LESSON 7: Steps, Skips and Extra Pleasure

[NOTE: If you are just joining us for the first time, you will find the list of my previous Sixty and Me Free Piano Lessons at the bottom of this post. You can join our lessons any time!]

Lesson 7 begins with Beethoven’s wonderful Ode to Pleasure theme, which was impressed by a favourite poem of his time:

All of the world’s creatures, Draw pleasure from nature’s breast
Be embraced tens of millions! The kiss for all of the world!

Beethoven suggested his college students to work laborious at studying the way to play music, but additionally to note the profound fantastic thing about the music, and to hook up with it emotionally. He believed that music may elevate people to the extent of gods! Here’s a lovely flash mob efficiency of Ode to Pleasure to encourage you. I feel Beethoven would have beloved it:

The Ode to Pleasure theme makes use of solely 6 notes, however as you may see and listen to, music doesn’t require quite a lot of notes to be melodic (hum-able) and emotional. In Lesson 2 on p.16 you performed the primary a part of Ode to Pleasure. Right this moment you’ll begin taking part in the complete theme on p.31-32! And subsequent week you can begin Carefree, by the German classical composer, Daniel Gottlob Turk.

First, I wish to discuss a bit about steps and skips. In music terminology, shifting from C to D known as a step, and shifting from C to E known as a skip. Once we STEP on the keyboard it seems like this on the workers: we transfer from a Line word to the neighboring House word (up or down), or from a House word to the neighboring Line word (up or down). Once we SKIP on the keyboard, we transfer from House to House, or Line to Line on the workers, up or down.

Ode to Pleasure p. 31-32

Discover that in Ode to Pleasure p.31 within the first line, second measure, the music strikes from an F to a G within the Treble Workers. That could be a STEP. On p.32 first line, second measure, the music strikes from E to C. That could be a SKIP.

Within the Bass Workers on p.31 backside line, third measure, the music strikes from G down an area to our new word Bass E. That could be a SKIP. E is situated within the third area from the underside of the workers. The bass E3 and G3 that you just play in Ode to Pleasure are just under center C in your keyboard (see p.6). Watch my video for extra about STEPS and SKIPS:

Able to play Ode to Pleasure with bass E and G? Right here is my demonstration video:

Discover that Ode to Pleasure has some unusual new symbols written in pink on pages 31-32. These symbols helped save paper and saved the poor composer’s aching hand from having to put in writing out repeated sections.

The D.S. al Fantastic above the final measure of the piece on p. 32 sends you again to the signal or “segno” (in Italian) firstly of the third line on p.31. You proceed taking part in from there till “Fantastic” above the final measure of p. 31. Fantastic means, the tip. To make clear the D.S. al Fantastic, please watch my video:

On the backside of p. 32 you see a Finger Quantity Drill. Do that train utilizing your left hand on the C-G under center C (that’s C3). You would possibly attempt taking part in it with a metronome set to 68 BPM (beats per minute). This train is supposed that will help you keep in mind your finger numbers (pinkie is all the time 5-finger, and thumb is 1-finger in each arms).

Carefree begins with repeated Es and strikes as much as F and G and sounds much like Ode to Pleasure, nevertheless it consists of an F# in your proper hand! You’ll play the F# together with your proper hand 4-finger. Do not forget that a pointy (#) raises a word a HALF STEP up, to the precise.

That’s all for now. I hope you take pleasure in taking part in Ode to Pleasure and Carefree for the following two weeks. In Lesson 8 we are going to add one other Bass word so hold finding out Bass E and G noting that E is within the third area from the underside of the Bass Workers, and G is within the high area.

Every time you add a brand new word to your music, you add to the potential for richness of sound. Your music and your taking part in are each going to maintain getting higher and higher! Have an ideal two weeks and please be at liberty to ask questions within the feedback part under.

Ardour Observe!

1. Train #2 in E and B, and overview C, G, D, and A (Appendix iii, and use the PENTASCALES chart behind the guide if you’re undecided about what the 5 notes in every place needs to be).
2. Ode to Pleasure p.31-32 this week and subsequent week.
3. Carefree p.33 subsequent week.
4. Assessment this video about posture and hold checking in together with your physique to verify your again is straight, shoulders are relaxed, and you’re sitting far sufficient away from the piano in order that your elbow is barely in entrance of the midline of your physique.
5. Assessment pages 18, 29-30.

INTRODUCTION: https://sixtyandme.com/piano-lessons/

LESSON 2 https://sixtyandme.com/piano-lesson-number-1/

LESSON 3: https://sixtyandme.com/piano-lesson-3-health-issues-and-exercises/

LESSON 4: https://sixtyandme.com/piano-lesson-4-feel-the-beat/

LESSON 5: https://sixtyandme.com/piano-lesson-5-bass-g/

LESSON 6: https://sixtyandme.com/rests-and-pickups/

Can you play songs, items and workout routines with out the letter strip now? If not, hold quizzing your self on the keys. Did you benefit from the flash mob Ode to Joy efficiency? Orchestras supply surprises like that with the intention to attempt to hold classical music related and alive. Within the Higher Arms Piano sequence we play each classical and in style items. What sort of music is your favourite? (I adore it all, however I significantly wish to play jazz.) Are you able to hum the Ode to Pleasure melody? Hold watching the video and taking part in the piece till you may!