major vs. minor

I just remembered a Jackson Blues variation I like to teach around Halloween that makes it sound a little creepy: RH – for each chord, move finger 3 down a 1/2 step (makes them minor chords – they don’t need to know that if they…

• Last updated 1 year ago
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I had a question today from a student beginning “Reading Notes”. He was working with the playlist as intervals. He wanted to know what you would call a sharped or flattened note. I told him that it would be the same interval as the natural…

• Last updated 3 years ago
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Can someone recommend to me how they teach their students the Minor Scales? I teach major scales in the order of the circle of fifths. Then, I usually start with natural minor, and show the relationship with the relative major, since they have the same…

• Last updated 4 years ago
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Having trouble wording an answer for a student. He’s perceptive and quick, and he asked me today why there’s a flat in the key signature for First Signs of Winter when there is never actually a B played in the song. How would you explain…

• Last updated 4 years ago
• family analogy, First Signs of Winter, flats, FSOW, key, key signature, Laurie Richards, major vs. minor, minor keys, sharps and flats

Is the idea with the 3-note comp/improv exercise that the students are to play three consecutive white notes in the RH or can they be any three notes, black or white? I get them to pick any 3 white notes without telling them about the…

• Last updated 4 years ago
• 3-note improv, benefits of improv, comp & improv, comp and improv, comp/improv, composing, composition, CP, cross pollinating, cross pollination, cross-pollinate, ear training, home base, improv, improv at lessons, improv for beginners, improv ideas, improvisation, improvisation ideas, improvising, Laurie Richards, major vs. minor, student composition, three-note improv, writing compositions