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Are You Ready For Upper Structure Triads? Take this Quiz to find out.
For a piano player, knowing how to voice chords is an essential skill, not only forcomping (accompanying or laying the chord progression for others player toimprovise over), but also to use those voicings as an improvisational aid. Allpiano players get… Read article →
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How to use the Modes of The Harmonic Minor Scale
Introduction The harmonic minor is one of the three main source scales in music. This is a seven note minor scale with a b3, a b6 and a natural 7th. The related modes group from this scale offer quite a few… Read article →
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How to Analyze Jazz Standards: A Step-by-Step Harmonic Analysis
Learn how to analyze a jazz standard step by step using Recorda-Me, from key and chord functions to ii–V progressions, modulations, pivot chords, and modal harmony. Read article →
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How Did Beethoven Write Music? Symphony No.1 Theme A (Mapping Tonal Harmony Pro)
Let’s look at the A theme in Beethoven’s first symphony. We’ve already talked about his incredible opening, and how he used a secondary dominant in the subdominant region, breaking with all of the norms. Tonal harmony & harmony functions The… Read article →
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Is Victor Wooten right? Music Theory is SIMPLE!
I want to talk about a very interesting video by Victor Wooten called: Music theory is Simple! In the video Wooten asks the audience this: “…okay, how many keys are there? I say it’s 12. Good answer, but wrong. How… Read article →
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New to Jazz? Here’s How to Play Drop 2 and 4 Jazz Piano Voicings
Introduction Drop 2 and 4 voicings are very effective and consistent, and ideal for beginners to start grasping what each chord in a jazz standard is made of. Let’s take a look at Afternoon In Paris chord by chord and… Read article →
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Harmony of Beethoven. Beethoven’s Killer Opening in Symphony No.1 in C Major
How did Beethoven write the opening for this first symphony in C major? Learn Beethoven’s harmony and how tonality works. Read article →
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How to Play Piano Chords in 12 Levels (using different techniques from Beginner to Insane)
Here’s a short list of how to play piano chords in 12 levels, using different techniques from beginner to insane. What are the 12 levels of playing chords at the piano? Root Position | Closed Voicings Inversions Open Voicings |… Read article →
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How to use the Circle of Fifths for Scales & Modes
Introduction The Circle of Fifths is one of the most powerful tools we half to represent our 12-tone system. By stacking perfect fifths you get all the notes in western music. Using the circle of fifths to show scales allows… Read article →
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How to Play Upper Structure Triads on Piano
How to play upper structure triads on the piano? 1. Find the correct chord/chord-scale pairing for the chord. 2. Classify your notes into inside note and outside notes. 3. Within the inside notes determine which is the root, the guide-tones,… Read article →
