Pilots Propedeutic Year PCC 2021-2022

There will be three pilots for disciplines connected to Music Theory:

Music History: weekly lectures for all propedeutic students by Wiebe Buis (check www.skole.nl)
Music Theory: analysis and harmony, lessons in smaller groups by Wiebe Buis (check www.skole.nl) and Leon Mennen (check www.leonmennen.nl)
Ear training/solfege : lessons in smaller groups by Wiebe Buis and Leon Mennen

Wiebe Buis: students classical music

Leon Mennen: students Jazz, C&M and Domu

Patterns within standards.

Patterns within "classical music".

Exercises connected to the above from ADVANCED RHYTHM by Erik Højsgaard

cover hojsgaard

Of course the melody is important but: the harmonic framework is as important and always the backbone of a standard. Without it the melody just "hangs in the air".

The STEPS to follow:

Get to know the MELODY: Play along/sing along (2x) MEMORIZE it, and after that TRANSPOSE it to another key
Get to know the BASS-LINE: Play along/sing along (2x)
Get to know the CHORDS: Play the chords on any keyboard instrument (from piano to melodica): close position in the right hand. Don't worry about voice leading, just grab each chord. In that way you learn to understand each chord as a whole.
Get to know the chords by making ARPEGGIOS: use the given example to begin with, and when you are fluent: make your own!
Learn to play the simplified CHORD SCHEME on a keyboard instrument (bass note left hand, three additional notes in the right hand). Pay close attention to the way chords are linked to each other (voice leading) be aware of small "lines" in different voices. Start slowly, speed up when possible. (Guitar players check the material of Leon Mennen!).
Back to the MELODY: if there are notes in the melody that are not part of the notated chord symbol... encircle them. What do they add to the chord symbol of that moment?