Piano Diana Blog: Harmony

Notes move on the staff in three ways: Step
Skip
Repeat

Notes on or above the middle line have down stems.

Notes below the middle line have up stems.

Measuring Intervals
The distance between two notes is called an interval. Another way to say it; the distance from the pitch of one note to the pitch of another.

2nd Interval:
On the keys a 2nd is like a step: from one key to the next key.
On the staff a 2nd is like a step: from line to space or space to line.

3rd Interval:
On the keys a 3rd is like a skip: from line to line or space to space. One skipped key is a 3rd.

4th Interval:
Two skipped keys is a 4th. On the staff a 4th is either line to space or space to line. On the keys a 4th is a larger skip.

5th Interval:
Three skipped keys is a 5th. On the staff a 5th is either line to line or space to space.

Melodic and Harmonic Intervals:

A melodic interval has single notes, like notes in a melody that are played one at a time. If you sing a note and then another then this is a melodic interval.

A harmonic interval has two notes played together to make harmony in music. If two people each sing a different note at the same time then this is called a harmonic interval.

Now that you know what intervals are why do you suppose we need to learn them?

Learning to recognize intervals, whether by sound, on paper, or an instrument, is extremely helpful for many reasons. Among them are chord building, improvisation, sight singing, composition, understanding and remembering keys and their related accidentals, and figure out music by ear. If you’re trying to play a melody that is in your head or on the radio, knowing your intervals eliminates most of the time spent searching for the right notes.

One of the coolest ways to add feeling and expression while playing those piano notes is to observe road map signs or what musician’s call Dynamics or dynamic markings.
Basically there are symbols that indicate varying degrees of volume. So we have degrees of loudness or softness.

Music has loud and soft signs called dynamics.

mf means medium loud.
Its Italian name is Mezzo Forte.

f means loud.
Its Italian name is forte.

ff means very loud
Its Italian name is Fortissimo.

fff means very, very loud.
Its Italian name is Fortississimo.

ppp means very, very soft.
Its Italian name is Pianississimo.

pp means very soft.
Its Italian name is Pianissimo.

P means soft.
Its Italian name is Piano.

With this understanding of how notes move while playing quietly or loudly, you’ll enjoy hearing yourself play with more feeling in addition to technically playing the notes correctly. Have fun!

All the best,
LadyD

Comments are welcomed and encouraged! Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy your stay at Piano Diana.

Image via Wikipedia

Have you thought about becoming a better musician but are wondering where to begin? Have you thought about the years you've invested in your piano playing but now want to take your piano playing to another level?

I wanted to share a practice plan with you that involves a pretty elementary approach to the piano. First you need to have either an ear for music, some theory or note reading background.

Technique:

This is the ability to execute chords, runs and licks with little or no thought. It is automatic because of all the time spent developing the skill. You can only develop this by lots and lots of practice. Practice scales and progressions, arpeggios and runs so it becomes automatic. You develop technique by doing the things over and over.
Everything that you utilize in your playing can be broken down into technique. Practice technique for 15-20 minutes!

Scales:

You will need a Hanon Exercise book or a good scales book. You can play major scales, minor scales, Arabic scales, blues scales, whole tone, chromatic, diminished. The idea is to get familiar with scales, move those fingers and listen to the sounds of each scale. Play scales in octaves, thirds and sixths. Bass lines are scales and runs done in your left hand. Practice scales for 15-20 minutes.

Theory:

The understanding of how music is made. How to create the sound you are looking for by using principles such as understanding progressions and the chords that make up the progressions and to be able to alter the sound by altering your chords. Understanding scale theory, chordal theory, improvisation, ear training and rhythm can only help you grow at a faster rate. Study theory books for 15-20 minutes.

Harmony:

Learn to harmonize the melody. Understand how to put together chords in their various scales. Learn to play melodies at first. If you don’t know how to solo, learn how to play the melody very well to every song you are learning and use this melody as a guide to assist your soloing.
Practice improvisation for 15-20 minutes.

Listen and Copy Your Favorite Artist:

Good musicians listen to their favorite artists because the artist does the same sort of thing over and over. So your growth will be faster if you study a particular artist at first. Also because you like him or her, you will be motivated to learn from that artist. Practice listening to other artists and playing along with the song for 15-20 minutes.

Getting better doesn't come over night but if you apply a disciplined practice time to your schedule, you will see new breakthroughs that you are becoming a better musician each and every day!