Gospel Music Tip: The ABC's Of Playing Piano By Ear

The goal of this session is to start you off the RIGHT way by learning the basics and fundamentals like major scales, intervals, triads, and other concepts!

The Basics:
12 unique notes in an octave — repeated over and over.

Half steps vs Whole Steps
i. Half steps are from key to key with no keys in between

1. From C to Db is 1 half step. From E to F is 1 half step.

2. From B to C is 1 half step.

ii. Whole steps always skip a key with one key in between

1. From C to D is 1 whole step

2. From D to E is 1 whole step

iii. 2 half steps = 1 whole step

iv. Sharps and Flats

1. C# / Db

2. D# / Eb

3. F# / Gb

4. G# / Ab

5. A# / Bb

Whether you call a particular key ___ # or ___ b depends on the key signature.

12 unique major key signatures / major scales
i. C major = no flats/sharps

ii. F major = 1 flat

iii. Bb major = 2 flats

iv. Eb major = 3 flats

v. Ab major = 4 flats

vi. Db major = 5 flats

vii. Gb / F# major = 6 flats or 6 sharps

viii. B major = 5 sharps

ix. E major = 4 sharps

x. A major = 3 sharps

xi. D major = 2 sharps

xii. G major = 1 sharp

Ways to memorize scales

1. By the number of sharps and flats in each key

“C has no flats or sharps so I’ll just play white keys”

“F has one flat and it is Bb so I’ll just play all white keys and when I get to B, I’ll play Bb instead.”

2. By half steps and whole steps

W W H W W W H

Example: From C to D is one whole step (W). From D to E is another whole step (W). From E to F is a half step (H). From F to G is a whole step (W). From G to A is a whole step (W). From A to B is a whole step (W). And finally, from B to C is a half step (H).

3. By comparing the previous scale in the circle of fifth chart

C major and F major share ALMOST THE SAME NOTES except for the Bb.

F major and Bb major share ALMOST THE SAME NOTES except for the Eb.

xiii. C maj – C D E F G A B C

xiv. F maj – F G A Bb C D E F

xv. Bb maj – Bb C D Eb F G A Bb

xvi. Eb maj – Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb

xvii. Ab maj – Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab

xviii. Db maj – Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C Db

xix. Gb maj – Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F Gb

xx. B maj – B C# D# E F# G# A# B

xxi. E maj – E F# G# A B C# D# E

xxii. A maj – A B C# D E F# G# A

xxiii. D maj – D E F# G A B C# D

xxiv. G maj – G A B C D E F# G

12 unique minor scales
i. Easiest way to remember minor scales is to KNOW your major scales because every minor scale has a relative major scale.

ii. The sixth tone of ANY major scale is its relative minor (example: The sixth tone of C major is A. The sixth tone of G is E).

1. A minor shares the same key signature as C major

2. D minor shares the same key signature as F major

3. G minor shares the same key signature as Bb major

4. C minor shares the same key signature as Eb major

5. F minor shares the same key signature as Ab major

6. Bb minor shares the same key signature as Db major

7. Eb minor shares the same key signature as Gb major

8. G# minor shares the same key signature as B major

9. C# minor shares the same key signature as E major

10. F# minor shares the same key signature as A major

11. B minor shares the same key signature as D major

12. E minor shares the same key signature as G major

Example: So “A minor” would share the same notes as C major but with a different starting and ending point.

If C major is C D E F G A B C, then A minor is A B C D E F G A. Notice that C major is all white keys AND A minor is all white keys.

Example: “D minor” shares the same notes as F major but with a different starting and ending point.

If F major is F G A Bb C D E F, then D minor is D E F G A Bb C D. Notice how F major and D minor share the same notes, including the same Bb.

THIS APPLIES TO ALL RELATIVE MAJOR/MINOR RELATIONSHIPS ABOVE SO IF YOU KNOW YOUR MAJOR SCALES, MINOR SCALES ARE ONE STEP AWAY!

Chords
i. Number system: Convert each note of a scale into a number

1. Example: C major is C D E F G A B C

2. Converting it to numbers means I’ll think of C as 1, D as 2, E as 3, F as 4, G as 5, A as 6, B as 7.

3. Learning scales this way makes it simple to play any chord you want.

ii. Major chords: 1 + 3 + 5 of any major key

1. Cmaj chord: C E G

2. F major chord: F A C

3. Bb major chord: Bb D F

4. Eb major chord: Eb G Bb

5. Ab major chord: Ab C Eb

6. Db major chord: Db F Ab

7. Gb major chord: Gb Bb Db

8. B major chord: B D# F#

9. E major chord: E G# B

10. A major chord: A C# E

11. D major chord: D F# A

12. G major chord: G B D

iii. Minor chords: 1 + 3 + 5 of any minor key

1. Cmin chord: C Eb G

2. Fmin chord: F Ab C

3. Bbmin chord: Bb Db F

4. Ebmin chord: Eb Gb Bb

5. Abmin chord: Ab B Eb

6. Dbmin chord: Db E Ab

7. Gbmin chord: Gb A Db

8. Bmin chord: B D F#

9. Emin chord: E G B

10. Amin chord: A C E

11. Dmin chord: D F A

12. Gmin chord: G A# D

iv. Major seventh chords: 1 + 3 + 5 + 7

Something to remember: In flat keys (like Db, Ab, etc), the major seventh will always be a white note.

1. Cmaj7 chord: C E G B

2. F major 7 chord: F A C E

3. Bb major 7 chord: Bb D F A

4. Eb major 7 chord: Eb G Bb D

5. Ab major 7 chord: Ab C Eb G

6. Db major 7 chord: Db F Ab C

7. Gb major 7 chord: Gb Bb Db F

8. B major 7 chord: B D# F# A#

9. E major 7 chord: E G# B D#

10. A major 7 chord: A C# E G#

11. D major 7 chord: D F# A C#

12. G major 7 chord: G B D F#

v. Minor seventh chords: 1 + b3 + 5 + b7

You can also think of minor seventh chords as:

KEYNOTE + relative major chord.

Example: If you wanted to find Amin7, start with “A” (the keynote), and add its relative major chord on top. The relative major key of A is “C” (as we learned earlier) so playing a Cmaj (C E G) over A creates an Amin7 (A C E G)

1. Amin7 = A + Cmaj chord

a. A C E G

2. Dmin7 = D + Fmaj chord

a. D F A C

3. Gmin7 = G + Bbmaj chord

a. G Bb D F

4. Cmin7 = C + Ebmaj chord

a. C Eb G Bb

5. Fmin7 = F + Abmaj chord

a. F Ab C Eb

6. Bbmin7 = Bb + Dbmaj chord

a. Bb Db F Ab

7. Ebmin7 = Eb + Gbmaj chord

a. Eb Gb Bb Db

8. Abmin7 = Ab + Bmaj chord

a. Ab B Eb Gb

9. Dbmin7 = Db E Ab B

10. Gb min7 = Gb A Db E

11. Bmin7 = B D F# A

12. Emin7 = E G B D

vi. Other chords:

1. Dominant Seventh chords (1 + 3 + 5 + b7)

2. Diminished Seventh chords (1 b3 b 5 6)

Sample songs that use basic major and minor triads and sevenths:

Simple versions: These songs are to plainly demonstrate the use of regular major and minor triads in popular music.

1. I believe I can fly

“I believe I can fly” C maj (E G C / C bass)

“I believe I can touch the sky” A min (E A C / A bass)

“Think about it every night and day” Dmin7 (F A C / D bass)

“Spread my wings and fly away” Fmaj / G (F A C / G bass)

2. My girl (chorus)

“I guess” Cmaj (E G C / C bass) —- Amin (E A C / A bass)

“you’ll say” Fmaj (F A C/ F bass) —- Gmaj (G B D / G bass)

“What can make” Cmaj (E G C / C bass) —- Amin (E A C / A bass)

“me feel this way” Fmaj (F A C/ F bass) —- Gmaj (G B D / G bass)

3. You are so beautiful (main chorus)

“You are so” —- Cmaj ( G C E / C bass) — Cmaj7 (G B E / C bass) — C7 ( G Bb E / C bass)

“Beautiful” — Fmaj (F A C / F bass) —- Fmin / Bb (F Ab C / Bb)

“To me” —- Cmaj ( G C E / C bass) — Cmaj7 (G B E / C bass) — C7 ( G Bb E / C bass)

“You are so” —- Cmaj ( G C E / C bass) — Cmaj7 (G B E / C bass) — C7 ( G Bb E / C bass)

“Beautiful” — Fmaj (F A C / F bass) —- Fmin / Bb (F Ab C / Bb)

“To me” —- Cmaj (G C E / C bass)