+Jonathon R Wills You're welcome! You know, I've done that since day 1 (even on the TV series) because I truly believe that it is important for my viewers/students to understand that I am NOT in any way some super-duper monster player that's so far out of their realm that it's not worth even trying to learn from me. I want everyone to realize that playing in this style is not in any way an exercise in perfection. What's perfection in music anyway? Playing like a robot? No thanks ... It's about CREATIVITY instead. That's the secret sauce that gets my students playing and having fun for the rest of their lives without the fear of *making mistakes*.
This is the first video I encounter teaching this way to practise inversion. I’m glad to have watched it. Thank you for taking it as a casual task rather than hard press. It’s a good conditioning on a right attitude not driving people away from piano.
My only regret is that THIS Houston didn't start doing this when you did. I like the recommendation of arppegiating to learn the inversions. It's a nice nugget.
Scott thank you so much, I am a 70 year old saxophone player who has decided to learn piano. I have bought your 2 fake books and chord wand and am having a great time. John
Sir I watched many tutorial on chord inversion my intension not in any way tt they are not good they are also sharing their knowledge but your teaching method gave me ease ti was understand this important lesson now I want to learn Bass line chords thank you sir DIWAN RAFIK Pakistan
I also find as a beginner(me) the inversion starts by moving one finger off a key the bottom one if you're moving up vise vesa going down. and the note you're shooting for is the same one you took off
great video. I know you said fingers aren't important but does it get more important if you want to smoothly transition through aprs as part of making a part and if so do you a video or resource to show how this should be figured ) for those who didn't learn classically please? Thank you
I get the feeling you don't like dictating certain technical parts -- like which fingers to use. I have trouble with fingerings for inversions of less frequently used keys. Is there one lesson that shows all major chords? How about ALL 72 chords? The Arpeggio Exercise for Smooth Inversinos is excellent BTW. Got me over a hump!
Great tips ! I would like to ask something. I've been doing similar tutorial vídeos and i would be great to know how and what you used to position you camera vertically showing the keys. Camera tripods don't do the job well.
Hi. What do you think about playing chords as different inversions, left and right hand, at the same time. This sounds a little different, especially when playing arpeggios. Seems to give a bit more fullness to the sound?
Please sir, I'm having a lot of problem with the left hand c# arpeggio. The fingering gets entangled, can you please suggest different fingerings or tips? The one in the vid isn't suiting me...
Hi, I have at hand the Hanon Scales And Arpeggios Book, the right fingering for the C# arpeggio is C#(3) E#(1) G#(4) C#(2) E#(1) G#(4) C#(2) E#(1) G#(4) C#(2) E#(1) G#(4) NOTE: E# = F
Sir, Steve I am ur most dull student so please teach me again with another simple technique how to make arrpigious ? Use the same technique like ( R---3----5) that would be much easier for me. Thanks
Hi Scott. Thanks for the tips What do you think about the following change?: Do the C major scale, then the arpeggios of the chords, but before going on to the next key, play the harmonic "block" chords in C. I find this helps me really understand the C inversions better. Then, go on to the D major scale, arpeggios, then block chords. What do you think?
Hi Scott, thanks for this tutorial. How about showing the same in more difficult keys, like in Eb major, in B, etc....because it's not clear to me how the correct fingering is on those
Hey Scott I have a question. Say I wanted to practice inversions in every key 3 times in a row in major. would I do 3 times arpeggio style and then finish off with playing the actual chords or 1 time arpeggio style then right after do chords and then repeat two more times?
So for each note you're playing all 3 inversions up, then come down. eg. C > C 1st inv > C 2nd inv. then from the E note of the 2nd inversion: go to C1st inversion then to C. You're playing each chord 6 times for each of the 7 notes, that's 42 times/maj scale. I'd practice chromatically at first to get 12 * 6 = 72 chords, then I'd practice major scales.
With the C Example, notes are= (going up) C major = *C* E G C first in = *E* G C C sec in = G C *E* (going down) C sec in = *E* G C C first In = *C* G E C = G E C Practice it until you can fart with the same melody. lol :D Do that for each major chord.
I would go back and forth 3 times. Honestly it probably won't matter a bit which way you do it :-) This is much less about "rules" and "absolutes' and much more about just really digging in mentally and getting some seat time at a piano to start to "build your brain muscle". Do whatever you like the best :-)
Well... yes in a lot of ways. Maybe a better "view from 10,000 feet" description would be that what it is NOT about for real-world playing reasons is trying to "see" the inversions notated in your head, then translate them to your fingers. Rather, you need to literally "see" what the chords look like in the real world on your keyboard - and that involves, at its most basic, recognizing the shapes chords make versus the individual notes of the chord.
Surely if one plays songs from a score that shows the LH chords clearly stated then playing enough songs in different keys or even transposing will have the benefit of learning chords and songs at the same time? Also the practice of working out the inversions so that LH movement is minimal will be of better benefit then this rote method.
I agree with you, but what you are referring to and what this video will help accomplish are two different things ... You are referring to something called "voice leading" where the goal is to get from chord to chord with as minimal movement as is possible. That IS a good thing to do and work on. This vid is simply about "drilling" the same chord's inversions to really get them ingrained in your head and your hands, not moving from one chord to another smoothly. Having said that, I should do a vid on voice leading! I'll put it in the pile...
Good eyes :-) I was given that watch as a graduation present from my parents close to 35 years ago. I still love it today as much as I did the day I got it. It's timelessly contemporary (pardon the pun.)
I don't get why inverting a C chord so that it is not at its normal root position doesn't change the chord name to the lowest note. Usually a chord by default is named what the lowest note is. If chords can be inverted and still have the same name then what is determining their pitch. Apparently the lowest pitch doesn't determine overall pitch.
That's a GREAT comment, and you're right it is not very straightforward at all... it is confusing for sure. It's a lot more than I can get into in this forum, but it has to do with theory beyond just piano playing and the fact that a chord's name (its root) is based on what note needs to be heard (normally) as the lowest tone . i.e. the bass note ... That's what the term "root" is talking about. By playing a chord in "root" position you are by default getting that note on the bottom as your ear expects. With an inversion, you are still getting the tones of the chord played, but it is kind of assumed that somewhere else the root is getting played on the bottom. Where? Maybe there is a bass player in the group. Maybe the tuba section or the double bass is playing it in a band or orchestra. On solo piano, maybe you reach down and play the root, grab it with the sustain pedal to keep it sounding, then pop up to play the chord in some inversion. I get into all this stuff in gory detail in the online method found at pianoinaflash.com
Thank you. Just one more question if you can answer. If the chord is played inverted and the root note is not played anywhere further down the piano, or by another musician, then if E-G-C is played (1st inversion), then we would more or less equate this to an E? It would sound more like an E than a C? Well, let me elaborate. The E would be most dominant right? I used to have this funny idea that the individual notes accumulated together and would ring some sound that was somewhere in the middle of the notes...but if 3 individual tones are being played, then the lowest tone is always the most pronounced right?
Meh.... Kinda sorta, but not really. :-) Even if you played a C in 1st inversion your ear won't hear it as an E (in this case minor) chord because the other "tell-tale" pitch your ear is listening for is not there- the 5th. So because you will not hear a B in the C 1st inversion your ear will not confuse them. It will still sound like a C, but just not a very "solid" C as you would if you heard a C note somewhere on the bottom. I know, clear as mud right? This is just kind of deep stuff that (thankfully) you don't nee to know before you can learn to have a ball playing tunes on piano. This all gets "titrated" out to students over 6 Courses (2-3 years) in the online method at pianoinaflash.com and is just not something that can be quickly or easily described here. Sorry...
it is rocket science to me :D, so that first chord to me has 3 keys between and then 2, but the inversion has 2 keys in-between and then 4. what is the logic? am i missing something here ?
The idea is to take the bottom note up an octave (when going up) to form the different inversions. Then take the top down one octave (when going down). :3
i do not understand what you mean by: Remember, do NOT do this inversion exercise in lieu of playing the tunes you love. Maybe take 5-10 mins before or after sitting down to play some tunes to practice these exercises.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I love how you post your lessons "mistakes and all"
it shows an evolutionary element that I appreciate,
thanks!!
+Jonathon R Wills You're welcome! You know, I've done that since day 1 (even on the TV series) because I truly believe that it is important for my viewers/students to understand that I am NOT in any way some super-duper monster player that's so far out of their realm that it's not worth even trying to learn from me. I want everyone to realize that playing in this style is not in any way an exercise in perfection. What's perfection in music anyway? Playing like a robot? No thanks ... It's about CREATIVITY instead. That's the secret sauce that gets my students playing and having fun for the rest of their lives without the fear of *making mistakes*.
I always wondered about your sense of humour. You said it right off the bat. You were a percussionist. That explains everything.
Lots
Of
Love
This is the first video I encounter teaching this way to practise inversion. I’m glad to have watched it. Thank you for taking it as a casual task rather than hard press. It’s a good conditioning on a right attitude not driving people away from piano.
My only regret is that THIS Houston didn't start doing this when you did. I like the recommendation of arppegiating to learn the inversions. It's a nice nugget.
Scott thank you so much, I am a 70 year old saxophone player who has decided to learn piano. I have bought your 2 fake books and chord wand and am having a great time.
John
Great news! You're most welcome... Remember the effort is to "play" piano, not "work" piano. Ha!
I am so grateful to have found this channel!
I'm grateful you found me too! :-)
Another great lesson. I think I struck gold with this channel. Thanks a bunch.
Thanks you’re so laid back and cool!
Appreciate it! Hope it helps...
Very helpful - thanks Scott !
Thanks for your help , with using the left and the right using different notes
Let's check your channel to see if you always teach in this wonderful way.
You make learning the piano so fun, and so easy!
Glad it helps! Thanks for the nice words... :-)
Sweet, you even reply. Subbed. I'm sure I'll be watching more! Ty PianoGuy!
Play Piano In A Flash / PianoGuyTV iop
Great video! I think you're right about this being the best way to learn inversions.
Very nice video. Thank you for giving us beginners hope with your help.
सर आपके समझाने का तरीक़ा बहुत शानदार है I have seen many lesson but you are the best
Thanks for the nice compliment. I appreciate it!
Thanks. Working drummer getting back into piano after decades
Scott: Thanks. Learned a lot abt arpeggios practice. Will check out ur other courses.
it was really simple lesson but a learn a lot of Arpeggios style pattern that you do :) thanks for it :)
+Rugen Suico You're welcome!
Great video! Sweet and simple
These videos are super helpful. Thank you so much!
Yeah piano guy that was some great tips for playing inversions in the arpeggio kind regards Mr Robinson.
Great ideas for learning chords 👍
you are the coolest
greetings from Holland
+L. G. Hi L.G., wish I was there to meet you so I could hang with some really close friends I have that live in Holland. :-)
+Play Piano In A Flash / PianoGuyTV
Excellent Idea ! would love to meet you too.
Be blessed,
Liza
Very timely for me, thank you
very sincere teach, thanks and blessed to become happier day after days!
Sir I watched many tutorial on chord inversion my intension not in any way tt they are not good they are also sharing their knowledge but your teaching method gave me ease ti was understand this important lesson now I want to learn Bass line chords thank you sir DIWAN RAFIK Pakistan
Awesome video, sir!
Thanks! Glad it helped...
This was so useful . Thanks
Thanks Steve Job great lesson!
Amazing tutorial and very helpful. Thanks a a million Scott for sharing :)
:-)
Very helpful, thank you
I also find as a beginner(me) the inversion starts by moving one finger off a key the bottom one if you're moving up vise vesa going down. and the note you're shooting for is the same one you took off
excellent point! I will probably use that as another aid when describing this in the future... thank you!
great video. I know you said fingers aren't important but does it get more important if you want to smoothly transition through aprs as part of making a part and if so do you a video or resource to show how this should be figured ) for those who didn't learn classically please? Thank you
YOURE THE BEST THANKS
I like your lessons, at least I am learning something
Glad to hear it! Have fun...
as always......great stuff.......thank you.....
Thank You very much.
Nice video. Thanks.
I get the feeling you don't like dictating certain technical parts -- like which fingers to use. I have trouble with fingerings for inversions of less frequently used keys. Is there one lesson that shows all major chords? How about ALL 72 chords?
The Arpeggio Exercise for Smooth Inversinos is excellent BTW. Got me over a hump!
Great video!
Thanks a lot
:-) You're welcome...
Thank You.
It help lot . Thank you so much
Are the CHORD INVERSION PDF still free? Can I have some? Please.
súper!!! Gracias!!! Thanks!
Great tips ! I would like to ask something. I've been doing similar tutorial vídeos and i would be great to know how and what you used to position you camera vertically showing the keys. Camera tripods don't do the job well.
Hi. What do you think about playing chords as different inversions, left and right hand, at the same time. This sounds a little different, especially when playing arpeggios. Seems to give a bit more fullness to the sound?
Please sir, I'm having a lot of problem with the left hand c# arpeggio. The fingering gets entangled, can you please suggest different fingerings or tips? The one in the vid isn't suiting me...
Personally, I ignore the left hand or make it play the same thing as my right. :3
So, focus on the left hand for now.
Hi, I have at hand the Hanon Scales And Arpeggios Book, the right fingering for the C# arpeggio is C#(3) E#(1) G#(4) C#(2) E#(1) G#(4) C#(2) E#(1) G#(4) C#(2) E#(1) G#(4) NOTE: E# = F
Good one
How can I apply the diminished and argumented chords
Thank you....helps alot!!
Terrific! Glad it made some sense. Have fun playing!
Sir, Steve I am ur most dull student so please teach me again with another simple technique how to make arrpigious ? Use the same technique like ( R---3----5) that would be much easier for me. Thanks
Hi Scott, can you uploud David Tolleys Carol of the Bells from your show?
Damn you kept on making those mistakes like i do
Hi Scott. Thanks for the tips What do you think about the following change?: Do the C major scale, then the arpeggios of the chords, but before going on to the next key, play the harmonic "block" chords in C. I find this helps me really understand the C inversions better. Then, go on to the D major scale, arpeggios, then block chords. What do you think?
I think that sounds like a good idea! Thx...
Nice man
Thanks 🙏
thank you!
You're welcome!
Hi Scott, thanks for this tutorial. How about showing the same in more difficult keys, like in Eb major, in B, etc....because it's not clear to me how the correct fingering is on those
I like this guy's videos but I don't like the fingering, it's awful.
The tip for memorizing chord inversions is good though.
Most would say do what is comfortable - or get a Bastien book on chords and arpeggios.
Why is Steve Jobs teaching me arpeggios
??
LOL!!!!!
LOOOOOOL same thought
Missing the turtleneck
Brandon 😂😂😂
Hey Scott I have a question. Say I wanted to practice inversions in every key 3 times in a row in major. would I do 3 times arpeggio style and then finish off with playing the actual chords or 1 time arpeggio style then right after do chords and then repeat two more times?
So for each note you're playing all 3 inversions up, then come down. eg.
C > C 1st inv > C 2nd inv.
then from the E note of the 2nd inversion: go to C1st inversion then to C.
You're playing each chord 6 times for each of the 7 notes, that's 42 times/maj scale.
I'd practice chromatically at first to get 12 * 6 = 72 chords, then I'd practice major scales.
With the C Example, notes are=
(going up)
C major = *C* E G
C first in = *E* G C
C sec in = G C *E*
(going down)
C sec in = *E* G C
C first In = *C* G E
C = G E C
Practice it until you can fart with the same melody. lol :D
Do that for each major chord.
I would go back and forth 3 times. Honestly it probably won't matter a bit which way you do it :-) This is much less about "rules" and "absolutes' and much more about just really digging in mentally and getting some seat time at a piano to start to "build your brain muscle". Do whatever you like the best :-)
So it’s just about transposing the SHAPES up and down the keyboard??
Well... yes in a lot of ways. Maybe a better "view from 10,000 feet" description would be that what it is NOT about for real-world playing reasons is trying to "see" the inversions notated in your head, then translate them to your fingers. Rather, you need to literally "see" what the chords look like in the real world on your keyboard - and that involves, at its most basic, recognizing the shapes chords make versus the individual notes of the chord.
Nice
is that really how you press the keys on the piano when you play? or is that just for showing us right now without getting in the way of the keys?
Thanks! :)
Surely if one plays songs from a score that shows the LH chords clearly stated then playing enough songs in different keys or even transposing will have the benefit of learning chords and songs at the same time? Also the practice of working out the inversions so that LH movement is minimal will be of better benefit then this rote method.
I agree with you, but what you are referring to and what this video will help accomplish are two different things ... You are referring to something called "voice leading" where the goal is to get from chord to chord with as minimal movement as is possible. That IS a good thing to do and work on. This vid is simply about "drilling" the same chord's inversions to really get them ingrained in your head and your hands, not moving from one chord to another smoothly. Having said that, I should do a vid on voice leading! I'll put it in the pile...
That is brilliant! :0
I tried it and I was like... holy sh8t. :'D
:-) Glad it helped...
But I really enjoy your lessons
good lesson, but nice
also your EBEL watch.
Good eyes :-) I was given that watch as a graduation present from my parents close to 35 years ago. I still love it today as much as I did the day I got it. It's timelessly contemporary (pardon the pun.)
tank you
" Nice One "
I don't get why inverting a C chord so that it is not at its normal root position doesn't change the chord name to the lowest note. Usually a chord by default is named what the lowest note is. If chords can be inverted and still have the same name then what is determining their pitch. Apparently the lowest pitch doesn't determine overall pitch.
That's a GREAT comment, and you're right it is not very straightforward at all... it is confusing for sure. It's a lot more than I can get into in this forum, but it has to do with theory beyond just piano playing and the fact that a chord's name (its root) is based on what note needs to be heard (normally) as the lowest tone . i.e. the bass note ... That's what the term "root" is talking about. By playing a chord in "root" position you are by default getting that note on the bottom as your ear expects. With an inversion, you are still getting the tones of the chord played, but it is kind of assumed that somewhere else the root is getting played on the bottom. Where? Maybe there is a bass player in the group. Maybe the tuba section or the double bass is playing it in a band or orchestra. On solo piano, maybe you reach down and play the root, grab it with the sustain pedal to keep it sounding, then pop up to play the chord in some inversion. I get into all this stuff in gory detail in the online method found at pianoinaflash.com
Thank you. Just one more question if you can answer. If the chord is played inverted and the root note is not played anywhere further down the piano, or by another musician, then if E-G-C is played (1st inversion), then we would more or less equate this to an E? It would sound more like an E than a C? Well, let me elaborate. The E would be most dominant right? I used to have this funny idea that the individual notes accumulated together and would ring some sound that was somewhere in the middle of the notes...but if 3 individual tones are being played, then the lowest tone is always the most pronounced right?
Meh.... Kinda sorta, but not really. :-) Even if you played a C in 1st inversion your ear won't hear it as an E (in this case minor) chord because the other "tell-tale" pitch your ear is listening for is not there- the 5th. So because you will not hear a B in the C 1st inversion your ear will not confuse them. It will still sound like a C, but just not a very "solid" C as you would if you heard a C note somewhere on the bottom. I know, clear as mud right? This is just kind of deep stuff that (thankfully) you don't nee to know before you can learn to have a ball playing tunes on piano. This all gets "titrated" out to students over 6 Courses (2-3 years) in the online method at pianoinaflash.com and is just not something that can be quickly or easily described here. Sorry...
it is rocket science to me :D, so that first chord to me has 3 keys between and then 2,
but the inversion has 2 keys in-between and then 4.
what is the logic? am i missing something here ?
oh ha ha i just got it, of-course the both involve the same notes :D
The idea is to take the bottom note up an octave (when going up) to form the different inversions.
Then take the top down one octave (when going down). :3
Sounds like you got it...Good!
exactly... well said
éxersice à retenir
Too difficult to do this one
Hey Steve! I know that's why you left Apple Inc. 😋
i do not understand what you mean by: Remember, do NOT do this inversion exercise in lieu of playing the tunes you love. Maybe take 5-10 mins before or after sitting down to play some tunes to practice these exercises.
Wow, didn’t know that Steve Jobs is advanced at piano
Why does he play piano wearing a blanket?