What are sharps and flats?

Ok, let's take a look at what a sharp or flat note is exactly. When you look at your piano/keyboard you should see a pattern of black keys and white keys. We're going to focus on the black ones for this lesson. On the piano, the black keys come in sets of two and then three. Let's tackle the set of two first. The first one, starting from left to right, this key is known as C# (or C sharp) and also known as Db (or D flat). Ok, so I'm sure you're probably scratching your head right about now, but don't be intimidated, I'm going to explain! For now, I will just give you the names of the keys, and how they get their names will be another lesson. The 2nd of the set of two black keys is known as D# (or D sharp) and also known as Eb (or E flat). Now look at the set of three. The first in the set is the key F# (F sharp) or Gb (G flat). The 2nd key in the set of three is G# (G sharp) or Ab (A flat). Lastly, the 3rd key in the set of three is A# (A sharp) or Bb (B flat). I'm going to stop this lesson here, but I promise I won't leave you in the dark for long! At least for now, you've been given the correct names to call each key.

God Bless
Rayshon =)

Playing in a.... Key?

Yes, that's right! Every song has a key it's played in. So what does this mean? Well every key (note) on the piano has its own scale with 6 other notes in the scale. They are numbered from 1-7. So when you hear someone say a song is in the key of this or that it means the scale that is associated with that key are the notes used in the song. Whether it be in the form of chords, a melody, or the bass (your left hand), they all must work together to be in the same key.

Hope this helps someone! Any questions? Leave a comment.

God Bless
Rayshon =)

What is a chord?

So far in your journey to become a musician I'm sure you have heard of a chord along the way. Put into words, a chord is a collection of notes played simultaneously. I don't like just wording things out so take a look at your piano.

A fragment of it probably looks something like this, right? Well think of each individual key being a different note. (This picture only labels the white keys, but the black keys are notes too! They are your sharps and flats.) If you were to press any group of notes together at the same time, you would be playing a chord! For example, playing a C, E, and a G together at the same time is known as a C chord. There are tons and tons of different chords out there to be learned and mastered. Try learning a different chord everyday, comment and tell me what you learn and any questions you may have!

God Bless
Rayshon

The Purpose of Beginner Gospel Piano

Hey everyone! My name is Rayshon and I decided to create a blog on something I'm passionate about, Gospel Piano! But I didn't want to just stop there, I wanted something focused directly on beginners starting out their journey with God learning to play the piano/keyboard. The beginning of the journey can sometimes be the hardest part in the whole race. Taking the first step and making a commitment to learn this instrument is a serious undertaking. However, it can be so much fun along the way, as you progress and begin to do things you never thought you would in the beginning. I have been playing for about 3 years now, I have never had a formal lesson and in many ways, I still consider myself to be a beginner. But God can use anyone to get His glory, even you!

So, what exactly will be posted on Beginner Gospel Piano? Well I plan on keeping a daily to weekly stream of content on here. It can range from chords I may have learned, songs I may have picked up on, or maybe just words of encouragement. As this is my first endeavor to create a website, I can expect some bumps along the road. But, as time progresses, and God allows it, I expect this website to blossom into something really helpful to some people. That is my main goal for Beginner Gospel Piano, to help someone that may be struggling. If I help just one person cross into a new landmark on their journey, then I've done my job!

I expect a lot of feedback however, it's going to be you guys that make this site successful. Do you have a song you are struggling to pick up on? A chord you always wanted to learn? Or just learning your scales? Post it on the blog! Let's discuss it. This is where I hope pianists of all skill levels can contribute. Although the site is tailored to the beginner, what better way to learn than to get advice from someone that's been where you are? All in all, I know we can become a successful community of musicians with the same goal, and that's to glorify God in our playing, no matter our skill level. So let's get started!

God Bless
Rayshon =)