I have been so inspired by these Olympic Games. Constantina Tomescu-Dita was amazing, the way she won gold in the marathon. At age 38, this Romanian ran solo for over half the race. Dara Torres won a silver medal in swimming for the first time at age 41, against girls less than half her age. She was just .01 second away from winning gold. They asked her what she would tell her two-year old daughter about her experience in the Olympics. She responded, "I'll tell her you don't have to put an age limit on your dreams."
This afternoon I spent working over my Major 7 chords with Reed Burkholder. They have been stumping me these last few weeks. But I am determined to learn them! I am going to call myself a jazz pianist some day. I have been learning this week about the value of doing small seemingly inconsequetial things consistently over a period of time. I am going to get a grasp on these Major 7 chords this week. Sometimes it is assumed that if you haven't reached a certain point musically by the time you're in high school you will never make anything of yourself. But I am going to add this new dimension to my playing. I don't sound like much right now, but give me a year and see what I can do.
Today I picked up a calendar featuring paintings of Vincent van Gough, who didn't start painting until his mid thirties. I'm going to hang it on the wall in my piano studio and remind myself every day that my career is just beginning. Watch me go!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Music Twister
I had the best idea today for my group class! I put a staff out of masking tape on the floor in my entryway. I have a stack of cards with words spelled with the letters A-G, and we played Twister, using our hands and feet to spell the words. I'm trying to think of creative ways to get the kids to want to learn their flashcards. This has to be one of my all-time great group class ideas.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Practicing Your Jazz Chord Voicings
Here are a few ways to practice your jazz chord voicings:
I have all my chords (7, M7, -7) on flash cards. On one side of the flash card is the chord symbol. On the other side of the flash card is the actual chord notated on the staff, with the name above it. The chords that can only be played in either A or B position and still fit within the D-A range, I have noted that position on the card as well.
Play all your M7 chords going around the circle of 4ths (C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, B, E, A, D, G). Then play all your M7 chords, then all your -7 chords going around the circle of 4ths.
Shuffle up your flash cards. Turn the metronome on 60 and give yourself 4 ticks to play each chord.
Line your flash cards up on your music rack. Try to play a row of any 12 cards. Now play the same row backwards.
Have a friend time you and see how many seconds it will take you to play all 36 chords. For fun, post your record time on this site!
Separate your cards according to key. Play all the chords from each key (7, m7, M7) in all the voicings.
I have all my chords (7, M7, -7) on flash cards. On one side of the flash card is the chord symbol. On the other side of the flash card is the actual chord notated on the staff, with the name above it. The chords that can only be played in either A or B position and still fit within the D-A range, I have noted that position on the card as well.
Play all your M7 chords going around the circle of 4ths (C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, B, E, A, D, G). Then play all your M7 chords, then all your -7 chords going around the circle of 4ths.
Shuffle up your flash cards. Turn the metronome on 60 and give yourself 4 ticks to play each chord.
Line your flash cards up on your music rack. Try to play a row of any 12 cards. Now play the same row backwards.
Have a friend time you and see how many seconds it will take you to play all 36 chords. For fun, post your record time on this site!
Separate your cards according to key. Play all the chords from each key (7, m7, M7) in all the voicings.
Jazz Chord Voicings: minor 7 chords
Minor 7 chords can be notated as Cm7, Cmin7, or C-7.
Method 1:
I love this voicing because it is so EASY!!
Play a minor chord (CEbG)
Add a minor 3 on top of it (CEbGBb)
Invert it once (EbGBbC)
Raise the Root (C) one whole step (EbGBbD). Your Root just became a 9th.
This chord SOUNDS like a Major 7 chord, but it's really called a minor 9 chord. If you can figure up a minor 3rd from your Root and build a Root position M7 chord, that gives you a very nice sounding minor 7 chord.
I have been using this voicing with C-7, Db-7, E-7, Eb-7 and D-7.
Method 2:
Play a minor chord (ACE)
Add a minor 3rd on top of it (ACEG)
Put your top note on the bottom (B Position) (GACE)
Raise the 5th (A) a whole step (GBCE). Your 5th just became a 6th, and you have an A-13 chord, that functions nicely for an A-7.
I ave been using this voicing with A-7, G-7, Ab-7, Bb-7, B-7, and F#-7.
Method 3:
This method seems so easy that it is almost like cheating, because it more or less stays in Root Position.
Play a minor chord (FAbC)
Add the minor 3rd on top (FAbCEb)
Raise the Root (F) one whole step (GAbCEb). Now you don't have a root in your chord anymore. It just became F-9, but you can use it as F-7.
Method 1:
I love this voicing because it is so EASY!!
Play a minor chord (CEbG)
Add a minor 3 on top of it (CEbGBb)
Invert it once (EbGBbC)
Raise the Root (C) one whole step (EbGBbD). Your Root just became a 9th.
This chord SOUNDS like a Major 7 chord, but it's really called a minor 9 chord. If you can figure up a minor 3rd from your Root and build a Root position M7 chord, that gives you a very nice sounding minor 7 chord.
I have been using this voicing with C-7, Db-7, E-7, Eb-7 and D-7.
Method 2:
Play a minor chord (ACE)
Add a minor 3rd on top of it (ACEG)
Put your top note on the bottom (B Position) (GACE)
Raise the 5th (A) a whole step (GBCE). Your 5th just became a 6th, and you have an A-13 chord, that functions nicely for an A-7.
I ave been using this voicing with A-7, G-7, Ab-7, Bb-7, B-7, and F#-7.
Method 3:
This method seems so easy that it is almost like cheating, because it more or less stays in Root Position.
Play a minor chord (FAbC)
Add the minor 3rd on top (FAbCEb)
Raise the Root (F) one whole step (GAbCEb). Now you don't have a root in your chord anymore. It just became F-9, but you can use it as F-7.
Jazz Chord Voicings: Major 7 Chords
Now that you know all your basic 7 chords, it's time to learn your Major 7 chords. Some symbols for a C Major 7 chord are C(triangle)7, CM7, or Cmaj7.
There are a few acceptable ways to come up with a Major 7 chord, and you can decide which works best for you depending on how it fits in your hand, which one you can remember most easily, and how it fits best in the song you are playing, the range of the inversion (remember, you have to stay between D below middle C and A above middle C), and most importantly, which sound you like best!
Method 1:
Play a Major Chord (CEG)
Add a Major 3rd on top of it (CEGB)
Invert it once to A Position (EGBC)
Raise the Root (C) a whole step (EGBD). This turns your root into a 9th.
Lower your 7th (B) a whole step (EGAD). This turns your 7th into a 6th, but we're going to call it a 13th now. So what you have WORKS like a Major 7 chord (even though there is technically no root or 7th in it!), but it's really a C 9 13 chord. In a jazz book, the 13 would be written above the 9 in the chord symbol.
I am using method 1 for CM7, DM7, EM7, DbM7, and EbM7
Method 2:
Play a Major chord (FAC)
Add a major 3rd on top of it (FACE)
Take the top note and put it on the bottom (EFAC)
Raise the Root (F) a whole step (EGAC). This turns your Root into a 9th.
Raise the 5th (C) a whole step (EGAD). This turns your 5th into a 6th, but again, we'll call it a 13. Again, this WORKS like a Major 7 chord, even though there is technically no root or 7th in it, but it's really an F 9 13 chord. Did you notice that it is spelled just like the CM7? I don't know why these two chords are spelled the same even though they can be used in different ways. But that's one less chord to learn.
I'm using method 2 with FM7, F#M7, AbM7, GM7, and AM7
Method 3:
Play a Major chord (BbDF)
Add a Major 3rd on top (BbDFA)
Invert it once into A Position (DFABb)
Raise the 5th one whole step (DGABb). This makes your 5th a 13th.
Raise your Root one whole step (DGAC). This makes your Root a 9th.
Again, this chord has no root or 7th, but it WORKS like a Major 7 chord. It is technically a Major 9 13 chord.
I am using method 3 with BbM7 and BM7.
Figure out which inversions will fit in your D-A range, and again, choose which sound you like best within that range.
There are a few acceptable ways to come up with a Major 7 chord, and you can decide which works best for you depending on how it fits in your hand, which one you can remember most easily, and how it fits best in the song you are playing, the range of the inversion (remember, you have to stay between D below middle C and A above middle C), and most importantly, which sound you like best!
Method 1:
Play a Major Chord (CEG)
Add a Major 3rd on top of it (CEGB)
Invert it once to A Position (EGBC)
Raise the Root (C) a whole step (EGBD). This turns your root into a 9th.
Lower your 7th (B) a whole step (EGAD). This turns your 7th into a 6th, but we're going to call it a 13th now. So what you have WORKS like a Major 7 chord (even though there is technically no root or 7th in it!), but it's really a C 9 13 chord. In a jazz book, the 13 would be written above the 9 in the chord symbol.
I am using method 1 for CM7, DM7, EM7, DbM7, and EbM7
Method 2:
Play a Major chord (FAC)
Add a major 3rd on top of it (FACE)
Take the top note and put it on the bottom (EFAC)
Raise the Root (F) a whole step (EGAC). This turns your Root into a 9th.
Raise the 5th (C) a whole step (EGAD). This turns your 5th into a 6th, but again, we'll call it a 13. Again, this WORKS like a Major 7 chord, even though there is technically no root or 7th in it, but it's really an F 9 13 chord. Did you notice that it is spelled just like the CM7? I don't know why these two chords are spelled the same even though they can be used in different ways. But that's one less chord to learn.
I'm using method 2 with FM7, F#M7, AbM7, GM7, and AM7
Method 3:
Play a Major chord (BbDF)
Add a Major 3rd on top (BbDFA)
Invert it once into A Position (DFABb)
Raise the 5th one whole step (DGABb). This makes your 5th a 13th.
Raise your Root one whole step (DGAC). This makes your Root a 9th.
Again, this chord has no root or 7th, but it WORKS like a Major 7 chord. It is technically a Major 9 13 chord.
I am using method 3 with BbM7 and BM7.
Figure out which inversions will fit in your D-A range, and again, choose which sound you like best within that range.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Alpin Hong's Great New Website
I'm taking my piano students to hear Alpin Hong play with the Boise Philharmonic this fall. He was here last year playing the exquisite Ravel Piano Concerto for the Left Hand. He has a new interactive website for kids. Check it out!
alpinhong.com
New York article on Lang Lang
I just finished reading this article about Lang Lang from the New Yorker:
http://langlang.com/documents/ll_newyorker.pdf
While somewhat lengthy, it gives a great explanation of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. He will be playing on the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympics on Friday, August 8 on Boise's KTVB (channel 7 or 465 on Cable One here) from 7-11 PM. Don't miss it!
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