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KEYBOARD: TOOLBOX
WorkshopLive's Pianist Toolbox series of lessons are designed to enlighten the beginner keyboardist in all the various styles, techniques and directions available to them as a musician. This wide array of lessons discusses important topics such as Major, Minor, Diminished, and Augmented triads and chords, 7th chords, slash chords, chord inversions, Hymn style, Folk style, Waltz, Stride, Blues and a wide variety of Latin piano styles. You'll also learn how to harmonize a song without using chord symbols, and also how to read from a lead sheet. Once you have completed these lessons you will have a better idea of the direction you want to take your music.
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COURSE LESSON TEACHER DESCRIPTION
Reading Chord Symbols Major and Minor Triads David Pearl & Joe Rose The Pianist's Toolbox lessons will give you lots of new tools so you can read, write, and understand the music you want to play. First, I'm going to show you how to read chord symbols, and you will soon find a world of meaning in a language that might have once seemed incomprehensible. Chord symbols are a convenient way to represent the basic harmony, or chord, that accompanies a melody. So much of the music we love to play can be represented by a melody and chord symbols that musicians have always found it handy to write and read music using some kind of shorthand method. Let's take a look at the way chord symbols are written today, and begin with one of the handiest tools in the toolbox.
Reading Chord Symbols Augmented, Diminished and Suspended Triads David Pearl & Joe Rose This lesson will introduce you to some other triads: the augmented, diminished and suspended chords. You will learn how these chords are written as chord symbols, how they are made, and some examples of how they are used. You'll get to add some powerful sounds to your growing trove of triads, elicit emotional reaction from your friends and family when you play them, and become the keyboard maestro of your castle if you use your imagination.
Reading Chord Symbols 7ths on Major and Minor Triads David Pearl & Joe Rose In this lesson, you'll learn how to read the chord symbols for major 7 chords, dominant 7 chords, and minor 7 chords. You will practice building these chords and play them as you read the chord symbols. A good fluency with these 7 chords will be invaluable as you play almost any type of music, and identifying the different chords will allow you to play the majority of songs in any style; and, adding 7ths to your triads will also give you a rainbow of new colors to work with in your ever-expanding toolbox.
Reading Chord Symbols 7ths on Diminished Triads David Pearl & Joe Rose This lesson will teach you two new 7 chords, both built on the diminished triad. We'll learn about the two chord forms called minor 7 flat 5, and diminished 7. We'll learn how to read and write the chord symbols for these chords as well as some alternate symbols you might also come across. You'll also learn a practice routine for all the 7 chords you've learned so far, so you can keep them all clear in your mind and in your fingers. I'm ready when you are, so pull up a piano and let's go!
Reading Chord Symbols More 7 Chords David Pearl & Joe Rose In this lesson, we'll learn about some altered dominant 7 chord forms. You've already learned about dominant 7 chords, as well as major 7 and minor 7 chords. Now, we'll take a look at some common variations on the dominant 7 chord formation. We'll alter the 5th to get both flat 5 and sharp 5 chords, and learn about adding the 7th to a suspended triad. We'll find out how these chords are commonly written as chord symbols, and practice using the chords so they become second nature. We're already adding some advanced chords to our toolbox. Stay with me and we'll cover them all!
Reading Chord Symbols Slash Chords David Pearl & Joe Rose If you think a slash chord is the ominous music that underscores horror movies, then you need to take this lesson. You will learn how to read and write slash chords, how to play them on piano, and what makes them different from other chords and chord inversions. You will learn how a bass line can function independently from a chordal harmony, play some examples of progressions with slash chords, and we'll talk about how these chords are used in different styles of music. So take the slasher lesson and learn about the slash.
Reading a Lead Sheet Root Position Chords in LH; RH Melody David Pearl & Joe Rose This lesson introduces you to a lead sheet, what it is and how to play from one. You'll find this to be the quickest way to put your chord symbols to use. The ability to read a lead sheet will allow you to read songs of all styles easily. You'll be able to play through most any song by playing the melody and chords together, getting a quick idea of what a song sounds like. You'll also give yourself a new tool to aid sight reading and start learning how to make up your own piano parts. We'll start playing some tunes together, and begin the fun of playing your favorite songs.
Reading a Lead Sheet Left-Hand Chord Inversions David Pearl & Joe Rose In this lesson we'll continue learning more about how to play from a lead sheet. We'll talk about using chord inversions in the left hand. We'll discuss why inversions can be useful in getting around the keyboard with less movement. We'll find out how to go about deciding which chords to invert and which inversions work the best. We'll find out how to listen for smooth chord progressions, how to look for comfortable hand positions, and how to think melodically even when we're playing harmonies. You'll enjoy the results, so join me in learning some fun and challenging new skills.
Reading a Lead Sheet Open-Position Chords, Hymn Style David Pearl & Joe Rose This lesson will introduce you to open-chord voicings. We'll apply this style of playing to lead sheets. You'll learn how to distribute the notes of a chord between your hands, as you keep the melody in the upper voice of the right hand. We'll take a look at one of the ways to play open-position voicings: hymn style, where the chords change frequently with a slow-moving melody. You'll enjoy adding another option to realizing a lead sheet: the beautiful, open sound of the chords voiced in a new way, and the handy way of spreading out the chord notes, letting your right hand grab a chord note along with the melody.
Reading a Lead Sheet Open-Position Chords, Folk Style David Pearl & Joe Rose In this lesson, we'll continue talking about open-position chords, and applying them to lead sheets. This time, we're going to talk about playing song style, as opposed to hymn style. In song style, the chords change less frequently, as the melody moves more freely. This style is generally a looser style of playing compared with the hymn style. We'll have more freedom in choosing and playing our open-position chords, and more freedom in choosing when to play them. You'll be making more of your own music, so keep on rolling.
Left-Hand Accompanying Styles and Techniques Triad Arpeggios David Pearl & Joe Rose This lesson of the Pianists' Toolbox will teach you all about various styles and techniques for your left hand as it accompanies your right hand. This lesson starts off with triad arpeggios. I'll show you ways to take the block chord voicings you've learned and break them up into single-note accompaniments. We'll talk about different styles, from Alberti Bass to guitar-like broken chords. I'll show you different ways you can create your own left hand patterns and some of the many patterns that other composers have used in their piano parts. You'll be amazed at the variety of things you can do with three notes. Come check it out with me.
Left-Hand Accompanying Styles and Techniques Arpeggiating 7 Chords David Pearl & Joe Rose This lesson will teach you how to play 7 chords, arpeggio style, in the left hand. You'll expand what you know about triad arpeggios to include the use of 7 chords of all types. You'll learn how to develop left-hand patterns and create broken-chord accompaniments in closed and open position. You'll also get some tips on how to choose voicings and inversions when you make your own chords. You'll be ready to handle just about any song you can get your hands on, so get ready to learn.
Left-Hand Accompanying Styles and Techniques Waltz David Pearl & Joe Rose This lesson will teach you how to create a basic waltz accompaniment with your left hand. You'll learn a bit about how the waltz developed, what the basic rhythmic components are, and learn some waltzes to play. You'll learn some left-hand patterns, how to vary the patterns, and how these patterns give style to a waltz. Once we get comfortable playing some waltz patterns in the left hand, we'll add melody in the right hand, and play a Viennese Waltz and a traditional Mexican Waltz. Consider it an invitation to the dance.
Left-Hand Accompanying Styles and Techniques Waltz Continued David Pearl & Joe Rose In this lesson we'll continue our exploration of waltz patterns for the left hand, and learn about some fun ways to expand on the patterns we've already learned. You will learn how to use chord tones other than the root for the downbeat bass note, and add 7ths to your upbeat chords. We'll also look at chord inversions, and find out more about how we can use them in our waltz patterns. As you grow more comfortable reading chord symbols and creating left- hand patterns, you'll be more confident reading lead sheets. You'll also find it fun to understand and read music by your favorite composers. Let's keep dancing!
Left-Hand Accompanying Styles and Techniques Simple Stride David Pearl & Joe Rose In this lesson, we'll talk about another left- hand accompanying style: Stride. Stride is a style found in lots of great musical forms, like ragtime, march, cakewalk, ballad, and swing. It can be played fast or slow, and paired with melodies both syncopated and lyrical. You'll learn how to divide a chord between a lower bass note and upper chord, and play an alternating pattern between the two. You'll also learn about voicing the upper chord, and about choosing an inversion that will make playing easier and the sound smoother. Stride is an important technique used often in piano playing. Join me to learn more about it.
Left-Hand Accompanying Styles and Techniques Harmonizing a Melody with No Chord Symbols David Pearl & Joe Rose This lesson will show you what you can do when you're faced with a score that has a melody and no harmony. This situation happens, for example, when you have a vocal melody and no piano accompaniment, or a lead sheet without chord symbols. You'll learn many techniques to help you find chords to accompany a melody, giving you the tools to try different approaches and make an appropriate decision. In the end, you'll be better equipped to navigate the wide variety of music we all come across as pianists. You'll also learn to look at the melody in new ways, so continue on and expand your horizons.
Left-Hand Styles - Rock Single-Note Bass Line David Pearl & Joe Rose This lesson will introduce you to some basic bass-line patterns used in playing rock piano. You will learn to play these left-hand patterns and to add rhythmic chords in your right for a complete rock piano style. You will learn how to read rhythmic notation, commonly used in rock, when playing rhythms takes priority over specific pitches, and when the piano or keyboard is part of the rhythm section, along with bass, drums and guitar. Combined with your knowledge of chords and chord symbols, you'll quickly be able to play through many classic rock songs and have the skills to play new songs in a similar style.
Left-Hand Styles - Rock Octaves David Pearl & Joe Rose This lesson will teach you some of the ways to use octaves in your left hand to create a strong rhythmic drive in the bass. We'll play examples of unison octaves with simple Rock rhythms, and also learn how to play alternating, or rocking, octaves. We'll also look at ways to mix and match different rhythmic patterns, giving you more options to choose from. Whether you play solo piano or with a band, using these octaves in the left hand will boost your style, strengthen your left hand, and be an indispensable addition to your left-hand toolbox.
Left-Hand Styles - Rock Open 5ths: Power Chords David Pearl & Joe Rose In this lesson, you will learn how to use open 5th chords in the left hand in a powerful rock style. When playing rock, musicians look for power through a solid wall of sound, and open 5ths can give you that sound. We'll take a look at a favorite chord of guitar players, and find out how we piano players can get some of that power in our own sound. We'll learn about power chords, open 5th chord pads, and power- chord riffs. Whether your plugged in or unplugged, you'll have fun learning about open 5ths.
Left-Hand Styles - Rock Chord Arpeggios David Pearl & Joe Rose This lesson will introduce you to playing the softer side of rock: the ballad. Though rock ballads may be outnumbered by the classic rock archetype, they are a favorite of many, and for the pianist, an opportunity to shine and be heard! We'll talk about different ways to apply broken-chord arpeggios to the rock style. We'll see how to create unique ways to interlace harmony in lyrical passages, and play some of our own examples. I'll show you some simple syncopated patterns to give your style the rhythmic kick that rock requires, even while playing ballads.
Left-Hand Styles - Jazz Blues Patterns David Pearl & Joe Rose In this lesson, you'll learn some basic left-hand patterns to play over a traditional 12-bar blues. We'll learn about the 12-bar blues form, and the scales and the chords that are used for melody and harmony. We'll also play a blues tune of our own, and learn some great left-hand parts to go with it. You'll be on the road to the world of blues.
Left-Hand Styles - Jazz Boogie Patterns David Pearl & Joe Rose This lesson will introduce you to the irresistible style of boogie-woogie. You'll learn about the style, how it is played, its relationship to the blues, and play some boogie patterns, so you'll you be familiar with the basics. We'll take apart some left-hand boogie patterns, so you can see the inner workings of these non-stop engines of energy and look carefully at hand positions as well as fingerings, so you can develop a smooth and relaxed style. We'll put together a blues chorus with chords in the right hand and a boogie-woogie bass in the left. I'll show you several other boogie patterns and offer a glimpse of the great variations in boogie-woogie style.
Left-Hand Styles - Jazz Stride Patterns David Pearl & Joe Rose This lesson will introduce you to a fundamental style of jazz piano: left-hand stride. You'll learn how to create a left-hand stride pattern, how to build on the pattern, and various changes you can make as you adapt to faster or slower tempos. Stride style evolved from ragtime, through dixieland and swing, and has found its way into many modern styles as well. Essentially a solo style, it gives you the freedom and range to use the full keyboard, and the advantage of having a rhythm section in your left hand. You'll play songs and phrases in this style, and learn the components and techniques to play smoothly. Get ready to jump!
Left-Hand Styles - Jazz Walking Bass David Pearl & Joe Rose If you're a fan of jazz, you've probably always wanted to play a walking bass line. This lesson will teach you how to play a walking bass line in your left hand. You'll find out some fundamentals of how bass lines work, and you'll learn how pianists put their left hand to work imitating the style of the upright bass. We'll warm up your left hand by walking the chord tones and walking the scale tones.
Left-Hand Styles - Jazz Exploring 9 Chords David Pearl & Joe Rose In this lesson you will learn all about 9 chords; what they are, how to play them and how to use them in chord progressions. The sound of jazz is filled with these harmonically rich chords. 9 chords are used throughout the many styles and eras of jazz, from ragtime and early swing through bebop, modal and fusion. You'll learn the most common 9 chords jazz players use, different 9 chord voicings, and some patterns to practice. You'll find out how to go about playing 9 chords in your left hand if you're playing solo, and what changes to make if you're playing with a bass player. Onward, into the extended realms of harmony.
Left-Hand Styles - Jazz Altered 9 Chords David Pearl & Joe Rose Sometimes chord symbols can look like a Dagwood sandwich, with all sorts of letters, numbers and symbols that make your eyes glaze over. In this lesson, we'll demystify them, learn how to identify them, and play them. We'll play some examples of how they are typically used in jazz. Altered chords, with one or more of their chord tones either raised or lowered by a half step, are used frequently in jazz, and for pianists add more tools to our harmonic toolbox. Come on and get in an altered frame of mind.
Left-Hand Styles - Jazz Exploring 11 Chords David Pearl & Joe Rose You know about 7 chords, you've learned about adding the 9th, and now, upward to the 11th. This lesson continues our trip into the land of chord extensions. We will now examine the 11 chord, in three of its most common forms. You'll learn how to identify the 11th in a chord, learn some voicing ideas and learn about how and when these chords are used. We'll cap it all off by learning an exercise that uses our three 11 chords. You'll need both hands to manage these harmonic stacks, so get ready to stretch your hands as well as your brain.
Left-Hand Styles - Jazz Exploring 13 Chords David Pearl In this lesson, we're up in the stratosphere of chord extensions. We'll be adding 13ths to our growing array of chord tones, learning about voicing possibilities both for the left hand and hands together, and playing some jazzy examples. I'll be teaching you about 13 chords built on the major 7 form and the dominant 7 form. We'll talk about how these chords are used in different styles. And, after completing the Jazz section of Left-Hand Styles, you'll have the fundamentals of chord extensions nailed down, and ready to use.
Left-Hand Styles - Latin Cuban Son David Pearl This lesson starts our exploration of Latin styles, and begins with a look at the rhythmic heart of Latin rhythms, the clave, and its roots in the Cuban son clave. We'll discuss what makes a clave, why it's important to Latin music, and how it affects what we play on the piano. We'll learn some left-hand patterns to play with a melody in the Cuban son style. We'll also play some montunos, the unique patterns we play on the piano when we're part of an ensemble, and which grew out of the son clave. And we'll explore some variations on the Cuban son, including the guajira-son.
Left-Hand Styles - Latin Bolero David Pearl This lesson will introduce you to the stylistic features of the Afro-Caribbean bolero. This romantic style is fun to play on the piano, and you'll learn how to play the bolero as a vocal accompaniment as well as a solo style. We'll meet the challenge of playing this lyrical yet rhythmic style as we take apart its basic components: melody, chordal accompaniment and bass line. You'll learn the different characteristics of each element, and learn different ways to manage these elements across the keyboard as you learn the tools to play the bolero style. Come on and add another groove to your Latin toolbox.
Left-Hand Styles - Latin Cumbia David Pearl The widely popular cumbia originated in Colombia. The cumbia features a fun, danceable rhythm and colorful, wide-ranging melodies. In this lesson, you'll learn the basics of the style: how to play the basic cumbia rhythm, including its trademark bass line and rhythmic chordal style, and how to play them in repeating patterns. And you'll learn some variations you can make on the patterns. You'll play some characteristic melodies, and try different accompanying styles to match them. You'll also learn how to play a cumbia-style montuno. You'll be ready to play the cumbia classics, so dont wait - come get the cumbia groove.
Left-Hand Styles - Latin Tango David Pearl Everybody loves the tango. The dance, the music and the style have been embraced by cultures and countries all over the world. Playing the tango on the piano can be a lot of fun, because the trademark tango pattern can be easily played in the left hand. In this lesson you'll learn the basics of the tango, you'll learn some popular variations to the patterns, and you'll learn some indispensable tango traits that give real style to the music. We'll also discuss the unique features of the Argentine tango, and you'll learn how to play an example. Join me as we put the passion to the pattern, and learn to tango at the keyboard.
Left-Hand Styles - Latin Bossa David Pearl The mesmerizing style of bossa nova, born and nurtured in Brazil, uniquely captures a mood and a time. The style has rhythmic elements of the Brazilian samba, cooled down to a relaxed tempo, blended with jazz harmony and delivered with serene phrasing. This lesson will show you bossa nova bass lines, syncopated chordal patterns, and ways to combine them to give you the sound of bossa nova. We'll take things step by step, starting with simplified rhythms and gradually working up to more complex patterns. You'll learn some classic bossa chord progressions, and get some tips on practice patterns so you'll be set to play your favorite bossas.
Left-Hand Styles - Latin Samba David Pearl The bright and festive samba of Brazil is an energetic dance, and as fun to play on the piano as it is to dance during Carnaval. Like most Latin rhythms the dance beat has African origins, and the name comes from the African word, mesemba. In this lesson you'll learn how to play samba bass lines and to compliment them with Brazilian harmonies and melodies. We'll play lots of samba rhythms, combine them and create our own patterns to play and practice. You'll find beginner-level patterns as well as more difficult patterns, so you can choose to play the samba at your level. Come on and learn the lines, rhythms and sounds of the samba.
Left-Hand Styles - Latin Merengue David Pearl The merengue, a musical style from the Dominican Republic and another popular Latin style, has a fast, infectious beat that makes people wanna dance. Playing piano in the merengue style means mastering the montuno patterns that take their cue from the accordion parts in traditional songs. You'll find out how to build a two-handed montuno, from the simple to the complex, and learn how to play both minor and major key patterns. You'll also learn how to play a merengue style bass line in the left hand, and add the montuno on top of it in the right hand. Come on along and we'll put together some classic merengue progressions with some sizzling syncopation.
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