Piano Magic Level 1c By Kristin Jensen 2012 EarTrainingandImprov.com All Rights Reserved This lesson is owned exclusively by EarTrainingandImprov.com and may not be shared, reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form without the expressed written permission of the publisher. There are no resale rights issued with this lesson.
2 How to use this book Piano Magic Kids love creating their own music. I tell my students that the more tricks they have in their magic bag, the more music they ll be able to create. When you include improv activities alongside the Piano Magic Skills, kids will soon realize how much fun they can have when they know how to play scales and chords. My students are actually excited about learning their scales because they love improvising. They know that with each new scale and technical skill comes greater ability to create new sounds and beautiful music that is completely their own. Triads Chords are the foundation upon which the vast majority of improv and accompaniment techniques are based. Teach your child to master chords and how to use them, and before you know it, your child will be creating beautiful music. With this book you will teach your child the half step patterns used to create major and minor chords. I recommend introducing the concept, and then moving right into playing triads. Then frequently review the half step patterns and have kids practice making triads. Practice playing triads just like you practiced open chords in Piano Magic Level 1a. First play the scale and then play the corresponding triad. Play the scale and chords with both hands at the same time.
3 Pentascales with Both Hands This book shows you how to teach kids to play simple scales with hands together. Playing with hands together is easiest for kids when they ve already mastered the scales with hands separate. Piano Magic Level 1a covers this skill. Look at the diagrams to learn where to place your hands. If you re playing a C scale, you will find two C keys, one for the left hand and one for the right. C Middle C Always choose a right hand starting key that is close to middle C. Place your left hand on the correct key that is close to your right hand. For example, look at the diagram to see the starting notes for the E major scale. There are several E keys, but we want the ones marked with red and blue. E Middle C E E E
4 How to Practice Assign one scale and chord per week and direct the child to practice it three times each day. Although the scales are easy, it s important to repeat them to develop muscle memory. Play the chord immediately after the scale. Your right hand should play fingers 1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1, immediately followed by pressing 1, 3 and 5 at the same time to play the chord. Remember to play with hands together! Your left hand plays the same keys, but with different fingers. Suggested Schedule Week 1: C scale and chord, hands together Week 2: G scale and chord, hands together Week 3: D scale and chord, hands together Etc. At the end of the week, give the child the opportunity to pass off the scale for you. Record his progress on the Progress Charts. Progress Charts Help kids stay motivated by tracking their progress and praising them each time they accomplish a technique.
5 Major Scales Progress Chart Each time she passes off a scale, the child gets to color in the corresponding scale on the fish. When she passes off a chord, she gets to color in the corresponding fin. Piano Magic Progress Chart When your child or student has passed off all the major scales and chords, he gets to color in the stars in the Piano Magic Progress Chart. When the child has completed all the skills in Piano Magic Level 1a, it s time to celebrate! The Piano Magic Progress Chart becomes a certificate of achievement with a place for you to sign.
6 Major Triads A triad is a chord with three notes. You learned how to play open chords in Piano Magic Level 1a and adding the middle note will be easy for you. Take a look at the C major triad. You just add finger 3 to the open chord you already know. Try playing the C major triad with your right hand. Use fingers 1, 3 and 5. 1 3 5 Now play this triad with your left hand, using left fingers 5, 3 and 1. 5 3 1
7 You re ready to play the C major triad with both hands at the same time. Middle C 5 3 1 1 3 5 Left Hand Right Hand Every time you finish playing a scale, play the triad that goes with it. Play your triads with hands together. There is a pattern of half steps for major triads. Count the half steps between the first and second notes of the chord. Then count the half steps between the second and third. Write your answers in the purple boxes. Check your answers on the next page. How many half steps? How many half steps?
8 Check your answers below. How many half steps? 4 How many half steps? 3 The formula for creating a major triad is 4 half steps + 3 half steps. If we wanted to make a D major triad, we d start on D and then count up 4 half steps. 1 4 2 3 Now mark that key and then count up 3 more half steps. 2 D Major Triad 1 3
9 Playing Scales with Hands Together In Piano Magic Level 1a you learned how to play easy pentascales with your hands separate. You re now ready to play the scales with both hands at the same time. Practice playing with your hands together on the carpet. Step 1: Start with your left hand pinky and your right hand thumb. Lift these fingers at the same time and press them into the carpet. Steps 2-9: Follow the diagrams to practice using all of your fingers. Find the two highlighted fingers and lift them at the same time and then press them into the carpet. Go up (steps 1-5), and then come back down (steps 6-9. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 When you can go up and down with hands together on the carpet you re ready to play scales with hands together. To play the C major scale, find two C keys on the piano. C Middle C Place your left hand pinky on C and your right hand thumb on middle C. Then place each finger on its own key. 5 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 5 Left Hand Right Hand Lift your left pinky and right thumb at the same time and then press them down at the same time. Repeat with the next fingers, just like you did on the carpet. Follow this pattern as you learn all the scales with hands together.
11 Major Scales C LH RH G LH RH D LH RH
12 Major Scales A LH RH F Eb LH RH Bb LH RH
13 Major Fish Color the fish s scale each time you pass off a scale. Color a fin each time you pass off a chord. D A Eb Bb G D G C Bb A C F Eb F
14 Spider Scale We re ready to learn more of the spider scale. You ll now be able to go from C to C. To do this we re going to use finger 2 whenever there are two white keys next to each other. Look at the diagram to see the fingering of the right hand spider scale. Pay close attention to where you use finger 2. RH 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 Look at the fingering for your left hand. Notice that finger 2 plays a different key. LH 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 Practice playing these spider scales with your hands separate, going up and coming back down.
15 Minor Triads Minor triads are easy to play after you ve learned major triads. One trick to playing minor triads is to lower your third finger by a half step. Compare the C major triad to the C minor triad in the pictures below. C Major Triad C Minor Triad Try playing the C minor triad with your right hand. Use fingers 1, 3 and 5. 1 3 5 Now play this triad with your left hand, using left fingers 5, 3 and 1. 5 3 1
16 Now try playing the C minor triad with both hands at the same time. Middle C 5 3 1 1 3 5 Left Hand Right Hand Every time you finish playing a scale, play the triad that goes with it. Play your triads with hands together. Another trick for learning minor triads is to learn the pattern of half steps. Minor triads have a pattern that is different from major triads. Count the half steps between each note of the chord to figure out the pattern. Write your answers in the purple boxes. Check your answers on the next page. How many half steps? How many half steps?
17 Check your answers below. How many half steps? 3 How many half steps? 4 The formula for creating a major triad is 3 half steps + 4 half steps. If we wanted to make an A minor triad, we d start on A and then count up 3 half steps. 1 2 3 Now mark that key and then count up 4 more half steps. A Minor Triad 1 3 2 4
18 Minor Scales Am LH RH Em LH RH Bm LH RH
19 Minor Scales F#m Dm LH RH Gm LH RH Cm LH RH
20 Minor Fish Color the fish s scale each time you pass off a scale. Color a fin each time you pass off a chord. Dm Am Em Bm Gm Dm Gm Cm Bm Cm Am F#m Em F#m
21 Progress Chart Color a star each time you complete a skill. You re adding more and more to your bag of magic tricks. Soon you ll sound amazing on the piano! Your parent or teacher will sign you off when you re finished. Congratulations! You just completed Piano Magic Level 1c.
22 Review of Finger Numbers Piano players have given each finger a number. Use this chart to learn which finger to use when you see a number. 3 3 4 2 2 4 5 5 1 1 Left Right
23 Bonus Triad Worksheets
24 Practice Making Major Triads The formula for creating a major triad is 4 half steps + 3 half steps. D Major Triad 1 4 2 2 3 1 3 Use this formula to circle the keys you would play to make major triads. The first key is highlighted for you. G Major Triad E Major Triad F# Major Triad E b Major Triad F Major Triad C# Major Triad
25 Practice Making Major Triads Fill in the blanks to complete the formula for making major triads. The major triad formula is: half steps + half steps. Use this formula to circle the keys you would play to make major triads. The first key is highlighted for you. A Major Triad C Major Triad A b Major Triad D b Major Triad F Major Triad D Major Triad B b Major Triad B Major Triad
26 Check Your Answers: Major Triads The formula for creating a major triad is 4 half steps + 3 half steps. D Major Triad 1 4 2 2 3 1 3 Use this formula to circle the keys you would play to make major triads. The first key is highlighted for you. G Major Triad E Major Triad F# Major Triad E b Major Triad F Major Triad C# Major Triad
27 Check Your Answers: Major Triads Fill in the blanks to complete the formula for making major triads. The major triad formula is: 4 half steps + 3 half steps. Use this formula to circle the keys you would play to make major triads. The first key is highlighted for you. A Major Triad C Major Triad A b Major Triad D b Major Triad F Major Triad D Major Triad B b Major Triad B Major Triad
28 Practice Making Minor Triads The formula for creating a minor triad is 3 half steps + 4 half steps. D Minor Triad 1 1 3 2 3 2 4 Use this formula to circle the keys you would play to make minor triads. The first key is highlighted for you. F Minor Triad E b Minor Triad G# Minor Triad D b Minor Triad G Minor Triad E Minor Triad
29 Practice Making Minor Triads Fill in the blanks to complete the formula for making major triads. The minor triad formula is: half steps + half steps. Use this formula to circle the keys you would play to make minor triads. The first key is highlighted for you. A Minor Triad C# Minor Triad G b Minor Triad C Minor Triad A b Minor Triad D Minor Triad B Minor Triad B b Minor Triad
30 Check Your Answers: Minor Triads The formula for creating a minor triad is 3 half steps + 4 half steps. D Minor Triad 1 1 3 2 3 2 4 Use this formula to circle the keys you would play to make minor triads. The first key is highlighted for you. F Minor Triad E b Minor Triad G# Minor Triad D b Minor Triad G Minor Triad E Minor Triad
31 Check Your Answers: Minor Triads Fill in the blanks to complete the formula for making major triads. The minor triad formula is: 3 half steps + 4 half steps. Use this formula to circle the keys you would play to make minor triads. The first key is highlighted for you. A Minor Triad C# Minor Triad G b Minor Triad C Minor Triad A b Minor Triad D Minor Triad B Minor Triad B b Minor Triad