Chords for Imagine by John Lennon: Piano Tutorial
Tempo:
126.25 bpm
Chords used:
F
C
G
B
A
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
[F]
[C]
[F] In this video, I'm going to teach you to play a piano accompaniment for Imagine.
As always, my approach [Dm] is to do more than just teach you a [F] single song.
You're going [G] to learn the basic elements that make up this [C] arrangement,
[G] so you can use them to play other [A] songs [B] and to create your own.
[C] I'll also help you with the physical [F] aspects, what we call technique,
including fingering, [C] wrist motions, and so forth.
Imagine falls into that large category of songs that use only or mostly the 1, 4, and 5 chords.
In the key or scale of C, that would be 1, [Em] 2, [F] 3, 4, [G] and 5.
In the key of G, it would be 1, [Am] 2, [C] 3, 4, [D] and 5.
In the key of [F] F, 1, [Gm] 2, [Bb] 3, 4, [C] and 5, and so on.
To keep it simple, I'll be demonstrating the song in a key of C.
Both the introduction and verse simply go back and forth again and again between the 1 chord and the [F] 4.
Now, as you've learned in previous lessons, we usually like to avoid big leaps between [B] chords.
The sort of leaps you see here [C] when we play only [F] in root position.
[C] And we can avoid those leaps, as you've also learned, by inverting chords.
So if we take the root of the C chord off of the bottom and move it to the top, we now have the first inversion.
And now, look how smoothly that now connects to [F] the F chord.
[C] [F]
[Bb] In the bass line, as so often happens, we'll be playing the root of the chords.
So, for the C chord, [C] we play this.
And for the F [F] chord, this.
[C] So, those are the notes, or pitches.
Now let's talk rhythm.
There are various ways you could set these chords into motion.
The simplest would be to play the right hand chord on each beat, while the left hand holds down the [F] root.
[C] And so forth.
You could also add [G] an eighth note in the bass line at the end of each measure, and you'd have this.
[C] One and two and three and four [F] and three and four and one and two and three and four and [F]
three and four.
Here's another option.
For the 1 chord, the left pinky holds down [C] the root,
while the thumb plays the root an octave higher.
You count and play like this.
One and two and three and four and.
Then, for the 4 chord, the third finger holds down the root, while the thumb plays the fifth of the chord.
[F] One [C] and two and three and four and.
OK?
So, here's that same thing again in slow motion.
One and two and three and four and [F] one [C] and two and [F] three [C] and.
[F] [C] Notice how my wrists move in opposite directions.
Except on the first beat of each measure, of course, at which point they both drop down at the same time.
One and two and three and four and [F] one and two and three and four and.
Now, here's a third option, and this one sounds better when I start with [A] the C chord [C] in the second inversion and move it to the F chord in [F] first inversion.
[B] [C]
As you can see, my right hand rods back and forth [F] between the top two notes and the bottom or thumb note of each chord.
[C]
[F]
[C] As always, when you do this with your wrist rather than just your fingers, you'll end up with better [F] control and less fatigue.
[C] So, that covers notes and rhythm for [F] most of the verse.
The next part of the song, the verse ending, [C] uses what we call a descending bass line or a [F] walk down.
It's fairly easy to play and gives a really neat effect.
And we'll cover it as well as the song's all [Dm]-important bridge in the [F] next part of this tutorial.
[G] See you in part two.
[C] [G] [A]
[C]
[F] In this video, I'm going to teach you to play a piano accompaniment for Imagine.
As always, my approach [Dm] is to do more than just teach you a [F] single song.
You're going [G] to learn the basic elements that make up this [C] arrangement,
[G] so you can use them to play other [A] songs [B] and to create your own.
[C] I'll also help you with the physical [F] aspects, what we call technique,
including fingering, [C] wrist motions, and so forth.
Imagine falls into that large category of songs that use only or mostly the 1, 4, and 5 chords.
In the key or scale of C, that would be 1, [Em] 2, [F] 3, 4, [G] and 5.
In the key of G, it would be 1, [Am] 2, [C] 3, 4, [D] and 5.
In the key of [F] F, 1, [Gm] 2, [Bb] 3, 4, [C] and 5, and so on.
To keep it simple, I'll be demonstrating the song in a key of C.
Both the introduction and verse simply go back and forth again and again between the 1 chord and the [F] 4.
Now, as you've learned in previous lessons, we usually like to avoid big leaps between [B] chords.
The sort of leaps you see here [C] when we play only [F] in root position.
[C] And we can avoid those leaps, as you've also learned, by inverting chords.
So if we take the root of the C chord off of the bottom and move it to the top, we now have the first inversion.
And now, look how smoothly that now connects to [F] the F chord.
[C] [F]
[Bb] In the bass line, as so often happens, we'll be playing the root of the chords.
So, for the C chord, [C] we play this.
And for the F [F] chord, this.
[C] So, those are the notes, or pitches.
Now let's talk rhythm.
There are various ways you could set these chords into motion.
The simplest would be to play the right hand chord on each beat, while the left hand holds down the [F] root.
[C] And so forth.
You could also add [G] an eighth note in the bass line at the end of each measure, and you'd have this.
[C] One and two and three and four [F] and three and four and one and two and three and four and [F]
three and four.
Here's another option.
For the 1 chord, the left pinky holds down [C] the root,
while the thumb plays the root an octave higher.
You count and play like this.
One and two and three and four and.
Then, for the 4 chord, the third finger holds down the root, while the thumb plays the fifth of the chord.
[F] One [C] and two and three and four and.
OK?
So, here's that same thing again in slow motion.
One and two and three and four and [F] one [C] and two and [F] three [C] and.
[F] [C] Notice how my wrists move in opposite directions.
Except on the first beat of each measure, of course, at which point they both drop down at the same time.
One and two and three and four and [F] one and two and three and four and.
Now, here's a third option, and this one sounds better when I start with [A] the C chord [C] in the second inversion and move it to the F chord in [F] first inversion.
[B] [C]
As you can see, my right hand rods back and forth [F] between the top two notes and the bottom or thumb note of each chord.
[C]
[F]
[C] As always, when you do this with your wrist rather than just your fingers, you'll end up with better [F] control and less fatigue.
[C] So, that covers notes and rhythm for [F] most of the verse.
The next part of the song, the verse ending, [C] uses what we call a descending bass line or a [F] walk down.
It's fairly easy to play and gives a really neat effect.
And we'll cover it as well as the song's all [Dm]-important bridge in the [F] next part of this tutorial.
[G] See you in part two.
[C] [G] [A]
Key:
F
C
G
B
A
F
C
G
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[F] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[F] _ In this video, I'm going to teach you to play a piano accompaniment for Imagine.
_ As always, my approach [Dm] is to do more than just teach you a [F] single song.
You're going [G] to learn the basic elements that make up this [C] arrangement,
[G] so you can use them to play other [A] songs [B] and to create your own.
[C] _ I'll also help you with the physical [F] aspects, what we call technique,
_ including fingering, [C] wrist motions, and so forth. _ _ _
_ _ Imagine falls into that large category of songs that use only or mostly the 1, 4, and 5 chords.
In the key or scale of C, that would be 1, _ _ [Em] 2, [F] 3, _ 4, [G] and 5.
In the key of G, it would be 1, [Am] _ 2, [C] 3, 4, [D] and 5.
In the key of [F] F, _ 1, [Gm] 2, [Bb] 3, 4, [C] and 5, and so on.
To keep it simple, I'll be demonstrating the song in a key of C.
Both the introduction and verse simply go back and forth again and again between the 1 chord and the [F] 4.
_ _ Now, as you've learned in previous lessons, we usually like to avoid big leaps between [B] chords.
The sort of leaps you see here [C] when we play only [F] in root position.
_ _ _ [C] And we can avoid those leaps, as you've also learned, by inverting chords.
So if we take the root of the C chord off of the bottom and move it to the top, _ _ _ _ we now have the first inversion. _
And now, look how smoothly that now connects to [F] the F chord. _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ _ _ [F] _ _ _
_ _ [Bb] _ In the bass line, as so often happens, we'll be playing the root of the chords.
So, for the C chord, [C] _ _ we play this.
_ And for the F [F] chord, _ this.
_ _ _ [C] So, those are the notes, or pitches.
Now let's talk rhythm. _
There are various ways you could set these chords into motion.
_ The simplest would be to play the right hand chord _ on each beat, while the left hand holds down the [F] root. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ And so forth.
You could also add [G] an eighth note in the bass line at the end of each measure, and you'd have this.
[C] _ One and two and three and four [F] and _ _ _ _ _ three and four and one and two and three and four and [F] _ _ _
_ _ _ three and four. _
_ Here's another option.
For the 1 chord, the left pinky holds down [C] the root, _
while the thumb plays the root _ an octave higher.
_ _ You count and play like this.
_ _ One and two and three and four and.
_ Then, for the 4 chord, the third finger holds down the root, while the thumb plays the fifth of the chord.
_ [F] One [C] and two and three and _ four and.
OK?
So, here's that _ same thing again in slow motion.
_ One and two and three _ and four and _ [F] one [C] and _ two and [F] three [C] and.
[F] _ _ _ [C] _ Notice how my wrists move in opposite directions.
_ Except on the first beat of each measure, of course, at which point they both drop down at the same time. _ _ _
_ One and two and three and four and [F] one and two and three and four and.
_ Now, here's a third option, and this one sounds better when I start with [A] the C chord [C] in the second inversion and move it to the F chord in [F] first inversion. _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [B] _ _ [C] _
_ _ _ _ _ As you can see, my right hand rods back and forth [F] between the top two notes and the bottom or thumb note of each chord.
_ _ [C] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[F] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ As always, when you do this with your wrist rather than just your fingers, you'll end up with better [F] control and less fatigue. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ So, that covers notes and rhythm for [F] most of the verse.
The next part of the song, the verse ending, [C] uses what we call a descending bass line or a [F] walk down.
_ It's fairly easy to play and gives a really neat effect.
And we'll cover it as well as the song's all [Dm]-important bridge in the [F] next part of this tutorial.
[G] _ See you in part two. _ _ _
[C] _ _ [G] _ _ _ [A] _ _ _
[F] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[F] _ In this video, I'm going to teach you to play a piano accompaniment for Imagine.
_ As always, my approach [Dm] is to do more than just teach you a [F] single song.
You're going [G] to learn the basic elements that make up this [C] arrangement,
[G] so you can use them to play other [A] songs [B] and to create your own.
[C] _ I'll also help you with the physical [F] aspects, what we call technique,
_ including fingering, [C] wrist motions, and so forth. _ _ _
_ _ Imagine falls into that large category of songs that use only or mostly the 1, 4, and 5 chords.
In the key or scale of C, that would be 1, _ _ [Em] 2, [F] 3, _ 4, [G] and 5.
In the key of G, it would be 1, [Am] _ 2, [C] 3, 4, [D] and 5.
In the key of [F] F, _ 1, [Gm] 2, [Bb] 3, 4, [C] and 5, and so on.
To keep it simple, I'll be demonstrating the song in a key of C.
Both the introduction and verse simply go back and forth again and again between the 1 chord and the [F] 4.
_ _ Now, as you've learned in previous lessons, we usually like to avoid big leaps between [B] chords.
The sort of leaps you see here [C] when we play only [F] in root position.
_ _ _ [C] And we can avoid those leaps, as you've also learned, by inverting chords.
So if we take the root of the C chord off of the bottom and move it to the top, _ _ _ _ we now have the first inversion. _
And now, look how smoothly that now connects to [F] the F chord. _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ _ _ [F] _ _ _
_ _ [Bb] _ In the bass line, as so often happens, we'll be playing the root of the chords.
So, for the C chord, [C] _ _ we play this.
_ And for the F [F] chord, _ this.
_ _ _ [C] So, those are the notes, or pitches.
Now let's talk rhythm. _
There are various ways you could set these chords into motion.
_ The simplest would be to play the right hand chord _ on each beat, while the left hand holds down the [F] root. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ And so forth.
You could also add [G] an eighth note in the bass line at the end of each measure, and you'd have this.
[C] _ One and two and three and four [F] and _ _ _ _ _ three and four and one and two and three and four and [F] _ _ _
_ _ _ three and four. _
_ Here's another option.
For the 1 chord, the left pinky holds down [C] the root, _
while the thumb plays the root _ an octave higher.
_ _ You count and play like this.
_ _ One and two and three and four and.
_ Then, for the 4 chord, the third finger holds down the root, while the thumb plays the fifth of the chord.
_ [F] One [C] and two and three and _ four and.
OK?
So, here's that _ same thing again in slow motion.
_ One and two and three _ and four and _ [F] one [C] and _ two and [F] three [C] and.
[F] _ _ _ [C] _ Notice how my wrists move in opposite directions.
_ Except on the first beat of each measure, of course, at which point they both drop down at the same time. _ _ _
_ One and two and three and four and [F] one and two and three and four and.
_ Now, here's a third option, and this one sounds better when I start with [A] the C chord [C] in the second inversion and move it to the F chord in [F] first inversion. _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [B] _ _ [C] _
_ _ _ _ _ As you can see, my right hand rods back and forth [F] between the top two notes and the bottom or thumb note of each chord.
_ _ [C] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[F] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ As always, when you do this with your wrist rather than just your fingers, you'll end up with better [F] control and less fatigue. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ So, that covers notes and rhythm for [F] most of the verse.
The next part of the song, the verse ending, [C] uses what we call a descending bass line or a [F] walk down.
_ It's fairly easy to play and gives a really neat effect.
And we'll cover it as well as the song's all [Dm]-important bridge in the [F] next part of this tutorial.
[G] _ See you in part two. _ _ _
[C] _ _ [G] _ _ _ [A] _ _ _