Library   /   Courses   /   Key of D Minor – Jonny’s Moonflight

Key of D Minor – Jonny’s Moonflight

Membership Required

Subscribe to a membership plan for full access to this course and learning resources!

Start Your Free Trial

Instructor
Jonny May
Course
Beginner
01:41:58

D minor is often called “the saddest of all keys,” but this course shows you it can also be a lot of fun. It’s closely related to F major, so the notes will feel familiar. You’ll learn the D minor scale in each hand, plus two variations that give minor music its unique flavor. You’ll also play it up the keyboard and learn Jonny’s tricks for playing scales quickly.

Next, you’ll learn the 10 chords you’ll find in almost every D minor song and four chord progressions (chord patterns) used in popular music. Then you’ll bring it all together with Jonny’s Moon Flight, a fun original swing tune and a tip of the hat to “Fly Me to the Moon.”

Once you’re comfortable, you’ll learn inversions, which are different ways to play the same chord, and use them to make Jonny’s Moon Flight sound smoother. Then you’ll play it along with a bass and drums backing track, so you can feel what it’s like to swing with a band. Finally, you’ll learn simple ways to play chords for someone else to sing or play along to.

Course Objectives
  • Play D natural, harmonic and melodic minor across multiple octaves, with tricks for building speed
  • Learn the 10 most common chords and four essential chord progressions in D minor
  • Use inversions and voice leading to make your chord changes smooth and effortless
  • Swing through Jonny's Moon Flight with a full backing track
  • Accompany other musicians using three chord grooves in D minor
Learning Focus
  • Chords
  • Groove
  • Lead Sheets
  • Scales
  • Songs
Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

Fun with Dm
Enjoyed the lesson and learned a lot especially playing in syncopation with melody and chords. Lots of room here to practice different grooves.
Enjoyable
I’m finding these courses a lot of fun but also challenging. Its amazing how much I have picked up in such a short time period.
Fill in the gaps of Dminor
great tip regarding root position to 2nd inversion of the following chord pattern
Something New in Every Course
I haven't played any swing style pieces, so this was a fun addition to the usual parts about scales, diatonic chords, chord progressions, inversions, and accompaniment. I find the minor scales more challenging with all of the different variations in scales and extra chords that come from that. Doing all of these exercises in each key is reinforcing the concepts well and building muscle memory and chord recognition.
Loved the patterns
Loved the patterns with RH inversions and simple but effective addition to melody

Course Lessons

1
Key of D Minor – Lesson 1
14:53

Natural, Harmonic & Melodic Minor Scales

View lesson
2
Key of D Minor – Lesson 2
16:32

4 Chord Progressions

View lesson
3
Key of D Minor – Lesson 3
31:29

“Jonny’s Moonflight,” Melody, Chords, & Groove Options

View lesson
4
Key of D Minor – Lesson 4
17:30

Inversions

View lesson
5
Key of D Minor – Lesson 5
10:19

Performance with Backing Track

View lesson
6
Key of D Minor – Lesson 6
11:15

Accopmaniment

View lesson
Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

Fun with Dm
Enjoyed the lesson and learned a lot especially playing in syncopation with melody and chords. Lots of room here to practice different grooves.
Enjoyable
I’m finding these courses a lot of fun but also challenging. Its amazing how much I have picked up in such a short time period.
Fill in the gaps of Dminor
great tip regarding root position to 2nd inversion of the following chord pattern
Something New in Every Course
I haven't played any swing style pieces, so this was a fun addition to the usual parts about scales, diatonic chords, chord progressions, inversions, and accompaniment. I find the minor scales more challenging with all of the different variations in scales and extra chords that come from that. Doing all of these exercises in each key is reinforcing the concepts well and building muscle memory and chord recognition.
Loved the patterns
Loved the patterns with RH inversions and simple but effective addition to melody
Related Courses
Key of F Major – Jonny’s Bamba

Explore the festive, spirited key of F major and learn the one small fingering twist that sets its scale apart. You'll also learn the chords behind popular songs and finish with a fun Latin-flavored original tune.

Key of A Minor – Jonny Darko

Discover the moody, dramatic sound of a minor key, and learn the three scales that give it its unique character. You'll finish by playing Jonny Darko, a fun original tune.

Key of G Minor – Funkalicious

Get your groove on with the funky, bluesy side of G minor. You'll learn the scales and chords that make this key tick, then play and improvise over Flunkalicious, a funky blues original.

Join Us

Get instant access to this Course and other member features with a PWJ membership!

Guided Learning Tracks

View guided learning tracks for all music styles and skill levels

Progress Tracking

Complete lessons and courses as you track your learning progress

Downloadable Resources

Download Sheet Music and Backing Tracks

Community Forums

Engage with other PWJ members in our member-only community forums

Become a better piano player today. Try us out completely free for 14 days!

Get Started