How to Teach Chord Progressions to Beginners – Video Tutorial

by Tim Topham in Beginners on February 19, 2018. 16 Comments

Teaching Chord Progressions

To start the year off with a bang, I’ve been teaching most of my students about chord progressions and how easy they are to construct.

For my junior kids and those who like pop music, I tend to stay away from music reading for at least a week to get everyone having fun and being musical without the pressure of reading.

In fact, for my complete beginner students, I don’t use a method book for at least their first 10 weeks of piano lessons.

Everyone loves playing chords – they are the easiest way to sound good on piano, especially when a student’s reading is still slow.

With a bit of rhythm and pedal, even the simplest progression can sound pretty epic!

Read to the bottom for 27 free, easy and great chord progressions to inspire creativity in your students.

Teaching Video

In this lesson, I show you a little trick I like to use to spice up chord progressions.

I show you how to add a common tone to a chord progression, but change the notes around it to make it sound more interesting.

Check it out and try it out!

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Plans & Pricing

Teaching Chords to Beginners

If you’d like to see an older video I recorded on how to teach chord progressions to beginner piano students, check out this video.

This will take things back a step for you.

Also don’t forget to check out my No Book Beginner framework for more great resources.

More Chord Teaching Resources

If you’re new to teaching chords, then please check out some of my other resources including:

My B.S. Method for teaching any chord on the piano
The introduction lessons in my 4 Chord Composing course which also covers teaching a chord-based approach

Free Download

I have put together a handout featuring 27 easy chord progressions your students can play.

These aren’t based on real songs, but are just chord progressions I have played and taught over the years.

They range in difficulty, so there is always something for one of your students!

Print these out and take them out on a rainy day, or use them as a part of your creative lesson starter ideas.

To get your copy, please enter your details below.

by Tim Topham

When I published the No Book Beginners framework I hoped it would give teachers the confidence to teach more creatively, and that’s exactly what it’s done for Georgina Jordan. Georgina is a piano teacher in the UK who had a very traditional music education and was struggling to add creativity into her lessons. She joined ... How to Teach Chord Progressions to Beginners – Video Tutorial

by Tim Topham

What is the best way to teach beginner piano students and to inspire, engage and motivate them in their first lesson? Is it through opening a method book and teaching students how to read middle C? Or, is it through: Exploring the piano Creating musical stories Playing games Playing by ear Transposing Harmonising, and Improvising? If ... How to Teach Chord Progressions to Beginners – Video Tutorial

by Tim Topham

Here are five easy songs for your beginner piano students.

by Nicola Cantan

Forget about cadences, inversions and singing “here comes the bride” to remind about intervals. Today we’re talking about aural piano activities you can do right from the word go. These aural piano activities are not only great for your new students’ ears. They also serve as wonderful brain breaks or off-the-bench time. These ideas all ... How to Teach Chord Progressions to Beginners – Video Tutorial

by Erika Turpin

Be encouraging of your adult students.

by Tim Topham

When I first heard about Music Learning Theory and the work of Dr Edwin Gordon, a whole lot of puzzle pieces I had about music reading suddenly fitted into place. Put simply, Music Learning Theory is a research-based explanation of how we learn when we learn music. What is the best approach? How do we give students the skills they need to 'talk' the language of music before they start reading?

About the author

Tim Topham

Tim Topham is the founder and director of TopMusic. Tim hosts the popular TopCast show, blogs regularly at topmusic.co and speaks at local and international conferences on topics such as pedagogy, business, marketing and entrepreneurship. Tim has been featured in American Music Teacher, The Piano Teacher Magazine, California Music Teacher and EPTA Piano Professional. Tim holds an MBA in Educational Leadership, BMus, DipEd and AMusA.

16 Comments

DMC says:

09/20/2021 at 1:52 am

Looking forward to receiving my chord progression download!

Reply
Rbear says:

06/27/2021 at 5:46 pm

Can I get the chord profs pls…hard to fill this in on your page with the great big sidebar…

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Martin says:

04/14/2021 at 4:21 am

Would love the chord progression book please.
Thank you so much

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Steve says:

04/12/2021 at 8:21 pm

This is exciting

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Jessica says:

02/26/2019 at 4:19 pm

I’d love the free download of chord progressions you use with your students. Thanks Tim!

Reply
- Tim Topham says:
  
  02/26/2019 at 11:26 pm
  
  Great Jessica – just leave your name and email in the box above.
  
  Reply
Obalana says:

09/23/2017 at 5:34 pm

Please, teach me to play the piano… I know nothing about it. Please ????.
Thank you

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Chatty Hattie Vanella says:

11/02/2015 at 6:25 am

You’re a really good Teacher. I was looking for some new perspective in teaching this private class and this was wonderful. Thank you. 🙂

Reply
- Tim Topham says:
  
  11/02/2015 at 8:52 am
  
  Thanks Chatty – glad to hear it was helpful 🙂
  
  Reply
Diane Densmore says:

11/10/2014 at 6:27 pm

The lesson video was super helpful–thanks for sharing. I did not know about “slash chords” before this; I am excited about using them with my students.

Reply
- Tim Topham says:
  
  09/09/2015 at 2:48 pm
  
  Great news, Diane. Slash chords add so much colour – I hope your students enjoy them!
  
  Reply
Tammy says:

03/08/2014 at 8:58 am

The link to the progression is not working. If you have a moment, would you mind posting a new copy of the chord progressions? Really enjoyed the video and how much progress this bright young man made! Thanks for sharing!

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Kerin Brown says:

07/07/2013 at 9:00 pm

Thanks Tim – very useful! I am a music teacher in a primary school with lots of Orff tuned percussion – I can see myself using your techniques and chord progressions to start my classes improvising.
Kerin

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David says:

02/16/2013 at 1:24 pm

Excellent lesson, Tim. Would be interesting to see what the student brought back next lesson as his improvisation!

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Julie Foxall says:

02/15/2013 at 9:58 pm

Thanks Tim. I really enjoyed watching this. This is just the sort of thing I need to do with some of my boys and I had been wondering how to go about it. I have had very little experience of improv so this is so helpful.
Many thanks
Julie Foxall, Bristol, England.

Reply
leiaslessons says:

02/15/2013 at 6:31 pm

This was amazing! My students are all still beginners (I started my teaching studio in October)… I can’t wait till they’re at the level where I can do this type of activity with them!

Reply