Robel
Robel - Apr 30, 2024
We continued discussing jazz chords focusing our discussion on dominant seventh chords as they are used in 12 Bar Blues:
We worked on a blues in a meter of 3 (3 beats in a measure of music) in the key of C
C7 - - - - - C7 - - - - - C7 - - - - - C7 - - - - -
F7 - - - - - F7 - - - - - C7 - - - - - C7 - - - - -
G7 - - - - - F7 - - - - - C7 - - - - - C7 - - - - -
I'll get a video up as soon as I can.
Robel & Jaaziel - Apr 22, 2024
We continued discussing jazz chords. We reviewed intervals:
m2, M2, m3, M3, P4, 4+ (augmented 4th or diminished 5th), m6, M6, m7, M7, P8
We worked on learning the blues.
Robel - Apr 1, 2024
We talked about Jazz chords. They are named by the root letter name of the chord and the intervals that are in the chord.
We worked on Mr. Magic.
Jazz songs have a head (melody) the you play once or twice,
then an improv section,
Then you return to the head to end the song
When you work on improvisation - use the C blues scale. The notes are given in the video.
We reviewed Despacito chords.
Jaaziel & Robel - Feb 19, 2024
Jaaziel recorded the Back for Piano Marvel
We talked about Jazz chords. They are named by the root letter name of the chord and the intervals that are in the chord.
We learned Mr. Magic.
Jazz songs have a head (melody) the you play once or twice,
then an improv section,
Then you return to the head to end the song
When you work on improvisation - use the C blues scale. The notes are given in the video.
Robel and I talked about using Ableton live for worship, and possibly using Audacity to record.
Jaaziel & Robel - Feb 19, 2024
Jaaziel recorded the Back for Piano Marvel
We talked about Jazz chords. They are named by the root letter name of the chord and the intervals that are in the chord.
We learned Mr. Magic.
Jazz songs have a head (melody) the you play once or twice,
then an improv section,
Then you return to the head to end the song
When you work on improvisation - use the C blues scale. The notes are given in the video.
Robel and I talked about using Ableton live for worship, and possibly using Audacity to record.
Jaaziel/Robel -Feb 5, 2024
Jaaziel - worked on Bach. It is smoothing out and you are getting prepared to record. For next week. Slow it down and play with a click many times. Get it smooth. Make your brain pay attention to each line without being able to rush through.
Work on playing staccato notes short and disconnected
Worked on Let it Rain - Michael W Smith
6 - - - 4 - - - 1 - - - 5 - - - pattern over and over
use 6th in the right hand to decorate the chords
bass line pattern dotted quarter, eight tied to half note
when it drops in intensity, use a pattern in the left hand that goes:
A - E - B - C under 6 chord
F - C - G - A under 4 chord
C - G - D - E under 1 chord
B - G - B - D under 6 chord
Robel brought his keyboard - the 5-pin midi cord has to be inserted with the in side going to the out port and the out side going to the in port.
We worked on improv over a chord change with 7th chords.
C major 7 chord
D minor 7 chord
E minor 7 chord
F major 7 chord
We talked about learning jazz chord names
Robel/Jaaziel -Jan 22, 2024
Robel - played C scale
Robel - Technique section level 2A - work on ear training and intervals. Look for steps and skips. Read the steps and skips more often than the notes.
Jaaziel played almost all the way through Bach Two Part Invention #4 in D minor -
Keep working this one section at a time - one hand at a time. This will be the piece to record for the Piano Marvel Video Competition in Feb.
We worked on ear training - recognizing chords. Bruno Mars - Count on Me
1 - 1 - 3 - 3 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 4 -
1 - 1 - 3 - 3 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 4 -
2 - 2 - 3 - 3- 4 - 4 - 5 - - -
1 - 1 - 3 - 3 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 5 -
1 - 1 - 3 - 3 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 5 -
1 - 1 - 3 - 3 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 5 -
December
Robel/Jaaziel - Dec 11, 2023
Robel - reviewed notes in online flash card game.
Robel and Jaaziel played the 2nd Duet in the Piano Duet book 1.
Worked on Jolly Old St Nicholas in Christmas Challenge.
Jaaziel - keep working on the Bach Two Part Invention #4 in D minor -
Keep working this one section at a time - one hand at a time. This will be the piece to record for the Piano Marvel Video Competition in Feb.
We worked on Mary Did You Know in E minor.
November
Robel/Jaaziel - November 27, 2023
Robel - reviewed notes in online flash card game.
Took the SASR & scored 153
Worked on Jolly Old St Nicholas in Christmas Challenge.
Jaaziel - keep working on the Bach Two Part Invention #4 in D minor -
excellent progress. Remember to watch for fingering issues. Usually at important points the arrangers of the music will put the appropriate finger numbers under the notes to make sure you are able to play the line smoothly at the speed it was intended to be played.
We worked on Mary Did You Know in E minor.
progression is 1 (e minor) chord, 7 chord (D major), 6 (C major), 5 chord (would be B minor but whenever we play a 5 chord in this song we're going to make it a major chord - that means playing B-D#-F#) look below for the progression of chords under the verse:
1 chord - - - 7 - - - 6 - - - 5 (major) - - -
1 chord - - - 7 - - - 6 - - - 5 - - -
4 chord - - - 7 - - - 3 - - - 1 - - -
4 chord - - - 4 - - - 5 sus (B-E-F#) - - - 5 (major B-D#-F#)
Robel - November 30
We worked the pattern 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 5 - 5 and back to an 86 bpm drum beat in C, G, A, E and B.
Robel worked on the Name That Note game on the Richman Music School site.
Remember the lines and spaces of the treble clef. Play the game this week several times. Get 200 on it.
We worked more on Despacito in C (the original is in D, but if you load the "transpose" extension on microsoft Edge, you can change the key down to C.)
We worked on inversions (meaning, we played the 4 chord with the F on the top instead of on the bottom, and we played the 5 chord with the G on the top instead of on the bottom)
Robel - November 6
We worked the pattern 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 5 - 5 and back to an 86 bpm drum beat in C, G, A, E and B.
Robel worked on the Name That Note game on the Richman Music School site.
Remember the lines and spaces of the treble clef. Play the game this week several times. Get 200 on it.
We worked more on Despacito in C (the original is in D, but if you load the "transpose" extension on microsoft Edge, you can change the key down to C.)
We worked on inversions (meaning, we played the 4 chord with the F on the top instead of on the bottom, and we played the 5 chord with the G on the top instead of on the bottom)
October
Robel - October 30
We worked the pattern 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 5 - 5 and back to an 86 bpm drum beat in C, G, A, E and B.
Robel worked on the Name That Note game on the Richman Music School site.
Remember the lines and spaces of the treble clef. Play the game this week several times. Get 200 on it.
We ended class by playing Despacito in C (the original is in D, but if you load the "transpose" extension on microsoft Edge, you can change the key down to C.)
We worked on inversions (meaning, we played the 4 chord with the F on the top instead of on the bottom, and we played the 5 chord with the G on the top instead of on the bottom)
Jaaziel & Robel - October 23
We worked the pattern 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 5 - 5 and back to an 86 bpm drum beat in C, G, A, and E.
We worked it with Jaaziel playing 1 and 5 chords in each key while Robel played the notes.
Robel worked on the Name That Note game on the Richman Music School site.
Remember the lines and spaces of the treble clef. Play the game this week several times. Get 200 on it.
We worked on Method section songs.
We ended class by playing Despacito in C (the original is in D, but if you load the "transpose" extension on microsoft Edge, you can change the key down to C.
We started with audiation exercises (counting the beat and clapping on different numbers - making sure you're keeping count in your head)
We worked in C, G, D, A, and E 1 to 5 and back
We got into Piano Marvel and looked at the SASR and Method section.
We looked at the Alew Masenqo demonstration video (below). Remember in YouTube you can slow it down.
For next week:
Watch the video about note reading
Evaluate the software apps
July
We talked about black keys as sharps and flats - I will call them all sharps.
We got into Piano Marvel and looked at the SASR and Method section.
We looked at the Alew Masenqo demonstration video (below). Remember in YouTube you can slow it down.
For next week:
Watch the video about note reading
Evaluate the software apps
In class we worked on the basics of getting around on the keyboard.
We talked about chords as numbers. 1 is C. a 1 chord means a chord played with 1 at the bottom.
We'll talk more about it today.
We also talked about recognizing notes. practice here: https://www.richmanmusicschool.com/products/name-that-note
just work on the treble clef (the top part with the curled up G)
remember Every, Good, Boy, Does, Fine for lines
remember F - A - C - E for the spaces.
1 chord
2 chord
3 chord
4 chord
5 chord
6 chord
7 chord
1 chord
I changed the key (home base) of this song to make it easier to play. See if you can play along using the video. When you watch it on YouTube, you can slow it down to catch the notes that are being played.
The C scale is all the white keys from C to C. The proper fingering to use to play the scale is:
right hand going up and left hand going down: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5
right hand going down and left hand going up: 5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1
Introductory Lesson
Tomorrow we'll talk about practice skills.
We discussed some basics of getting around the keyboard:
White keys are named A-G. They are identified most easily by their relationship to the 3-2 black key pattern.
the set of two black keys sits over C-D- and E, the set of three black keys sits of F-G-A and B.
We got familiar with good posture and hand position. Watch the video below for a refresher on this.
We discussed reading rhythms: i.e. the patterns regarding WHEN sounds happen
We discussed reading pitches: i.e. how high or low (on the keyboard) the sounds or combinations of sounds are
for next week:
Watch the videos about Piano Marvel (to the right).
Watch the Video about Rhythm
Watch the video about posture at the piano
We will discuss the last video in class.