SO...HOW WOULD YOU TEACH
ME TO PLAY?
If you have never played before we would look at scale structures. Not to play them up and down endlessly, but to understand what they mean to music. We will find out that melody, as well as harmony, comes from the scales.
The next step is to learn the chords (harmony) in the left hand while playing melody in your right hand. This covers all your chord types: major, minor, diminished, augmented, as well as 6th, 7th, and major 7th.
We then proceed to chording and playing melody in your right hand while your left hand adds a bass consideration.
The next stage is to work into an open harmony format where the harmony is spread out between the bass and the melody. It is here that you are introduced to the extended harmonies such as 9th, 11th, and 13th chords as well as learning and understanding how these harmonies impact on our music.
The student is then introduced to blues, boogie woogie, jazz, swing, as well as other styles of playing music; i.e., block chords, stride and rag piano, and improvisation. Who knows at this stage - you might try your hand at some song writing yourself!
THE GOAL?....To be able to take a piece of contemporary music and play it the way YOU think it should be played.
HOW FAR CAN I GO?
Obviously, as far as you want. Some students have decided to get deeply into the understanding and workings of music. For the serious student I use the Delamont text books (probably one of the most comprehensive courses available). I'm fortunate to be one of the few teachers around that can teach this university level - four to five year course privately. When you complete this course you will know how to: compose, arrange, and orchestrate from small to large bands; even full orchestras.
DAVID also does arranging and/or orchestration for musical groups of all sizes. Customized lead sheets are also available.
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