminished seventh laboratory, for dominant 7ths and tritone substitution: https://masterkey.nathanielschool.com Groove Metronome — for the Charleston and the five rhythms in this lesson: https://metronome.nathanielschool.com 25+ free browser tools for rhythm, chords, inversions, notation and ear training: https://apps.nathanielschool.com ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 Performance 00:10 The Eight-Chord Practice Progression 00:56 G Major and E Minor Key Signature 02:44 Right-Hand Shells and Left-Hand Support 04:17 Building an Am7 Open Voicing 04:38 Building a D7 Open Voicing 05:58 Connecting Am7 to D7 06:20 Circle-of-Fifths Voice Leading 06:50 Major ii–V–I: Am7–D7–Gmaj7 09:08 Minor ii–V–i in E Minor 09:34 Lap 2: Switching to 7–3 Shapes 10:10 E7 as a Secondary Dominant 11:02 Lap 1: Descending 3–7 Shapes 11:39 Singing Chord Names and Chord Tones 12:39 Singing the Right-Hand Shells 13:03 Singing the Chord Roots 🎧 13:42 Writing and Visualising Inversions 14:09 One-Finger Common-Tone Exercise 15:49 Rhythm 1: Blocks and Alternating Fifths 16:07 Rhythm 2: Cascading the Chord Tones 17:06 Rhythm 3: Salsa-Like Syncopation 18:46 Charleston Rhythm Pattern 19:03 Swinging the Shell Voicings 20:17 Broken-Chord Ensemble Rhythm 21:56 Tritone Substitution Explained 24:50 Final Practice Plan 💛 SUPPORT THESE FREE LESSONS PayPal: https://paypal.me/jasonzac?locale.x=en_GB&country.x=IN UPI: jasonzac-1@okhdfcbank (Jason Zac) 📩 TALK TO US WhatsApp: https://wa.me/917760456847 Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonzac · https://instagram.com/nathanielschool #ShellVoicings #TritoneSubstitution #JazzPiano
Part 4 of our E7 piano workout series! Explore pyramid sets with accent groupings and the challenging 'crunch' exercise in contrary motion. 🎹 🎹 Take one chord and build ten gym-style piano workouts around it. In this practical lesson we use a single E7 (dominant seventh) chord and turn it into a full technique session that transfers to any chord you like. First we break down the E7 shape — root, major third, fifth and flat seventh — with sensible fingering for both hands and all four positions: root, first, second and third inversion. Then we run the ten drills: the inversion ladder, the siren, piano jumping jacks, the horn throw, the dead hang, the speed bag, the rope climb, the pyramid set, the crunch and a cool-down stretch. Along the way you'll practise arpeggios against block chords, alternating two-note patterns, tritone swaps between the third and flat seventh, finger-by-finger lifts, speed work with a bouncing wrist, hand-crossing and accent groupings in twos, threes, fives and sevens. This is for pianists who can build chords but want them to feel musical and coordinated. Get your piano out, start slow and try every workout on other chords around the circle of fifths — then tell us your favourite gesture for the horn throw in the comments. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) - https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🏡 Visit our Channel for more Tutorials & Performances - https://geni.us/NathanielYouTube ============================= ▶️ Related Videos & Playlists 📂 Improvise over ONE chord - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9oizLJPiwwH_gvSH-IFu_V 📚 Making Chord Practice FUN with Circle of Fifths - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-D6G1jDe18TFflopjjnxRG 🗂️ Chord Voicing & Inversions - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC 📋 Arpeggios - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-BCpTe-KKSdiKlAFMvYNsH 🎶 Hand Independence - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-On4vodpAoZqTlWDCS5jv7 ============================= 🎓 Learn Music With Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac: https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) categorised by skill level, topic & genre all in one place: https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com 💰 Donate on PayPal: https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 👨👩👧👦 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes: music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music: https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #PianoLessons #PianoTutorial #MusicTheory #PianoChords #ChordInversions #PianoPractice
Part 3 of our Piano Gym series! We tackle the Speed Bag drill (eighth notes, triplets, semiquavers on E7♯) and the Rope Climb pattern. Practice along and level up your chord fluency. Watch part 4 for the pyramid sets breakdown! 🎹 Take one chord and build ten gym-style piano workouts around it. In this practical lesson we use a single E7 (dominant seventh) chord and turn it into a full technique session that transfers to any chord you like. First we break down the E7 shape — root, major third, fifth and flat seventh — with sensible fingering for both hands and all four positions: root, first, second and third inversion. Then we run the ten drills: the inversion ladder, the siren, piano jumping jacks, the horn throw, the dead hang, the speed bag, the rope climb, the pyramid set, the crunch and a cool-down stretch. Along the way you'll practise arpeggios against block chords, alternating two-note patterns, tritone swaps between the third and flat seventh, finger-by-finger lifts, speed work with a bouncing wrist, hand-crossing and accent groupings in twos, threes, fives and sevens. This is for pianists who can build chords but want them to feel musical and coordinated. Get your piano out, start slow and try every workout on other chords around the circle of fifths — then tell us your favourite gesture for the horn throw in the comments. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) - https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🏡 Visit our Channel for more Tutorials & Performances - https://geni.us/NathanielYouTube ============================= ▶️ Related Videos & Playlists 📂 Improvise over ONE chord - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9oizLJPiwwH_gvSH-IFu_V 📚 Making Chord Practice FUN with Circle of Fifths - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-D6G1jDe18TFflopjjnxRG 🗂️ Chord Voicing & Inversions - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC 📋 Arpeggios - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-BCpTe-KKSdiKlAFMvYNsH 🎶 Hand Independence - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-On4vodpAoZqTlWDCS5jv7 ============================= 🎓 Learn Music With Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac: https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) categorised by skill level, topic & genre all in one place: https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com 💰 Donate on PayPal: https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 👨👩👧👦 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes: music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music: https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #PianoLessons #PianoTutorial #MusicTheory #PianoChords #ChordInversions #PianoPractice
Practice all 72 piano chord inversions — every major and minor triad, in every inversion — with one exercise. Piano chord inversions become automatic when you stop drilling them chord by chord and start anchoring one note. Here is the whole idea. There are 12 major chords and 12 minor chords — 24 chords, three positions each, so 72 shapes. Instead of learning them one at a time, take a single note like D and ask which triads contain it. A triad only has a root, a third and a fifth, so the answer is six chords: D is the root of D major and D minor, the fifth of G major and G minor, and the third of Bb major and B minor. Now keep D exactly where it is and play all six chords around it — first with D at the bottom, then on top, then in the middle. The note forces the right inversion on you every time, so you practise chord inversions without ever deciding which inversion to play. That is 18 shapes from one note. Put the roots in the left hand, try a carbon copy in both hands, run it in reverse, and sing the roots for ear training. Then the part that makes the whole thing finish: take the polar opposite of D — its tritone, Ab — and do the same six chords. Not one of them repeats. That is 36 of the 72 already, and from there every new anchor note repeats chords you own, so it gets exponentially faster. A week for the first 36, two days for the rest. This piano inversion practice is for players who know their basic chords but want inversions to feel natural in real music, not as an exercise. 🌳 Chord Trees - the free app I demo at 4:36. No signup, runs in your browser: https://chord-trees.nathanielschool.com Pick any note and it shows you the six triads that contain it, with every inversion laid out. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) - https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🏡 Visit our Channel for more Tutorials & Performances - https://geni.us/NathanielYouTube ============================= ▶️ Related Videos & Playlists 📂 Chord Voicing & Inversions - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC 📚 Making Chord Practice FUN with Circle of Fifths - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-D6G1jDe18TFflopjjnxRG 🗂️ Cadences & Chord Progressions - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT_sKjWd1c7K_S55cZ15jAKI 📋 Spread Chords (Open Voicing) - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT_K6G85ibBIRn4K63BDlbTE 🎶 Ear Training - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-GHvpugWvYgEuLAL4f01ZK ============================= 🎓 Learn Music With Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac: https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) categorised by skill level, topic & genre all in one place: https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com ⏳ Chapter markers 00:00 - Performance 00:17 - Introduction: 72 Chord Shapes 🎹 00:31 - The Goal: Every Major & Minor Inversion 00:53 - Start With a Single Note (D) 01:04 - Which Triads Contain This Note? 01:14 - D as the Fifth: G Major & G Minor 01:43 - D as the Third: Bb Major & B Minor 02:11 - Working Out the Inversions 🔁 02:39 - Why Not Play Major to Minor First 02:49 - A Musical Order for the Six Chords 03:26 - Full Sweep With D at the Bottom 04:36 - Chord Trees App Overview 📱 06:21 - Anchoring the Note at the Bottom 06:31 - Carbon-Copy the Chords in the Left Hand 07:09 - Playing the Roots in the Left Hand 07:29 - Reverse Order Practice 07:46 - Anchoring the Note at the Top 07:58 - Choosing the Right Inversion Up Top 08:48 - Anchoring the Note in the Middle 09:06 - Recap: Bottom, Top & Middle Anchors 09:18 - How to Move Forward 10:29 - Taking It to All 72 Shapes 10:40 - Using the Tritone Anchor (D to Ab) 10:57 - Six Options for Ab / G# 12:18 - Getting to 36 Unique Shapes 12:39 - Any Tritone Pair Works 13:09 - Why the Rest Gets Exponentially Easier 13:58 - Applying This in Real Songs 14:08 - Study Guide & Chord Trees App 💰 Donate on PayPal: https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 👨👩👧👦 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes: music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music: https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #ChordInversions #PianoTriads #PianoExercises
Ten piano exercises, one chord, and nothing else. Everything in this lesson happens on E7 — and every single drill transfers to any dominant 7th you own. Treat it like a gym: same equipment, ten different movements. ✏️ Correction: at 1:44 I misspeak - a dominant 7th is 1, 3, 5, ♭7, so E7 is E, G#, B, D. 🎹 Take one chord and build ten gym-style piano workouts around it. In this practical lesson we use a single E7 (dominant seventh) chord and turn it into a full technique session that transfers to any chord you like. First we break down the E7 shape — root, major third, fifth and flat seventh — with sensible fingering for both hands and all four positions: root, first, second and third inversion. Then we run the ten drills: the inversion ladder, the siren, piano jumping jacks, the horn throw, the dead hang, the speed bag, the rope climb, the pyramid set, the crunch and a cool-down stretch. Along the way you'll practise arpeggios against block chords, alternating two-note patterns, tritone swaps between the third and flat seventh, finger-by-finger lifts, speed work with a bouncing wrist, hand-crossing and accent groupings in twos, threes, fives and sevens. This is for pianists who can build chords but want them to feel musical and coordinated. Get your piano out, start slow and try every workout on other chords around the circle of fifths — then tell us your favourite gesture for the horn throw in the comments. 🎛️ The Circle of Fifths app from 25:38 — Fifth Harmony. Free, no signup: https://circle-of-fifths.nathanielschool.com Try Foundations → Piano Mode → filter by Dominant 7th to see the white/black shape of all twelve. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) - https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🏡 Visit our Channel for more Tutorials & Performances - https://geni.us/NathanielYouTube ============================= ▶️ Related Videos & Playlists 📂 Improvise over ONE chord - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9oizLJPiwwH_gvSH-IFu_V 📚 Making Chord Practice FUN with Circle of Fifths - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-D6G1jDe18TFflopjjnxRG 🗂️ Chord Voicing & Inversions - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC 📋 Arpeggios - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-BCpTe-KKSdiKlAFMvYNsH 🎶 Hand Independence - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT-On4vodpAoZqTlWDCS5jv7 ============================= 🎓 Learn Music With Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac: https://nathanielschool.com 🎹 All 25 free practice apps: https://apps.nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) categorised by skill level, topic & genre all in one place: https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com ⏳ Chapter markers 00:00 - Performance 00:47 - Introduction: Gym Workouts for Piano 💪 00:57 - The One Chord: E7 01:39 - What Is a 7th Chord? 1, 3, 5, ♭7 02:01 - Fingering for Both Hands 🎹 02:24 - Building the Inversions with the Circle Trick 02:36 - Root, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Inversion Shapes 05:01 - Exercise 1: The Inversion Ladder 🪜 06:17 - Swapping Hands: Arpeggio vs Blocks 06:40 - Exercise 2: The Siren 🚨 06:59 - Alternating 3rd & ♭7th with Root & 5th 07:10 - Adding Pitch Bend for Fun 07:42 - Siren Through the Inversions 08:41 - Left-Hand Block Chord Challenge 09:13 - Exercise 3: Jumping Jacks 🤸 09:26 - Outer Notes vs Inner Notes 09:59 - Using Your Wrist to Swing It 11:09 - Exercise 4: The Horn Throw 📯 11:26 - Splitting Tritones Across the Hands 13:02 - Add a Gesture Between Jumps 14:45 - Exercise 5: The Dead Hang 16:07 - Two-Finger Patterns & Combinations 16:48 - Exercise 6: The Speed Bag ⚡ 17:33 - Bouncing the Wrist to Reduce Pain 18:19 - Exercise 7: The Rope Climb 🧗 18:46 - Expanding Across the Whole Piano 19:03 - Crossing Hands Over Each Other 19:26 - Exercise 8: The Pyramid Set 🔺 19:32 - Adding the Repeated E on Top 19:51 - Accents in Sets of 2 and 3 21:03 - Accents in Sets of 4, 5 and 7 22:31 - Exercise 9: The Crunch 22:48 - Hands Meeting from the Extremes 23:14 - Hands Meeting from the Extremes 23:42 - Exercise 10: The Stretch & Cool Down 🧘 24:02 - Inversion Toggle with Eyes Closed 25:30 - Taking It Around the Circle of Fifths 25:38 - The Circle of Fifths App 🎛️ 28:04 - Courses & Semesters at Our School 💰 Donate on PayPal: https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 👨👩👧👦 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes: music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music: https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #PianoLessons #PianoTutorial #MusicTheory #PianoChords #ChordInversions #PianoPractice
Learn to play every triad and inversion of F Major and F Harmonic Minor with block chords, spread shapes and speed drills. In this comprehensive piano lesson, Jason Zac walks you through every triad and inversion of F Major and F Harmonic Minor. If you've been running scales note-by-note, this is the workout that will shift your thinking into chord shapes across the keyboard. We start by harmonizing both scales — building all 7 diatonic triads. In F Major you'll get the familiar 1-4-5 major, 2-3-6 minor and 7 diminished pattern. In F Harmonic Minor we tackle the trickier chord formula: minor 1 and 4, diminished 2 and 7, major 5 and 6, and the augmented ♭3 chord. We also break down the augmented 2nd interval between the ♭6 and 7. Next, we drill root position, first inversion and second inversion as block chords — ascending and descending. Then we ramp up the speed: one chord per bar, then every two beats, then every single beat. This is where real chord fluency is built. We also explore spread shapes (open-voiced triads) — reading the chord tones in a circular pattern to unlock new voicings. Along the way, Jason encourages singing the chord tones to train your ear alongside your fingers. This piano tutorial covers music theory, chord progressions, inversions, ear training and practical piano exercises all in one focused session. Hit subscribe for Part 2, where we take these same triads into creative rhythmic patterns, arpeggios and groove-based movements. 🎹 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) - https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🏡 Visit our Channel for more Tutorials & Performances - https://geni.us/NathanielYouTube ============================= ▶️ Related Videos & Playlists 🎬 All Major & Minor Piano Chord Triads - https://youtu.be/PAEz0Y82P1s 🎯 Major Scales with Chords - Piano Exercise - https://youtu.be/lCcPEuF0X48 🔑 Major Scales with Chords - Piano Exercise - https://youtu.be/_WQhdGSyQ-4 💡 Chord Inversions: Facts & Music Theory - https://youtu.be/SSc19Czmvzg 📂 Minor Scales - Theory, Exercises & Compositions - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT_8KkjOUBofqzyhbgGkROE- ============================= 🎓 Learn Music With Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac: https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) categorised by skill level, topic & genre all in one place: https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com ⏳ Chapter markers 00:00 - Performance 00:48 - Welcome & Lesson Overview 🎹 01:02 - What We’ll Cover: F Major & F Harmonic Minor 01:25 - Why These Two Scales? 01:33 - F Harmonic Minor: ♭3, ♭6 and Major 7th Explained 02:22 - Part 1: Building the Chords of F Major 03:42 - Diatonic Triads of F Major (I to vii°) 04:07 - Writing Chords in a Circle: A Practice Tip ⭕ 04:32 - Introducing Spread Shapes / Open-Voiced Triads 05:40 - Chord Formula 06:35 - Part 2: Building the Chords of F Harmonic Minor 07:00 - Watch Out: The Augmented 2nd Interval ⚠️ 07:12 - The Augmented ♭3 Chord 07:29 - Part 3: The Speed-Increment Practice Ladder 08:06 - Block Chords Explained: Right Hand + Left Hand Root 08:34 - F Major Root Position — 4 Beats Per Chord 09:19 - F Major Root Position — 2 Beats Per Chord 09:53 - F Major Root Position — 1 Beat Per Chord 11:43 - First Inversion of F Major (All Triads) 13:25 - Second Inversion of F Major (All Triads) 13:57 - F Harmonic Minor: Root Position Block Chords 15:08 - F Harmonic Minor: First Inversion Drill 15:19 - Why Augmented Chord Inversions Stay Augmented 15:58 - F Harmonic Minor: Second Inversion Drill 16:08 - Tricky Fingering: White Note Between Black Notes 🎹 16:44 - Part 4: Spread Shapes in F Major 17:00 - Playing Spread Triads With Both Hands 18:12 - Journeying Through the Thirds of Each Chord 18:55 - Spread Shapes Starting From the 5th 19:27 - Spread Shapes in F Harmonic Minor 19:42 - Ear Training: Sing the Chord Tones 🎤 20:24 - Part 5: Creative Variations Preview 20:32 - Broken Chord Pattern 1: Top Two + Bottom 20:54 - Broken Chord Pattern 2: Outer Two + Inside 21:05 - Arpeggios: Low-Middle-High Movement 21:32 - Adding Groove & Rhythm to Triads 21:45 - What’s Coming in Part 2 of This Lesson 💰 Donate on PayPal: https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 👨👩👧👦 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes: music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music: https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #ChordInversions #Triads #PianoWorkout
Master harmony with this incredibly simple trick: play just 1 third interval in the right hand and 12 bass notes in the left to unlock almost every chord you will ever need on the piano. In this lesson, Jason Zac breaks down the theory and shows you how to apply it across all styles. Ever wondered how pro pianists build those rich, jazzy voicings that sound so much more interesting than basic triads? It all comes down to one tiny interval — the third. In this lesson, Jason breaks down a powerful bottom-up harmony approach that will change how you think about chord building forever. Using just two notes (A and C for the minor third, A and C# for the major third) anchored in your right hand, you'll learn how to harmonize them with 12 different bass notes underneath. The result? Triads, slash chords, seventh shells, jazz extensions, diminished and augmented voicings — all from the same two notes on top. We cover specific voicings like F major, Am/E, Dm7, D7sus4, G11, Bbmaj9, Bb minor major 9 (the James Bond chord), F# diminished, B7b9, A7/G Lydian, Eb half-diminished and many more. You'll also learn how to make 'clashing' bass notes actually work by thickening the harmony and using arpeggios instead of block chords. This lesson is perfect for intermediate pianists who want to break out of simple triads, understand jazz harmony, and finally figure out how to voice chords like the pros. Heavy theory content, practical demonstrations, and clear explanations throughout. If you want structured 1-on-1 instruction or our full video course library, links are in the pinned comment. Cheers! 🎹 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) - https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🏡 Visit our Channel for more Tutorials & Performances - https://geni.us/NathanielYouTube ============================= ▶️ Related Videos & Playlists 🎬 Piano Left Hand Harmony: 9th Chords, Walking Bass & Diatonic Thirds - https://youtu.be/YCJyoW0afP4 🎯 Piano Arpeggios over Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong - Extensions, Slash Chords & Jazz Voicings - https://youtu.be/Ule7gj-V9LI 🔑 BUILDING Chords & Progressions from the Major Scale (Easy Piano Music Theory) - https://youtu.be/7sv_vrg8XTg 💡 LEARN to Play ALL Major & Minor Piano Chords - TRIADS - https://youtu.be/PAEz0Y82P1s 📂 Jazz Lessons - Chords, Standards & Exercises - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ZCriHyNonJasffWWSCS_E ============================= 🎓 Learn Music With Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac: https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) categorised by skill level, topic & genre all in one place: https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com ⏳ Chapter markers 00:00 - Performance 00:43 - 🎹 Intro — What We’re Building & Why Thirds Matter 01:06 - Major Third vs Minor Third Explained 01:31 - How Thirds Build Every Chord 🎼 01:55 - Setup: Minor Third A, C in the Right Hand 04:36 - Building F Major from A, C 05:07 - A Minor over E — Slash Chord Voicing 05:43 - Open & Thin Sounds with Minor Third 06:08 - Seventh Shells — C as the Minor 7th of D 06:50 - D Minor 7, D7, and D7sus4 Voicings 07:53 - G in the Bass — Sus Chords & 11th Extensions 08:20 - Gospel-Style G11 Dominant Sound 09:12 - Bb in the Bass — Bb Major 9th Voicing 09:35 - 🎬 Bb Minor Major 7 — The James Bond Chord 10:42 - Diminished Chords — D# and F# Diminished 11:13 - The Diminished 7th Shape Explained 11:47 - Half Diminished vs Full Diminished 12:38 - Summary: 9 of 12 Bass Notes Covered 13:13 - Clashing Sounds — Making Them Work 13:32 - B in the Bass — Building B7b9 14:12 - G# and C# — Passing Chord Tricks 15:41 - 🎵 Transition to the Major Third (A, C#) 16:25 - F# Minor & F Augmented Voicings 16:50 - A over C# Slash Chord 16:55 - Major Third Seventh Shells — D Major 7 17:44 - B Minor 9 and B Dominant 9 18:05 - G in the Bass — A7/G Lydian Sound 18:20 - Lydian vs Lydian Dominant 18:50 - Eb Minor 7b5 — Half Diminished Voicing 19:35 - Bb as a Clashing Bass — Augmented Tricks 19:57 - Bb Minor Major 7 — Cinematic Dark Sound 🎬 20:22 - Open Sounds with Major Third 20:28 - G# Bass — Phrygian Flavor 20:54 - Arpeggiating Clashing Notes 21:48 - The Big Picture — Shells & Shapes 22:05 - Cantus App Mention 📱 💰 Donate on PayPal: https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 👨👩👧👦 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes: music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music: https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #ChordTheory #SlashChords #PianoChords
Learn C major triad inversions on piano and build smoother chord transitions, better voice leading, and stronger chord connections. In this piano lesson, Jason Zac from Nathaniel School of Music breaks down C major triad inversions and shows you how to connect them smoothly to other major and minor chords. If you're stuck always playing chords in root position, this lesson will completely change how you approach piano harmony. We start with the three positions of C major — root, first inversion, and second inversion — and then explore the most important chord connections every pianist needs: C to F, C to G, C to A minor, and beyond. You'll learn why keeping common tones between chords creates smoother voice leading and a more orchestral sound. We also cover movement by thirds, sixths, the tritone, and stepwise motion (seconds and sevenths) — giving you a complete map of how C major can connect to every other major and minor triad. The left hand stays grounded on the root while the right hand explores inversions, training your independence and chord shapes simultaneously. This exercise is perfect for beginners learning chords for the first time, intermediate players breaking out of root-position habits, and even electronic music producers who want to add real musical flavour and dynamics to their productions. Inversions aren't an advanced topic — they're foundational. If you'd like a structured path through notes, intervals, chords, and inversions, check out the courses at Nathaniel School of Music linked in the description. Let me know in the comments what topic you'd like next! 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) - https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🏡 Visit our Channel for more Tutorials & Performances - https://geni.us/NathanielYouTube ============================= ▶️ Related Videos & Playlists 🎬 Chord Inversions Explained - https://youtu.be/SSc19Czmvzg 🎯 Slash Chords vs Piano Inversions - https://youtu.be/UhO-cWQLC-k 🔑 Build Chords from Major Scale - https://youtu.be/7sv_vrg8XTg 💡 All Major & Minor Piano Triads - https://youtu.be/PAEz0Y82P1s 📂 Jazz Lessons - Chords, Standards & Exercises - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ZCriHyNonJasffWWSCS_E ============================= 🎓 Learn Music With Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac: https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) categorised by skill level, topic & genre all in one place: https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com ⏳ Chapter markers 00:00 - Performance 00:46 - Welcome & Lesson Overview 🎹 00:56 - What Are Triad Inversions? 01:42 - Why Root Position Becomes a Bad Habit 01:57 - Thinking in Shapes Like Guitarists 🎸 03:05 - Starting the Exercise: C Major Root Position 03:15 - C Major to F Major: The IV Chord Connection 03:46 - Keeping Common Tones in the Left Hand 04:07 - C Major to F Minor 04:34 - C Major to G Major: The V Chord 04:54 - Why Inversions Beat Jumping Around 05:26 - Voice Leading Explained 🎼 05:41 - C Major to G Minor 06:22 - Practising I–IV–I and I–V–I Movements 07:05 - C Major to C Minor: Tonic Shifts 07:58 - First Inversion Chord Progressions 🎹 09:23 - Second Inversion Connections 09:51 - Tonic & Dominant: Music Theory Context 12:05 - Watch Out for Slash Chords ⚠️ 13:41 - Modulating from C Major to E♭ 🎵 15:07 - Advice for Electronic Music Producers 16:43 - Singing Voice Movements for Ear Training 🎤 17:35 - Modulating From C Major: Minor & Major Keys 🎵 19:27 - C Major to G Sharp Minor 20:04 - The Tritone: C to F Sharp 🔥 20:59 - Tritone Minor Variations 21:37 - Stepwise Motion: C to D Major / D Minor 22:37 - C Major to B Major & B Minor (Major 7th Down) 23:50 - Why C Works With Every Other Chord 26:02 - Outro: See You Next Lesson! 👋 💰 Donate on PayPal: https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 👨👩👧👦 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes: music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music: https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #ChordInversions #VoiceLeading #PianoChords
Learn how to spice up traditional pop chord progressions using passing chords, secondary dominants, slash chords & borrowed chords on piano. Ever noticed how pop songs from the 70s, 80s and 90s feel so much richer than modern pop? That's because composers back then used classical and old-school harmonic techniques that are often forgotten today. In this lesson, Jason Zac shows you how to bring that depth back into your own playing. Starting with a plain diatonic C major progression, you'll add colour between the tonic and the relative minor using line clichés (C – G/B – Am), chromatic walk-downs, secondary dominants like E7 resolving to Am, and secondary diminished chords for that harmonic-minor flavour. Then we look at movement from I to IV (Mixolydian motion, Bb/C to F), gospel-style slash chords over a tonic pedal, and the ii–V–I with suspended dominants and tritone substitutions (Db7 replacing G7). The lesson also covers borrowed chords from the parallel minor — including the epic cadence (bVI – bVII – I) and the minor iv chord (Fm6 / D half-diminished) — plus slash chords as passing chords to create smooth chromatic bass lines. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 00:00 - Performance 00:44 - Introduction: Why Modern Pop Sounds Flat 🎹 01:28 - The Problem with One-Chord Songs 01:36 - Diatonic Chords in C Major Recap 01:54 - Adding 7ths to Diatonic Chords 02:32 - Part 1: Tonic to Relative Minor Journey 03:07 - Line Cliché Walk-Down: C – G/B – Am 🎼 04:09 - Chromatic Drop from C to A 04:25 - A Major & F/A Slash Chord Option 05:00 - Secondary Dominant: E7 to Am 05:59 - Bluesy Melodic Possibilities 07:30 - Secondary Diminished Chord to Am 08:02 - Harmonic Minor Flavour vs Blues Flavour 08:38 - Part 2: Moving from I to IV 09:24 - Mixolydian Motion: Bb/C to F 🎵 10:06 - Gm to F Subtle Approach 10:32 - Part 3: Staying on the Tonic Creatively (Gospel Slash Chords) 11:05 - Dm/C, F/C and Plagal Colour 11:55 - Using the Diminished Chord as a Pass 12:07 - Drone-Style Tonic Grooves 12:20 - Passing Chords as Rhythmic Tools 12:58 - Part 4: The ii–V–I Cadence 13:38 - Altering the ii Chord as a Dominant 14:34 - Part 5: Working with the V Chord 14:38 - Sus4 Suspensions on the Dominant 15:00 - C/G Slash Over Dominant Function 15:38 - F/G – The 11th Sound 🎶 15:55 - Tritone Substitution: Db7 for G7 17:05 - Part 6: Borrowed Chords from Minor 17:35 - Why This Cadence Works for Any Song 18:12 - The Minor iv Chord (Fm6) 18:35 - Half-Diminished ii Connection 20:15 - Part 7: Slash Chords as Passing Chords 22:21 - Why Slash Chord Resolution Feels Powerful 22:46 - Caution: Don’t Trust Google Chords ⚠️ ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses & Private Lessons ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ============================= ▶️ Related Lessons & Playlists 🎵 Music Theory lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/PianoTheory 🎹 All our lessons on Chord Inversions (Playlist) ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC 👂 Ear Training lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/EarTraining ============================= 🎓 Learn Music with Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac ➡️ https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) by skill level, topic & genre ➡️ https://learning-portal.nathanielschool.com ============================= 💰 Donate on PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes ➡️ music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music ➡️ https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #PassingChords #SecondaryDominants #PianoChords
Learn 2 essential broken-chord piano patterns over a G major chord progression, with left-hand variations, swing feel and accompaniment tips. Jason Zac from Nathaniel School of Music breaks down two foundational broken-chord patterns that instantly upgrade your accompaniment, worked over a beautiful G major progression (G - C - Em - D - C/G - G) using smooth second-inversion voicings around middle C. The two core patterns, Out-Two-In-One and Out-In-Out-In, cover steady pumping feels and faster swing tempos, plus volume control, accenting, triplet variations and an extra top note for richer textures. On the left hand you'll go beyond simple roots with octaves, root-fifth toggles, passing bass notes and ghost notes, even singing chord tones while you accompany yourself. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 00:00 - Performance 00:59 - Introduction to Broken Chords 🎹 01:35 - What Is a Broken Chord? 01:45 - Arpeggios vs Block Chords vs Broken Chords 02:56 - The G Major Chord Progression Overview 03:24 - Building the Chords Around Middle C 03:29 - Second Inversion of G Major 03:36 - Gliding to C Major with Common Tones 03:55 - E Minor Voicing 04:00 - D Major Quick Change 04:06 - C Over G Slash Chord 04:19 - Playing the Progression as Block Chords 04:48 - Finding a Safe Practice Tempo 05:02 - Tip: Think Ahead to the Next Chord 06:11 - Pattern 1: Out-Two-In-One Explained 🎼 06:26 - Counting in Eighth Notes 06:53 - Volume Control & Accenting Downbeats 07:55 - Applying Pattern 1 to the Full Progression 08:05 - Left Hand: Single Roots vs Octaves 08:43 - Bringing in a Melody on Top 09:32 - Pattern 2: Out-In-Out-In Explained 10:23 - Left Hand Octave Toggling Technique 11:00 - Comparing Pattern 1 and Pattern 2 11:10 - Adding Swing Feel with Triplets 11:45 - Emphasising Beats 2 and 4 12:04 - Advanced: Stacking Extra Top Notes 12:36 - Toggling Root and Fifth in the Left Hand 12:58 - Which Pattern Works Best for Swing? 13:15 - Songs That Fit These Patterns 13:28 - Singing Chord Tones While Playing 🎤 14:21 - Practising in E Major 14:40 - Quicker Chord Changes Within the Bar 15:11 - Left Hand Passing Bass Notes 15:30 - Adding Ghost Notes for Texture 16:01 - Broken Chords in 3/4 Time 16:23 - Left Hand Broken with Right Hand Melody 16:42 - Outro & Final Thoughts ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses & Private Lessons ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ============================= ▶️ Related Lessons & Playlists 🎵 Music Theory lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/PianoTheory 🎹 All our lessons on Chord Inversions (Playlist) ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC 👂 Ear Training lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/EarTraining ============================= 🎓 Learn Music with Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac ➡️ https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) by skill level, topic & genre ➡️ https://learning-portal.nathanielschool.com ============================= 💰 Donate on PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes ➡️ music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music ➡️ https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #BrokenChords #PianoAccompaniment #PianoLesson
Learn the pendulum piano exercise: use just 3 notes to practise rhythmic groupings of 3, 4, 5 and 7 in B major. Jason Zac from Nathaniel School of Music breaks down the Pendulum Exercise, a simple but powerful concept that develops your rhythm, dynamics, finger independence and musical creativity all at once. You'll work in B major using just B, C# and D#, moving them in a pendulum-like pattern (1-2-3-2-1). The real learning happens when you change how you group these notes in sets of 3, 4, 5 and even 7 while keeping the same tempo and pulse, training your ear to feel rhythmic accents beyond standard time signatures. You'll also learn a 1-5-6-4 chord progression for the left hand (B - G#m - E - B/F# - F#) with quintal voicings, add2 shapes and smooth inversions, so the melody and harmony stay endlessly musical. This lesson is perfect for intermediate pianists, singers practising Carnatic or Hindustani swaras, and guitarists who want better rhythmic phrasing. It also introduces the free Pendulum App for practising keys, patterns and groupings with a built-in metronome. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 00:00 - Performance 00:54 - What Is the Pendulum Concept? 02:14 - Choosing Your 3 Notes 02:43 - The Importance of Rhythm in This Lesson 03:20 - Groupings & Accents Explained 03:41 - What is a Musical Accent? 05:24 - For Singers: Carnatic & Hindustani Swaras 06:15 - Setting Up the B Major Scale (5 Sharps) 06:35 - Choosing Your Note Set: Triads, Quartal & Sus Voicings 07:00 - The 1-5-6-4 Chord Progression in B 07:33 - Left Hand Voicings: Power Chords & Fifths 08:20 - E Major as Sus2 and Add2 08:38 - B/F# Inversion & F# Voicing 09:28 - Right Hand: Quaver Groupings of 4 10:03 - Applying the Pattern Over the Progression 11:26 - Strengthening Pinky & Ring Fingers 11:45 - Staying Human in the Age of Robots 12:01 - Staying Human in the Age of Robots 12:39 - Minimum 2-Note Accents & Semiquaver Divisions 🎵 14:14 - Odd Groupings: Entering the World of 3 14:46 - Triplets vs True Pendulum Phrasing 15:46 - Recycling the Cycle: 12 Notes to Reset 16:41 - Same Pulse, Different Groupings ✨ 17:41 - Syncing Left Hand to the New Accents 18:09 - Groupings of 5: Where It Gets Tricky 19:54 - Groupings of 7: The Ultimate Challenge 20:34 - Creating Musical Illusions with One Pattern 21:08 - Triplets Trap: Avoiding Predictable Patterns 22:35 - Reimagining Songs in Pendulum Phrasing 23:00 - 3-3-2 Tresillo Groupings 23:13 - Taking It to Triads Over the Progression 23:38 - Andalusian Cadence in Groupings of 3 24:25 - Practising Away from the Piano 🪵 24:42 - Table-Top Finger Workouts 25:42 - Using the Pendulum App for Self-Study 26:05 - Using the Pendulum App for Self-Study ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses & Private Lessons ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ============================= ▶️ Related Lessons & Playlists 🎵 Music Theory lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/PianoTheory 🎹 All our lessons on Chord Inversions (Playlist) ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC 👂 Ear Training lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/EarTraining ============================= 🎓 Learn Music with Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac ➡️ https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) by skill level, topic & genre ➡️ https://learning-portal.nathanielschool.com ============================= 💰 Donate on PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes ➡️ music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music ➡️ https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #PendulumExercise #RhythmicGroupings #PianoExercise
Learn ear training by playing incomplete chords and singing the missing notes, using triads and seventh chords to improve your musical ear. Jason Zac from Nathaniel School of Music develops your ear through active singing: you play incomplete chords on the piano while singing the missing notes — a technique that builds deeper harmonic understanding than traditional chord identification. You'll start with basic major triads, removing one note at a time (root, third or fifth) while your voice supplies the missing tone. The lesson progresses from simple diatonic exercises to harder progressions like the 1-5-6-4 sequence, forcing your ear to work harder and develop faster. It then advances to seventh-chord ear training using 2-5-1 progressions — essential for jazz and contemporary music — where you sing missing sevenths, roots, thirds and fifths while playing the remaining tones. Perfect for intermediate students ready to move beyond basic chord recognition toward the internal hearing needed for improvisation and composition. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 00:00 - Perfromance 00:23 - Introduction: Singing & Playing Demo 🎵 01:10 - Why Singing Beats Just Identification 01:30 - What Are Missing Notes? 02:02 - Indian Note Names: Sa, Gha, Pa, Ni 02:56 - Exercise 1: A Major Chord Setup 03:21 - Singing the Missing Root Note 🎶 03:38 - Diatonic Scale Practice Method 04:54 - Playing Root Notes in Lower Octave 05:10 - Checking Your Pitch Accuracy 05:54 - Exercise 2: Missing Third Notes 06:02 - Why Thirds Are Trickier to Hear 06:16 - Linear vs Random Chord Practice 07:43 - Exercise 3: Singing the Fifth 08:13 - Tritone vs Perfect Fifth Challenge 08:30 - Chord Progression Challenge: 1-5-6-4 08:48 - Missing Roots in Progression 09:07 - Missing Thirds in Progression 09:25 - Missing Fifths in Progression 09:59 - Seventh Chord Introduction 🎼 10:15 - D Major 7th Missing Note Demo 10:33 - 2-5-1 Progression Setup 10:46 - B Minor 7th - E Dom 7th - A Maj 7th 10:53 - Singing Missing Sevenths 11:04 - Singing Missing Roots in 7th Chords 11:12 - Piano Technique: Playing Incomplete Chords 11:52 - Different Keys Practice Suggestion ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses & Private Lessons ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ============================= ▶️ Related Lessons & Playlists 🎵 Music Theory lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/PianoTheory 🎹 All our lessons on Chord Inversions (Playlist) ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC 👂 Ear Training lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/EarTraining ============================= 🎓 Learn Music with Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac ➡️ https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) by skill level, topic & genre ➡️ https://learning-portal.nathanielschool.com ============================= 💰 Donate on PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes ➡️ music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music ➡️ https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #EarTraining #SingingTriads #ChordEarTraining
Are your piano transitions clunky? Do your hands feel tense when playing chords? In this tutorial, Jason Zac reveals the 6 most common chord playing mistakes piano students make—from incorrect thumb alignment to lazy wrist motion—and gives you simple physical fixes to play smoothly. Learn the 6 essential techniques that separate smooth chord players from struggling beginners in this focused piano tutorial. If your chords sound clunky, have awkward gaps, or cause hand pain, these methods will transform your playing. We'll work through a B♭-Dm-E♭-F progression that combines white and black keys, giving you real practice with proper thumb positioning for black notes, wrist motion that prevents strain, and gap-free chord transitions. You'll discover why curving your thumb like a "thumbs up" prevents your whole body from shifting, and how using your wrist as a snapping tool gives you control and prevents pain. The lesson covers both mechanical techniques (posture, finger positioning, wrist motion) and musical concepts (using your ear to catch mistakes, thinking ahead to the next chord shape, understanding the roles of both hands in accompaniment). These aren't just theory concepts - they're practical skills that make chords feel effortless and sound professional. Perfect for intermediate students who know their chord shapes but want to play them smoothly, confidently, and without strain. By the end, you'll understand why block chords are the foundation for all chord playing and have the techniques to practice any chord progression effectively. 🎹 Subscribe for more piano tutorials and turn on notifications! Share this lesson with fellow pianists who need smoother chord playing. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) - https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🏡 Visit our Channel for more Tutorials & Performances - https://geni.us/NathanielYouTube ============================= ▶️ Related Videos & Playlists 🎬 Piano Ballad: Block Chords & Arpeggios - https://youtu.be/XTxBoGf7LP0 🎯 Chord Inversions - Music Theory Facts - https://youtu.be/SSc19Czmvzg 🔑 Slash Chords vs Piano Inversions Tutorial - https://youtu.be/UhO-cWQLC-k 💡 Build Chords from Major Scale - Easy Theory - https://youtu.be/7sv_vrg8XTg 📂 Jazz Lessons - Chords, Standards & Exercises - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ZCriHyNonJasffWWSCS_E ============================= 🎓 Learn Music With Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac: https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) categorised by skill level, topic & genre all in one place: https://free-music-lessons.nathanielschool.com ⏳ Chapter markers 00:00 - Introduction to Block Chord Technique 00:41 - Glitches in the System 01:20 - Chapter 4 02:05 - Why no C Major? 05:47 - Problem #1: Thumb Technique Issues 👍 06:24 - Proper Thumb Angle for Black Keys 06:47 - Why Kids vs Adults Handle Thumb Differently 07:47 - Thumb Position: Curved vs Straight 08:05 - Edge vs Deep Black Key Playing 09:46 - Problem #2: Ring Finger Utilization 💍 10:22 - Ring Finger for Black Note Endings 11:04 - Hand Angle Adjustments for Ring Finger 11:26 - Problem #3: Wrist as Snapping Tool ⚡ 11:59 - Wrist Snap vs Whole Arm Push 12:22 - Drumstick Technique Applied to Piano 13:32 - Why Weighted Pianos Help Your Technique 14:12 - Fast Chord Playing with Wrist Snap 14:41 - Distributing Energy Throughout the Arm 15:15 - Musical Issue #1: Use Your Ears 👂 16:36 - Clean Sound with All Three Notes 16:53 - Don’t Flam Chords by Default 17:27 - Eliminating Gaps Between Chords 18:15 - Visualizing Chord Shapes in Mind 18:44 - Playing Without Looking at Keys 19:22 - Slower Practice for Smooth Changes 19:54 - Taking Breaths Before Chord Shifts 21:01 - Left Hand Root Note Responsibilities 22:51 - Root Position vs Inversion Issues 23:57 - Musical Feeling Over Pure Technique 24:57 - 6 Rules Summary for Block Chords 💰 Donate on PayPal: https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 👨👩👧👦 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes: music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music: https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #PianoChords #PianoPosture #PianoTechnique
Learn to practise hit points over multiple time divisions with 5 incremental skill variations to develop internal groove and rhythm confidence on piano. Jason Zac from Nathaniel School of Music teaches you to feel subdivisions from within — without relying on metronomes or other musicians — using 5 incremental variations for different skill levels. You'll learn essential rhythm concepts over a simple 4-chord progression (G minor 7, Bb major/D, Eb major add 9 and F major add 4), practising eighth-note subdivisions (quavers), sixteenth-note patterns (semiquavers) and triplet feels while building your internal pulse and groove. You'll explore staccato vs legato articulation, left-hand pulse against right-hand hit points, arpeggiated melodic patterns and percussive piano approaches — turning your piano into a drum-kit concept while keeping musical expression and human feel. Perfect for intermediate to advanced pianists wanting to improve their rhythm, timing and groove. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 00:00 - Performance 01:29 - Introduction & Musical Preview 🎵 01:47 - Understanding Hit Points & Beat Subdivisions 02:57 - Off Beats vs On Beats 03:40 - Methods of Improving Subdivision Skills 05:41 - Subdivisions with Natural Body Feel 07:00 - The 4-Chord Progression Breakdown 07:53 - Variation 1: Playing on Downbeats Only 08:14 - Subdivisions - Swing vs Straight 08:42 - Sixteenth Note Subdivisions (Semiquavers) 09:25 - Triplet Feel vs Straight Subdivisions 09:48 - Variation 2: Eighth Note Off-Beat Patterns 10:55 - Legato and Staccato Toggle 11:41 - Staccato vs Legato Articulation Techniques 12:18 - Combining “&” with Down Beats 12:49 - Slow Tresillo 13:27 - Variation 3: Sixteenth Note Subdivisions 14:40 - Variation 4: Complex Hit Point Combinations 15:48 - The Rhythm Pattern with Hit Points 17:01 - Pattern played Slowly 17:50 - Left Hand Pulse with Right Hand Hits 19:42 - Creating Melodic Arpeggios from Hit Points 20:14 - Building a catchy hook 21:07 - Percussive Piano Techniques 22:34 - Ghost Notes & Drum Kit Approach 🥁 24:03 - Volume Dynamics in Subdivision Practice 25:02 - Body Movement & Internal Pulse 25:21 - Practice Tips for Different Skill Levels ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses & Private Lessons ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ============================= ▶️ Related Lessons & Playlists 🎵 Music Theory lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/PianoTheory 🎹 All our lessons on Chord Inversions (Playlist) ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC 👂 Ear Training lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/EarTraining ============================= 🎓 Learn Music with Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac ➡️ https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) by skill level, topic & genre ➡️ https://learning-portal.nathanielschool.com ============================= 💰 Donate on PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes ➡️ music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music ➡️ https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #HitPoints #PianoRhythm #PianoGroove
Nail all 24 major and minor chords with this chromatic second-inversion piano exercise. Learn voice leading, block chords, arpeggios, smooth chord progressions, and how to practise every major and minor triad across the keyboard. Learn to practise all 12 major and 12 minor chords in second inversion using chromatic voice-leading patterns, block chords and arpeggios. Jason Zac from Nathaniel School of Music unlocks the power of second-inversion triads with a chromatic exercise that covers all 12 major and 12 minor chords, focusing on voice leading that creates smooth, musical progressions. You'll discover why second inversions are so effective for voice leading — with the root in the middle of the chord, you create harmonic movements that sound more sophisticated than root-position progressions. You'll learn to identify major and minor thirds quickly by asking questions like 'C is the major third of which triad?' You'll practise multiple patterns including block chords, high-low-middle-low arpeggios and reinforced-melody techniques. Each chromatic step reveals two chords — one major and one minor — creating 24 total progressions that flow beautifully together while sharpening your ear. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 00:00 - Performance 00:54 - Introduction to Second Inversion Triads 🎹 01:09 - Why Choose Second Inversion for Voice Leading 01:26 - Understanding Root Position vs Inversions 01:49 - The Chromatic Climbing Exercise Overview 02:17 - Major vs Minor Third Identification 03:24 - Starting with C: Ab Major and A Minor 05:23 - Block Chord Practice Pattern 05:39 - High-Low-Middle-Low Arpeggio Pattern 🎵 05:56 - Reinforcing the Melody Note Technique 06:51 - C# Progression: A Major to Bb Minor 07:49 - Left Hand with Chord Roots 08:24 - D Progression: Bb Major to B Minor 08:47 - D# Progression: B Major to C Minor 09:56 - E Progression: C Major to C# Minor 10:19 - F Progression: Db Major to D Minor 11:17 - F# Progression: D Major to Eb Minor 11:36 - G Progression: Eb Major to E Minor 11:49 - G# Progression: E Major to F Minor 12:04 - A Progression: F Major to F# Minor 13:19 - A# Progression: F# Major to G Minor 13:34 - B Progression: G Major to G# Minor 14:10 - Completing the Chromatic Circle 14:35 - Left Hand Root Movement Practice 16:12 - Ear Training with Major/Minor Thirds 16:23 - Chord Trees Composition Concept 🌳 16:41 - Practice Tips for All Skill Levels ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses & Private Lessons ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ============================= ▶️ Related Lessons & Playlists 🎵 Music Theory lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/PianoTheory 🎹 All our lessons on Chord Inversions (Playlist) ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC 👂 Ear Training lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/EarTraining ============================= 🎓 Learn Music with Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac ➡️ https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) by skill level, topic & genre ➡️ https://learning-portal.nathanielschool.com ============================= 💰 Donate on PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes ➡️ music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music ➡️ https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #ChordInversions #PianoTriads #VoiceLeading
Learn to play melody and harmony simultaneously in one hand with finger-independence exercises and chord progressions on piano. Jason Zac from Nathaniel School of Music breaks down the advanced technique of playing melody and harmony at the same time in one hand, with exercises that transform your playing ability. You'll harmonise a simple three-note melody (Ab-Bb-C) with major 7ths, minor, augmented and suspended chords, each creating a different colour while keeping the same melodic landing note. Through pulsing techniques, chord blocking and targeted drills, you'll strengthen weaker fingers and keep melodic control with your pinky, opening up new possibilities for solo piano arrangements and improvisation. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 00:00 - Performance 00:36 - Introduction & Musical Preview 🎹 00:51 - The Core Melody: A♭-B♭-C Pattern 01:04 - Understanding the Chord Progression 01:49 - Finger Positioning & Hand Setup 03:38 - Exercise 1: A♭ Major with Melody 05:00 - Exercise 1: A♭ Major with Melody 05:44 - Finger Independence Workout #1 06:45 - Adding F Minor to the Progression 07:30 - D♭ Major 7th Chord Integration 🎵 08:21 - Working with Minor Major 7th Chords 09:51 - Advanced E♭ Key Chord Techniques: Slash, Aug & 9th Chords 🎹 10:14 - C Sus4 to C Major Resolution 11:04 - Complete First Line Practice 11:45 - Piano + Strings Layering Tips 🎼 12:15 - Train the Top Finger (Pinky) 12:55 - Full Progression Performance 13:37 - Transposition to Other Keys 13:55 - Course Information & Next Steps ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses & Private Lessons ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ============================= ▶️ Related Lessons & Playlists 🎵 Music Theory lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/PianoTheory 🎹 All our lessons on Chord Inversions (Playlist) ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC 👂 Ear Training lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/EarTraining ============================= 🎓 Learn Music with Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac ➡️ https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) by skill level, topic & genre ➡️ https://learning-portal.nathanielschool.com ============================= 💰 Donate on PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes ➡️ music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music ➡️ https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #MelodyAndChords #FingerIndependence #SoloPiano
Learn rhythmic displacement, anticipation and delay techniques on piano with 3 melodic exercises that build better timing and groove. Jason Zac from Nathaniel School of Music shows you how to transform simple melodies into groovy, professional-sounding performances through strategic timing shifts. You'll learn three essential melodic patterns in G major, harmonising with thirds to create rich textures. You'll discover how to use your pinky as a pedal tone while developing finger independence, plus how to add alternating eighth notes for that signature rhythmic feel. The core concepts cover anticipation (moving notes before the beat) and delay (moving notes after the beat), progressing from quarter notes to eighth-note subdivisions and advanced sixteenth-note patterns. You'll practise with body movement and Indian swaras (Sa Re Ga Ma) to internalise the rhythm naturally. You'll also explore modal variations including Mixolydian, Dorian and harmonic minor to add sophisticated flavour to your playing. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 00:00 - Performance 00:41 - Introduction & Lesson Overview 🎹 01:37 - Scale of Exercise 02:24 - Learning the Three Base Melodies 02:25 - Melody 1: Sa Re Ga Ma Pattern 02:56 - Melody 2: The Fifth Degree Approach 03:25 - Melody 3: Lower Seventh Integration 03:38 - Harmonizing with Thirds in Right Hand 04:00 - Understanding Major vs Minor Thirds 05:18 - Singing while Practicing 06:22 - Indian Swaras vs Do-Re-Mi System 06:59 - Adding the Pedal Tone (Pinky G) 08:10 - Left Hand Eighth Note Pattern 09:40 - Counting Technique 10:04 - Rhythmic Displacement Concepts 10:52 - What is Rhythmic Anticipation? 11:31 - What is Rhythmic Delay? 12:11 - Anticipation Exercise - All Three Melodies 14:31 - Delay Exercise - All Three Melodies 15:31 - Mixing Anticipation & Delay 16:55 - Creative Practice Sessions 17:25 - Advanced: Sixteenth Note Subdivisions 17:48 - The E’s and A’s of Beat Division 19:09 - Body Movement for Complex Rhythms 19:40 - G Major to C Major Transition 20:31 - Key Modulations: Root, Fourth, Fifth 20:56 - D Mixolydian Mode 21:25 - A Dorian Exploration 22:02 - Natural Minor vs Harmonic Minor 22:59 - Mixolydian Flat 6 Scale 23:19 - Lesson Summary & Next Steps 24:40 - Practice Schedule Recommendations ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses & Private Lessons ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ============================= ▶️ Related Lessons & Playlists 🎵 Music Theory lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/PianoTheory 🎹 All our lessons on Chord Inversions (Playlist) ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC 👂 Ear Training lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/EarTraining ============================= 🎓 Learn Music with Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac ➡️ https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) by skill level, topic & genre ➡️ https://learning-portal.nathanielschool.com ============================= 💰 Donate on PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes ➡️ music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music ➡️ https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #RhythmicDisplacement #PianoTiming #PianoGroove
Master piano hand independence with progressive Bb major arpeggio exercises, chord inversions and rhythmic patterns for intermediate to advanced players. Jason Zac from Nathaniel School of Music walks you through the High-Low-Middle-Low (HLML) arpeggio pattern and chord inversions while building coordination between both hands. The lesson starts with fundamental chord arpeggios and advances through octave-stacking techniques, where you hold notes while executing finger-independence patterns. You'll practise root position, first inversion and second inversion of Bb major chords with varied left-hand rhythmic patterns. You'll also explore tresillo patterns, syncopated rhythms and diatonic chord progressions across the entire Bb major scale, building systematically from simple quarter-note pulses to complex eighth-note patterns. Perfect for intermediate to advanced pianists looking to improve improvisation, classical technique and overall musical independence. 🏫 Courses, Workshops or Private lessons ➡️ https://forms.gle/fsbhFKSgJbZ5xZEr8 00:00 - Performance 00:38 - Introduction & Lesson Overview 00:56 - Understanding Bb Major Chord Structure 🎹 02:07 - Level 1: Foundation HLML Arpeggio Pattern 03:16 - Root Position Practice Exercise 03:55 - Octave Stacking Method Explained ✨ 04:34 - Stacking with Root Position 05:28 - Stacking with First Inversion 06:05 - Stacking with Floating all Inversions 06:20 - Adding Left Hand: Whole Notes & Half Notes 06:47 - Quarter Note Pulse Exercise 07:13 - Changing Speeds 08:06 - Left Hand Bass Movement - Sa-Ga-Pa 08:41 - Switching Inversions in the LH 09:26 - Inversions on Both Hands 10:32 - Rhythm Pattern 1: Minim + Two Crotchets 13:22 - Rhythm Pattern 2: Elongated Beat 2-3 14:02 - Rhythm Pattern 3: We Will Rock You 14:21 - Full Bb Major Scale Harmonization 14:54 - Diatonic Chord Progression Exercise 15:16 - Blocked Chords in Left Hand 16:01 - Hand Separation Techniques 17:14 - Advanced Rhythm: Tresillo Pattern 🥁 17:57 - Syncopated Left Hand Variations 18:46 - Syncopated Left Hand Variations 19:18 - Final Challenge Exercise 20:16 - Practice Tips & Next Steps ============================= 📹 Our Video Courses (Everything for Life Bundle) ➡️ https://learn-music.nathanielschool.com/ 🎹 Piano Courses & Private Lessons ➡️ https://piano.nathanielschool.com ============================= ▶️ Related Lessons & Playlists 🎵 Music Theory lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/PianoTheory 🎹 All our lessons on Chord Inversions (Playlist) ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNNL05e9FT9ygtrGwGFmfyvMyGWH52EC 👂 Ear Training lessons ➡️ https://geni.us/EarTraining ============================= 🎓 Learn Music with Nathaniel School of Music & Jason Zac ➡️ https://nathanielschool.com 📚 All our YouTube lessons (1000+) by skill level, topic & genre ➡️ https://learning-portal.nathanielschool.com ============================= 💰 Donate on PayPal ➡️ https://geni.us/DonatePayPal 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/jasonzac 📞 Call +91 98454 65411 · 💬 WhatsApp chat +91 77604 56847 📧 Customised & Private Classes ➡️ music@nathanielschool.com 🎧 Listen to Jason Zac Music ➡️ https://riffs.jasonzacmusic.com/ #HandIndependence #PianoArpeggios #PianoExercises
