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Step-By-Step: a Guide to Technique Development Scales, Arpeggios, Chords and Cadences Sequenced Learning Through Goal Setting

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Step-by-Step: A Guide to Technique Development Scales, Arpeggios, Chords and Cadences Sequenced Learning through Goal Setting Joanne Haroutounian Step-by-Step: A Guide to Technique Development–Sequenced Learning through Goal Setting is one of the supplementary teaching materials offered with the book, Fourth Finger on B-flat: Effective Strategies for Teaching Piano. Introduction Step-by-Step: A Guide to Technique Development contains a detailed sequential development plan for the following five levels of technical skills: 1. Primary ◆ Major and minor pentascales in parallel and contrary motion ◆ Blocked and broken triads in parallel and contrary motion (root position) 2. Elementary ◆ Major one-octave scales ◆ Major cross-hand and one-octave arpeggios ◆ Major authentic and extended authentic cadences (root position) 3. Upper-Elementary ◆ Minor one-octave scales ◆ Minor cross-hand and one-octave arpeggios ◆ Minor authentic and extended authentic cadences (root position) 4. Intermediate ◆ Major and minor two-octave scales and arpeggios ◆ Major, Aug., minor, dim. chords in inversions ◆ Authentic and extended authentic cadences in inversions 5. Upper-Intermediate to Advanced ◆ Scales extended to multiple octaves with different options for variation (3rds, 6ths, 10ths, octaves, doubled thirds) ◆ Arpeggios in inversions and other options (octave arpeggiated chords, Dominant and diminished 7th arpeggios) ◆ Different types of cadences and modulating chord progressions The guide provides sequenced learning of technique through goal setting that encourages student involvement as they assess their own technical development from week to week. Each level of development has a set of goal checklists for student use to monitor technical goals reached, step-by-step. These checklists lead to a final overall technical goal at the end of each level. Throughout the booklet, all music examples are shown in only one key, usually C Major or A minor, to illustrate the scale, arpeggio, or cadence skills at each level. However, all exercises in each level should be practiced in all keys. There are blank goal checklists for teachers to use for individual technical work of their choice, as well as an overall summary of technique development at the end of the guide. Teachers who are seeking a scope and sequence to follow to teach technique will hopefully find ways to mesh the guide into their technique curriculum. Teachers who already have a well-established routine for technique in place may find a few fresh ideas to add to this routine to encourage student self-assessment. 2 Primary Level I Technique Goals Pentascales and Triads Understanding and playing musical step and skip patterns is an essential starting point of technique. Virtually all of the initial primer method books address the concept of steps (2nds) and skips (3rds). Teachers can reinforce these concepts through five-finger patterns, or pentascales, teamed up with broken and blocked triads. If you teach these pentascales by rote, students can easily secure this hand position and basic five-finger independence anywhere on the keyboard, beyond the notes they have learned to read in their method books. The Primary Level 1 sequential development includes an exploration of major and minor pentascale patterns and major and minor triad warm-ups. The step-by-step goal checklists begin with major pentascales in parallel and contrary motion, working from white to black keys. This is followed by minor pentascales in the same learning sequence. Triad development includes playing blocked and broken triads in parallel and contrary motion with the same major to minor sequence used in the pentascales. Primary Level 1 seeks an overall technical goal of being able to play major and minor pentascales and triad warm-ups in all keys. 3 Primary Level 1A: Major Pentascales Major Pentascale Patterns: Whole-step, half-step sequence (Right-hand fingering only shown.) STARTING ON C STARTING ON F 4 Bb 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 5 C D E F G F G A C W W H W W W H W Primary Level 1A: Major Pentascales Major Pentascale Patterns: Parallel and contrary motion, in quarters and eighths 4 5 4 4 5 4 1 2 3 3 2 1 1 2 3 3 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 5 4 3 3 4 5 3 4 5 4 3 4 5 4 4 5 4 1 2 3 3 2 1 1 2 3 3 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 5 4 3 3 4 5 3 4 5 4 3 4 Primary Level 1A: Goal Checklist Major Pentascales Metronome: = Check the box and add the date for each goal you reach. GOALS TO REACH DONE! DATE 1. I can play white-key major pentascales up and down in parallel motion, each hand alone. 2. I can play white-key major pentascales up and down in parallel motion, hands together. 3. I can play white-key major pentascales in parallel and contrary motion, hands together. 4. I can play black-key major pentascales up and down in parallel motion, each hand alone. 5. I can play black-key major pentascales up and down in parallel motion, hands together. 6. I can play black-key major pentascales in parallel and contrary motion, hands together. 1A FINAL: I can plan ALL major pentascales with starting notes working up the keyboard chromatically in parallel and contrary motion, hands together. (C , C#, D, Eb, etc.) Notes/Instructions: 5 Primary Level 1B: Minor Pentascales Minor Pentascale Patterns: Whole-step, half-step sequence (Right-hand fingering only shown.) C MINOR F MINOR 3 3 4 Eb Ab Bb 1 2 4 5 1 2 5 C D F G F G C W H W W W H W W Minor Pentascale Patterns: Parallel and contrary motion, in quarters and eighths 4 5 4 4 5 4 1 2 3 3 2 1 1 2 3 3 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 5 4 3 3 4 5 3 4 5 4 3 4 5 4 4 5 4 1 2 3 3 2 1 1 2 3 3 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 5 4 3 3 4 5 3 4 5 4 3 6 Primary Level 1B: Goal Checklist Minor Pentascales Metronome: = Check the box and add the date for each goal you reach. GOALS TO REACH DONE! DATE 1. I can play white-key minor pentascales up and down in parallel motion, each hand alone. 2. I can play white-key minor pentascales up and down in parallel motion, hands together. 3. I can play white-key minor pentascales in parallel and contrary motion, hands together. 4. I can play black-key minor pentascales up and down in parallel motion, each hand alone. 5. I can play black-key minor pentascales up and down in parallel motion, hands together. 6. I can play black-key minor pentascales in parallel and contrary motion, hands together. 1A FINAL: I can plan ALL minor pentascales with starting notes working up the keyboard chromatically in parallel and contrary motion, hands together. (C , C#, D, Eb, etc.) Notes/Instructions: 7 Primary Level 1C: Major Triads 5 5 3 5 3 5 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 1 3 1 1 3 3 1 3 5 5 3 5 5 5 8 Primary Level 1C: Goal Checklist Major Triads Metronome: = Check the box and add the date for each goal you reach. GOALS TO REACH DONE! DATE 1. I can play major white-key triad warm-ups in parallel motion, each hand alone. 2. I can play major white-key triad warm-ups in parallel motion, hands together. 3. I can play major white-key triad warm-ups in parallel and contrary motion, hands together. 4. I can play major black-key triad warm-ups in parallel motion, each hand alone. 5. I can play major black-key triad warm-ups in parallel motion, hands together. 6. I can play major black-key triad warm-ups in parallel and contrary motion, hands together. 1C FINAL: I can play ALL major triad warm-ups, with starting notes working up the keyboard chromatically in parallel and contrary motion, hands together. (C, C#, D, Eb, etc.) Notes/Instructions: 9 Primary Level 1D: Minor Triads 5 5 3 5 3 5 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 1 3 1 1 3 3 1 3 5 5 3 5 5 5 10 Primary Level 1D: Goal Checklist Minor Triads Metronome: = Check the box and add the date for each goal you reach. GOALS TO REACH DONE! DATE 1. I can play minor white-key triad warm-ups in parallel motion, each hand alone. 2. I can play minor white-key triad warm-ups in parallel motion, hands together. 3. I can play minor white-key triad warm-ups in parallel and contrary motion, hands together. 4. I can play minor black-key triad warm-ups in parallel motion, each hand alone. 5. I can play minor black-key triad warm-ups in parallel motion, hands together. 6. I can play minor black-key triad warm-ups in parallel and contrary motion, hands together. 1C FINAL: I can play ALL minor triad warm-ups, with starting notes working up the keyboard chromatically in parallel and contrary motion, hands together. (C, C#, D, Eb, etc.) Notes/Instructions: 11 Primary Level 1E: Overall Technical Goals Play all major and minor pentascales and triad warm-ups in parallel and contrary motion, in the following sequence. (Shown here in the key of C): 12 Primary Level 1E Goal Checklist Primary Overall Metronome: = Check the box and add the date for each goal you reach.
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    Minor Scales Minor scales/keys are used by composers when they wish to express a different mood than those characterized my major scales in music. Minor scales and keys conjure feelings of sorrow or tension. Minor scales also have their own unique set of intervals found between the 8 pitches in the scale. The major scale which used all white notes on the piano is the C major scale (example #1). Example #1 q Q Q l=============& _q q q q l q =l[ The minor scale which uses all white notes on the piano the scale with no sharps or flats is A minor. The C major scale and the A minor scale are related (they are cousins) because they share the same key signature, no sharps or flats. Example #2 shows that relationship very clearly. All of notes in the A minor scale are found in the C major scale with the difference between the two just the starting note or tonic. The C major scale starts on C which is its tonic and the A minor scale starts on A which is its tonic. Example #2 Î Î q Q Q Major l===============& _q q lq q q l =l[ l l q q q Î Î Minor l===============& _q _q _q q l q l =l[ The unique relationship of major and minor makes the work of studying minor simpler. As we know from the information above each major scale/key has a relative (cousin) minor that uses the same notes and key signatures however each starts on a different note (tonic).