How to Play Piano For Beginners (The ONLY Video You'll Need!)

The instructor Cory Lennox introduces himself and his qualifications. He outlines the goal of teaching piano in the simplest and most effective way. The video will cover playing, music theory, technique and arranging.

Cory explains that most people want to learn piano to play songs. He breaks down songs into melody (the part you would sing) and chords (the accompaniment). To play songs on piano, you usually play the melody with the right hand and chords with the left.

Cory explains the layout of the piano, including white keys, black keys, and note names. He recommends an exercise to identify notes on the piano using black key groups, rather than stickers. He also covers sharps, flats, and half/whole steps.

Cory recommends learning chords first, allowing you to play songs by singing the melody over chord accompaniment. This way you can learn many songs with just a few chords. He then explains major and minor chords, the most common chord types.

Cory demonstrates how to build major and minor chords on piano using the root, 3rd, and 5th notes. He explains the difference lies in the middle 3rd note. Viewers are encouraged to practice finding major/minor chords starting with white keys.

Now that chord fundamentals are covered, Cory explains how you can sing or play melodies over those chords to perform songs. He encourages practicing easy songs using printable chord charts. 7th chords can be simplified to major/minor for now.

Cory discusses hand form technique to avoid injury long-term, including keeping a curved hand shape and avoiding collapsed or tense fingers. He provides an exercise to develop technique playing each finger slowly.

Cory explains different arranging variations from easy to advanced. Beginners can focus just on melody or chords, then coordinate hands together over time. An exercise has students practice scales in one hand while playing chords in the other.

Cory demonstrates ways to vary your chord playing to create interest, including inversions (changing chord note order), playing chords broken, high/low, rhythmic patterns etc. This builds creativity in your personal style.

Cory outlines different learning approaches including reading sheet music, watching online tutorials, using lead sheets (simplified notation), and playing by ear once skilled. Lesson books provide a well-rounded foundation.

Cory introduces music theory, explaining how scales allow you to produce melodies, chord progressions, train your ear and more. Chords themselves derive from scales as well in a key.

Cory demonstrates the whole and half step formula to construct major scales, using C and G as examples. He recommends an exercise practicing scales to gain comfort finding notes and improve technique.

Cory explains diatonic chords derived from the major scale. Starting on each scale degree produces a related chord. Together these chords comprise a key. This concept will assist with songwriting and improvisation.

Cory demonstrates common chord progressions as prearranged chord sequences, allowing you to easily write songs and accompany melodies. He provides examples of popular progressions used across genres.

Cory explains inversions, changing the bottom and top notes of chords. This can assist hand movement between more difficult chords on piano, keeping common tones between chords.

Cory briefly explains the derivation of the minor scale beginning on the 6th degree of its relative major. This gives a darker emotional quality used across music genres.

Cory provides quick additional tips: weighted keyboards are recommended, he suggests the Adult Piano Adventures lesson book series, progress to play melodies comfortably takes approx. 1-3 years depending on goals.