Hello Everyone! Your notes are as follows:

Chris

What we learned/reviewed in lesson:

  • Finger patterns
    • Relating the posture and hand positioning to our playing
    • Playing with our bigger muscle groups (reminding ourselves: we walk with our legs, not our toes. Similarly, we play piano with our arms, not our fingers)
  • To remind yourself of what your hand position should feel like, rest hands on knees with the fingers relaxed
  • Played through exploring seconds and exploring thirds
  • Reviewed: contrary and parallel motion, treble and bass clef
  • New info
    • Dynamics ranging from pp-p-mp-mf-f-ff, pianissimo to fortissimo
    • Reading on the staff, treble G + bass F + middle C
    • Acronyms for notes on the staff (Treble: FACE, Every Good Bat Deserves Fruit; Bass: All Cows Eat Grass, Good Bats Deserve Fruit Always)
    • Whole steps and half steps; remembering the difference between these will help us once we start learning scales

Recommended time to practice:

  • 20-30 minutes 4 or 5 days of the week

What to practice:

  • Pg 15, 17-19

How to practice efficiently: 

  • Isolating right and left hand lines and trying different ways approach what you are reading (clapping, saying/singing finger numbers, saying/singing note names)
  • Work on both reading the music and recalling notes on the keyboard. Developing a fluent understanding of the keyboard layout (note names) will allow reading to become more efficient / manageable. 

 

Greta

What we learned/reviewed in lesson:

  • 2 octave scales for G major and D minor. Being mindful of the fingering
  • Solid triads (2 octaves)
  • Minor scales: incorporating harmonic (raising the 7th up a half step) and melodic (raising 6th and 7th up a half step going up the scale ascending and going back to the natural minor descending)
  • How to pedal for sustained pieces

Recommended time to practice:

  • 20-30 minutes a day, 4 days a week

What to practice:

  • G major, D minor: 2 octave scales and 2 octave solid triads
  • First page of Amber Moon, hands together

How to practice efficiently: 

  • Isolating each hand, work through phrases with a steady pulse. Check in with yourself to see if the beat is steady, if dynamics are being incorporated, if your sound is consistent.
  • In addition to playing at the keyboard, listen to a recording of your piece. A recording can help establish the melody/harmony in your ear — but be mindful not to directly imitate the recording, use it as a tool that can help you with phrasing ideas, tempo, and rhythm.
  • Amber Moon Recording

 

 

 

Have a good week!