A little background:

I have only been playing since November, 2009. I'm working though the Alfred All-In-One series, currently on book 1.

I'm wondering if anyone has any tips/tricks/techniques/exercises for finger coordination on chords? I find - virtually on every chord - that one finger always hits first making the chord sound horrible. Is there something that I can do to build this skill?

This is especially evident on chords with sharps or flats. I practice the transitions constantly to no avail and can't figure out what to try to correct it.

How were you introduced to chord playing? What steps did your teacher take you through?

What Kreisler is trying to say is that for chords you need to learn to drop your arm weight into the keys.

No, what I was trying to say was:

"How were you introduced to chord playing? What steps did your teacher take you through?"

None really. I just recently hired a teacher, had been doing this all on my own so far, but when I asked about this particular issue I really received no solid answer, basically "practice". I don't believe I will be using this teacher very long for quite a few reasons not just this one. I'm not fond of having a teacher that uses a digital keyboard, not a digital piano, as his teaching instrument. And it isn't even a full 88 keys keyboard. So moving from my piano to a keyboard is frustrating.

It's very hard as a newcomer to the piano to find a decent teacher. Not knowing what to ask or what to expect is quite disheartening.

Anyway, my first introduction to chords has been through the Alfred and Hal Lenard books.

A couple of exercises to consider; described here for the RH in C major.

Play all five keys at the same time - CDEFG - with fingers 12345. This will help the fingers develop and encourage you to use the full weight of your arm to drop into the keys. As you do this, allow the wrist to be flexible; dipping down as you play the keys, and lifting as you release.

Do the same exercise, but with fingers 1 and 5 on C and G. You can also practice other combinations: 13, 35, and 24, and 14 and 25.

It's impossible to know without watching to you play, but it sounds like you're trying to depress the keys through the action of the fingers. For chord playing, the arm does most of the work, but the fingers need to still be engaged to control the sound and direct the energy. The exercises above can help you do that.

Oh, and a teacher with a digital keyboard whose idea of help means saying "practice" is a complete waste of time and money. Fire them and look elsewhere. You can do a lot better in Ft. Lauderdale.

I didn't think I had long to wait.

I would give Gary D a call - he definitely knows what he's doing though maybe not near you. He'll post later.

Who is Gary D? How can I call him?

Here's his profile:
http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/users/34379/Gary%20D..html
Send him a private message.

Well, so far Gary D is a bust. I have not had a reply to the message I sent him. Maybe he's out of town or no longer watching the forums here. Any other suggestions?

It is sometimes more work finding a good piano teacher than practicing. Finding the right teacher will make the difference between night and day in your progress.

Kreisler is right: there are good ones out there.
How to find them?

Hang out at sheet music stores, check out local advertising paper advertisements for recitals, ask around at colleges, ask at piano stores. Ask them what experience they have with adults. Request one or two trial lessons. Be willing to spend a few months interviewing people for the position you are hiring for.

Imagine trying to learn ballroom dancing alone from a mail order course. Teaching yourself how to properly play the piano is a lot more difficult.

That's weird. He's posted every day including today.