Want to master John Lennon's "Imagine" on the piano? Good decision! This is a nice tune that is both approachable for beginners and difficult enough to be rewarding if you're learning to play the piano. You don't need to worry about sharps and flats because it is in C Major. At a slower tempo, it still sounds natural. Last but not least, it's a timeless ballad written by a top composer of popular music.
You can see chord: Chord John Lennon - Imagine - Kumpulan Chord Gitar (basic-chord.blogspot.com)
1. The Verse (the well-known "Imagine" piano riff)
The riff from "Imagine" serves as our intro. The verse section's main riff serves as its foundation.
Play C and F two octaves below middle C on your left hand. Anchor notes are these notes. The range of your right hand is one octave below middle C. To make it simpler to visualize these notes, we have written them out in the bass clef.
You may have noticed that we are effectively playing a C Major triad in the first measure (C-E-G). However, we switch back and forth between the root note, C, and the upper two notes (E and G).
We then go to a F chord. The bass note, F, will be played on our left hand. We'll switch back and forth between F-A and C on our right hand.
The riff is completed with an A-Bb-B chromatic ascent.
2. The Pre-chorus
We continue to rock in the pre-chorus area, but the chords get a little more intricate. The sequence is as follows:
F, Am/E, Dm7, Am/C, G, and G
If this seems intimidating and difficult, don't be concerned! First off, you are already familiar with the F chord. Just a little differently is played in the right hand. A-C are in the upper notes, and F is in the bottom.
Look at the Am/E, Dm7, and Am/C chords now.
The chords Am/E and Am/C are slashes. When you play the chord before the slash with your right hand and the note following the slash with your left hand, you are creating a slash chord.
This means that when playing Am/E, we play E on the left hand and alternate between playing A-C and E on the right hand.
Actually, "F/C" is a misprint; the correct chord is Am/C. Consequently, we play C with the left hand and rock from A to C to E with the right.
What about the Dm7 chord that comes next? The notes D, F, A, and C make up the jazzy seventh chord known as Dm7. You'll play D with your left hand. You'll alternate between F-C and D on your right.
Two G chords, one in second inversion and the other in root position, are then used to finish the piece. I'm done now!
You might notice that a descending scale is being played by your left hand. Before continuing, don't be scared to isolate this area and practice it slowly a few times because the chord changes in this section happen a little more quickly and may require more practice.
3. The Chorus
A fairly straightforward F chord and a G chord are used to open the chorus. Just be mindful that the right hand moves from the F chord's F-A to A-C.
The G chord is a simple G triad, with G on the left hand and B-D and G alternately on the right.
Then we switch to a C Major chord, and towards the conclusion there is a brief turnaround where we add a B. Give it a little more practice to make it more fluid. Adapt the tempo as necessary.
This smoothly transitions us into an E Major chord. E-G#-B are the notes in E Major, so beware of the G sharp!
An E7 chord is what comes next. E-G#-B-D makes up an E7 chord. The seventh note of the E Major scale, the extra D, gives the song an additional splash of color. It demonstrates John Lennon's talent as a lyricist.
Then, this action just repeats! The next G is marked with a natural sign (), which simply denotes that this G won't be sharpened.
4. Piano Instruction for "Imagine"
I'm done now! You've completed all three movements of this cherished tune.
Although the song is slow and steady, it has several memorable moments, like the chromatic rise.
You'll develop crucial, lifelong piano skills if you practice a lot to make this tune sound tight.
Never forget: there's nothing wrong with taking your time! Use a metronome, set it to a slow tempo, and then increase the speed gradually.
Isolate those parts of the transitions that you have trouble with, and practice them. Don't just repeat the entire song in your practice sessions. It is more efficient and beneficial to be specific about your practice.
A recording of the music can also be used as a guide. Your ear training will benefit, and practicing will be simpler the more familiar you are with a song.