Maybe it's because my dad was an amazing guitarist, but one of the ways I personally learned the piano was through chord progressions. I didn't learn this from my classical training, but rather from a WONDERFUL father who taught me that music is based on patterns and that once you learned some of those basic patterns (such as chords) you could mix and match the notes within those patterns to create great, simple music. My students love this because it makes music so much more simple. No need to memorize where 87 notes are on the Grand Staff!
I teach chords both as an exercise (see this post about how I approach technique exercises) and music theory combined in one. I begin by teaching them about the C-chord (how the first note, or root note, is a C and then you just add a 3rd and a 5th above that to make it a chord). I have them practice playing it as an arpeggio first (Using finger numbers 1, 3, 5, 1, 3, 5) and then as a chord (1,3 and 5 simultaneously). You'll be amazed how difficult it is for young students to play all 3 notes together. Have them practice hands separately first, then hands together. Then I make up a little exercise...simple enough they can practice it without any sight reading so that they can focus on technique (hearing all 3 of the notes equally and not rolling the chord), such as playing a C-chord right hand only for 2 whole notes, then 4 half notes, then 4 quarter notes. Or playing each C-chord on the entire piano 5 times.
Once they master the C-chord (usually over several lessons), I introduce the D chord, and point out that it has one sharp in the middle. Once they have the D-chord down in their technique practices (again, usually takes a week or two of practicing), then I teach them a song using the D-chord. Give Said the Little Stream is a great one for this! Plus, I love that it's been around since I was a primary kid.
No comments:
Post a Comment