Pianist, Composer, Producer
In our last lesson, We discussed the use of major triads superimposed various intervals above a bass note. Adding tones to these triads can make these voicings even richer. One of many ways to enhance these triads is to add the 11th or perfect 4th to the triads. Not to be confused with sus4 chords,…
When confronting a task, it is common for people to describe it as “difficult,” or “hard.” While superficially valid, these labels do little to move us toward completion. In fact, they may lead us in the wrong direction. Let’s re-examine our concept of “difficulty.”
I recently was at a rehearsal, and one of the charts had the tempo marked as “not too fast.” When recording some piano parts, I was thinking “don’t rush.” These moments got me thinking about how trying not to do things is less…
In a previous video, we discussed learning the various major triads by playing them through the cycles of 4ths and 5ths. In this lesson, we will learn some ways to use these triads to build more complex chords.
We all have had gigs where things didn’t go so well. If you are new to the field, these may be agonizing and discouraging, and even if you are a veteran, they are still pretty bad. Let’s talk about how to handle this humiliation and learn…
Improvisation is the spontaneous creation of music. Depending on the style, there will be various guidelines and boundaries that define what will work, but in all these situations, there are three skills that need to be in balance. All of these can be improved using organized practice…
After the last post about rehearsals, I got a message from a former student about his experiences with what we will classify as a “difficult person.” Most of the ideas we discussed there are about what we can do to be professional, but not about what to…
Over the years, I have gathered some ideas about rehearsal etiquette. I know I have messed some of these up, especially as a young, excitable musician. These ideas apply to every style of music, from orchestra to rock bands. (I have done both) Some of these…
Cycle of 4ths Here is a lesson on practicing major triads through the cycle of 4ths. The pattern of chords ascending by perfect 4ths (two whole-steps and one half-step) is fundamental to tonal harmony, and is sometimes called “strong root motion.” Practicing these patterns helps us learn to find these chords in all 12 keys,…
I certainly don’t want to become part of the great diet debate, however, since a lot of people are fat, formerly including me, It seemed worth it to throw in my two cents. I…