How to Add a Simple Left Hand Rhythm to Piano Chords

"What do I do with my left hand?" 

That's a common question people ask when they first start playing piano chords. The first step is to play the root of the chord in your left hand. The root of the chord is what the chord is named after.

For example if you are playing a C Major triad chord in your right hand, you could play a single C with your left hand:

If you want to take it up a notch and add some rhythm into your left hand, you can add a nice simple 1st and 5th interval pattern and just alternate between the two.

The easiest way to find the 1st and 5th intervals of the chord in your left hand is to mirror the right hand chord with your left and take the middle key out. If you place your fingers evenly over the keys your thumb and pinky (1st and 5th fingers) will be on the 1st and 5th intervals.

For example C Major:

Then you can simply alternate between the 1st and 5th in your left hand whilst playing along with your right hand chords. You can apply this pattern to any chord.

If you find it easier to follow video lessons, here is a quick 3 minute overview on how to do it, and what it sounds like:

This is just the tip of the iceberg. There really is a lot you can do with piano chords, and if you know how to use them properly you really can sound amazing on the piano without even having to learn to read sheet music.

Check out my online course called The Ultimate Piano Chords Course to learn all about them.