Session 9: Chord Progressions
Overview
Section titled “Overview”- Phase: 2 — Building Blocks
- Duration: 1 hour
- Prerequisites: Completed Sessions 1-8. Can play C and G major chords. Can play C major scale. Understands time signatures and eighth notes.
Learning Objectives
Section titled “Learning Objectives”By the end of this session, you will be able to:
- Build and play an F major chord (F-A-C)
- Understand the I-IV-V chord progression in the key of C
- Play a LH block chord pattern (C, F, G progression)
- Play a Bollywood melody (“Tujhe Dekha Toh Ye Jaana Sanam”) with C, F, and G chord accompaniment
- Identify when a chord change happens by ear
Materials Needed
Section titled “Materials Needed”- Casio CT-X9000IN keyboard (Grand Piano tone — Tone 000, metronome ready)
- This lesson plan open beside you
Warm-Up (5 minutes)
Section titled “Warm-Up (5 minutes)”C Major Scale (Both Hands)
Section titled “C Major Scale (Both Hands)”Play the C major scale RH up and down at 60 BPM, then LH up and down at 60 BPM.
Chord Review: C and G
Section titled “Chord Review: C and G”Repeat 4 times. Smooth transitions, no pauses.
”When the Saints” Quick Check
Section titled “”When the Saints” Quick Check”Play Measures 1-4 (both hands) once. Is the melody confident and the chord changes smooth? Good — you are warmed up.
Theory (10 minutes)
Section titled “Theory (10 minutes)”The F Major Chord
Section titled “The F Major Chord”The F major chord is built from:
- F (root) — the white key to the left of the 3-black-key group
- A (third) — the white key between the second and third black keys of the 3-black-key group
- C (fifth) — the white key to the left of the 2-black-key group
LH F Major Chord:
Finger 5 on F, finger 3 on A, finger 1 on C. Press all three. Hold 4 beats.
RH F Major Chord:
Finger 1 on F, finger 3 on A, finger 5 on C. Press all three. Hold 4 beats.
Play each hand’s F chord 5 times.
You Now Know Three Chords: C, F, G
Section titled “You Now Know Three Chords: C, F, G”Compare all three with your LH:
Play this sequence and listen. C feels like “home.” F feels like a departure — warm and open. G feels like tension that wants to resolve. Then C feels like arriving home again.
This is not an accident. It is the most powerful chord progression in Western music.
The I-IV-V Progression
Section titled “The I-IV-V Progression”In the key of C major, the seven notes of the scale (C-D-E-F-G-A-B) are numbered with Roman numerals:
| Scale Degree | Note | Roman Numeral |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | C | I |
| 2nd | D | ii |
| 3rd | E | iii |
| 4th | F | IV |
| 5th | G | V |
| 6th | A | vi |
| 7th | B | vii |
The I chord is built on C = C major (C-E-G) The IV chord is built on F = F major (F-A-C) The V chord is built on G = G major (G-B-D)
I-IV-V (spoken “one-four-five”) is the foundation of rock, pop, blues, country, folk, and Bollywood music. With these three chords, you can accompany hundreds of songs.
Technique (15 minutes)
Section titled “Technique (15 minutes)”Three-Chord Change Drill
Section titled “Three-Chord Change Drill”Practice switching between all three chords with your LH. The goal is smooth, gapless transitions.
Exercise 1: I-IV-V-I
Repeat 5 times at 60 BPM.
Tips for the F chord transition:
- Moving from C chord to F chord: finger 5 moves from C down to F (a 4th down). Finger 3 moves from E down to A. Finger 1 moves from G down to C. The whole hand shifts down.
- Moving from F chord to G chord: finger 5 moves from F to G (one step up). Finger 3 moves from A to B (one step up). Finger 1 moves from C to D (one step up). Each finger moves up one step — this is the easiest transition.
Exercise 2: Half-Note Chord Changes
Repeat 5 times at 60 BPM. Faster chord changes — this builds agility.
Exercise 3: I-IV-V-I with RH Scale Pattern
Now combine the LH chord progression with a simple RH scale pattern:
This exercise connects scales and chords — the RH moves through scale passages while the LH provides the harmonic foundation. Play 3 times.
Repertoire (20 minutes)
Section titled “Repertoire (20 minutes)”“Tujhe Dekha Toh Ye Jaana Sanam” (Simplified) — Full Arrangement
Section titled ““Tujhe Dekha Toh Ye Jaana Sanam” (Simplified) — Full Arrangement”This beloved Bollywood melody from the film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) is one of the most recognizable tunes in Indian cinema. This simplified arrangement captures the iconic opening melody using notes within reach of your current skills.
Tempo: 72 BPM (gentle, romantic) Time Signature: 4/4 Key: C major (simplified from the original key)
Right Hand:
Place RH with finger 1 on Middle C. You will use the C position plus occasionally reaching to A and B above G:
Note about A: The note A is played by stretching finger 5 (pinky) from G up to A, or by briefly shifting your hand position one key to the right. Return to C position after playing A.
Learning approach:
Step 1: RH melody alone (5 minutes)
- Measures 1-4: The opening phrase. G, E, G, A — “Tu-jhe de-kha toh.” Then E, D, E, F, E — “ye jaa-na sa-nam.” Beautiful and flowing. Repeat 5 times.
- Measures 5-8: The second phrase. Same start, different ending. Measures 7-8 bring the melody home to C. Repeat 5 times.
- Measures 9-12: The answering phrase. Ascending then descending. Repeat 5 times.
- Full RH melody: All 12 measures.
Step 2: LH chords alone (3 minutes) Play through the chord progression. Notice the pattern: it mostly alternates between C and F chords, with G appearing in Measures 7 and 12. Practice the transitions.
Step 3: Both hands — 4 measures at a time (7 minutes)
- Measures 1-4 both hands, 3 times.
- Measures 5-8 both hands, 3 times.
- Measures 9-12 both hands, 3 times.
- Full 12 measures, both hands.
Dynamics:
- Measures 1-4: Play gently, with warmth (mezzo-piano). This is a love song.
- Measures 5-8: Maintain the gentle character. Let Measure 8’s final C ring softly.
- Measures 9-12: Slightly more energy — the melody rises. But keep it tender.
Review & Homework (10 minutes)
Section titled “Review & Homework (10 minutes)”Summary
Section titled “Summary”Today you learned:
- The F major chord: F-A-C — your third chord
- The I-IV-V progression in C: C major, F major, G major — the most important progression in music
- Smooth three-chord transitions with your LH
- “Tujhe Dekha Toh Ye Jaana Sanam” — a Bollywood classic with melody and chords
- With just C, F, and G chords, you can accompany hundreds of songs
Ear Training Exercise: Chord Change Detection
Section titled “Ear Training Exercise: Chord Change Detection”This exercise trains you to HEAR when a chord changes:
- Play the following chord progression with your LH while closing your eyes after starting:
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Can you hear the moment the chord changes from C to F? It should feel like a “shift” in the harmony — a new colour.
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Now try this:
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Count how many chord changes you hear. (Answer: 3 — C to G, G to C, C to F)
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Have someone else play a random sequence of C, F, and G chords. Can you identify when the chord changes? You do not need to name the chord — just say “change!” when you hear it.
Self-Check Questions
Section titled “Self-Check Questions”- What three notes make up an F major chord? (Answer: F, A, C)
- In the key of C, what are the I, IV, and V chords? (Answer: I = C major, IV = F major, V = G major)
- Why is the I-IV-V progression important? (Answer: It is the foundation of most popular music — rock, pop, blues, country, Bollywood — and allows you to accompany hundreds of songs with just three chords)
Practice Homework (Before Next Session)
Section titled “Practice Homework (Before Next Session)”- Three-chord drill — LH: C → F → G → C, whole notes, 5 repetitions at 60 BPM. Then try half notes for faster changes. (3 minutes daily)
- “Tujhe Dekha Toh” — Full 12 measures, RH alone twice, then both hands twice. At 72 BPM. (6 minutes daily)
- C major scale — RH and LH, 2 times each at 60 BPM. (2 minutes daily)
- “When the Saints” — Once through, both hands, to keep it polished. (2 minutes daily)
- Chord ear training — The chord change detection exercise above. (2 minutes daily)
Total daily practice: approximately 15 minutes.
Common Mistakes to Watch For
Section titled “Common Mistakes to Watch For”- F chord wrong notes: The F chord is F-A-C, NOT F-G-C or F-A-D. Use the black-key groups: F is left of the 3-black-key group, A is between the 2nd and 3rd black keys, C is left of the 2-black-key group.
- Chord transitions too slow: If there is a noticeable gap of silence between chords, you need to practice the transitions in isolation. Play C chord → F chord → C chord → F chord over and over until the switch is instant.
- RH and LH not synchronized: When the LH chord changes, make sure it changes on the correct beat — not early, not late. Use the metronome and count beats carefully.
- Playing the Bollywood melody too fast: “Tujhe Dekha Toh” is a romantic song. It should flow gently at 72 BPM. If it sounds rushed, you are playing too fast. Slow down and let the melody breathe.
CT-X9000IN Tips
Section titled “CT-X9000IN Tips”Indian Rhythm Accompaniment for the Bollywood Melody
Section titled “Indian Rhythm Accompaniment for the Bollywood Melody”Your keyboard has 39 Indian rhythms that sound fantastic with Bollywood melodies.
To find an Indian rhythm:
- Press RHYTHM.
- Browse to the Indian rhythm bank. These are typically numbered in the higher range — try rhythms around 211-249 (the exact numbers may vary; browse until you find rhythms labeled “Bollywood,” “Filmi,” “Bhangra,” or “Hindi Pop”).
- Alternatively, try Rhythm 211 or a similar Filmi/Bollywood rhythm.
- Set the tempo to 72 BPM.
- Press START/STOP to begin the rhythm.
- Play “Tujhe Dekha Toh” over the rhythm accompaniment.
The Indian rhythm section adds tabla, dholak, and other percussion instruments — instantly transforming your arrangement from a piano exercise into something that sounds like a film soundtrack. This is one of the biggest advantages of the CT-X9000IN for Indian music.
Tone Suggestion
Section titled “Tone Suggestion”After practicing with Grand Piano, try the melody with:
- Tone 195 (Sitar) for the RH melody while keeping Grand Piano for LH chords (you can only use one tone at a time without the recorder, so try recording the LH chords first, then playing the melody with a Sitar tone on top)
- This creates a beautiful fusion sound — Indian melodic instrument over Western piano chords