Category Archives: How to Study-Practice
Piano Technique: Mental or Physical?
Practice and Exercise are two different behaviors with two very different goals: Advertisements
Chord Progressions: i-V7-i Theory & Ear Training
Study the i-V7-i Chord Progression (the minor counterpart of the major I-V-I) and you will understand the harmonic tension and release formula that makes an incredible amount of music tick…
Chord Progressions: I-V7-I Theory & Ear Training
Study the I-V7-I Chord Progression and you will understand the harmonic tension and release formula that makes an incredible amount of music tick…
Chord Progressions: Roman Numeral Analysis
Harmonic literacy goes beyond knowing the letter name and type of chord being played to understanding how a chord functions in a particulate context. To that end, a common practice for describing chords in functional harmonic terms is to use … Continue reading
Chord Progressions: Why Study Chord Progressions?
A Chord Progression is a sequence of chords that achieve a larger-scale harmonic purpose than can be achieved by a single chord alone. These purposes include establishing a key center and tonality, building harmonic tension, releasing harmonic tension, creating a sense … Continue reading
Chords: Melody & Harmony
In order to illustrate how critically-important chords are in music-making, consider this gallery of famous pieces (with chord tones circled)… and notice two things:
Chords: Why Study Chords?
Chord study, done right, is essential to understanding how an enormous amount of music works. If you study-practice chords the right way, you will…
Scales: C Japanese Scale
Compare the Japanese Scale to the C Middle Eastern Scale. Notice the dramatic effect of removing two notes: E (Mi) and B (Ti), creating a whole new flavor that is instantly recognized as Japanese!
Scales: C Middle Eastern Scale
Here’s a delicious-sounding scale from the middle east. I really don’t know what to call it, so let’s call it the Middle Eastern Scale. Compare it to the C Major Scale and notice the dramatic effect created by changing two … Continue reading
Scales: C Major Blues
The Major Blues Scale is the lesser known cousin of the minor blues scale. Sometimes called the Jazz Blues Scale, it has a more majorish, jazzier quality than the minor blues. Check it out…
