How to Play a Song With Chords on the Piano

Playing a song with chords on the piano is an essential step to building your piano skills. Once you've mastered melody lines in the right hand, most piano methods will teach you to build chords in the left hand. This produces a fuller sound and is the key to understanding how chords and melodies are related to one another.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Begin with the C chord. Place your right thumb on the middle C, your third finger on E and your fifth finger on G. This is a C chord.

2. Move from the C chord up to the F chord. Place your thumb on the F key. This is the fourth key from middle C. Place your third finger on A and your fifth finger on C. This is the F chord.

3. Bring your thumb up to the G key. This note is one up from F. Place your thumb on the G key, your third finger on the B key and your fifth finger on the D key. This is the G chord.

4. Transfer your fingers back to their original starting position on the C chord.

5. Play through the three chords in this pattern--C, F, G, C. Sing the melody to one of your favorite songs while playing the chords.

6. Listen to the song as you sing to hear the places where the chord needs to change.

7. Learn other standard chord progressions in the same way for the key of G and the key of F. These are the three most basic hand positions and chord progressions.