BERNARD

LESSON PAGE. BERNARD

7/7
New piece below.

Lesson dates for the summer:
7/6, 8/3, 8/17, 8/31

TECHNIQUE AND SCALES

3/9
Continue including your scales in your daily practice.
Next lesson we will check a few scales to be sure your hand position and other elements are going well.

Using this book as reference we will now review the following scales:
C Major
G Major
D Major
A Major
When you have learned the routine, send me a recording if yourself playing the complete set of exercises.

COMPLETE BOOK OF SCALES
File Size:	2414 kb
File Type:	pdf

General music theory

Your book of scales (see below COMPLETE BOOK OF SCALES) has a section from page 4 to page 17 that gives you the basic concepts on music theory. Take a good look at it, read it in detail, underline concepts, annotate questions and let me know at our next lesson any concept that needs clarification.
This is going to give you a very good preliminary on concepts covered by basic music theory before you decide to join a course.

SIGHTREADING

SHAFFER SIGHTREADING BOOK 1
File Size:	1080 kb
File Type:	pdf

5/4
Today we resolved questions about the exercises.

NEW: GENTLE RAIN by Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal

7/7
Connie, this new piece I wrote myself last year as a part of a collection of teaching pieces. I would like you to listen to it, and if you like the sound, here is the score.

The notes are easy to read, it is meant to be meditative, therefore slow, mainly to enjoy the sounds as the are being produced, and listen to the different voices that happen in it.

In the video I say a short explanation before I play through the piece.

Enjoy.

Here is the score

TEXTURE 2. Gentle Rain
File Size:	48 kb
File Type:	pdf

Below is the same score, in which I am marking how the voices lead

TEXTURE 2. Gentle Rain -VOICE LEADING-
File Size:	2633 kb
File Type:	pdf

NEW: TWO EASY SONGS
TO PREPARE ON YOUR OWN

7/7
Here are two songs that are easy enough to read quickly and see results without difficulty.

Hey Jude
Somewhere

Hey Jude

chart_hey_jude__piano_solo_.pdf
File Size:	564 kb
File Type:	pdf

Somewhere (West Side Story)

somewhere_mel__broken_chords_f.pdf
File Size:	62 kb
File Type:	pdf

IN PROGRESS: ARABESQUE by F. Burgmuller

7/6
Consider playing it more slowly so the level of hesitation is reduced or eliminated, then with more practice you gradually raise the tempo.
Advantage is that this way you are learning the piece without mistakes, rather than learning it with constant pauses and hesitations.

6/22
LH Chords:
1- prepare fingers on the keys
2- pull up
This will give you an even touch on the LH chords.

burgmuller_arabesque.pdf
File Size:	312 kb
File Type:	pdf

Fix this counting below

IN PROGRESS: PASTORALE by F. Burgmuller

7/6
In this piece I would like you to try to keep a constant pulse that shows the relation between the 8th notes. Especially at the very beginning.
The main core of the piece is very well learned, it just needs the same approach we were talking about in the previous piece. Rather than playing it faster but with numerous stops and pauses, playing it slower will grant you a smoother learning process, more time to think, and you will learn it without pauses and hesitations.

Also, start focusing on target sections. Create more "muscle memory" by playing two measures at a time, three measure, four, etc.

burgmuller_etudes._pastorale.pdf
File Size:	339 kb
File Type:	pdf

AUTUMN LEAVES (following a chart)

5/25
Bringing this song back to life with the new system in which left hand plays BASS-CHORD

AUTUMN LEAVES blank chart
File Size:	100 kb
File Type:	pdf

YESTERDAY

5/25
Bringing this song back with a more sophisticated LH accompaniment

YESTERDAY ORIGINAL fake-book in F
File Size:	100 kb
File Type:	pdf

YESTERDAY IN F
First with a simple note-by-note LH
Then with a big extensive arpeggio LH

YESTERDAY COMPLETE RH and chords
File Size:	48 kb
File Type:	pdf

YESTERDAY IN F MAJOR (first half) LH arpeggio sketch
File Size:	42 kb
File Type:	pdf

LET IT BE

5/25
Bringing this one back with the LH played as bass and chords

LET IT BE with annotations
File Size:	1379 kb
File Type:	pdf

NEW: What a Wonderful World

6/22
For some of the chords that are not as familiar you may need to visually learn how they look on the keys. This way whenever you need them, your hand will automatically go to the chord.

1- Make a list of the chords you find more difficult.
2- Practice how to build them. If you have questions, send me an email and I will build them for you.
3- Practice those chords before you play the song.
4- Then play portions of the song that includes those chords to incorporate them into the fabric of the song.
5- Then try playing the entire song and see how the new chords fit in context.

Diminished chords. here is how to build them:
First note - skip two keys- Second note - skip two keys - third note.

422_what_a_wonderful_world.pdf
File Size:	301 kb
File Type:	pdf

NEW: Some Enchanted Evening

6/8
Graphic distributing bass and chords for the refrain of the song.

RED indicates bass
GREEN indicated chord

Sometimes you will see GREEN-GREEN in the same measure. that is because there is not enough time to fit bass-chord.

247_fake_some_enchanted_evening.pdf
File Size:	105 kb
File Type:	pdf

IT HAD TO BE YOU

SCORE OF "IT HAD TO BE YOU" WITH SIMPLIFIED RHYTHM

it_had_to_be_you__simplified_rhythm_.pdf
File Size:	52 kb
File Type:	pdf

IT HAD TO BE YOU marked March-9
File Size:	3007 kb
File Type:	pdf

5/25
Bass-chord on the LH is very well assigned.
This song is ready to pass and start a new one.

IT HAD TO BE YOU a little more syncopated
File Size:	142 kb
File Type:	pdf

O Holy Night

1/26
Send me recording of how far were you able to go. If you played the entire piece, send me recording of it.

o_holy_night_easy_arpeggios.pdf
File Size:	60 kb
File Type:	pdf

Ode to Joy

2/23
Practice this one for our next lesson

1/26
Create a recording of this piece.

ode_to_joy.pdf
File Size:	49 kb
File Type:	pdf

Greensleeves

3/9 GREENSLEEVES:
Quick diminished chord formula:
Note-1 (skip two keys) Note-2 (skip two keys) Note-3
C (skip C#-D) Eb (skip E-F) Gb
It is a C minor with a b5

For the D# diminished chord:
D# (skip E-F) F# (skip G-G#) A

GREENSLEEVES with lyrics
File Size:	326 kb
File Type:	png

greensleeves_bass_chords.pdf
File Size:	48 kb
File Type:	pdf

greensleeves_block_chords.pdf
File Size:	47 kb
File Type:	pdf

PASSED or taking a break:

BURGMULLER Innocence
Unchained Melody
BACH Prelude Nr. 1 in C Major WTC-1
BACH Prelude Nr.3 in D Minor
CHOPIN Prelude in B Minor
SATIE Gymnopédie Nr. 1
CLEMENTI Sonatina in C Major
CHOPIN Prelude in E minor

PRELUDE 3 D MINOR Alfred Edition blank
File Size:	1331 kb
File Type:	pdf

bach_prelude_c_major_wtc_1_peters.pdf
File Size:	262 kb
File Type:	pdf

BACH PRELUDE C MAJOR. Score chord analysis
File Size:	892 kb
File Type:	pdf

FUTURE pieces:

On queue to explore:
Halleluia by Leonard Cohen

UNCHAINED MELODY

10/27 UPDATE
On the right margin you will find an updated version of the reduced arrangement with a fuller and faster arpeggio made of 8th notes

10/20
LH plays 8th notes, in two groups of 6, total 12 8th notes which matches the 12/8 time signature of the song.

Then, the RH can be played exactly as it is written, or play it approximately by feeling while the RH plays accurately.

The chart I created included on the right margin.

8/25/2020
You have a more complete chart with the entire song including the chorus of the song. If you are able to send it to me electronically, I will have it in front of me when you are playing in case I can find easier way to learn the music.

UNCHAINED MELODY easy version
File Size:	47 kb
File Type:	pdf

UNCHAINED MELODY complex version
File Size:	54 kb
File Type:	pdf

UNCHAINED. Connie's chart
File Size:	502 kb
File Type:	pdf

PASSED: INNOCENCE by F. Burgmuller

5/3
I listened to your recording and it is pretty good. Now this piece becomes part of your repertory, which means you play through it at least once or twice a week, and gradually improve it to eliminate little glitches.

burgmuller_etudes._innocence.pdf
File Size:	272 kb
File Type:	pdf