Text
Ok, so this has been the year of learning of quality in art, film, and music. Frankly some things last because they are quality in a world of consumable garbage.
Johann Sebastian Bach was the heavy metal lord of the Baroque era.
My current practice will be of his 8 preludes for organ - practiced for synthesizer- and the scales of the circle of Fifths for a while. Currently learning Bach's Prelude in C Major.
0 notes
Text
The first 2 parts to Prelude in C Major by J.S Bach. 2 parts of 5.
0 notes
Text
8.22.2021
Pymaridic Fingering Theory
So today I think I stumbled onto something regarding piano fingering.
Standard 1 2 3 4 5 for finger labeling.
Pyramidic groupings:
5-4-3-2-1, 1-2-3-4-5
(5-3 and 3-5 thumb tuck method)
4-3-2-1, 1-2-3-4
3-2-1, 1-2-3.
2-1, 1-2.
Individual fingerings.
Some principles:
1. Never ever touch a black key with a thumb or little finger. White keys are open game.
2. Start with 5/3 split. Then 4/4. Then 3, 2, 1.
3. If all else fails, combine different methods on different hands. But save this for last.
4.Some scales can be done more than one way. If a choice emerges, use the easiest method.
I am through the first third of the circle of fifths. So far this holds true.
I am changing the order slightly, based on the mechanical ease of the scales.
C major/ A minor: Diatonic.
G major/ E minor: 1 sharp
F major/D minor: 1 flat
D major/B minor: 2 sharps
B flat Major/G minor: 2 flats
A Major/F sharp minor: 3 sharps
E flat Major/ C minor: 3 flats
This is ongoing but so far it works.
0 notes
Text
Evolution in Practice 8.13.2021
I took a 3 month break in playing piano altogether and then started back.
I spent 2 weeks regaining my old skills. I then reorganized my practice as follows:
Hanon 1,2, and 3 as warmup. Learning Hanon 4. Triads are built into these exercises.
Major and minor scales of the Circle of Fifths. This is the foundation of musical skills.
10x per scale. Metronome use.
Currently C major/A minor, G major/E minor, D major/B minor.
Chord progressions:
1 5 6 4,
1 4 5,
2 5 1.
Song piece: No Quarter by Led Zeppelin.
2 hours a day for practice, broken up into two sessions of one hour each.
0 notes
Text
Shapes 2.6.2021
This week I had a mental epiphany about hand shapes, chords, and arpeggios. A lot of knowledge can be packed in a small box, though it's not everything.
3 shapes: the "major", "minor", and "diminished" shapes repeat. Minor and major shapes serve as opposites in the cycle of fifths.
Major shape makes major triads for c ,g, and f.
It also makes minor triad for d, a, and e.
Minor shape makes major triads for d, a, and e.
Also makes minor triads for c, g, and f.
Augmented shape makes major for b. The major shape makes augmented for b.
This creates 7 major keys and 7 minor keys of the 12 on the cycle of fifths, enough to get a good running start.
0 notes
Text
next evolution in practice 2.3.2021
This entire method is based on the triangle and intervals.
I. Hannon 1 twice. Once 120 BPM, once 60 BPM.
2: Triadic Intervals: Do in keys cycling through the circle of 5ths.
a. 1-3-5
b. 1-b3-5
c. 1-3-b5
d. 1-b3-b5
Practicing these intervals will set a foundation for using all 7 modes of the major scale, and the three core minor scales.
3. notes on learning music.
Don’t overthink it. Music has 3 foundational or primal elements, similar to creating an alchemy of music. Those elements are melody, harmony, and rhythm.
I know this contradicts current music theory models. I don’t care. The other elements do have use but are more elements of sound design than actual music. Sound design is a very relevant topic but should be considered a separate layer.
0 notes
Text
Ambience 1.30.2021
Taking my first stab at ambient/drone music making.
I discover my digital piano has slight feedback if I hold a chord for over a minute. Trying an f3 chord. There is a chorus and tremolo built in. Limited and hard to adjust, but there.
Based on my first moment of having a feeling of essence. Came from a dream I had in my late 20s.
Following dream.
Walking through a desert. Everything in eye view was dried up. Sound of bone cracking everywhere. Only 20 - 30 people on planet still alive. Trail of cracked bones and dead dried bodies everywhere.
At the center is a giant dried up tree. Climbing on the tree is a red pulsing giant monkey, drunk with energy and power. Monkey is driven by bloodlust.
Monkey attacks with intent to kill, using a dried human thigh bone as a deadly club. Wasn't my idea.
Fight to the death ensues. I win the fight but am badly beaten afterwards.
There is a throne of human bone sitting in the desert. Only place to sit. I sit down and feel a power transference. Everything glows red.
Getting the reward but didn't desire it. Just wanted place to sit.
The dream was a visual statement of things to come. Not literal, but figurative period of social conflict.
More to come.
0 notes
Text
New Practice
NEW PRACTICE STARTING TODAY
1.23.2021
Hanon 1 under metronome:
60 BPM
120 BPM
Major scale triads all keys, under metronome
1 x 60 BPM
1x90BPM
1x 105 BPM
1x 120 BPM
Minor scale triad all keys
1 x 60 BPM
1 x 90 BPM
1 x 105 BPM
1 x 120 BPM
SONG PRACTICE:
Sympathy for the Devil by the Rollling Stones
0 notes
Text
1.16.2021
Piano as Meditation
Practice today:
10 minutes Hanon exercises.
20 minutes scales. Scales were the major and minor scales through the key range on the white keys
Practice completed.
Like meditation. Mind wanders like a monkey at start, then settles in.
0 notes
Text
memories from far away
1.15.2021
Practice completed. 10 minutes Hanon 1. 20 minutes scales. Scales consisted of a workout in C Major and a first session with C minor.
Goal set to learn major and minor throughout the key range.
I remembered something today.
My first guitar teacher. I do not remember him fondly. In fact, I don't remember his name. That was 43 years ago. I remember that the most complex songs I learned in a year were Shenandoah and Camptown Races. I also had to relearn guitar basic technique 30 years later due to sloppy teaching.
I learned later that he was a Baptist music teacher with an agenda to discourage the playing of rock songs due to misguided religious sentiment. I could accept being told to work harder but not being told what to play. I almost quit the instrument for 5 years.
I later learned this set the tone for my younger life, having unreasoning adults trying to limit my actions even though I didn't do anything wrong.
I will accept more needed work. Perhaps even that my talent is limited. ButI will not accept that I have the right to play music, or to pick the music I choose to learn in my own space. Anyone that tries to dictate these things to me can go shove off.
0 notes
Text
1.14.2021
Practice is Hanon exercise one for 10 minutes and learning the major scale.
Today I spotted and started correcting a major playing fault. I was using 1 2 3 fingerings to play 1 3 5 right hand arpeggios and chords.
I converted this to 1 3 5 fingerings for 1 3 5 arpeggios and chords. I also converted the 1 2 fingerings move at the end of 1 3 5 7 8 so that the conclusion lands with finger 1 on right hand to the new note 1.
I understand the old way is a common beginner mistake.
I recognize my skill is stage 1, learning the movement mechanics.
1 note
·
View note
Text
So it's hidden, but there are actually 9 formulas to learn in music before taking key and triads into consideration.
The 7 major scale modes plus melodic and harmonic minor - since natural minor has already been learned as the Aeolian mode of the major scale.
So 7 = 9.
This, plus triads, plus sevenths, plus the circle of fifths plus the elements of music,
Makes for a mighty start to music theory.
0 notes
Text
1.13.2021
The Golden Vibratron
Last night I had an interesting dream.
I dreamed that I discovered a machine called the Golden Vibratron. It was a giant machine run on keyboard keys. It had the power to open doorways to other dimensions.
Noting dream for future reference.
0 notes
Text
1.13.2021
Mode Formulas: How the “Church Modes” Are Made | Hub Guitar
0 notes