Let’s face it, the world would be a pretty strange place without maps. Having a clear, bird’s-eye view of an area makes it possible to really get around. Otherwise, how would we know where we’re going? If we want to easily move from “point A” to “point B,” then we’ve got to get a lay

In most of the music you’ll play, each chord will have only three notes. The average song includes only basic major triads and minor triads. And occasionally, you might see a few augmented triads and diminished chords. But for the most part, musicians keep it simple … and they stick with the major chords and minor

With a little bit of practice, we’ll be rocking out in no time. We just have to get our hands working together. And for most people, that means sitting still at the keyboard … and staying focused on which notes to play. After all, every music teacher in the world will tell you to sit still

Because all four basic triads are similar, they’re all easy to play. Each one has just three notes … and each one is pretty common in music. But the major triad and minor triad are (by far) the most popular. Together, they just sound more pleasant to the ears. So musicians use them a lot more often. To see what

E. S. P. – those three little letters are like magic to some people. And they stand for “ExtraSensory Perception.” Normally, if someone (without pants) said to me, “Hi, my name is Tim … and I have ESP,” I’d say they were crazy. That’s because, in a nutshell, people “with ESP” make some far-out claims about

Say it with me, people: “Chords are totally easy to play.” That’s right … chords are really simple. Like everything else in music, they’re made of the same, old notes and intervals we already know and love. So there isn’t much to them. But let’s pause for a moment to think about one thing. And that is, what’s

So … major chords are easy to play. They’re all built from a basic note pattern of “1-3-5” … and each one has a nice, strong sound that goes well with most songs. But the truth is, the major chord isn’t our only option. Because, really, it’s just one of fourbasic chords in music: In the key

All this talk about squares and circles has got me noticing things. Now that they’re on my radar, I see these two simple shapes everywhere. I mean, it’s like the world is full of them. Squares and circles show up at breakfast … in my waffles and pancakes … … they jump out at me while I’m

You’ve got to admit … music just sounds better with chords. And in our last song, it was pretty fun to move between two different chords. But things would have been a lot easier to play if our left hand didn’t have to move so much. I mean, when we go from playing a C major

After you’ve had a little practice, it’s easy to add chords to any melody. You just have to play the melody with your right … and hit the chords with your left hand. It’s as simple as that. And this combination of notes makes our music sound a lot more interesting. But things get even more