Piano for Adults

Music theory, reading music, and styles like Rock, Blues, Jazz, Folk, and Classical are covered.

Set goals, allocate time for new material and revision, and address mistakes effectively.

The seven-letter musical alphabet underlies naming conventions for white key notes on the piano.

The layout of the piano keyboard and its 88 notes are examined.

Identifies Middle C on the piano, covering finger numbering and hand positioning principles.

Staff notation, treble and bass clefs, and grand staff are introduced.

Recognizes and applies note and rest values, covering quarter notes in various musical settings.

Middle C, quarter notes, half notes, and whole notes are covered, along with finger placement techniques for playing the piano effectively.

Covers the construction of the C major chord using the notes C, E, and G.

Dominant seventh chords are introduced, featuring notation such as G7, with a focus on playing techniques for the keyboard.

Switching between C and G7 chords is simplified by using a shared note.

Practicing individual parts and combining them develops skills in playing songs with chords.

Introduces the notation for quarter and half rests, indicating one or two beats of silence.

Introduces the F major chord and its relationships with C, F, and G7, plus techniques for seamless transitions.

Lead-in notes introduce a song, preceding the first complete measure in musical notation.

Introduces the basics of playing in three-four time signatures, featuring dotted half notes and applications in Austrian Waltz music.

Tied notes and note duration are explained, with techniques for playing extended single notes across multiple beats.

Notes A, B, and C are covered, along with stem direction rules.

The C Major Scale is defined by a specific pattern, with crossover as a key technique for smooth playing.

Octave's range and significance in music scales are covered, along with eighth notes and staccato playing techniques.

The fundamental concepts of C Major, including its structure and importance in music theory.

Recognizes and plays notes on the bass staff, an octave lower than treble staff notes, with exercises for simultaneous two-handed playing.

Techniques for playing single-note melodies with the left hand and harmonizing with chords played by the right hand.

Timing and smooth transitions are emphasized in mastering two-handed scale play.

The basics of minor chords are covered, including the D minor chord and its application in two-handed playing.

Introduces five essential finger positions on the keyboard, including the D and C configurations.

Timbre is examined as a key element in understanding instrument and voice distinctiveness.

Arpeggios are chords played one note at a time, while dotted quarter notes add rhythmic complexity.

Broken chord accompaniments are introduced, covering techniques for playing common styles and applying them to traditional American folk songs.

Sharp signs, D7 and G major chords are covered, along with practical applications using familiar songs like Hush Little Baby and Morning Has Broken.

Introduces the essential Higher C position for learning new notes and creating music.

Techniques for smooth legato playing and introduction to the high F# note are covered.

Introduces the G major scale, featuring an F# note distinct from the C major scale.

Explains key signatures, introducing the concept of sharps and flats in music notation.

Develops finger independence and strength through exercises focused on mastering scale practice with both hands.

Flat signs, key signatures, and chord progressions are introduced in this exploration of music theory fundamentals.

The F major scale is examined for its distinct features and musical applications, including songwriting examples.

Introduces playing techniques for instruments spanning four octaves, including application of the 8va notation symbol.

Covers fundamental chord progressions with C, F, and G major chords in various shapes and inversions.

Covers techniques for expanding harmonies and adding depth through various chord forms in the key of C.

G chord inversions cover root position, first inversion, and second inversion playing techniques.

F Major chord inversions techniques for enhanced piano performance.

Italian tempo markings such as Adagio, Andante, and Allegro are applied to music at various speeds, from slow to very fast.

Introduces the concept of the eighth rest in music notation, including its meaning and application.

Syncopation is a rhythmic technique that adds complexity and interest to music by deviating from the expected rhythmic patterns.

Double notes in chords are introduced, focusing on applying this concept to create four-note voicings suitable for Country-style accompaniment.

Minor chord inversions covered include root position, first inversion, and second inversion of the Am chord.

Chord voicings vary in harmony with changing bass notes, exploring novel tonalities.

Turnaround progressions are patterns of repeated chords used in hundreds of well-known songs.

Introduces accentuation techniques using horizontal and vertical wedge marks to differentiate note loudness.

Introduces D minor chord inversions in root, first, and second positions.

The E minor chord is explored in its three inversions: root position, first inversion, and second inversion.

Ties are applied to create syncopated rhythms, with an emphasis on the push effect between measures.

Eighth note rhythms are named by specifying where they fall off the beat, with 8 possible positions per bar.

Pedal tones and the Charleston rhythm are covered, including application of this common pattern in Rock, Jazz, and Blues music.

The sixteenth note is a fundamental concept in music theory, covered in this section.

Varying volume and tone color techniques enhance musical expression.

Develops control over volume dynamics using crescendos and diminuendos through practical exercises.

Accidentals, including sharps, flats, and naturals, are used to temporarily alter note pitches.

Enharmonic notes with multiple names are covered, found on both black and white piano keys.

Recognizes and plays the 12 Bar Blues, a foundational African American music style.

Flattened notes and Ebb chord progressions in C and Gb/Bbb are covered.

The Blues Scale is introduced as a useful technique for identifying blue notes, with practical applications in music.

Creates and plays riffs, the foundation of Blues music.

Eighth note triplets are introduced as a fundamental blues rhythm, applied in 12-bar blues patterns.

Tying notes together, using quarter notes, and notating in eighth notes are techniques for creating swing rhythms.

Introduces techniques for creating shuffle rhythms and coordinating left-hand chords with right-hand eighth-note playing.

Seventh chords are four-note structures derived from major scales, characterized by a unique flattened seventh note and connection to the Blues scale.

Constructs and demonstrates the G7 chord, a key harmonic concept in music theory.

G7 chord inversions covered: root, first, second, and third position techniques.

Covers the C7 chord, featuring its notes and four primary playing positions.

Introduces the fundamental techniques for mastering the F7 chord in four essential positions.

Partial 7th chords and their uses are explained within the context of a 12-bar blues progression.

Introduces the construction of seven scale tone chords from a key's major scale degrees using Roman numerals for chord identification.

Covers root, first, and second inversions of the B diminished chord through diagrams and scores.

Identifies chord progressions using Roman numerals to represent musical harmony.

The role of the sustain pedal in maintaining notes and chord tones during hand transitions is examined.

Intervals refer to the distance between musical notes, encompassing concepts like unison, second, third, and octave.

Introduces intervals with perfect, augmented, and diminished qualities, defined by their relationship to the chromatic scale.

Introduces concepts of interval distances, covering common intervals up to an octave and exploring the tritone.

Fundamental chord types covered: major, minor, augmented, and diminished triads, with applications in various musical contexts.

Tone chord analysis applies to any major key through formulas for building triads.

Roman numeral system covered for efficient chord progression transposition and musician collaboration.

Introduces D major chord structures, notes, and variations within the key of G.

Introduces techniques for playing D chord inversions in root, first, and second positions.

The B minor chord is explored through its root, first, and second inversions, with accompanying diagrams and scores.

F# diminished chord inversions covered in various positions: root and 1st/2nd.

Minor scales and keys are introduced, covering natural, harmonic, and melodic forms.

Tempo markings such as accelerando, ritenuto, rallentando, and a tempo are examined along with their impact on musical dynamics.

Relative major and minor keys are introduced, including their identification and application in music composition.

Minor key and scale types include natural, harmonic, and melodic scales.

The harmonic minor scale is explored, including its unique characteristics and practical application on the piano.

Covers the harmonic minor scale, focusing on building chords with unique types and inversions.

The melodic minor scale's ascending form has a raised seventh and altered chord tones, making it distinct from other scales.

Raising the 6th degree in a melodic minor scale affects chord types, leading to new tone chord derivations.

The minor pentatonic scale is introduced as a flexible framework for crafting bass lines, solos, and improvisations.

The E minor pentatonic scale is covered, including exercises and applications in 12-bar blues.

Alternating octaves with the left hand is a fundamental skill in Rock piano playing, covered in this section.

Piano skills begin with understanding note values, rhythms, and sheet music symbols.

Introduces the concept of major scales and key signatures, including their shorthand representation and application in music notation.

Covers the Cycle of Fifths diagram as a practical tool for visualizing and navigating major scales.

Introduces the concept of Fourths, exploring its relationship with key signatures and enharmonic equivalents.

Introduces the construction and properties of major scales, a fundamental concept in music theory.

The course covers various Blues scales, including C, F, G, Bb, D, Eb, A, Ab, E, and Db, presented with visual representations.

Minor keys are explored, covering their role in music theory and influence on popular songwriting.

Minor scales and key signatures are introduced, covering their properties and interrelationships.

Chord construction is based on scales and intervals, allowing for the creation of distinct chord voicings.

Major chords are defined by a specific formula and constructed from scales.

The 1-b3-5 formula is applied to the major scale to construct minor chords.

Covers the structure and formation of seventh chords, including C7.

Builds complex chords with customizable options using a detailed reference chart.

Introduces the construction of scale tone chords through thirds above major scale notes.

Introduces scale tone chords, exploring their properties and uses in harmonization.

Extends scale tone chords by adding a third note, creating new harmonic options.

Covers extended scale tones through chord-based techniques applicable to jazz and popular music styles.