Christmas Carols Galore

Here are some familiar old carols that can be played on the piano (or guitar0 with just a few chords:

Silent Night
Away In A Manger
Joy To The World
Deck The Halls
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
O Come, O Come Immanuel
Star Of The East
The First Noel
The Holly And The Ivy
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
O Christmas Tree
Angels We Have Heard On High

For a quick way to learn how to do that, go to:

Christmas Carols for those just starting out

Music Scales -- A Ladder Of Notes

If you were anything like me, you hated to practice scales when you were a kid taking lessons. I couldn't see any possible use for playing scales, or even knowing them.

Boy was I wrong!

Without scales I wouldn't have a clue how to form chords, improvise, make up fills and riffs and so on. Plus I wouldn't have the technique to play what I need to play.

So thank heavens for my teachers who drilled scales into me.

If you need to brush up on your major or minor scales, please go to:

http://www.playpiano.com/101-tips/Scales-Major-Relative-Minor-Special.htm

Christmas Carols By Ear

If you enjoy playing Christmas Carols, check out the free sample videos by Jermaine over at http://www.playpiano.com/christmassongsbyear.htm.

Pretty taste stuff!

Previn & Peterson together playing the blues

Two of my favorite pianists play the blues: the great Oscar Peterson and Andre Previn together.

Dig!

What fingers should I use?

Lots of people have asked me over the years what finger to use on such and such a piece of music.

I can usually suggest a workable fingering, but people's hands are so different, that it is hard to generalize.

I have a very small hand, so I can't reach things on the keyboard that people with big hands can. So I use a different fingering than they do.

For some general principles of fingering, please click here.