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Play it again Sam

The pursuit of virtuosity on the piano often distracts for the actual purpose of the piano: to make music. In order to make music one needs to listen to the sound produced. Putting your hands onto a piano and listening to the sound they make is the simplest and most effective way to learn how to make music. A chord consists of two or more notes played together, normally to create the harmony for a piece of music. The more notes that are included, the more layers can be added to the chord becomes and the more subtle atmospheric elements can be created. Forming a chord is relatively simple, most people have seen a pianist put their hands onto a keyboard. The problem arises in trying to find the next chord - the harmonic pattern. For this, a pianist must use their ear carefully, to learn the difference between major and minor chords for example. It's obviously most logical to start with simple songs. I learned to play entirely by ear and the first thing I learned was to play the chords of the introduction to Let It Be by the Beatles. The more you practice the more attuned your ear will become. Ultimately, a keener ear creates a better pianist and gives way to the true virtuoso to shine through.

Learn more about this author, Paula Kerrigan.
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