In Lesson 5 the C Major scale was introduced. The G major scale starts and ends on the note G, and contains an F# note instead of an F note. Play the following G major scale and notice that it still has the familiar sound Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do.
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The key of C major was discussed in the section on Key of C Major. Songs that are in this key utilize notes from the C major scale. Similarly, songs that are in the key of G major are said to utilize notes from the G major scale. Songs in the key of G will contain F# notes.
Instead of writing a sharp sign before every F note on the staff, it is easier to write just one sharp sign after each clef. This means that all the F notes on the staff are played as F# , even though there is no sharp sign written before them. This is called a key signature.
This is the key signature for the key of G major. It has one sharp sign after each clef.
The C major scale contains no sharps or flats, therefore the key signature for the key of C major contains no sharps or flats.
34 | I Yi Yi Yi (Cielito Lindo) |
I Yi Yi Yi is in the key of G major. Notice the key signature and play all F notes as F#. This is one of the most well known songs from Mexico. The left hand accompaniment contains chords played staccato in the first part of the song and broken chords in the second half.
Also notice that bar 10 contains a whole rest, which would typically indicate four quarter note rests, but this can also be used for a full bar of rest. As this piece is in 3/4 time, it represents a full-bar rest (in this case, three quarter note rests).
In Broken Chords you were introduced to the idea of playing the bass note followed by the chord. Another useful way of playing chords is arpeggio style. An arpeggio is a chord played one note at a time. This technique can be applied to any chord and can make the accompaniment to a melody much more interesting. The following example demonstrates the chords C and G7 played as arpeggios in ^ time.
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Once you are comfortable playing these chords as arpeggios, try adding a melody with the right hand, as shown in example 36. This is a new arrangement of the song you learned in Exercise 8.
36 | Austrian Waltz |
37 | Chopsticks |
Chopsticks is one of the most well known pieces of music for piano. If your hand is not big enough to stretch the octave in bar 7 you can play the whole right hand part of the song using two hands. The left hand part consists of arpeggios of the chords C and G7. Practice each hand separately at first if you have trouble co-ordinating the two parts. This song is in the key of C major as indicated by the key signature (i.e., no sharps or flats).
Like broken chords, arpeggios work equally well in any time signature. The following examples demonstrate some of the ways arpeggios can be used in * time. These examples are written in the key of G major as indicated by the key signature.
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39 | Banks of the Ohio |
This time the arpeggios are played as eighth notes. The pattern of four notes per chord is exactly the same but they are played over two beats instead of four beats. This may seem difficult at first, but remember that these arpeggios are the same chord shapes you already know, played one note at a time. Once again, practice each hand separately at first if necessary.
This song is in the key of G major. There is a tie between an eighth note and a quarter note in bar 13. This gives an "off beat" feel called syncopation.
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41 | The Sloop John B |