Turn it on and play
Tap a key. Tap a chord pad. Pick a pattern and press Play. That is the whole piano.
- Open the piano.
- Tap three keys: one on the left, one in the middle, one on the right. Listen to each one.
- Tap a chord pad. Three notes play at once.
- Under Start from a chord pattern, pick Pop. Press Play the chords.
- Let it play for a few seconds. Then press Stop.
keychordpattern
Which sounded higher: a key on the left or a key on the right?
How is tapping one key different from tapping a chord pad?
Write the names of three keys you played. Each key shows its name.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Note |
One thing I noticed the first time I pressed Play:
Find C: the black keys show the way
The black keys come in groups of two and three. Every C sits just to the left of a group of two.
- Look at the black keys. Find a group of two, then a group of three.
- The white key just left of the group of two is C. Play it.
- Find another C. On a phone, use the C at the right end, or press Higher ▶.
- Play the two black keys of a pair. Then play the three of a trio.
Cblack keypattern
How did you find C without reading the names?
How many black keys are there from one C up to the next C?
Row 1: put an X under each C. Row 2: write 2 under the black keys of the pair and 3 under the black keys of the trio.
| C | C♯ | D | D♯ | E | F | F♯ | G | G♯ | A | A♯ | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | |||||||||||||
| Black keys |
A trick I can use to find any note quickly:
Seven letters, then they repeat
The white keys are named A B C D E F G, and then the names start over. From C up to the next C is the C major scale.
- Find C. Play every white key going up, one at a time, until the next C.
- Say each name out loud as you play it.
- Now play the same eight keys going down.
- Move one octave higher and play the scale going up again. On a computer, the keys A S D F G H J K play it.
scalenote nameC major
Which two pairs of white keys have no black key between them?
Does the scale sound finished if you stop on B? Why?
Write the eight notes of the C major scale, from C up to C.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note |
The note that feels most like home, and why:
Octaves: same name, twice as fast
Play a C, then the next C up. It sounds like the same note, only higher. The higher string shakes twice as fast. That jump is an octave.
- Play a C. Count the white keys up to the next C: that is one octave.
- Play both C's, one after the other. Listen: same name, higher sound.
- Press Higher ▶ and ◀ Lower. The small number on each C tells you which octave you are in.
- Go all the way down and play a low note. Then go all the way up and play a high one.
octavepitchfrequency
A4 shakes 440 times a second. How many times does A5 shake? And A3?
Why do you think notes an octave apart get the same name?
Each octave up, the number of shakes a second doubles. Fill in the missing numbers.
| A2 | A3 | A4 | A5 | A6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shakes a second | 220 | 440 |
Where I have heard very low or very high sounds outside music class:
Soft and loud: piano and forte
The piano's full name is pianoforte, Italian for soft-loud. Press near the top of a key for a soft note and near the bottom for a loud one.
- Pick the Grand piano.
- Press a key near its top edge. Then press it near its bottom edge. Listen to the difference.
- Play the same key four times, each one a little louder.
- On a computer, click high or low on a key with the mouse. The letter keys always play medium.
dynamicspiano (soft)forte (loud)
Besides getting louder, how did the grand piano change when you played hard?
When would a song want soft notes? When would it want loud ones?
Musicians write p for soft, mf for medium and f for loud. Write one for each of your four taps.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tap |
A sound in my day that starts soft and gets loud:
Make a chord with your hand
A chord is three or more notes played together. Play one key, skip one, play one, skip one, play one.
- Put your thumb on C, your middle finger on E and your little finger on G. Press all three together.
- Move your whole hand so your thumb is on F: F, A, C. Then on G: G, B, D.
- On a computer, hold A, D and G for C, E and G.
- Set Key to C and Mood to Major. Tap pad 1. It is the same chord; the pad plays it for you.
chordtriadroot
Which note of C E G gives the chord its name?
Why do you think we skip a key between the notes?
Put an X under the three keys of each chord. A note can be in any octave.
| C | C♯ | D | D♯ | E | F | F♯ | G | G♯ | A | A♯ | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C chord | |||||||||||||
| F chord | |||||||||||||
| G chord |
How my hand felt holding three keys at once:
Major and minor: bright and moody
Move the middle note of a chord down one key, and bright turns moody. C E G is C major. C E♭ G is C minor.
- Hold C, E and G. Listen.
- Slide your middle finger to the black key just left of E. That is E♭. Hold C, E♭ and G.
- Go back and forth between the two. Find one word for each sound.
- Press Minor · moody and tap pad 1. Then press Major · bright and tap it again.
majorminormood
Which one note changed between C major and C minor?
Name a moment in a movie or a game that needs a minor chord. Why?
Put an X under the three keys of each chord. E♭ is the same key as D♯. Circle the key that moved.
| C | C♯ | D | D♯ | E | F | F♯ | G | G♯ | A | A♯ | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C major | |||||||||||||
| C minor |
A song or a sound I know that feels minor:
Six chords that fit: the pads
In every key, a handful of chords belong together. The pads show six of them, numbered by the step of the scale they start on. Pad 1 is home.
- Set Key to C and Mood to Major. Tap the pads from 1 to 6.
- Pads 1, 4 and 5 are major. Pads 2, 3 and 6 are minor. Listen for bright and moody.
- Tap 5, then 1. Feel the pull back home. On a computer, the number keys 1 to 6 play the pads.
- Pick a new Key. The names change, but the pads still fit together.
home chordscale stepkey
In the key of C, which three pads are major?
What does home feel like when you tap 5 and then 1?
Write the chord on each pad in the key of C. Pad 1 is done for you.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord | C |
The pad I liked best, and how it made me feel:
A chord pattern: one chord each bar
Most songs repeat a short pattern of chords. Each chord lasts one bar: count 1 2 3 4, and the next chord comes in.
- Under Start from a chord pattern, pick Pop · 1 5 6 4.
- Press Play the chords. Count 1 2 3 4 out loud. A new chord starts on every 1.
- Watch your pattern: the chord playing now lights up, and so do its keys.
- While it plays, pick a different pattern and listen to the change.
barchord progressionloop
How many beats does each chord last?
Which chord in Pop · 1 5 6 4 sounds the saddest?
Write the four chords of Pop · 1 5 6 4 in the key of C.
| Bar 1 | Bar 2 | Bar 3 | Bar 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pad | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Chord |
Songs repeat a lot. Why do you think that is?
Four ways to play a chord
The same chords can feel calm, steady, flowing or bouncy. Change How the chords play and listen.
- Pick any chord pattern and press Play the chords.
- While it plays, change How the chords play. Try all four.
- Broken plays the notes of each chord one at a time. Musicians call that an arpeggio.
- Off-beat plays between the counts: 1 AND 2 AND. Clap on each AND.
rhythmarpeggiooff-beat
Which way of playing would you pick for a lullaby? Why?
Which one makes you want to move? Why?
Write one word for how each one feels.
| One word | |
|---|---|
| Hold | |
| Pulse | |
| Broken | |
| Off-beat |
The way of playing that fits my mood today:
Tempo: beats in a minute
Tempo is how many beats fit in one minute. At 60, one beat lasts exactly one second, like the second hand of a clock.
- Slide Tempo until it says 60 beats a minute.
- Pick a pattern, choose Pulse, and press Play. Watch a clock: one beat, one second.
- Slide Tempo to 120 and listen. Two beats for every second.
- If Play with my drum beat is on, the drums set the tempo. Turn it off for this lesson.
tempobeats a minutebeat
At 120, how long does one beat last?
A resting heart beats about 70 times a minute. Which tempo feels most like your heartbeat?
At 60, one beat lasts one second. Fill in the others.
| One beat lasts | |
|---|---|
| Tempo 60 | 1 second |
| Tempo 120 | |
| Tempo 30 |
Music I like that is fast, and music I like that is slow:
Change the key
A key is the home note a song is built on. Change the key, and every chord moves together. It is the same song, just higher or lower.
- Set Key to C. Pick Pop · 1 5 6 4 and press Play.
- Change Key to G. Look at the chord names: every one moved.
- Try a third key. Which key fits your voice best?
- Change the key while the music plays and hear it jump.
keytransposehome note
The numbers stayed 1 5 6 4, but the names changed. Why?
Why might a singer ask for a different key?
Pop · 1 5 6 4 in C is done. Write it in G.
| 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In C | C | G | Am | F |
| In G |
The key I liked best, and why:
Make your own pattern
Press Make my own and tap the pads in any order. You are writing the chords of a song.
- Press Clear, then Make my own.
- Tap four pads in the order you like. They appear under Your chord pattern.
- Try ending on pad 1. Then try ending on pad 5. Which one sounds finished?
- Press Play and listen to your pattern go round.
composeendinghome chord
Why does ending on pad 1 sound finished?
What changed when you moved one chord to a new place?
Write your pattern: the pad number and the chord name for each bar.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pad | ||||||||
| Chord |
A name for my pattern, and why:
The pedal: let it ring
On a real piano, the right pedal lifts felt dampers off the strings, so notes keep ringing after you let go. Here it is the Hold notes button, or Shift on a computer.
- Play a few keys without the pedal. Each note stops when you let go.
- Press Hold notes (pedal). Play C, E, G, C, E going up. They all keep ringing.
- Press Hold notes again to lift the pedal. The sound stops.
- On a computer, hold Shift for the pedal.
sustain pedaldamperring
What happens if you keep the pedal down while you change chords?
Why do you think real pianos have dampers at all?
Describe the sound each way.
| What I heard | |
|---|---|
| Pedal off | |
| Pedal on |
A place where sound keeps ringing, like the pedal (a gym, a stairwell, a church):
Eight sounds: hammers, tines, reeds and pipes
A grand piano hits strings with felt hammers. An electric piano hits metal tines or reeds. An organ blows air through pipes or spins wheels. Same notes, different color. That color is called timbre.
- Pick a chord pad you like. Keep tapping it as you change the Instrument.
- Listen to how each sound starts and how it fades.
- Hold a key on the Grand piano, then on an organ. Which one fades? Which one keeps going?
- Open Meet the sounds in the Go to menu to read how each one works.
timbrehammerdecay
Why does a piano note fade, but an organ note does not?
Which sound would you pick for a scary scene? Which for a party?
How each sound is made is filled in. Write one word for its color.
| How it is made | One word for its color | |
|---|---|---|
| Grand piano | Felt hammers hit long strings | |
| Upright piano | Hammers hit strings that stand up tall | |
| Honky-tonk piano | An upright, a little out of tune with itself | |
| Electric piano · warm | Hammers hit thin metal tines | |
| Electric piano · bright | Hammers hit flat metal reeds | |
| '80s electric piano | A computer chip does the math (FM) | |
| Rock and jazz organ | Spinning wheels near magnets | |
| Church organ | Air blown through pipes |
The sound I liked best, and what I would play with it:
Play along: follow the lit keys
While the chords play, the keys of each chord light up. Any lit key fits. Play them in your own order and you are making up a melody.
- Pick a pattern, choose Hold · one long chord, and press Play. Slow the tempo down if you like.
- Watch the keyboard. The keys of the chord playing now light up.
- Play the lit keys one at a time, in any order. Borrow the rhythm of a song you know.
- When the chord changes, the lights move. Follow them.
melodyimprovisechord tone
What happened when you played a key that was not lit?
How did you decide which lit key to play next?
Write the eight notes of your melody, in order.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note |
How it felt to make up music on the spot:
Play with the drum machine
Make a beat on the drum machine and press Send to the turntables. The piano finds it too, and plays your chords in time with it.
- Open the drum machine. Pick a beat in Start from a beat, or make your own.
- Press Send to the turntables. Then come back to the piano.
- Under Tempo, press Play with my drum beat. Now the drums set the tempo.
- Pick a pattern and press Play. Try each way the chords can play.
tempoin timeswing
Which way of playing the chords fit your beat best?
Why does the Tempo slider stop moving when the drums are on?
Write down what you put together.
| Mine | |
|---|---|
| My drum beat | |
| Its tempo | |
| My chord pattern | |
| How the chords play |
What changed when the piano and the drums played together:
Twelve-bar blues
The blues grew in the American South around 1900, from African American work songs and spirituals. Twelve bars, three chords, and a seventh in every one.
- Pick Blues · 12 bars and the Rock and jazz organ.
- Set How the chords play to Pulse and press Play.
- Count the bars on your fingers, 1 to 12. Notice where the chord changes.
- Bars 1 to 4 stay home. Bar 5 moves to the 4 chord. Bar 9 climbs to the 5.
bluestwelve-barseventh chord
Which bars use the home chord?
The blues often tells a story of trouble and hope. How do the chords help tell it?
Write the chord for each bar of the blues in C. Use C7, F7 and G7.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
A feeling I would sing about in a blues:
Seventh chords: jazz 2-5-1
Stack one more note on a chord, skipping a key again, and you get a seventh chord. Jazz is built on them, and 2-5-1 is its favorite way home.
- Pick Jazz · 2 5 1 and Electric piano · warm.
- Set How the chords play to Broken and press Play. Listen for four different notes in each chord.
- Stop. Hold D, F, A and C with four fingers. That is the 2 chord, D minor 7.
- On a computer, hold S, F, H and K.
seventh chordjazz2-5-1
How does a seventh chord sound different from a three-note chord?
In 2-5-1, which chord feels like arriving home?
Put an X under the four keys of each chord. A note can be in any octave.
| C | C♯ | D | D♯ | E | F | F♯ | G | G♯ | A | A♯ | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D minor 7 | |||||||||||||
| G7 | |||||||||||||
| C major 7 |
Where I have heard jazz chords (a movie, a café, a game):
1987 or 2026? Sound becomes numbers
A computer keeps sound as a long list of numbers. The 1987 samplers kept fewer, rougher numbers, and that is the crunch. Turn the Sound dial and hear it.
- Pick the Grand piano. Turn the Sound dial all the way left, to 1987.
- Press Higher ▶ until you reach the top. Play the high keys and listen for a fizz.
- Turn the dial to 2026 and play the same keys.
- Find the spot you like best. Many producers like a little crunch.
samplesampling ratebit depth
Why is the crunch easiest to hear on the highest notes?
Where did you set the dial for your music? Why?
The numbers are filled in. Write what you heard on each side of the dial.
| Numbers a second | Steps of loudness | What I heard | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 26,040 | 4,096 | |
| 2026 (CD) | 44,100 | 65,536 |
An old sound I like because it is a little rough:
Make a track, then hand it in
Choose a sound, a key and a pattern that feel like you. Send it to the turntables, give it a name, and hand in the worksheet.
- Choose an Instrument, a Key and a Mood.
- Press Make my own and build a pattern of four to eight chords. End on pad 1 if you want it to feel finished.
- Pick how the chords play and a tempo. Add your drum beat if you made one.
- Type a name in the lesson card. Press Send to the turntables, then open the turntables and play it.
trackcomposerarrangement
Why did you pick that sound and that key?
What would you change if you made it again?
Write down your track so you can play it again.
| Mine | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Instrument | |
| Key and mood | |
| Tempo | |
| How the chords play | |
| Chords, bar by bar |
What makes me proud of this track:
Frère Jacques · a round
A French song from the 1700s, sung all over the world. In Spanish it is Martinillo. It is a round: groups start the same tune at different times, and it still fits together.
Key C · Major · Tempo 100 · Grand piano · Pulse · four beats
- On the piano, pick Lesson 22 (Song 1).
- Key C · Major · Tempo 100.
- Instrument: Grand piano. How the chords play: Pulse · four beats.
- Press Clear, then Make my own and tap pad 1 once: C. The whole song fits one chord.
- On the keys, play line 1: C D E C, two times.
- On the keys, play line 2: E F G, two times.
- On the keys, play line 3: G A G F E C, two times.
- On the keys, play line 4: C G C, two times (that G is the low one).
- Press Play the chords and sing or hum the tune.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | |
|---|---|
| Step | 1 |
| Chord | C |
The tune, on the keys
Line 1: C D E C, two times
Line 2: E F G, two times
Line 3: G A G F E C, two times
Line 4: C G C, two times (that G is the low one)
Make three groups. Group 1 starts singing. Group 2 starts when group 1 reaches line 2, then group 3. The piano keeps everyone together.
roundmelodyharmony
Most notes in the tune are C, E or G. Why does that let the whole song fit over one chord?
What did it sound like when all three groups sang at once?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | |
|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
Ode to Joy
Ludwig van Beethoven wrote this tune for his Ninth Symphony in 1824, when he could hardly hear at all. Today it is the anthem of Europe.
Key C · Major · Tempo 100 · Grand piano · Pulse · four beats
- On the piano, pick Lesson 23 (Song 2).
- Key C · Major · Tempo 100.
- Instrument: Grand piano. How the chords play: Pulse · four beats.
- Press Clear, then Make my own and tap pads 1 5 1 5 1 5 1 1: C, G, C, G, C, G, C, C.
- On the keys, play line 1: E E F G G F E D.
- On the keys, play line 2: C C D E E D D.
- On the keys, play line 3: line 1 again, then the ending: C C D E D C C.
- Press Play the chords and sing or hum the tune.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Chord | C | G | C | G | C | G | C | C |
The tune, on the keys
Line 1: E E F G G F E D
Line 2: C C D E E D D
Line 3: line 1 again, then the ending: C C D E D C C
One group plays the chords on the piano. Everyone else hums or sings the tune, one note for each beat.
melodysymphonyanthem
Which notes of the tune are also in the C chord: C, E and G?
Beethoven could hardly hear when he wrote this. How do you think he heard the music in his head?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
When the Saints Go Marching In
A Black American spiritual that became the marching song of New Orleans jazz. Brass bands still play it in the city's street parades.
Key C · Major · Tempo 112 · Honky-tonk piano · Pulse · four beats
- On the piano, pick Lesson 24 (Song 3).
- Key C · Major · Tempo 112.
- Instrument: Honky-tonk piano. How the chords play: Pulse · four beats.
- Press Clear, then Make my own and tap pads 1 1 1 5 1 4 5 1: C, C, C, G, C, F, G, C.
- On the keys, play line 1: C E F G, two times.
- On the keys, play line 2: C E F G E C E D.
- On the keys, play line 3: E E D C C E G G F.
- On the keys, play line 4: E F G E C D C.
- Press Play the chords and sing or hum the tune.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| Chord | C | C | C | G | C | F | G | C |
The tune, on the keys
Line 1: C E F G, two times
Line 2: C E F G E C E D
Line 3: E E D C C E G G F
Line 4: E F G E C D C
Everyone marches in place and sings. Wave a hand each time the chord changes.
spiritualmarchbrass band
Why does a marching song need a steady pulse?
The honky-tonk piano is a little out of tune. How does that change the feel?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
Canon
Johann Pachelbel, a church organist in Germany, wrote this canon around 1700. Its eight chords go round and round under new tunes, and pop songs still borrow them.
Key D · Major · Tempo 66 · Church organ · Broken · one note at a time
- On the piano, pick Lesson 25 (Song 4).
- Key D · Major · Tempo 66.
- Instrument: Church organ. How the chords play: Broken · one note at a time.
- Pick the pattern Canon · 8 chords.
- Press Play the chords and listen.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 1 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Chord | D | A | Bm | F♯m | G | D | G | A |
Sit still and listen to the eight chords go round three times. Then two volunteers hum lit notes on top.
canonorganarpeggio
How many chords go by before the pattern starts again?
Why do you think songwriters still borrow these chords more than 300 years later?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
Blues on the organ
In the 1950s and 60s, jazz and soul players brought the blues to the Hammond organ, a heavy keyboard with spinning wheels inside that make its tone.
Key F · Major · Tempo 96 · Rock and jazz organ · Off-beat · reggae and ska
- On the piano, pick Lesson 26 (Song 5).
- Key F · Major · Tempo 96.
- Instrument: Rock and jazz organ. How the chords play: Off-beat · reggae and ska.
- Pick the pattern Blues · 12 bars.
- Press Play the chords and listen.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Chord | F7 | F7 | F7 | F7 | B♭7 | B♭7 | F7 | F7 | C7 | B♭7 | F7 | C7 |
Everyone snaps on 2 and 4. Count the twelve bars out loud, 1 to 12, then start again.
bluesHammond organoff-beat
In which bar does the second chord first come in?
Which bar feels like a question, and which feels like the answer?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
Doo-wop ballad
In the 1950s, teenagers in US cities sang in groups on street corners, with their voices in place of instruments. Their favorite chords went 1 6 4 5.
Key E♭ · Major · Tempo 76 · Upright piano · Broken · one note at a time
- On the piano, pick Lesson 27 (Song 6).
- Key E♭ · Major · Tempo 76.
- Instrument: Upright piano. How the chords play: Broken · one note at a time.
- Pick the pattern Fifties · 1 6 4 5.
- Press Play the chords and listen.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 1 | 6 | 4 | 5 |
| Chord | E♭ | Cm | A♭ | B♭ |
Make four groups, one for each chord. Each group sings a soft 'ooh' while its chord plays.
doo-wopharmonyballad
Which of the four chords sounds most like home?
How does singing a chord together feel different from playing it?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
Highlife
Highlife began in Ghana in the early 1900s, when dance bands mixed local rhythms with brass and guitars. Its bright, rolling chords spread across West Africa.
Key A · Major · Tempo 120 · Electric piano · bright · Broken · one note at a time
- On the piano, pick Lesson 28 (Song 7).
- Key A · Major · Tempo 120.
- Instrument: Electric piano · bright. How the chords play: Broken · one note at a time.
- Press Clear, then Make my own and tap pads 1 4 1 5: A, D, A, E.
- Press Play the chords and listen.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Chord | A | D | A | E |
Everyone steps side to side, one step for each beat. A few learners clap between the steps.
highlifeWest Africadance band
The pattern goes 1 4 1 5. Which chord does it keep coming back to?
Why might a bright electric piano stand in for the guitars here?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
Ska
Ska was born in Jamaica in the early 1960s, mixing local mento with American rhythm and blues. The piano and guitar play on the off-beats, between the counts.
Key G · Major · Tempo 150 · Upright piano · Off-beat · reggae and ska
- On the piano, pick Lesson 29 (Song 8).
- Key G · Major · Tempo 150.
- Instrument: Upright piano. How the chords play: Off-beat · reggae and ska.
- Press Clear, then Make my own and tap pads 1 4 5 4: G, C, D, C.
- Press Play the chords and listen.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Chord | G | C | D | C |
Everyone counts 1 2 3 4 out loud and claps only on the AND between the numbers.
skaoff-beattempo
Do the chords land on the numbers or between them?
Play it at 100, then at 150. Which one feels like ska? Why?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
Reggae organ
Reggae grew out of ska in Jamaica in the late 1960s. It slowed down, and the organ began to bubble on the off-beats while the bass sang underneath.
Key A · Minor · Tempo 76 · Rock and jazz organ · Off-beat · reggae and ska
- On the piano, pick Lesson 30 (Song 9).
- Key A · Minor · Tempo 76.
- Instrument: Rock and jazz organ. How the chords play: Off-beat · reggae and ska.
- Pick the pattern Minor groove.
- Press Play the chords and listen.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 1 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
| Chord | Am | F | C | G |
Sway gently and say 'chk' on each off-beat. If your class made the Reggae one drop on the drum machine, send it here and press Play with my drum beat.
reggaeminor keyorgan bubble
This one is in a minor key. How does it feel next to the ska song?
Why might reggae sound better slower than ska?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
Cumbia
Cumbia began on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, from African, Indigenous and Spanish music. Today it is played from Mexico to Argentina, often on electronic keyboards.
Key E · Minor · Tempo 94 · '80s electric piano · Off-beat · reggae and ska
- On the piano, pick Lesson 31 (Song 10).
- Key E · Minor · Tempo 94.
- Instrument: '80s electric piano. How the chords play: Off-beat · reggae and ska.
- Press Clear, then Make my own and tap pads 1 3 4 1: Em, Am, Bm, Em.
- Press Play the chords and listen.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| Chord | Em | Am | Bm | Em |
Step side to side on each beat, like a cumbia dancer. If your class made the Cumbia-style groove on the drum machine, send it here and play along.
cumbiaCaribbean coastkeyboard
Cumbia mixes African, Indigenous and Spanish music. What other music do you know that mixes cultures?
The chords play between the beats. What does that do to your feet?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
Flamenco · the Andalusian cadence
Flamenco comes from Andalusia, in southern Spain, with roots in Romani, Arab, Jewish and Spanish music. Four chords step down, and the last one sounds like a door left open.
Key A · Minor · Tempo 100 · Grand piano · Broken · one note at a time
- On the piano, pick Lesson 32 (Song 11).
- Key A · Minor · Tempo 100.
- Instrument: Grand piano. How the chords play: Broken · one note at a time.
- Pick the pattern Flamenco.
- Press Play the chords and listen.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 1 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| Chord | Am | G | F | E |
Half the class claps on every beat (palmas). The other half claps softly on 2 and 4.
flamencocadencepalmas
Each chord steps down. Which one sounds the least finished?
What pictures or places does this music bring to mind?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
Black keys only
The five black keys make a pentatonic scale, one of the oldest scales in the world. Folk music from China, Scotland, West Africa and the Andes uses it. Over these chords, every black key fits.
Key F♯ · Major · Tempo 90 · Electric piano · warm · Broken · one note at a time
- On the piano, pick Lesson 33 (Song 12).
- Key F♯ · Major · Tempo 90.
- Instrument: Electric piano · warm. How the chords play: Broken · one note at a time.
- Press Clear, then Make my own and tap pads 1 4 5 1: F♯, B, C♯, F♯.
- Press Play the chords and listen.
- While it plays, play ten black keys in a row, in any order.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| Chord | F♯ | B | C♯ | F♯ |
Take turns. Each learner plays one short black-key tune over the chords. Everyone else listens, then claps.
pentatonicscaleimprovise
Why does every black key fit over these chords?
Did your tune sound like music from a place you know? Which one?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
City pop
City pop was the sound of Tokyo in the 1980s: bright, smooth and full of the new digital electric piano. Its favorite chords, 4 5 3 6, still fill anime songs.
Key E · Major · Tempo 112 · '80s electric piano · Pulse · four beats
- On the piano, pick Lesson 34 (Song 13).
- Key E · Major · Tempo 112.
- Instrument: '80s electric piano. How the chords play: Pulse · four beats.
- Pick the pattern Anime and J-pop · 4 5 3 6.
- Press Play the chords and listen.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 4 | 5 | 3 | 6 |
| Chord | A | B | G♯m | C♯m |
Everyone nods on beat 1. Two volunteers make up a 'la la' tune on the lit keys.
city popFM synthesisanime
The pattern starts on chord 4, not on 1. How does that change the feel?
How does the '80s electric piano sound different from the grand piano?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
Pop anthem · 1 5 6 4
Four chords, 1 5 6 4, sit under hundreds of hit songs from many countries. Learn them once and you can play along with the radio.
Key G · Major · Tempo 100 · Grand piano · Pulse · four beats
- On the piano, pick Lesson 35 (Song 14).
- Key G · Major · Tempo 100.
- Instrument: Grand piano. How the chords play: Pulse · four beats.
- Pick the pattern Pop · 1 5 6 4.
- Press Play the chords and listen.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Chord | G | D | Em | C |
Everyone sings one long 'oh' on the same note while the chords change under it. Notice how the same note feels different on each chord.
chord progressionpopanthem
Which chord in 1 5 6 4 is minor? How can you hear it?
Why do you think so many songs use the same four chords?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
Sad pop · 6 4 1 5
These are the same four chords as the pop anthem, started on the minor one. Starting on 6 makes the whole song feel more serious.
Key C · Major · Tempo 72 · Upright piano · Broken · one note at a time
- On the piano, pick Lesson 36 (Song 15).
- Key C · Major · Tempo 72.
- Instrument: Upright piano. How the chords play: Broken · one note at a time.
- Pick the pattern Sad pop · 6 4 1 5.
- Press Play the chords and listen.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Chord | Am | F | C | G |
Close your eyes for one time round. Then everyone writes one word for how it made them feel.
moodminor chordballad
The pop anthem and sad pop use the same chords. Why do they feel different?
Which instrument would you pick for a sad song? Why?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
Lo-fi study beat
Lo-fi beats grew online in the 2010s: slow hip-hop drums, soft jazz chords and a dusty sound, on purpose. Turn the Sound dial toward 1987 for the dust.
Key F · Major · Tempo 76 · Electric piano · warm · Hold · one long chord · Sound dial toward 1987
- On the piano, pick Lesson 37 (Song 16).
- Key F · Major · Tempo 76.
- Instrument: Electric piano · warm. How the chords play: Hold · one long chord.
- Pick the pattern Jazz · 2 5 1.
- Turn the Sound dial toward 1987: Mostly 1987 or more.
- Press Play the chords and listen.
The chords, one for each bar
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Chord | Gm7 | C7 | Fmaj7 | Fmaj7 |
If your class made the Lo-fi study beat on the drum machine, send it here and press Play with my drum beat. Then everyone reads or writes quietly for one minute while it plays.
lo-fiseventh chordtexture
What does the 1987 side of the dial add to this song?
Why do people like this kind of music for studying?
Copy the chords from the chart, from memory if you can.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song:
Our class song
Everyone adds something. Each group picks the chords for its part of the pattern, and the piano plays them all as one song.
Key, mood, tempo and sound: your class chooses.
- On the piano, pick Lesson 38 (Song 17).
- Make my own: a pattern of eight chords.
- Use at least four different chords.
- End the pattern on pad 1.
- Press Play the chords and play the whole class song.
- Press Send to the turntables.
Make four groups. Each group chooses two chords, in order. When your two bars play, your group stands up.
arrangementcollaborationcomposer
Which two chords did your group add? Why those?
What helped everyone's chords fit together?
Each group writes its two chords here, in order: pad number and chord name.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pad | ||||||||
| Chord |
One thing our class did well together on this song: