Even young piano students who enjoy playing chords on the piano want to know how to use them to make their own songs. I tell students that if they can skip across the room, they can learn to play piano with chords. It's not really that easy, but it's close!

On the piano keyboard there are groups of 2 and 3-black keys. In between each black key is a white key. From one black key to the very next black key in each group is a skip (or an interval of a 3rd). Here's a beautiful chord with a bright, jazzy sound that children love to play. It is the dominant seventh chord in the key of G flat. In the example below the ones represent groups of 3 and 2-black keys on the piano. Use your left hand to play the group of three and your right hand to play the group of two black keys, or reverse the hands.

1 1 1 -- 1 1

Play the keys in bold together (at the same time). Don't play the key that is not in bold text. Now start at the high end of the piano and play all the groups you see on the keyboard and then end with this low note - it's a G flat.

1 1 1 -- 1 1

For great home piano activities parents can use to help children ages 5 to 11 develop their musical talent, visit Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources You'll find a treasure box filled with piano resources to create an exciting musical adventure for your child - right in your own home! Visit their website and subscribe to their f'ree internet newsletter so you can download f'ree piano sheet music and mp3s of original piano compositions.

These exciting stories, games, piano lessons, and inspirational gifts feature the Piano Adventure Bears, Mrs. Treble Beary and her new piano student, Albeart Littlebud. Young students follow along with Albeart to learn what piano lessons are all about in a fun way that kids readily understand appreciate. Click here to visit PianoAdventureBears.com For a wealth of information about piano lessons, visit tallypiano.com