Combining scales and chordsHere are three exercises that benefit all musicians regardless of their preferred style or approach to making music:1. Scales2. Chord drills3. Scales and chords togetherThe last two columns offered interesting ways to practice the first two. Now, here's a way to combine scales and chords into one activ...

Why integrate popular or "non-classical" music into piano lessons?Retain studentsIntegrating pop music into your curriculum can meet students "where they are." Encouraging them to learn what's on their Spotify or iTunes playlist may draw them to practicing more, which results in progress. Progress motivates, and will keep them on the bench.Develop ...

 Do you think Johann Pachelbel knew how popular his Canon in D would become?When I discovered the same chord progression in a few familiar songs, my search for more examples began. As you play this chord progression are there songs that come to your mind?  This chord progression is often played with a scale in the bass:  The Canon in...

​Major and minor. Together these form a basic polarity in Western music. Major scales and chords are usually characterized as "happy," while minor ones are saddled with the label "sad." After composing, improvising, arranging, and teaching for more than forty years with these musical materials, I have come to a different way of understanding them. ...

​Recognizing chord symbols is one of the biggest obstacles faced by beginning improvisers learning to play from lead sheets. Just as foreign language students write conjugations to become better speakers, pianists can improve their chord fluency with pencil practice away from the piano.Writing chords by keyFollow these steps together with your stud...

​Here's a riddle: What do you break to fix? Answer: bland blocked chords.​Whether improvising teacher accompaniments or helping students dress up ho-hum arrangements, broken chords are a very useful trick to have in your bag. Broken chords sound great with lyrical, long-note melodies that beg for a busier accompaniment. They are also particula...

Accompanying students is an enjoyable way to transfer musicality from veteran to rookie efficiently without so much "teacher talk." For students, it • tightens up their sense of time; • helps them listen while playing; • enables them to feel more like "real musicians"; • prepares them to play in ensembles; • and reduce...

Diminished seventh chordsIn jazz and popular music, diminished chords are invariably played as four-note chords, rather than triads, whether the chord symbol says Cdim (C °) or Cdim7 (C ° 7).A diminished seventh chord consists of a diminished triad plus a diminished seventh above the root of the triad: ​However, enharmonic spellings are fre-qu...

One thing that has always drawn me to jazz is the harmony. It is fascinating to hear how a single chord change can define one artist's interpretation of Autumn Leaves or Night and Day from another artist's interpretation. Applied judiciously, these harmonic variations will add touches of color to your own arranging and performing.When one chord is ...

Countless times, teachers hear something similar to "I don't want Johnny to be a concert pianist, I just want him to be able to play hymns." Usually, we take the time to explain that hymn playing-or any chord reading for both hands together-represents one of the hardest kinds of reading any student has to learn to do. Regardless,&nbs...