theory

I’ve got a question for you. During each lesson, I have my students do an improvisation or play their composition. I just received a short composition in which the piece doesn’t end on a tonic key. I texted her mom about that, and she said…

• Last updated 7 months ago
• chord, chord theory, chords, comp, comp & improv, comp and improv, complex chords, composing, composing with chords, composition, compositions, deceptive cadence, ending, ending chord, final chord, imperfect cadence, last chord, Neil Moore, scale theory, student composition, theory, tonic, writing compositions

Looking for advice from the music theory nerds in our community. I’d like to incorporate more theory for some of my teens and students in higher levels. What do you use? Books? Online tools? This is for students in levels 7 and up, who are…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• 2-5-1, 2-5-1 chord progression, 7th chords, alternative perspective of scale, chord progression, chord progressions, chord theory, circle of 5ths, circle of fifths, dominant 7, dominant 7th, dominant 7ths, ear training, integrated theory, intervals, jazz chords, key chords, major 7, major 7th, major 7ths, minor 7, minor 7th, minor 7ths, naturally occuring 3s and 4s, naturally occurring chords, naturally occurring notes, Neil's Responses (YouTube Videos), NO 3 & 4, NO34, PB, playing-based, relative key, relative major, relative minor, relevant, role of scale, root chords, root position, scale, scale formula, scale theory, scale tone chords, scales, theory, theory workshop, transcribing, transcribing composition

I am going deeper into “scale” with my more advanced students in the Development Levels and in Accompaniment 2. Having come from a very extensive classical musical training, I understand scale, key signature, and advanced theory. However, a student has asked me, and I ask…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• comp & improv, comp and improv, comp/improv, geography, geography of keyboard, Gordon Harvey, improv, improv ideas, improvisation, improvisation ideas, improvising, integrated theory, key, key signature, keyboard geography, Laurie Richards, naturally occuring 3s and 4s, NO34, Robin Keehn, scale, scale fingering, scale journey, scale maps, scale theory, scale tone chords, scales, teaching scale, theory

Jazz program.The key of Solace of the Wind. First off I might say it’s C Minor with it’s key signature and initial chord but it’s the final chord that’s supposed to be the final arbiter, right? And that’s A flat Minor. In fact the whole…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• changing keys, chord theory, ending chord, final chord, Gordon Harvey, imperfect cadence, jazz, Jazz 1, jazz chords, jazz clues, jazz melody, jazz program, jazz program questions, JC, key, key chords, key of the moment, key signature, last chord, lydian, mixolydian, modes, scale theory, Solace of the Wind, theory, tonic, touch of jazz

I have a question about the Amazing Grace Variation from book two. How would you write the last line in I IV V format – from the vi, then F/D, F/G, and Fm. You wouldn’t write IV/2nd would you? Is it IV/6th? I have a…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• chord, chord diagrams, chord structure, chord theory, chords, developing I-IV-V, I-IV-V, I-IV-V chords, key chords, Laurie Richards, lowercase Roman numerals, major scale, Nashville Number System, Neil Moore, Neil's Responses (YouTube Videos), playing chords, processing I IV V, Roman numeral, Roman numeral analysis, Roman numerals, scale, scale degrees, scale theory, scale tone chords, split chords, theory, uppercase Roman numerals

I had a student with extensive prior experience ask the difference between a maj 7th and 7th today so I hope this question makes sense. Is Bb the dominant 7th in the key of F? Cmaj7 is C, E, G, B. C7 is C, E,…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• 7th chords, accomp, Accompaniment‏, accompaniment 1, accompaniment program, building chords, chord theory, chords, discovering chords, dominant 7, dominant 7th, extended chords, forming chords, identifying chords, inheriting chords, key, learning chords, major 7, major 7ths, major scale, playing chords, root chords, scale, scale theory, scales, theory, voicing chords

How would you answer this question from a parent? “Why does the way we learn 7th chords only have 3 notes? To make a F#m7, isn’t that an A chord?” I’m very comfortable with the practical application of the voicing idea between the notes over both…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• 7th chords, accomp, Accompaniment‏, accompaniment 1, accompaniment program, chord diagrams, chord inversions, chord strategies, chord structure, chord theory, chord voicings, chords, defending accompaniment, extended chords, forming chords, identifying chords, inheriting chords, Laurie Richards, learning chords, playing chords, playing-based, playing-based strategies, playing-based tools, root chords, shortcuts, theory, trick, tricks, voicing chords

I have a question about the C7 chord: we drop our thumb down a whole step to Bb, but how does this make it a C7 chord, when Bb is not the 7th note that we count from C? Its full name is “dominant 7th”,…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• 7th chords, accompaniment, chord theory, chords, dominant 7, major 7, major 7ths, scale theory, theory, voicing

Hello fellow teachers, How and when do you incorporate the circle of fifths in your lessons? I am open to any and all suggestions! Jessica, The circle of 5ths is usually introduced later on in the foundation program, in conjunction with Jazz and Acc Level…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• circle of 5ths, Laurie Richards, theory

I just recently acquired a student who has had 3 years of traditional piano lessons. I will be this young lady’s 5th teacher. She had one month of Suzuki lessons, but her mother said she hated the method and pulled her out immediately. My new…

• Last updated 10 years ago
• integrated theory, prior experience, theory