The course begins by carefully examining the spatial relationship of the piano keys to the grand staff. The concept of chords is introduced shortly after followed by a look at the major scale formula, explaining what it means to play in a key and why a key has x-number of sharps or flats.
Twenty four enjoyable, orchestrated compositions then demonstrate, in a variety of styles and meters, the important components of music: 1) melody, 2) chord progression, 3) harmonic line, 4) line for texture or pulse, 5) bass line
Students learn to read and play these components (the first two being performed with two hands, most others with one) while they see them gradually integrated. Having performed the composition in its entirety, either with the CD accompaniment or other live players, the students are then encouraged to create a new melody line against the chord progression, then alter the chord progression.
The first half of the book is devoted to the keys which have sharps, introducing one new sharp at a time. Learners witness how the new sharp affects certain chords in that key and are confronted continuously with its connection to the major scale formula. They develop a working vocabulary of root position, 1st and 2nd inversion chords to be recognized by sight, feel and sound.Also, in this first half of the program they learn the minor scale formula and create tunes in the minor keys.
The second half of the book focuses on keys and chords which have flats, mixing major and minor keys in the same composition, the melodic and harmonic forms of the minor keys, the blues scale formula, Gregorian chants, Phrygian jazz, the pentatonic scale and the sound of major chords against minor tunes.
Students who have taken this program range in age from seven to seventy-four. The average time for completion of the program, regardless of age, is two years. Because chords are used from the very beginning of the course, the music does not identify the student as a beginner.People who have already had piano lessons for several years find this program a relief from their confusion and are only too happy to start from the beginning.
Objectives for this program are: a) reading, b) playing by ear, c) composing, d) improvising, e) transposing, f) using formulas for major keys, minor keys, blues, jazz and Gregorian chants, g) preparing for college theory requirements, h) training in accompanying and ensemble performing.
