When you can improvise with chords because you have an understanding of chord construction, this shoots you to a higher level of piano performance and composition. It instantly improves note-reading skills because, if you know the chord, you know what note/s are likely to come next – because they are part of the chord.

If you use the thinking process of 2 or 3 quick steps, you create the chord you want. You do not memorize chords from a chord chart – you create them as needed. This process soon becomes automatic and the steps are no longer needed – you just go straight to the chord.

A Sample Song ~ Merry Christmas!

From the new book “Teach Yourself to Improvise with Chords” here is the visual result when you use the thinking process to creating an accompaniment for the left hand, while the entire chord is played under the melody note:

Do you see a pattern? The melody and chord symbol indicate what you should play (when you improvise with chords). The right hand always has the melody note on top – with the notes of the chord underneath it. The left hand first plays an octave on the chord root (name of the chord), followed by chord or chord inversion on each beat.

This is not the final way you could play this. Left hand could break down the chord into eighth notes. These may be mixed with quarter notes/or not. The right hand could also include eighths in-between the chord, or break up the chord entirely into eighths or eighths mixed with quarters, as long as the melody note is strong and identifiable. You are in charge – play however you like when you improvise with chords.

Here’s a Tip

When you listen to professional recordings, try to identify how the chord is broken (notes played separately) in-between the singer’s melody. You don’t have to know what chord is used, but you’ll feel it as the “main sound” used until it changes into a different one.

I imagine the singer will improvise on the melody itself by adding notes “around” the main melody note. An example is in the chorus of “Angels We Have Heard on High“. See how the melody is continued over multiple notes around it, extending it. In the first 4 measures, there are only 3 melody notes, one to go with each syllable of “Gloria.”

I invite you to give this a try! Look over some sample pages to get better acquainted. Click the link or go to the pianorev.com Home page, BOOKS dropdown, Chords Series. OK, it’s not a series yet, but Book 2 is in the works!

As I said (and experienced for myself as a student), it is so enlightening and fun when you understand why and how the composer chose certain chords for a certain song! You truly can know how to play piano with feeling once you know the foundation of chords within a song -because knowing the notes used from the chord frees your thinking to concentrate on how with feeling you want to play – not having to devote as much brain space for note-reading.

What Would the First Lesson for a Young Student Look Like?

What Would the First Lesson for a 6 to Teen Look Like (video)?

View sample pages of all the books for students
ages 6 to teen:

View sample pages of all the books for students
4 to 5 years old:

View sample pages of all the books for older
teens and adults:

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Leslie Young is the author/composer of the Revolutionary Piano Method. She co-founded a K-12th grade charter school in Texas and has been a piano teacher for about 40 years. She has had experience teaching a variety of students tackling piano for the first time or as returning student

Leslie believes that “learning to play the piano is more about diligence and perseverance” – but would add that just as critical to success is the method that is used, the encouragement of critical thinking, and the instructional principles that promote immediate success.

She states: “In teaching piano to students of varying ages, what also varies is a commitment of time and the amount of dedication. Children of certain ages may do very well with a parent as teacher; others may need someone who is not family to instruct them. Some older children and adults prefer to make progress on their own, and this method is designed to act as a meticulous guide through new material. Some adults and teens insist on professional teachers, which also encourages continuity. Because these books are self-explanatory, a new or experienced professional teacher will have no trouble using the Revolutionary Piano Method with students. It is an easy way to learn piano.”