Best 27 minutes I have spent recently! Thank you. I have persevered three or more years of piano playing purely using chords and scale notes in each Key to find myself basically improvising. If I had seen this video and guide I could have achieved the same level of competence much quicker. All newbies should watch this intro and persevere!!
Bravo Michael.. everyone has something they need to hear. For someone coming from classical, I needed to hear the circle of fifths exercise to get the chords under my fingers in different inversions. Simple, but exactly what I needed. And by the way, 🤯improvising over moonlight sonata’s structure… brilliant! Very inspiring to hear that!! I also have new respect for Satie seeing how that piece is so beautiful even though it’s just two maj7 chords. Love it! I would love to see more videos on improvising
You take the piano to heights I didn’t know existed. Pure Genius work and discussion!!! Sorry I just had to add this second comment after watching your video to the end.
This video was absolutely golden. Your instructions are so clear and easy to follow. I was most stunned when I saw that this video only has 322 views. Also, I always thought you needed perfect pitch to improvise. This video has fortuitously dispelled that myth for me.
Wow, thanks for your great comment! I'm really pleased you found it useful and wish you well on your exploration of improvisation! The video is only a few days old so hopefully its audience will grow nicely in time. If you've found it to be helpful and easy to follow then hopefully others will too! Cheers!
Thanks for the walkthrough! I'll be sharing this with my nephews who will really like mixing up their classical piano education with some more creative playing
While trying to learn music theory for a long time I have watched LOT'S of videos. This has to be the best one for me personally!! It will def reach a greater audience (should) , Thank you
Ah thanks! So pleased you found it helpful. Hopefully the TH-cam algorithm shows more people and it can be helpful for them too! I appreciate the encouragement. Thanks!
This video was exactly what I needed. I’m one of those classically trained pianists, that when sat behind a piano without sheet music doesn’t seem to even know how to play (save a couple of random bars) which feels ridiculous after years of playing! The theory was all there more or less but I was just never taught how to put that into practice with improv. Thanks Michael, I’m feeling inspired to finally begin my improv/ composing journey. :)
Alright - finally the video for me. 6-7 years of classical piano with an great older male teacher who went to Moscow Conservatory. Weekly scales and arpeggios, Hanon, Czerny, through the Inventions and all the Chopin Preludes, Nocturnes etc. But now as an adult I can't improvise anything because "I don't know what I don't know". Can't wait to run with your ideas from this video. Thank you. I'm going to pour over more of your videos. Subscribed.
Hey Michael, thank you for the great videos. It's great how well and understandably you can explain sometimes complicated concepts. By the way: I just came across your older song "Life Lessons" and love it.
Thanks Roland, glad you're enjoying the videos and I appreciate the support. Pleased you enjoyed the song too. Don't do much writing or performing my own music these days although I've started to get an itch for doing something new again!
I'm at the beginning of the video and already learning so much ! I've been learning chords and scales, and often heard about major and minor thirds but that was never really explained. So I was super hyped that you started explaining that, and learning about how minor chords and major chords are built in relation to those type of 3rds is really enlightening ! I'm already hyped for what's next in the video ! Thanks a lot for your teachings !
Awesome. That's great to hear! Super glad you've found the video useful. Hopefully the rest of the video was just as helpful! Thanks for the nice comment. 🙏 If this was helpful I have a couple more piano specific videos that you might find useful too. You should check them out too! 🎹
Moonlight Sonata into something that nearly made me cry with joy …. Wow! Yes, I’m the guy you described only 65 years later and restarting. Hopefully, I’ll have a soulful moment like what you created out of thin air. Thank You!🙏
Killer explanation. This is great. I know a Ichabod the theory that you went over, now I’m going to have to dig in and work on those inversion exercises using the circle of fifths. I’ll be doing it on accordion though.
im glad you read your comments because i want you to know I recently started reserving piano practice rooms at my university because of your videos! bumped into a beginner today, and i recommended them to visit your channel 😅 also, can you make a video that focuses on improvisational practice routines for different skill levels? Im spending most of my time trying to improvise over a stride tune in hopes that it strengthens my ability to play at different octaves and improvise quickly. im not sure if its the most optimal way to practice though. i havent really found a visual guide online at the particular skill im at (i consider myself very knowledgeable about chords and scales however I cant seem to think fast enough to play in key 😭).
☺️ Ah! Love this comment! Not only that you're sharing the love for the channel but that my videos have inspired you to play more. Thanks for the comment, it does mean a lot to read things like this 🙏 I'll have a think on your suggestion too to see if I think there's something I can make to help. Cheers.
The disconnect between … conventional piano teaching / learning, (at least in the UK- where the ABRSM* rules) …AND …actually enjoying playing piano, nicely examined and well put. 👍 It’s something that I have struggled with for years. So, thank you very much for the enlightenment/ encouragement. Feels like a breakthrough,for me ❤️ * Their goal is worthy but all a bit 20th century I passed their highest grade in Jazz piano and yet still so reliant (up till now?) on the dots 🎶 🙁
Thanks for your comment James, I'm pleased you feel the video was useful for you. It's just something I've come across regularly over the years and having recently taught a few people who are talented classical pianist but were never taught the wider context of harmony and how to improvise and compose with the notes they're always playing I thought there could be a number of people that would appreciate a video like this. Cheers. 🎹
I love making music all my life, but i‘ve never put enough effort into that „theoretical“ part so that my creative skills were always limited. I mean I’ve read and learned it more than once, but never got it „into my fingers“. I would desire so much to catch up on these skills so that eventually i could achieve more of that creative flow when composing! I enjoyed very much your lesson and i would highly appreciate more of that! What would be the most efficient process to get these concepts from the brain into the fingers?
Thanks for your comment! When it comes to improvising it’s really useful to have some of this foundational theory knowledge. My advice would be to exercise these ideas regularly (ideally daily) but try practising through repertoire. Pick a few songs that you know and look for the chords online (if you find it difficult working them out by ear) then practice exploring playing the chords together in different and inversion and rhythm like shown in this video. Try playing along with recordings or just singing the tune along with the chords. I really believe that if you persist with this over a few weeks or months you’ll make that connection you’re looking for. A bit of patience and persistence and you’ll get there I’m sure. It’s also valuable to have some one-to-one lessons if there’s someone local who plays the way you’d like, to give you a few pointers and they’ll be able to make sure you’re on the right track. Good luck! MK
Thank you, Michael. I've always used chords. (Taught myself theory from a guitar manual I'd bought my husband!) I've always felt I was playing piano 'the wrong way!' Feeling a bit better about myself now. However, I'm fighting bad habits such as just bashing out arpeggios. Obviously I need to back off. Any advice? Thanks again. I'm really enjoying your lessons (and starting to grasp the less basic concepts.)
Hey Laura, thanks for making your way through the videos. Have you watched ‘4 ways to sound pro on piano’ if not, there might be a couple of things to try to bring a little variety to your playing. Cheers. 🎹🎵
Your videos are super good. I have learned a ton from the Triton sub video as well. Thank you very much. I have one question: I know all this theory you explained and my improvisations all have the same chord progressions: essentially I-V-I with some “detours”. How to break free from the familiar sound of Am F E? all my music is turning out like that. when I hear classical music it feels like they are not thinking in the same terms when they write it.
This may help from someone who has gone through the learning process. The surprising answer is, in my view, that the composers of the past very much used very straightforward chord progressions that you describe. The difference was that they knew how to mine the gold. A couple of years ago, my jazz teacher got me to analyse the chord progressions of Clementi sonatinas. Just take the first dozen or so bars and you will see exactly what they would do with I and V. They would take a simple melodic. Idea and run with it. The point here is that you do not have to become a classical specialist. Just work on your compositional or improvisatory ideas within a limited harmonic progression, and you may be surprised. As your harmony knowledge grows, you can branch out, but it isn't chords you lack but the ideas that work over them. And even then, keep it simple. Watch Michael's right hand when he does his - it barely moves, but as he says, it can be beautiful. Good luck.
I wish i could force damn near all the musicians i know to watch this with their eyes taped open, clockwork orange style, they would thank me later. They need this info so bad and they dont even know it.
About diatonic vs non-diatonic, I think popular music (rock and pop) has become more diatonic, but it didn't use to be. And I'm not saying it used to be more complex (sometimes it was, but sometimes it was incredibly simple too), just not so diatonic. The reason being that it was more influenced by the blues, which is not diatonic. And even when they expanded far beyond the blues, like in the 60's with the Beatles, among others, they didn't know theory,, they had no more reason to think that a chord is more 'right' than another because it is diatonic (and they were right). If you look at popular music up to the 90's, songs with only diatonic chords were more the exception than the norm.
![How to put Chords to a melody [Piano Lesson]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3zxyqx_wFnk/mqdefault.jpg)
Now, is this not a masterpiece!
This is good education.
Ah, thanks! I appreciate your comment. Hope you found it useful!
Brilliant lesson, Michael. I'm a big fan of your teaching style. It's like watching the early morning mist disappear when the sun comes out.
Ah, thanks for the nice comment Trefor. At least I assume it’s a nice comment, maybe you hate it when the morning mist disappears! 🤣
Best 27 minutes I have spent recently! Thank you. I have persevered three or more years of piano playing purely using chords and scale notes in each Key to find myself basically improvising. If I had seen this video and guide I could have achieved the same level of competence much quicker. All newbies should watch this intro and persevere!!
Ah Peter, that’s so kind. Thank you. I’m really pleased you found the video useful. Best of luck with your journey. 👍🏼🎹
Bravo Sir. Outstanding and well delivered. Thank you very much.
Bravo Michael.. everyone has something they need to hear. For someone coming from classical, I needed to hear the circle of fifths exercise to get the chords under my fingers in different inversions. Simple, but exactly what I needed. And by the way, 🤯improvising over moonlight sonata’s structure… brilliant! Very inspiring to hear that!! I also have new respect for Satie seeing how that piece is so beautiful even though it’s just two maj7 chords. Love it! I would love to see more videos on improvising
Ah thanks for the great comment 🙏 Glad you enjoyed the video 👍
You take the piano to heights I didn’t know existed. Pure Genius work and discussion!!! Sorry I just had to add this second comment after watching your video to the end.
Thanks Jeff!! Such a nice comment. I really appreciate it. I'm glad you liked it and thanks for watching until the end!!
This video was absolutely golden. Your instructions are so clear and easy to follow. I was most stunned when I saw that this video only has 322 views.
Also, I always thought you needed perfect pitch to improvise. This video has fortuitously dispelled that myth for me.
Wow, thanks for your great comment! I'm really pleased you found it useful and wish you well on your exploration of improvisation! The video is only a few days old so hopefully its audience will grow nicely in time. If you've found it to be helpful and easy to follow then hopefully others will too! Cheers!
This video was for me. Very embarrassing state of affairs I'm in. Your videos are great
Thank you! I’m glad you found it useful. No need to be embarrassed, we’re all on different journeys and if you’re enjoying it then you’re winning!
Best music lesson ever
🙏 Thanks for the generous comment!
Thanks for the walkthrough! I'll be sharing this with my nephews who will really like mixing up their classical piano education with some more creative playing
Thanks Chandler. I appreciate the share and hope they find it useful! Cheers!
I'm not even a piano player (guitar player) and your videos always make playing so much more fun. Thank you!
Ah, that's so cool to hear. Are you taking these ideas and using them on guitar or having a little dabble with the piano?! Thanks for watching! 🎹🎸
While trying to learn music theory for a long time I have watched LOT'S of videos. This has to be the best one for me personally!! It will def reach a greater audience (should) , Thank you
Ah thanks! So pleased you found it helpful. Hopefully the TH-cam algorithm shows more people and it can be helpful for them too! I appreciate the encouragement. Thanks!
This video was exactly what I needed. I’m one of those classically trained pianists, that when sat behind a piano without sheet music doesn’t seem to even know how to play (save a couple of random bars) which feels ridiculous after years of playing! The theory was all there more or less but I was just never taught how to put that into practice with improv. Thanks Michael, I’m feeling inspired to finally begin my improv/ composing journey. :)
This is really great to hear that this was useful and inspiring. Thank you for leaving a comment 🙏 Happy exploring on your improv adventure!
Alright - finally the video for me. 6-7 years of classical piano with an great older male teacher who went to Moscow Conservatory. Weekly scales and arpeggios, Hanon, Czerny, through the Inventions and all the Chopin Preludes, Nocturnes etc. But now as an adult I can't improvise anything because "I don't know what I don't know". Can't wait to run with your ideas from this video. Thank you. I'm going to pour over more of your videos. Subscribed.
Hey Eric! Thanks for the kind comment. I'm really glad this video has been helpful. 👍
This is awesome Michael! This needs to become a series that evolves into the advanced stuff ❤
Thanks man, hope it was useful. Thanks for the suggestion.
Hey Michael, thank you for the great videos. It's great how well and understandably you can explain sometimes complicated concepts. By the way: I just came across your older song "Life Lessons" and love it.
Thanks Roland, glad you're enjoying the videos and I appreciate the support.
Pleased you enjoyed the song too. Don't do much writing or performing my own music these days although I've started to get an itch for doing something new again!
You are very underrated. You are giving out some good knowledge👍🏻
Thanks Satyam, I appreciate the encouragement.
Years ago I read a book titled 'How to Play Piano - despite years of lessons' This brings it up to date!😀🧰
I like the sound of that book! Happy practising! 🎹
I'm at the beginning of the video and already learning so much ! I've been learning chords and scales, and often heard about major and minor thirds but that was never really explained. So I was super hyped that you started explaining that, and learning about how minor chords and major chords are built in relation to those type of 3rds is really enlightening ! I'm already hyped for what's next in the video ! Thanks a lot for your teachings !
Awesome. That's great to hear! Super glad you've found the video useful. Hopefully the rest of the video was just as helpful! Thanks for the nice comment. 🙏
If this was helpful I have a couple more piano specific videos that you might find useful too. You should check them out too! 🎹
Really well explained, love the style and tone. Thank you!
Ah cheers 🙏 Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, much appreciated!
this commentary is for support. thank you for those awesome lessons !
Moonlight Sonata into something that nearly made me cry with joy …. Wow! Yes, I’m the guy you described only 65 years later and restarting. Hopefully, I’ll have a soulful moment like what you created out of thin air. Thank You!🙏
🙏 Glad you enjoyed that Moonlight Sonata bit. Hope the video will be helpful on your journey. Happy practising!! 🎹
This is what I was missing !!
You are the best! So well explained. Thank you, thank you!
You are very welcome. I'm really glad you enjoyed it. Happy practising! 🎹
please don't stop posting. you need million subscribers
Oh man, you’re too kind! I hope you’re right though! 😜
Definitely more videos to come though. 👍🏼
Just found your station, and love your approach to explaining music and piano!
Greatly appreciate what you do!
Jazz piano student.
Hey Frank! Thanks for your comment! I appreciate you being here and leaving a kind comment. Glad you’re enjoying the videos. 👍🏼
Thanks
🙏 Thank you so very much! Really pleased that you’re finding some value from the video.
This is so me.high level classical player who lost eye sight and now can’t play so want to play without music. Perfectly explained!
Glad it was helpful Marci! Thanks for the comment. 👍
Best video i've seen on music for a while ! Keep up
🙏 Thank you! I appreciate the support, thanks for watching and leaving a comment 👍
Killer explanation. This is great. I know a Ichabod the theory that you went over, now I’m going to have to dig in and work on those inversion exercises using the circle of fifths. I’ll be doing it on accordion though.
Thanks man, appreciate the comment. Happy practising! 🎹
im glad you read your comments because i want you to know I recently started reserving piano practice rooms at my university because of your videos! bumped into a beginner today, and i recommended them to visit your channel 😅
also, can you make a video that focuses on improvisational practice routines for different skill levels? Im spending most of my time trying to improvise over a stride tune in hopes that it strengthens my ability to play at different octaves and improvise quickly. im not sure if its the most optimal way to practice though. i havent really found a visual guide online at the particular skill im at (i consider myself very knowledgeable about chords and scales however I cant seem to think fast enough to play in key 😭).
☺️ Ah! Love this comment! Not only that you're sharing the love for the channel but that my videos have inspired you to play more. Thanks for the comment, it does mean a lot to read things like this 🙏
I'll have a think on your suggestion too to see if I think there's something I can make to help. Cheers.
Have you seen this video I made?! th-cam.com/video/p6uh-sfUvxg/w-d-xo.html
Maybe it could be a little useful.
Really great channel and knowledge. Cheers!
Thanks for the kind comment! Glad you're enjoying the content. Cheers 👍
A lot of things i had to find out on my own you've explained perfectly 🙌
This video should be called: "How to understand music"
Ha! I like it 👍 Thanks for the comment.
so inspired - thank you!
Awesome, great to hear! Thanks for watching!
Fantastic system.
Pure GOLD!!!
Cheers Eugene! 👍🏼
The disconnect between …
conventional piano teaching / learning,
(at least in the UK- where the ABRSM* rules) …AND
…actually enjoying playing piano,
nicely examined and well put. 👍
It’s something that I have struggled with for years. So, thank you very much for the enlightenment/ encouragement.
Feels like a breakthrough,for me ❤️
* Their goal is worthy but all a bit 20th century
I passed their highest grade in Jazz piano and yet still so reliant (up till now?) on the dots 🎶 🙁
Thanks for your comment James, I'm pleased you feel the video was useful for you. It's just something I've come across regularly over the years and having recently taught a few people who are talented classical pianist but were never taught the wider context of harmony and how to improvise and compose with the notes they're always playing I thought there could be a number of people that would appreciate a video like this. Cheers. 🎹
I love making music all my life, but i‘ve never put enough effort into that „theoretical“ part so that my creative skills were always limited. I mean I’ve read and learned it more than once, but never got it „into my fingers“. I would desire so much to catch up on these skills so that eventually i could achieve more of that creative flow when composing! I enjoyed very much your lesson and i would highly appreciate more of that! What would be the most efficient process to get these concepts from the brain into the fingers?
Thanks for your comment! When it comes to improvising it’s really useful to have some of this foundational theory knowledge. My advice would be to exercise these ideas regularly (ideally daily) but try practising through repertoire. Pick a few songs that you know and look for the chords online (if you find it difficult working them out by ear) then practice exploring playing the chords together in different and inversion and rhythm like shown in this video. Try playing along with recordings or just singing the tune along with the chords. I really believe that if you persist with this over a few weeks or months you’ll make that connection you’re looking for. A bit of patience and persistence and you’ll get there I’m sure. It’s also valuable to have some one-to-one lessons if there’s someone local who plays the way you’d like, to give you a few pointers and they’ll be able to make sure you’re on the right track. Good luck! MK
@@michaelkeithson thanks for the advice, looking forward to more related educational videos from you! 🙏
Brilliant!! This makes me want to put the bass down and buy a piano!!
Do it!! 😂 Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the comment 🙏
I am one of those classical pianists - currently working on getting away from playing from sheet music. It's a horrible situation to be in.
Hi Carol! Hope the video was helpful! Thanks
Wonderful.
Cheers Bill! 👍🏼🎹
Thank you, Michael. I've always used chords. (Taught myself theory from a guitar manual I'd bought my husband!)
I've always felt I was playing piano 'the wrong way!' Feeling a bit better about myself now. However, I'm fighting bad habits such as just bashing out arpeggios. Obviously I need to back off.
Any advice?
Thanks again. I'm really enjoying your lessons (and starting to grasp the less basic concepts.)
Hey Laura, thanks for making your way through the videos. Have you watched ‘4 ways to sound pro on piano’ if not, there might be a couple of things to try to bring a little variety to your playing. Cheers. 🎹🎵
@@michaelkeithson Thank you, Michael, I'll certainly watch those.
Your videos are super good. I have learned a ton from the Triton sub video as well. Thank you very much.
I have one question: I know all this theory you explained and my improvisations all have the same chord progressions: essentially I-V-I with some “detours”. How to break free from the familiar sound of Am F E? all my music is turning out like that.
when I hear classical music it feels like they are not thinking in the same terms when they write it.
This may help from someone who has gone through the learning process. The surprising answer is, in my view, that the composers of the past very much used very straightforward chord progressions that you describe. The difference was that they knew how to mine the gold. A couple of years ago, my jazz teacher got me to analyse the chord progressions of Clementi sonatinas. Just take the first dozen or so bars and you will see exactly what they would do with I and V. They would take a simple melodic. Idea and run with it. The point here is that you do not have to become a classical specialist. Just work on your compositional or improvisatory ideas within a limited harmonic progression, and you may be surprised. As your harmony knowledge grows, you can branch out, but it isn't chords you lack but the ideas that work over them. And even then, keep it simple. Watch Michael's right hand when he does his - it barely moves, but as he says, it can be beautiful. Good luck.
No fucking idea how you make this seem so easy but I thank you for it!
Ha! Hopefully it was helpful. Thanks for leaving a comment! 👍🏼
Composición as you can hear it in your universe of foundation
I wish i could force damn near all the musicians i know to watch this with their eyes taped open, clockwork orange style, they would thank me later. They need this info so bad and they dont even know it.
Cheers Dan, appreciate the comment. Yeah, I think this stuff is really valuable for any musician, not just pianists. 👍
@@michaelkeithson thank you for having such a great music theory channel!
All this applies to guitar as well.
About diatonic vs non-diatonic, I think popular music (rock and pop) has become more diatonic, but it didn't use to be. And I'm not saying it used to be more complex (sometimes it was, but sometimes it was incredibly simple too), just not so diatonic. The reason being that it was more influenced by the blues, which is not diatonic. And even when they expanded far beyond the blues, like in the 60's with the Beatles, among others, they didn't know theory,, they had no more reason to think that a chord is more 'right' than another because it is diatonic (and they were right). If you look at popular music up to the 90's, songs with only diatonic chords were more the exception than the norm.
Agree. A good point well made. Cheers for the contribution 👍