Hi there,I'm just wondering which primary chords do most of you teach? I IV V -or I IV V7? If you teach the last set, how do you explain them easiest in theory for a little one? Or if you teach the first set, when do you teach them about the V7?
free improvisation (Have a simple chord progression in the left hand, e.g. I – V or I – IV – V, or I – IV – ii – V and do a free tune on the right hand using only the scale notes)Best wishes,Bernhard
Explain more. I know it should be self explanatory, but I want to make sure I understand this properly.
Thanks, Bernhard,Let's see if I am understanding what you're saying..Are you doing something like this?Left hand: CEG Right hand: CLeft hand: dfa Right hand fIn other words, playing the triads with the left hand, and playing a melody using one of the notes in the triad with the right hand?
So you can't stand someone who constantly gives friendly and useful information and advice and who obviously has an incredible amount of knowledge and shares it in a very nice way, and who actually takes the time to explain himself fully if asked?!! I'm sorry I really don't understand you.........Maybe people would take a little more notice of you if you weren't so unkind about people when there is absolutely no reason.
And the funny thing is that he cant even play himself !
Why's that funny? that doesn't mean that he can't give good and useful advice, it also doesn't mean that his understanding of music is any less, and it doesn't change the fact that he knows a hell of a lot about music and has helped a lot of people on this forum. oh and the copy and paste thing is really just common sense, why type it out again if it's already on another thread? And the thing about him knowing all of his threads by heart, this is probably true as I discovered in another thread that he has an incredible memory.
that just means that he is a forum nerd
And what's wrong with that? Not that I would call anyone here that anyway. As for his apology, this is not really for me to say but I would perhaps suggest that he may have said that slightly toungue in cheek.
So far I can see only one forum nerd on this forum: Bernie. He behaves as a Supreme Wisdom, it s very difficult to stand that ! I truly think he destroys the whole atmosphere of this forum which could be really nice without a besser-wisser like him
Since I discovered this forum I have seen Bernhard give a lot of very useful advice and suggestions to a lot of people, all of which have benefited and have been very grateful. If he weren't a member of this forum (and can I say that the idea that someone shouldn't be here just because they have a lot of knowledge and give out a lot of information is rediculous) a lot of people wouldn't have had the benefit of his knowledge. I'm sorry if this makes you uncomfortable or annoyed or even irritated, but to be quite frank (and I apologise for being so) that is your problem.
It s appalling to see how you all seem to be completely under the influence of that guru. Dont you realize that he is just an annoying besser wisser who keeps repeating on and on the same bulleted stereotypes ? Cant you try to think by and for yourself for once ? And it s interesting to see how you all support this funest person in his diffamation towards me. Sorry Malabox, my time is precious and if I want to learn something about piano playing, I rather read Neuhaus than old Bernie. at least somebody who can play.
I for one can very much think for myself and am not influenced easilly. If someone gives advice on a topic then I read it and take it into account whilst knowing that it is not the only side to the topic in question. Please do not try and put down someone who gives great advice by saying they are a forum nerd or that their advice is not as valid as others because they don't play (something which I would appreciate proof of). This is unkind, unfair and unjust. This is the last I wish to post on this subject. (by the way I can't help but notice a hypercritical air in you're posts, you object greatly to being accused of being J.S Bach and yet seem to deem it perfectly acceptable to heap insults on someone else).
Yes. You can actually play anything you want on the right hand as long as you restrict yourself solely to the notes of the scale you are using. The progression I-IV-V-I will always fit any melodic extemporisation. This has several advantages:1. It teaches the student the three most important chords (I-IV-V) for all scales.2. It trains the student move smoothly between the three chords.3. It teaches hand independence, since while the left hand is moving in a steady, unchangeable way, the right hand is weaving a melody around the chords, with rhythmic freedom.4. It teaches the student the notes of the scale, since s/he is only allowed to use those notes.5. It gives the student a taste of free improvisation.6. It gives the student the opportunity to experiment and get to know the several degrees of the scale (for instance you can limit the right hand melodic notes to be only the mediant, the submediant and the leading note).7. It is a SUPER-FUN way to get acquainted with chords and scales.8. After a 10 – 15 minutes instruction the student is actually “playing”, and some of the tunes they come up with can be quite impressive – specially after they overcome an initial shyness and realise that they cannot go wrong, since as long as they keep to the notes of the scale, it will always sound good. 9. It teaches the importance of the tonic – since if it starts to sound wrong, all you have to do is return to the tonic. You can use it to experiment with different melodic patterns: smooth ones where the intervals are small, or jumpy ones where the intervals are large. 10. There is something very “meditative” and satisfying about this sort of extemporisation This if course is just the start. You can complicate it in many ways: You can use more complex chord progressions (I often use this exercise using the same chord progressions of the piece the student is learning). You can use different rhythm patterns on the left hand. You can modulate.Consider this: If you do this on C major, and use the C-F-G chords in the left hand and restrict the melodic notes to CFG on the right hand (tonic – subdominant-dominant) you will get a certain effect. If you now change the left hand to Ab major (Ab-Db-Eb triads) but keep the right hand on CFG, (they are the mediant, submediant and leading note of Ab major), you can demonstrate in a dramatic way the ideas of scale degrees – and why they are important – as well as the idea of tonal centre and modulation as a way to shift the tonal centre.As you can see, there is really no limit to this approach, which of course is not new. It is the beginning of improvisation as practised by most pianists in the 19th century.Best wishes,Bernhard.
I've got to stop reading this. I'm about to hyperventilate with giggles. So, let me get this straight: poster A accuses poster B of not having any knowledge of piano, being neither a piano student or a piano teacher, and posting from a mental institution, and what poster B objects to is being called JS Bach.OK, continue.
Isn't being JS Bach a good thing?And you say Bernard doesn't post anything useful because he said you are (like?) JS Bach?You make no sense.
I'm thinking then Bernhard you would also have them change and do the opposite...playing the chords with the right hand, and the melody notes with the left...just for variations? Also, at what point when you are teaching the improvisations (using chords), do you beging to have them play (not sure how to explain this), the outside notes of the chords and the middle note like a filler? Also, do you spend much time having them create/play with doing different rhythms with chords, like for example Cmaj. instead of simply playing C-E-G all together, doing C, then G, then E, them G or something similiar repeated throughout? Can exercises like this be helpful also in teaching chords or not as much? I always found it very interesting how much one could change the way a piece sounded, just by the way you varieted on the the order and/or rhythms of the chords or notes IN the chords of the left hand.Thank you,S
So the right hand can play any note right, not just from the Chord.Ex: C-F-G chord.Left C, right c d e f g a b (in any combination)Left F, right c d e f g a b(flat) (in any combination)Left G, right c d e f g a b (in any combination)