How is your piano playing coming? Did you start to learn the major scales and stop after the key of G or F? Two or more sharps or flats got you stumped? Find yourself turning the page when you see a key signature of three sharps? Read on.

While it is not necessarily detrimental to your piano playing career not to be able to play in all the major keys. Being able to play them can make your piano playing come alive and make transposing and just playing in general infinitely easier.

Since there are only 12 major keys why not devote an entire week to learning a key and its primary chords. Start with the key of F and go counterclockwise on the circle of fifths. Since most people go clockwise this will encourage you to dive right in and start learning all the flat keys first.

Also make it a point to learn the Primary chords that go along with each key. Make your hands become familiar with the 1 chord, the IV chord, the V and V7 chord and all of their inversions. Root position, 1st inversion and second inversion.

Play these chords with both hands.

Play chords with your left hand while doing the scale of the key you are currently studying in your right. Then move on and play chords with your right hand and the scale you are studying with your left.

Play your scales staccato and your chords arpeggiated.

Make sure you learn the correct fingering.

It may be slow going at first but it will pay off in the end.

For print outs to help you, including the Circle of Fifths, Scale Fingerings, and Primary Chords visit The Struggling Church Musician and go to the Tools from the Struggling Church Musician section.