design document: "chords 101"

!!Chords 101

Instructional Design Document

!

Shannon Gunn Fall 2014

!1CHORDS 101 - SHANNON GUNN

Chords 101 Instructional Design Document

!Summary

The purpose of this project is to develop a training program in chords and theory for Woodbridge Senior High School Music Technology students, some of whom have a background in music and some of whom have never had a music lesson in their life. This training program will be designed to provide hands-on training in the performance of piano chords, their use in popular music, and their functionality in songwriting. Students will be taught in a classroom setting with 24 students and 24 keyboards and computers. Students will complete modules on chord study during class every other day for nine weeks and then will be assessed on their knowledge of chords, their ability to play chords along with a pop song, their knowledge of how chords determine the structure of musical songs, and their ability to use chords for creating music at the end of the course. !!


Problem Definition !Music Technology is a course offered at Woodbridge Senior High School in the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts sequence for Music Technology program. Students have the option of auditioning and gaining acceptance into the program from anywhere within Prince William County. The course is open to both students who are part of the CFPA as well as the general population and there is no pre-requisite. As a result, the musical abilities of students ranges from those with 10 years of formal music instruction to those who have never played an instrument in their life. !There are two levels of classes available to students, both of which have no prerequisite: Music Technology and Advanced Music Technology. In Music Technology, students learn how to create music with a computer. Students learn loops, MIDI, synthesizers, and basic recording skills to include podcasting, recording vocals, and microphones. In Advanced Music Technology, students learn how to mix, master, and produce audio recordings. !Because the courses are open to anyone, there is a wide range of musical abilities within the classroom. While music technology focuses on the creation of music with a computer, most students have no formal training in music or theory. Even those students who do have formal musical training do not have training in chords because AP Theory was taken out of the course catalog for Woodbridge Senior High School. Although a handful of students gain knowledge of scales in their band, orchestra, or choir class, there is very little discussion of chords. Yet chords are the most important building block of music and determine the structure of the song. !Asking students to create music without any music theory or chordal instruction is like asking a student to write a five paragraph essay without teaching them the alphabet first. Although they can use pre-programmed loops to create music, which is similar to taking pre-constructed sentences and stringing them together to make a paragraph, the dependence on loops causes all the students assignments to sound the same. Just like learning to write, to create music one must learn the notes (like the ABCs), the chords (like a sentence structure), and the form of the song (like the structure of a well-written paper.) No textbook currently exists that teaches chords and theory but doesnt depend on musical notation. !Advancements in apps, hardware, and software have drastically changed the ability to create music. Non-notation music creation is being taught across colleges and universities through MaxMSP


software, which is a piece of software that converts a trigger (such as a hand clap, or a change in lighting) to an algorithm which creates changes in sound. New apps are constantly being developed that allow you to create a song with the wave of a hand, or the movement of a finger over a hologram. No longer does someone need four years of high school training or a college degree to create their own songs or to become a successful DJ, artist, or producer. Yet all of this musical creation can be enhanced with the knowledge of harmony, chords, and how harmony dictates the structure of music. Its time to figure out a way to teach music theory for 21st century learners without depending on notation. !Students wish to learn chords to make their music more authentic and interesting. This course is designed to give High School students ages 16 - 18 the chordal training they need to be able to successfully create their own music, regardless of formal music training. !

Evidence !A quick survey of the music method books at any given music store reveals that there is really no good textbook to teach chords to high school music technology students. For instance, piano method books teach melody and chords, but do not teach the functionality of the chords within the song. Additionally, piano method books use inversions of the chords throughout the instruction which makes it difficult to identify the name and type of the chord. Finally, piano method books rely on traditional music notation, but most students in Music Technology class do not read music. There are chord glossaries available as one-sheet references for students, but once again chord functionality is not taught with that type of resource. Students learn chords in AP Theory class, but the class is no longer being offered at Woodbridge Senior High School, and is at a level that is too high for most students in the class since it relies on notation to teach the concepts. There are books for tab and chords, but that doesnt help students understand the functionality of chords, or how they are used in popular music. !Because of advances in technology and the nature of the software available at Woodbridge Senior High School, students can create music by performing it on the keyboard and recording it live, or by inputting notes using the piano roll view. The piano roll view is an alternative to notation that is grid based. Therefore, knowledge of notation is not necessary for students to be able to create music in music technology class because there is an alternative to notation that is comfortable for them to


use. There is only one textbook which teaches chords using the Piano Roll View instead of notation, called Harmony for Computer Musicians by Michael Hewitt and published by Cengage Learning. Although the book is advertised as accessible for beginners and students of all ages, the level of writing is at the college level. Additionally, the terms are unfamiliar since it is published in England and British english uses different musical terms than American english. For instance, a quarter note is called a crotchet, etc. !Although there are online resources for teaching theory and chords, such as http://musictheory.net, these types of resources dont have a physical textbook or curriculum that one can use in a classroom. Additionally, extraneous information is taught, and you have to go through all the extra tutorials to understand the ones that pertain to chords. Students get confused when they see time signatures of 8/16 or 9/8, and its difficult to get them past that to get to the part that they really need to learn. !There are chord based courses becoming available through video platforms such as youtube.com and udemy.com. In each case, the courses contain information on how to play chords, but not on how to use them to create popular music. !Students in Music Technology class have access to a keyboard which connects to the computer and allows them to record MIDI notes. This course will be focused on teaching chords via piano. Although students can use guitar to record, they cannot adjust the sound/tempo/key of the notes with an audio recording. Therefore, MIDI, and thus keyboard, is a better building block for creating music with a computer for these students. !The most challenging aspect of this course is to design the lessons so that anybody, even someone who doesnt read music, can understand how to play chords and how they work in popular music. While traditional piano method books focus on fingerings and scales, this method book will need to focus on only the essential elements of chords: the notes, their functionality, and their use in popular music. The book will need to be written with pictures, notation for those who do read music, and incorporate the piano roll view to be completely effective. It will also need to contain practical real-world examples of chords in popular music that students can play along with.


!Problem Statement

Students in Music Technology class at Woodbridge Senior High School create music using a computer and electronic piano keyboard. There is no pre-requisite for the course and therefore students enter the class with a wide range of musical training. The goal is to create a course to teach students the basic concepts of the performance and functionality of chords within popular music regardless of musical training. Students will not have to read notation to learn chords, and will use this knowledge to better their music creation skills. !

Scope of Training Currently, students do not have internet access on the lab computers, so the course will have to be taught live and with a paper textbook. The textbook will consist of writing, pictures, notation for those who can read music, and the grid-based piano roll view for those who do not read music. Eventually, the textbook will be supplemented with video tutorials and become available on tablets. !

Learner Analysis The primary audience is 24 Juniors in Music Technology class. A secondary audience are 22 Seniors in Advanced Music Technology.

!General Characteristics of Music Technology students: Age: 16 - 17 years old

Gender: 70% male, 30% female

Ethnicity: 20% Hispanic or Latino, 25% African American, 54% White, 1% Middle East

Proficiency in the English Language: 30% of students speak English as a second language, and one student is receiving services for English language instruction through the ESOL program.

Special Learners: One (5%) student is ADHD and requires extra time to complete assignments, assistance with organization skills, an extra copy of notes, and redirection as needed.

Socio-economic status: 30% of students are on free or reduced lunch

!Training Pre-Requisites: Students have basic knowledge of how to use a computer


Students know how to put a drum beat into the Piano Roll View

Students have been introduced to the parts of a song (verse, chorus, bridge, pre-chorus, instrumental interlude, intro, outtro)

!Music Training: One student has four years of high school music training Two students have three years of high school music training Four students have had piano lessons outside of school for at least one year 70% of students have no formal music training 20% of students have been experimenting with creating beats using computer technology at

home before they entered class

90% of the students have never used the school software, Mixcraft, until they started taking Music Technology in Fall of 2014

!Contextual Analysis

!Instructional Context:

- Training will take place during class over the span of 9 weeks - Training will be interweaved into the classroom instruction and will be a 15 - 20 minute module

within the class

- There are 24 students at 24 computers connected to 24 piano keyboards - Students have access to Mixcraft 5 software during class but do not have internet access - Students will have headphones hooked into their individual keyboard - Students will be able to work at their own pace through the textbook - Students will be able to scan the textbook QR codes with their phone to see a video example of a

concept being taught

- There will be various individual benchmark assessments which will allow students to show mastery of different concepts

- Each days module will end with an opportunity for students to play along with a popular song in a way that shows mastery of the concepts being taught that day (practical application)


!Transfer Context:

- Reference text available for all students to study at school and at home - Qualified teacher available to facilitate instruction and available via email as needed !

Task Analysis !Overview of the Course Structure: Upon completion of this course, students should be able to play chords, understand how they relate to each other, and construct a song based off of a chord progression. The process outlined below uses a concept called a spiral curriculum where the same topics are taught repeatedly using more and more complex content each time. The process of teaching students to play, understand, and create has been divided into three strands: performance, theory, and creativity. Each module has performance, theory, and creativity interwoven within the content. Each strand will be developed to mastery within each key center. The course will be broken down into five major strands, to include:

1. Play chords (performance strand)

2. Understand how they relate to each other (theory strand)

3. Arrange chords into chord progressions (theory and performance combined)

4. Be able to construct a song utilizing an original chord progression (creativity strand)

5. Utilize different variations of chords such as inversions and arpeggios (higher level of performance, theory, and creativity combined)

6. Repeat steps #1 - #5 with a new key

Students will start out learning steps #1 - #5 in the key of C, and then transfer these concepts to the key of G. Students will be introduced to the concepts of minor throughout steps #1 - #5. Finally, students will play along with popular music to show how these concepts relate to the songs that they are listening to.

!Task Analysis These are all the steps they need to accomplish to understand #1- 5 in the key of C. Each step will be repeated in the key of G, D, A, and E as well. 1. Module 1: Orientation with the keyboard

1.1. White vs. black keys !8CHORDS 101 - SHANNON GUNN

1.2. Identify all the sets of 2 black keys vs. 3 black keys, play across range of piano 1.3. Identify C as the note to the left of the two black keys 1.4. Play all the Cs across the entire range of the piano 1.5. Vocabulary: Octave 1.6. Identify Middle C 1.7. Identify finger numbers (1 2 3 4 5 ) 1.8. By the end of this module, students should understand that the piano notes repeat

throughout the range of the piano, that the right is high and left is low, and that you should use the black keys to orient yourself to the letter names. The goal is to be able to identify a note without having to count up from C every time.

1.9. Piano Roll View extension: students should be able to identify the octaves of C on the piano roll view and understand the numbering system for octaves

2. Module 2: C Major Scale 2.1. Review: Identify middle C 2.2. Play a C major scale. Proper fingering optional (1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5) 2.3. Learn the notes in the C major scale (C D E F G A B C) 2.4. Be able to play each note in octaves across the range of the piano 2.5. Review worksheet and visual assessment of understanding 2.6. By the end of this module, students should be very familiar with the white keys on the

piano, and the C major scale. 2.7. PRV extension: write a C major scale in the piano roll view

3. Module 3: C Chord 3.1. Review the C major scale 3.2.Teach steps vs. skips on the white keys 3.3. Play a C chord with the 1, 3, 5 finger using C, E, G (say C skip one, E, skip one, G) 3.4. Identify that the chord is built off the first, third, and fifth note of the C major scale 3.5. Teach the roman numeral number system for future use as identifying chords as I, ii, iii, IV,

V, iv, and vii chords 3.6. Identify the C chord as the I chord because it is built off the 1st note of the scale 3.7. Introduce the use of the left hand as playing the root of the chord (C) with the pinky. Also

introduce using octaves in the left hand on C with the thumb and the pinky. 3.8. By the end of this module students should be able to play the C chord in any octave across

the range of the piano, and should understand that the C major chord is built off the 1st, 3rd, and 5th note of the C major scale

3.9. Vocabulary: triad, steps, skips, I, roman numerals in both upper case and lower case I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii, root


3.10. PRV extension: write or play a C major chord in the piano roll view 4. Module 4: G Chord

4.1. Review C major scale and C chord 4.2. Count up to the fifth note of the C scale and label the G as the V note 4.3. Teach students to build a G chord using the 1, 3, 5 fingers on G, B, and D 4.4. Identify the G chord as the V chord of the C major scale 4.5. Identify C and G as two Primary chords in the C major scale 4.6. Identify the C Major Scale as the basis of the key of C, noticing that all the notes are white

keys 4.7. Play G in the left thumb while playing a G chord in the right hand (root) 4.8. Play octaves in the left hand on G while playing the G chord in the right hand in various

places on the keyboard 4.9. Play chords along with a popular song that has C and G chords only 4.10. By the end of this module, students should be able to play the C and G chord in sequence,

and they should understand that the C chord is called the I chord and the G chord is called the V chord because they are built off the 1st and 5th notes of the C major scale

4.11. PRV extension: write or play a G chord into the piano roll view 5. Module 5: F chord

5.1. Review C scale, C Chord, G Chord, Roman Numerals, vocabulary, relationship between the C major scale and the Key of C

5.2. Count up to the fourth note of the C scale and label F note as the IV note 5.3. Play the F chord with the 1, 3, 5 finger on F, A, and C 5.4. Play the root of the chord (F) in the left hand with the pointy finger 5.5. Play the root in octaves in the left hand (on F) while the right hand plays the F chord in

various octaves on the keyboard 5.6. Identify the F chord as the IV chord of the key of C major 5.7. Identify C, F, and G as the three primary chords in the key of C major 5.8. Play variations of the C, F, and G chord in progression 5.9. Identify the C chord as Tonic 5.10. Introduce the concept that most popular songs start or end with the tonic chord 5.11. Play chords along with a simple pop song using only C, F, and G chords 5.12. By the end of this module, students should be able to play the C, F, and G chords in any

sequence, be able to play along with a pop song, and know that these are the three primary chords in the key of C major and that the C chord is tonic

5.13. Vocabulary: tonic


5.14. PRV extension: write an F chord in the piano roll view 6. Module 6: Theory day: Tonic, Dominant, half steps, whole steps

6.1. This module will focus on applying additional theory concepts to the three chords already learned

6.2. Review C, F, and G chords; play along with a popular song 6.3. Review the Roman Numeral numbering system, and review the C as I, F as IV, and G as V

chords

6.4. Identify that C is tonic (I), and G is dominant (V), F is sub-dominant (IV) 6.5. Note that these three chords are primary chords and all use upper case numerals in the

Roman numeral system because they are all major chords

6.6. Teach intervals as the distance between two notes 6.7. Teach half steps and whole steps as two types of intervals 6.8. Teach that all these chords are considered major chords because there are 4 half steps

between the bottom two notes

6.9. This analysis of a major chord having 4 half steps is just another way of building chords. So far, they have learned that to build the I chord where they use the 1st 3rd and 5th note of the major scale. Another way to look at it is to put four half steps between the first two notes and 3 half steps between the top two notes.

6.10. Vocabulary: interval, half step, whole step, major, primary chords, tonic, dominant, sub-dominant

6.11. PRV extension: note the half steps and whole steps in the piano roll view 6.12. By the end of this module, students should understand the definition of a major chord

and be able to identify and play the three primary chords in the key of C major

7. Module 7: D minor 7.1. Review tonic, dominant, roman numerals, C, F, G chords, intervals, whole steps, half steps,

the number of half steps between the bottom two notes of a major chord

7.2. Count up to the second note of the C scale and label the D note as ii note 7.3. Play the D minor chord with the 1, 3, 5 finger on D, F, and A 7.4. Play the root of the chord (D) in the left hand with the pointy finger 7.5. Play the root in octaves (D) in the left hand while the right hand plays the D minor chord in

various octaves on the keyboard


7.6. Identify the D minor chord as the ii chord in the key of C major 7.7. Note that there are only 3 half steps between the bottom two notes, this is what makes it

minor

7.8. Teach students to raise the middle note so that there are 4 half steps between the bottom two notes. This is D major. Notice the difference in sound between major and minor.

7.9. Major sounds happy and minor sounds sad. 7.10. The D minor chord is considered to be the ii chord in the key of C. Notice there is a

lower case roman numeral ii - the lower case indicates it is a minor chord instead of major. The Primary chords C, F, and G are all major chords and are notated as I, IV, and V. The secondary chords are minor chords and are notated with lower case roman numerals.

7.11. D Minor is notated as Dmin, Dm, or D- 7.12. Play along with a popular song using C, Dm, F, and G chords 7.13. By the end of this lesson, students should know the difference between major and minor

sound, the usage of a lower case roman numerals to denote minor, and be able to comfortably play the C major, D minor, F major, and G major chords.

7.14. Play along with a popular song using these chords 7.15. PRV extension: write a D minor chord 7.16. Vocabulary: secondary chords, minor, major, lower case roman numerals

8. Module 8: E Minor 8.1. Review tonic, dominant, roman numerals, C, F, G, and Dm chords, intervals, whole steps,

half steps, the number of half steps between the bottom two notes of a major chord

8.2. Count up to the third note of the C scale and label the E note as iii note 8.3. Play the E minor chord with the 1, 3, 5 finger on E, G, and B 8.4. Play the root of the chord (E) in the left hand with the pointy finger 8.5. Play the root in octaves (E) in the left hand while the right hand plays the E minor chord in


8.6. Identify the E minor chord as the iii chord in the key of C major 8.7. Note that there are only 3 half steps between the bottom two notes, this is what makes it

minor

8.8. Teach students to raise the middle note so that there are 4 half steps between the bottom two notes. This is E major. Notice the difference in sound between major and minor.


8.9. The E minor chord is considered to be the iii chord in the key of C. The roman numerals are lower case because the chord is minor.

8.10. Teach the concept of diatonic chords. Whenever a chord uses the same notes of the major scale, it is considered to be a diatonic chord, such as C, Dm, Em, F, or G. When you use notes that are not in the scale, such as the black key that is necessary for E major, it is called a non-diatonic chord when placed in a song that is in the key of C major. The process of inserting a non-diatonic chord into a song can cause a shift in the sound of the song. The process of keeping all the notes and chords in one key during a song is called tonality.

8.11. Play along with a song that uses the C, Dm, Em, F, and G chords. 8.12. By the end of this lesson, students should be able to play the Em chord and understand

that when they use the notes of the C major scale, they are creating music that is diatonic, which is called tonality.

8.13. PRV extension: write a E minor chord in the piano roll view 8.14. Vocabulary: tonality, diatonic chords, non-diatonic chords

9. Module 9: A minor 9.1.Review tonality, diatonic chords, non-diatonic chords, C, Dm, Em, F, and G chords 9.2. Count up to the sixth note of the C scale and label the A note as vi 9.3. Play the A minor chord with the 1, 3, 5 finger on A, C, and E 9.4. Play the root of the chord (A) in the left hand with the pointy finger 9.5. Play the root in octaves (A) in the left hand while the right hand plays the A minor chord in


9.6. Identify the A minor chord as the vi chord in the key of C major 9.7. Note that there are only 3 half steps between the bottom two notes, this is what makes it

minor

9.8. Introduce the concept of accidentals, which are variations on a note name that identify a black key. Sharp indicates to go up a half step, flat indicates to go down a half step.

9.9. Teach students to raise the middle note so that there are 4 half steps between the bottom two notes of the A chord. This is A major. The middle note is called C# because it is a half step up from C.

9.10. Go back and review the D major and E major chords, and label the middle notes as a sharp note. For instance, D major is D, F#, A. E major is E, G#, B.

9.11. The A minor chord is considered to be the vi chord in the key of C. !13CHORDS 101 - SHANNON GUNN

9.12. Play along with a song that uses the C, Dm, Em, F, G, and Am chords. Congratulations, you can now play along with 90% of the worlds popular music! Play along with the 4 chords, 34 songs videos, or any of the Axis of Awesome videos.

9.13. By the end of this lesson, students should be able to play the Am chord and understand accidentals.

9.14. PRV extension: write a E minor chord in the piano roll view 9.15. Vocabulary: sharp, flat, accidental

10. Module 10: B diminished chord 10.1. Tonality, sharps, flats, diatonic chords, and all chords learned up to this point. 10.2. Count up to the seventh note of the C scale and label the b note as vii 10.3. Play the B diminished chord with the 1, 3, 5 finger on B, D, and F 10.4. Play the root of the chord (B) in the left hand with the pointy finger 10.5. Play the root in octaves (B) in the left hand while the right hand plays the E minor chord in


10.6. Identify the B diminished chord as the vii chord in the key of C major 10.7. Note that there are only 3 half steps between the bottom two notes, and only three half

steps between the top two notes. In a major chord, there are 4 half steps on bottom and 3 half steps on top. In a minor chord, there are 3 half steps on bottom and 4 half steps on top. In a diminished chord, there are three half steps between the bottom two notes and three half steps between the top two notes.

10.8. The B diminished chord is considered to be the vii dim chord in the key of C. The roman numerals are lower case because the chord is diminished. There is a symbol for diminished which looks like the symbol for degrees.

10.9. The B diminished chord is not often used in popular music and is not really considered a primary or a secondary chord.

10.10. Play along with a song that uses the C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, and/or Bdim chords. 10.11. By the end of this lesson, students should be able to play the Bdim chord and understand

the half steps to build a diminished chord.

10.12. PRV extension: write a B diminished chord in the piano roll view 10.13. Vocabulary: diminished

11. Module 11: Chord progressions


11.1. By now, students have played several pop songs using the chords that they already know. Now its time to learn various ways to play, record, or compose a chord progression.

11.2. A chord progression is a series of chords, usually diatonic, that defines the structure of a song.

11.3. Students should learn their first four chord chord progression, I vi iv V, also known as Heart and Soul.

11.4. Students should come up with different ways to play the Heart and Soul chord progression. AKA: variations on block chords.

11.5. Students will be introduced to the concept of chord inversions, where you can flip a chord and it will still retain its harmonic integrity.

11.6. Students will play various inversions of the I - vi - iv - V chord progression. 11.7. Students will write a variation of of the I - vi - iv - V chord progression into the Piano Roll

View. Students can use arpeggios, inversions, block chords, and broken chords.

12. Students will identify the parts of a song, which includes verse, chorus, bridge, instrumental interlude, intro, and outtro. In popular music, the parts of the song are usually defined by their chord progression.

12.1. Chords are the basic building blocks of the structure of popular music. Listen to Someone Like You by Adele and identify the parts of the song (verse, chorus, etc) and then analyze how the chords change with the different parts of the song. The chords on the chorus are the same as the verse, but twice as fast. The chords in the bridge are completely different.

12.2. Identify the sections of the song as A and B sections (Verse = A, Chorus = B) 12.3. By the end of this lesson, students should be able to understand how chords relate to

popular music.

12.4. Vocabulary: chord progression, verse, chorus, bridge, instrumental interlude 13. Module 13: Blues song form

13.1.One additional song structure is the Blues, which has a particular order of chords. 13.2. Listen to a song with Blues song form such as C Jam Blues or Blue Monk and analyze

the chords for the sections of the song.

13.3. Identify the roman numerals for the chords. Notice the IV chord in measure 5, this is very important and defines the song as a blues.

13.4. Record a blues chord progression using the Blues song form.


13.5. By the end of this lesson, students should understand the chord structure of a Blues song form.

14. Module 14: AABA song form 14.1. Back in the 1940s, a popular song form emerged called AABA form. 14.2. Listen to a song with AABA song form such as Fly Me To the Moon or Take the A

Train and analyze the chords for the sections of the song.

14.3. Identify the roman numerals for the chords. Notice that at the end of a song you often have a ii-V-I chord progression. This is a very popular chord progression and is often used at the end of a phrase to lead back to the tonic.

14.4. Record a chord progression using AABA song form. 14.5. By the end of this lesson, students should understand how the chord structure identifies

AABA song form

15. Repeat lessons 2 - 14 in the key of G! This module might take place over several days. The lessons will go quicker since they are transferring knowledge rather than learning something for the first time.

15.1. Learn the G major scale and the primary chords of G, C, and D major. Play along with a pop song that uses G, C, and D major.

15.2. Learn the secondary chords of Am, Bm, Em. Play along with a popular song using these chords.

15.3. Complete a worksheet that demonstrates the knowledge of the G major scale, the G major key signature, the diatonic chords in G major, and the roman numeral numbering system.

16. Students will apply the concepts learned thus far to the key of D minor. 16.1. Students will play the D minor chord. 16.2. Students will play along with a song in D minor, such as Mad World. 16.3. Students will complete a worksheet that demonstrates an understanding of the D minor

scale, D minor key signature, scale degress, roman numeral system, the difference between a major and minor roman numeral system, the diatonic chords in D minor, and the D minor key center.

!


Objectives Similar to most county level curriculum documents, there will be three threads which are taught within each module and will get more and more complex as the course progresses. This is similar to a spiral curriculum where the same concepts are taught repeatedly but with more complex content each time around.

!Overall objectives include:

!Performance Given access to the textbook and teacher instruction:

- Students should be able to play all diatonic chords in C major

- Students should be able to successfully play all the diatonic chords in at least one other key signature

- Students should be able to convert major chords to minor chords and vice versa

- Students should be able to play keyboard chords along with popular songs

!Theory Given access to the textbook and teacher instruction:

- Students should be able to identify the notes on the piano and be able to play a major scale

- Students should be able to understand the relationship between scales and chordal tones

- Students should be able to understand the concept of tonality, including tonic and dominant chords

- Students should understand how different chords are strung together to create a chord progression

- Students should be able to understand how a chord progression relates to the underlying structure of a song

!Creativity Given access to the textbook and teacher instruction:

- Students should be able to come up with an original chord progression


- Students should be able to organize chord progressions into an original song

- Students should be able to create a backing track to a song with an original chord progression

!Given the task analysis above, the following objectives pertain to each module.

!Objectives For Each Module 1. Module 1: Students will be able to identify the notes on the keyboard across octaves through

demonstration via guided performance and a worksheet. 2. Module 2: Students will demonstrate the ability to play the C major scale through a

performance assessment. 3. Module 3: Students will play the C chord, review the C major scale, and demonstrate

understanding of scale degrees through a worksheet. 4. Module 4: Students will play the G major chord and demonstrate an understanding of the

Roman Numeral numbering system through a worksheet. 5. Module 5: Students will play the F major chord and then demonstrate an understanding of

tonic and primary chords and the key of C major through a worksheet. 6. Module 6: Students will demonstrate an understanding of additional theory concepts through a

worksheet. Concepts include tonic, dominant, intervals, half steps, and whole steps. Students will also apply these concepts while playing along with a popular song.

7. Module 7: Students will play the D minor chord and demonstrate an understanding of minor thirds through a worksheet.

8. Module 8: Students play the E minor chord and then demonstrate understanding of the concept of diatonic tonality through a worksheet.

9. Module 9: Students will play the A minor chord and demonstrate an understanding of major vs. minor and accidentals through a worksheet.

10. Module 10: Students will play the B diminished chord, and then learn the theory concepts associated with a diminished triad.

11. Module 11: Students will demonstrate understanding of the Heart and Soul chord progression through writing a variation of that chord progression into the piano roll view.

12. Module 12: Students will demonstrate an understanding of how chord progressions relate to the structure of a song through song form analysis and worksheets. This may take several class periods.

13. Module 13: Students will play a blues song and then write or record a blues chord progression into the piano roll view.


14. Module 14: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the AABA song form through a worksheet and performance.

15. Module 15: Students will apply the concepts learned thus far to the key of G major through performance and a worksheet. This may take several class periods.

16. Module 16: Students will apply the concepts learned thus far to the key of D minor through performance and a worksheet.

!Instructional Approach

This 16-module course will take place at Woodbridge Senior High School in the Music Technology classroom. Once feedback is gained and the course is adjusted, it will also be implemented in the Advanced Music Technology classroom. The course will be implemented January 2014 in the music technology classroom as a pilot course, then will become available on the internet through some sort of portal such as Udemy or a website.

!Each module will take about twenty to thirty minutes and will be implemented as the warm up for the days class. Students walk in, get their headphones, sit down at the keyboards, watch the video and read the lesson for the day, practice the chord on their own, and then play along with the music as a class. Meanwhile, the teacher will walk around and check for accuracy. Once students have practiced playing the chord with a song, the teacher will review the theory aspect of the instruction. Students will complete the module with a worksheet (which will be graded) that reviews the theory concepts. Students may also input the chord into the Piano Roll View to reinforce the music technology aspect of the lesson.

!Each module will be written on 8.5 x 11 piece of paper. The lesson will contain the new chord as notation, piano roll view notation, an explanation of the chord and any related theory concepts in English, vocabulary list, picture of the chord on the keyboard, and a QR code for students to scan to watch a tutorial video. Students will also have access to the tutorial video on their computers as well through transfer via flash drive. Students do not have internet on the computers. Typically, before the students start playing along with the music as a class, the teacher will give them a pattern to play the chords.

!As far as the quality of playing, this course is not designed to create performers as much as audio engineers that understand chords as the fundamental building blocks of music. Therefore, finger


numbers and hand position will not be emphasized. Performance of chords will not be assessed. However, students will be corrected if they are playing the wrong chords or if they have the wrong notes for a chord. Students may use both hands if they wish. It is important, though, for students to try to play each chord with the thumb, middle finger, and pinky, because this hand position can be transferred to any other chord setting. Students will not be assessed on their ability to play the piano, but on their understanding of the theory concepts.

!Technology requirements include: a computer with the video tutorial, keyboard, headphones, and lesson book.

!!


Instructional approach: the table below identifies the key instructional objectives and strategies for each Module.

!Objective Instructional Strategies Formative Assessment Related Play-

Along Song of the Day

Module 1 Students will be able to identify the notes on the keyboard across octaves through guided performance and a worksheet.

Teacher will walk around, call out directions, and students will play along. Teacher will correct students as needed.

Students will complete a worksheet identifying the names of the notes on the keyboard, areas of high/low sounds, use of right and left hand, finger numbers, and the pattern of black and white keys.

N/A

Module 2 Students will demonstrate the ability to play the C major scale.

After students have read the lesson, the teacher will walk around and check for correct playing of the C major scale.

Students will each individually play the C major scale for the teacher as a formative assessment. This is the only performances based assessment of the entire course.

N/A

Module 3 Students will play the C chord, review the C major scale, and demonstrate understanding of scale degrees through a worksheet.

Students will play the C major scale, the C major chord, and then the teacher will review the theory concepts.

Review worksheet with identification of the C major chord, triads, scale degrees, steps vs. skips, octaves, and the roman numeral system for scale degrees.

N/A

Module 4 Students will play the G major chord and demonstrate an understanding of the Roman Numeral numbering system through a worksheet.

Students will play the G major cord, then play along with a song with two chords (such as Boogie Woogie Blues), and then complete a review worksheet. Students will play a pattern imitating the teacher.

Review worksheet that assesses an understanding of the Roman numeral system, the concept of building a chord off of a scale, and the I and V chords in C major.

Boogie Woogie Blues

Module 5 Students will play the F major chord and then demonstrate an understanding of tonic and primary chords. Students will be introduced to the key of C major.

Students will play an F chord, and then play along with a 3 chord song that uses C, F, and G, then complete a review worksheet. Students will be introduced to the concept of the Blues.

Review worksheet that goes over the three primary chords in C major, the concept of a key center, and tonic.

Any Blues tune, Pharrells Happy

Module 6 Students will demonstrate an understanding of additional theory concepts through a worksheet. Concepts include tonic, dominant, intervals, half steps, and whole steps.

Students will play aloud with another song with three chords. Then the teacher will lecture to teach the basic theory concepts.

Students will complete a theory worksheet applying all of the theory concepts thus far. Concepts include: tonic, dominant, subdominant, intervals, half steps, whole steps, and the number of half steps between each note in a major chord.

Any Blues tune


Module 7 Students will play the D minor chord and demonstrate an understanding of minor thirds through a worksheet.

Students will play the D minor chord, then play along to a song with Dm, C, G, and/or F chords. Then the teacher will go over the concepts of minor, major, and the lower case roman numeral system to indicate minor.

Students will complete a theory worksheet that is a cumulative review that also assesses their understanding of minor chords, and specifically, the number of half steps to make up the bottom two notes of a minor chord. Additionally, students will demonstrate an understanding of secondary chords and the difference in roman numerals for a minor chord.

?

Module 8 Students play the E minor chord and then demonstrate understanding of the concept of diatonic tonality through a worksheet.

Students will play the E minor chord, then play along with a song that uses Em, Dm, F, G, and/or C chords. Then, the teacher will go over the theory concepts for the day.

Students will complete a worksheet that reviews the notes in each chord, diatonic tonality, major vs. minor, and key centers.

?

Module 9 Students will play the A minor chord and demonstrate an understanding of major vs. minor and accidentals through a worksheet.

Students will play the A minor chord, then play along with a song that uses Am, Em, D, C, F, and/or G. Then, the teacher will teach the concept of accidentals, and have students create major chords out of A minor, E minor, and D minor as a class exercise. Students will play the D major chord.

Students will complete a worksheet that assesses their understanding of converting minor chords into major, accidentals, sharps, flats, and naturals. Students will be assessed on their understanding of the D major, E major, and A major chords.

?

Module 10

Students play the B diminished chord, and then learn the theory concepts associated with a diminished triad.

Students will play the B diminished chord. Students will play along with a the youtube video 36 songs with the same chords which are D, Em, Am, and G. Then the teacher will lecture regarding the concepts of a diminished triad.

No assessment because the diminished chord is not often used in popular music.

Axis of Awesome video ? (is it key of C)

Module 11

Students will demonstrate understanding of the Heart and Soul chord progression through writing a variation of that chord progression into the piano roll view.

Students will play the Heart and Soul chord progression, then learn variations on how to play the chords. The teacher will demonstrate variations on the Heart and Soul Chord Progression.

Students will input the Heart and Soul chord progression into the Piano Roll view using inversions, block and broken chords, and arpeggios. Students may copy a chord progression from a template or they may come up with their own variation. The key assessment point is that they have one chord every two beats. Students will also learn how to add swing to the notes in the Piano Roll View via the Quantize button.

Heart and Soul

Objective Instructional Strategies Formative Assessment Related Play-Along Song of the Day


Module 12

Students will demonstrate an understanding of how chord progressions relate to the structure of a song through song form analysis and worksheets.

Students will play along with Someone Like You as a class. Students will identify the sections of a song and then identify the chords for each section.

Students will look at various lead sheets and color code the parts of the song with highlighters. Yellow = Verse, Green = Chorus, Blue = Bridge. Then students will copy the chord progression for each section of the song to a worksheet. This will allow students to see how songs are chunked together, how their chords are organized by section, and then allow the teacher to see there level of understanding. This module may take place and over several days of analysis of popular songs. Vocabulary assessed on the worksheet includes chord progression, verse, chorus, bridge, pre-chorus, outtro, and instrumental interlude.

Someone Like You - transposed to C major and in original key

Module 13

Students will play a blues song and then write or record a blues chord progression into the piano roll view.

Students will play along with a Blues song.

Students will create a blues chord progression in the piano roll view. Students will construct drums and a bass line around the chord progression using software synthesizers.

N/A

Module 14

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the AABA song form through a worksheet and performance.

Students will play along with a song with AABA song form.

Students will analyze the chord progression of an AABA song form and determine how the sections line up to the lyrics (verse, bridge, and chorus). Student will complete a worksheet on the topic.

Any song in C that has AABA form

Module 15

Students will apply the concepts learned thus far to the key of G major.

Students will play the G major scale, and then the diatonic chords in G major. Students will play along with a popular song in G major.

Students will complete a worksheet that demonstrates an understanding of the G major scale, the G major key signature, the diatonic chords in G major, and the roman numeral for each chord in G major. Additionally, students will be challenged to come up with a song using the G major key center, to include chord progression, bass line, and drum beat.

36 songs with the same chord progression YouTube Video

Module 16

Students will apply the concepts learned thus far to the key of D minor.

Students will play a D minor scale, and then play the diatonic chords in the key of D minor. Students will then play along with a popular song in D minor, such as Mad World by Gary Jules.

Students will complete a worksheet that demonstrates an understanding of the D minor scale, the D minor key signature, the diatonic chords in D minor, and the roman numeral for each chord in D minor. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the roman numeral system for a minor key center.

Mad World by Gary Jules



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Module 17

Students will apply the concepts learned thus far to create their own song.

Students will come up with their own chord progression, add a bass line, add a drum beat to create their own backing track. Students may use the format of a Blues, a four chord song, or AABA form. The song should be about one and a half to three minutes in length and should match the genre of their choice.

This is the summative assessment for the course.

N/A



Evaluation !Course Evaluation Formative course evaluation will include the following systems:

1. First of all, before the course is implemented, the modules and prototype will be presented to other music and theory teachers. Feedback from their input will determine a final instructional approach and assessments. At the time of this publishing, reviews from other teachers are still pending.

2. The course will also be presented to a select group of students for review. Feedback will determine the adjustments that are needed. This group of students will have no background in music and no formal music training.

3. Throughout the Fall of 2014, the course design has been presented to colleagues at the GMU Instructional Design class and all feedback has been incorporated into the design of the course.

4. The course will be construed as effective if 100% students who attend class regularly are engaged in learning and show improvement in their understanding of chords.

Conformative Course Evaluation Typically, 100% of Juniors enrolled in Music Technology continue to take Advanced Music Technology for their Senior year. At some point half-way through their Senior year, their music making progress typically peaks as they are at the cusp of understanding but not at the point of refusing to do work yet (a.k.a. senioritis.) This music creation progress is shown through the music they create for their summative assignment that is due halfway through Senior year where they have to come up with a game design, create music for the scenes, create a powerpoint with graphics, and present their game design idea to the class. The Chords 101 course will help students who wish to create their own music using MIDI and synthesizers, which works really well with game music. The course will be deemed effective on a long-term basis (12 months) if there is an increase in the number of students creating chord progressions and using MIDI during their Game Design project during their senior year.

!Formative Assessment for Learners Formative assessments will be conducted to determine if the course meets the objectives as it is being developed. Students will complete worksheets and play during class for their assessments.

!!25CHORDS 101 - SHANNON GUNN

Each module will be assessed with a worksheet that goes over the theory concepts that accompany each lesson. This will inform the instructor as to whether or not the students understood the chord and theory lesson. If the students are stuck on a concept, additional reinforcement may be necessary. Emphasis will be placed in the assessments on the art of stringing chords together in a way that indicates tonality.

Summative Assessment for Learners Students will create a backing track as their summative assessment. The number of chords in the backing track will be tracked and compared to the number of chords in their first song. Success of the course will be evidenced by an increase in the number of students using chords to create this backing track and the ability for students to string chords together into an appropriate chord progression for their genre.

For instance, on the first song that students created in class:

4 out of 24 students used MIDI, which is an indication of original composition (16%)

4 out of 24 students used a harmony of some sort (16%)

0 out of 24 students created a chord progression that indicates some sense of tonality (0%)

Student success will be evidenced by:

7 out of 25 students can create an original chord progression in the assignment for Module 17 that is typical for that genre (25%)

13 out of 25 students to incorporate original chords into their song, as is typical for that genre (50%)

A note regarding the rate of success as listed above: several colleagues mentioned that this percentage might be a little bit low. Based on past music technology courses, it takes about a year and a half to really become comfortable with MIDI and creating original chord progressions. Most students dont even get that far, unless they have formal music training through four years of band, orchestra, or choir. Given that only four students in the class have formal music training, and the fact that this is the first year that theory is offered without notation, a 50% success rate for Module 17 is appropriate.

!


Final Summative Assessment: Ten years into the future: !You are a very famous producer living in New York. You notice that one of your cousins is extremely talented and can sing better than anyone youve ever heard on television, radio, or the internet. At only 16 years old, she has great dreams of having a career as a singer. Create a backing track for the young talented artist described above. This is the music for her demo that will be utilized to showcase her talents. Include any instruments, beats, synthesizers, and audio effects that you think will help make this song a success. The length should be appropriate to whatever genre you choose to write in. If you sample, give credit. !Rubric for Summative Assessment:

!

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Ratings

Outcomes A (4 pts) B (3 pts) C (2 pts) D (1 pt)

Student creates

Aesthetic Appeal

Strong aesthetic appeal and general impression. Would be enjoyed by many listeners. Keeps the listener interested.

Includes some interesting musical ideas. The general impression is pleasant and moderately effective.

Includes at least one interesting musical idea. Yet, the overall impression is not effective.

Does not present an effective general impression. Musical ideas do not hold the listeners interest.

Student work is

Creative

Includes very original, unusual or imaginative musical ideas. Explores and varies at least two musical elements.

Involves some original aspect(s) or manipulation(s) of musical idea(s). Explores and varies at least one musical element.

Musical idea is neither familiar nor a clich. However, there is no development, variety, or exploration of musical elements.

Musical idea is familiar or a clich. No variety or exploration of musical elements (range, timbre, dynamics, tempo, rhythm, melody).

Student demonstrates

excellent

Craftsmanship

Presents at least one complete musical idea. Has a coherent and organized form with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Uses musical elements to organize musical ideas or the form.

Ending feels final. Uses at least one musical element to organize the musical ideas and overall form.

Presents one complete musical idea. However, composition lacks overall completeness. Fails to use musical elements to organize musical ideas or form.

Gives no sense of a completed musical idea. Exhibits no clear beginning, middle or end section. Form appears random rather than organized.

Student incorporates

Chords

Presents a chord progression that follows the format of a typical song for that genre.

Presents a chord progression that does not follow the typical format for that genre.

Uses at least one chord, but does not necessarily have any development or progression that would be typical for that genre.

Does not use any original chords in the song.

!!Chords 101

Prototype Preview

!

Shannon Gunn Fall 2014

!1CHORDS 101 - COPYRIGHT SHANNON GUNN

!!2CHORDS 101 - COPYRIGHT SHANNON GUNN

Chords 101 Prototype Preview

!Summary

The purpose of this course is to develop a training program in chords and theory for Woodbridge Senior High School Music Technology students. This training program will be designed to provide hands-on training in the performance of piano chords, their use in popular music, and their functionality in songwriting. Each module is designed to teach a new chord and a new theory concept. There are mini-assessments at the end of each module to check for understanding of harmony as it pertains to popular music. The goal of this course is to teach students not only how to play chords, but how to create their own chord progressions for songwriting. !

Table of Contents !

Click here for Video Tutorials !Module 1: Layout of the keyboard, C, D, E, F, and G, Octaves Module 2: Review of Module 1, C Major Scale, A and B Module 3: C Chord Module 4: G Chord

!


Piano Chords


Module 1: Keyboard Orientation Objective: By the end of this module, you should understand the layout of the keyboard, be able to identify all the notes on the keyboard from C to G, be able to find middle C, place your hand in middle C position, play three tunes in middle C position with your right hand, and understand octaves.

Click here for video tutorial.

The piano keyboard is made up of 88 keys that are organized into a pattern of sets of two and three black keys. The notes are low on the left and they get higher as you go to the right.

Step 1: Play all the sets of two black keys from low to high and then back down to low again.

Step 2: Play all the sets of three black keys from low to high and then back down to low again. Notice that each set sounds the same but gets higher as you go to the right.

Step 3: The note called C is located to the left of the two black keys. Play all the Cs from low to high and then back down to low again. The distance from one C note to the next one up (a total of 12 keys) is called an octave. !!!!!!!!!!!Step 4: Each finger has a number. The thumb is always number 1, (in both the left and right hands), and the pointy is always number 2, middle finger is number 3, ring finger is number 4, and pinky is number five. Play all the C notes again with your number 1 finger (thumb) in your right hand.


LOWER HIGHER

Step 5: Now find Middle C. Middle C is the C note located in the middle of the keyboard. Play it with your number 1 finger (thumb) in your right hand.

Step 6: Now place your number 2 finger (pointy) on the next note. This is called D.

Step 7: Now place your number 3 finger (middle finger) on the next note. This is called E.

Step 8: Now place your number 4 finger (ring finger) on the next note. This is called F.

Step 9: Now place your number 5 finger (pinky finger) on the next note. This is called G.

Step 10: Play C, D, E, F, G up and down with your right hand until you can play each note with a nice loud tone by itself. Try to keep your fingers close to the keys as you play.

Step 11: Play a simple tune, such as Mary Had a Little Lamb, with your right hand on the keyboard.

Theory concept: The distance from one note to the next of the same letter name is called an octave.

!Mary Had a Little Lamb

E D C D E E E D D D E G G E D C D E E E D D E D C

!Ode to Joy (challenge tune)

E E F G G F E D C C D E E D D E E F G G F E D C C D E D C C

!Jingle Bells

E E E E E E E G C D E F F F F F E E E G G F D C

!Step 12: Now its time to learn to identify the notes without having to always count up from C. You can identify each note based on its location as it relates to the black keys. Now, identify all the D notes on the piano. D is located in between the sets of two black keys. Find the lowest set of two black keys, and then play all the D notes from low to high and then back down to low again with your number 2 finger (pointy). Notice they all sound the same but get higher as you go to the right.

Step 13: E is located to the right of two black keys. Find the lowest set of two black keys and play all the E notes from low to high and back down to low again with your number 3 finger (middle finger.)

Step 14: F is located to the left of three black keys. Find the lowest set of three black keys and play all the F notes from low to high and back down to low again with your number 4 finger (ring finger.)

Step 15: G is located in between the bottom two of the three black keys. Play all the G notes from low to high and back down to low again with your number 5 finger (pinky.)

!Click here for Module 1 video. Or simply scan the QR code to the right.


Name___________________ Date _____ Period _____ Grade ______/5 = _____ % !Module 1 Review: Keyboard layout, finger numbers, octaves

1. Write the name of each note on each note on the keyboard below. Write only C, D, E, F, and G. Identify the low / high parts of the keyboard.

!Circle one: Low/High Low/High !2. The distance from one letter name to the next letter name up or down is called an _______________. 3. How many notes are in between C to C counting the bottom C and the top C? _____ (this is why it is called an octave) 4. Write the number of each finger right above each finger/thumb on the hands below. Keep in mind left and right.

!5. Whats the easy way to remember finger numbers? Thumbs are always ______. !

!


Module 2: C Major Scale Objective: By the end of this module, you should be able to play the C major scale, and identify any note on the piano including C, D, E, F, G, A, and B.

Step 1: Review the following:

Review finger numbers of your right and left hand (thumbs are always 1!)

Play all the sets of 2 black keys from low to high to low with your number 2 and 3 fingers

Play all the sets of 3 black keys from low to high to low with your number 2 and 3 and 4 fingers

Play all the Cs, which is located to the left of two black keys, from low to high to low

Play all the Ds, which is located in between two black keys, from low to high to low

Play all the Es, which is located to the right of two black keys, from low to high to low

Play all the Fs, which is located to the left of three black keys, from low to high to low

Play all the Gs, which is located in between the bottom two notes of the three black keys, from low to high to low

Find Middle C

Place your right thumb on middle C and the rest of your fingers on D, E, F, and G

Play up and down on C, D, E, F, and G with your fingers staying close to their assigned keys

Play Mary Had a Little Lamb, Ode to Joy, and Jingle Bells (page 4)

Step 2: Now you will learn the other two notes of the piano keyboard. A is located to the right of G, and is found in between the top two of the sets of three black keys. Play all the A notes on the keyboard from low to high back down to low again.

Step 3: Now you will learn the B note. B is located to the right of three black keys. Play all the B notes from low to high back down to low again.

Step 4: Now you will learn the C major scale. The C major scale is a sequence of notes that follows a certain pattern. A scale is a sequence of notes, the fact that it is identified as major indicates it has a certain pattern. The definition of major will be explained later. The C major scale is C D E F G A B C. It contains the eight white notes from C to C. When you play from C to C, you are playing the C major scale for one octave. If you kept going to the next C, you would be playing two octaves. Play the notes in sequence of the C major scale with your number two finger (pinky).

Going up: C D E F G A B C Going down: C B A G F E D C

Step 5: There are proper fingerings for the C major scale that typically, every piano player must learn. The correct fingering for the C major scale is: 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1. You have to learn the thumb over and under technique to do this.

Click here for Module 2 video.


Name___________________ Date _____ Period _____ Grade ______/5 = _____ % !Module 2 Review: C major scale

1. Write the C major scale for one octave on the keyboard below. Dont forget the bottom and top C.

!2. Now, write the proper finger number of each note below each letter name on the keyboard above. For instance, letter C is number 1, letter D is number 2, etc. !3. Perform your C major scale for Mrs. Gunn going up and down. Try to use the proper fingering. Mrs. Gunn will not listen to the C major scale until you have completed the number 1 and 2 above. ______/8 !4. What is the third note of the C major scale? ____ (counting the bottom C) !5. What is the fifth note of the C major scale? ____ (counting the bottom C) !Note: You might ask, why do we need to learn the C major scale? Answer: because chords are built off of scales.

!


Module 3: C Chord Objective: By the end of this module, you should be able to play the C chord in any octave across the range of the piano, and should understand that the C major chord is built off the 1st, 3rd, and 5th note of the C major scale. You will also become familiar with the roman numeral number system for scale tones.

!Step 1: Review the concepts from the previous two classes, including:

Finger numbers

Be able to play C, D, E, F, G, and A notes across the keyboard from low to high to low in octaves with a specified finger number

Be able to play the C major scale starting in Middle C

Review Mary Had a Little Lamb, Ode to Joy, and Jingle Bells (page 4)

Step 2: Before you learn the new concept for today, you need to become familiar with steps and skips. Steps are when two notes are right next to each other, such as C to D. A Skip is when you have one white note in between. For instance, from C to E is a skip. As a class, play up one step from D. Play down one step from A. Now play up one skip from E. Play down one skip from D.

Step 3: Now place your right hand in Middle C position. Play up and down the notes several times, and review the tunes listed above (page 4)

!!


Step 4: Press down your thumb, middle finger, and pinky at the same time on C, E, and G. This is called the C Chord. Notice that the C chord consists of two skips. The C note, which is the bottom note, is called the Root of the chord. The root of the chord is the lowest note of the chord when the chord is in root position. Root position is the position of the chord when it is stacked in skips. The C chord is built off the 1st, 3rd, and 5th note of the C major scale.

!Step 5: Each scale has certain numbers for each note. In the C major scale, the C note is number 1, D note is number 2, E note is number 3, F note is number 4, G note is number 5, A note is number 6, and B note is number 7. We use Roman Numerals to describe the number associated with each note in the scale.

Roman Numeral System Ours: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Upper case: I II III IV V VI VII VIII Lower case: i ii iii iv v vi vii viii !

Roman Numeral System for the C Major Scale

! Some notes are upper case and some are lower case. C, F, and G all have upper case roman numerals and are known as the I, IV, and V notes of the C major scale. The C Chord is known as the I Chord of the C major scale because it is built off the 1st note of the C major scale. Step 6: Incorporate your left hand by placing your left thumb on the C below middle C. Play the C chord in your right hand while you play the C note in the left hand. Step 7: Add your pinky on the octave below your thumb in your left hand. Play the C note in octaves in the left hand at the same time as the C Chord in your right hand. Step 8: Play the C Chord up and down the piano starting on the lowest C note. Whenever you play a three note chord, it is called a Triad. Click here for the video for Module 3.


ROOT

Name___________________ Date _____ Period _____ Grade ______/8 = _____ % !Module 3 Review: C chord, Roman numerals

1. Write the letter names for all of the C major chords that are possible on the keyboard below. You should be able to find five.

!2. Write the proper right hand finger number underneath one of the C Chords above. !3. The lowest note of a chord in root position is called the _________. !4. Notes that are right next to each other have the distance of a __________. !5. Notes that have one in between have the distance of a ___________. !6. The C Chord is built off the _____, ______, _____ notes of the scale. !7. Label each note of the C major scale with its correct roman numeral, including the proper upper or lower case. C - _____ D - _____ E - _____ F - _____ G - _____ A - _____ B - _____ C - _____ 8. What is another name for a three-note chord? ___________


Module 4: G Chord Objective: By the end of this module, you should be able to play the C and G chord in sequence, and should understand that the C chord is called the I chord and the G chord is called the V chord because they are built off the 1st and 5th notes of the C major scale.

Step 1: Review the concepts from the previous two classes, including:

Tunes

C Major Scale

C Chord (including left hand)

Roman numeral system for the C major scale

Steps, skips, root, triad

Step 2: Find middle C. Count up to the fifth note of the C scale and label G as the V note. Now place your right hand thumb on G, skip a note, middle finger on B, skip a note, and pinky on D. This is called the G major chord.

Step 3: Place your left thumb on G below middle C. Play this at the same time as the G chord in the right hand.

Step 4: Place your left pinky on the G below your left thumb. Play your left hand pinky and thumb on G in octaves while you play the G chord in the right hand.

Step 5: Place your right hand thumb on middle C and play the C chord.

Step 6: Go back and forth between the C chord and the G chord in your right hand.

Step 7: Place your left hand thumb on G below middle C, and left hand pinky on C below middle C.

Step 8: Try to incorporate your left hand while going back and forth with your right hand between the C chord and the G chord.

Step 9: The C Chord and G Chord are two Primary Chords for the C major scale. The C Major Scale is the basis of the Key of C, which is basically all the white keys. The C Chord is called the I Chord because it is built off the first note of the C major scale, and the G Chord is called the V Chord because it is built off the fifth note of the C Major scale.

Why do you need to know this? Well, because once you learn the primary chords for the key of C, you can transfer those concepts to any other key on the piano. There are twelve versions of each of the concepts learned above, one for each note of the piano.

Step 10: Play along with Nirvanas Mollys Lips. This is fast, so practice going back and forth from C to G first!

Nirvana - Molly's Lips G / / C / / G / / C / / / - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f76GsOBxUg0

Click here for video for Module 4.


Name___________________ Date _____ Period _____ Grade ______/5 = _____ % !Module 4 Review: G chord, primary chords, Key of C !

1. Write the letter names for all of the G major chords that are possible on the keyboard below. You should be able to find four.

!2. Write the proper right hand finger number underneath one of the G Chords above. !3. Two of the primary chord in the key of C are the ______ chord and the ______ chord. !4. The C major scale is the basis of the Key of ______ major. !5. In the key of C, the C chord is called the ____ chord (use roman numeral with proper capitalization) and the G chord is called the ____ chord (use roman numeral with proper capitalization).


design document: "chords 101"

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