Play Piano and Read Music Blog

February 3, 2010

Play Piano – My New “Google” Search Engine for Online Piano Lessons!

That’s right … I just created my own GOOGLE Piano Lesson Search Engine!

There are 100’s of sites dedicated to Piano Instruction for Adults, Beginner to Advanced Students… and Classical Piano Enthusiasts!

Just go to: www.MrRonsMusic.com and “scroll” down to the bottom of my homepage.

Look for the “BLACK” Google Search Box… and just enter your “music-related” keyword phrase.

That’s it… The listings will appear at the bottom of the page.

Don’t forget to “click” the next page button to explore additional sites related to “piano lessons!”

I sincerely hope you find the program that is appropriate for your needs!

To your success,

Ron

February 2, 2010

Play Piano – To Play Contemporary Harmonies YOU Must Understand Traditional Harmonic Concepts!

To conceptualize contemporary rhythm and harmonic musical statements, you have to be conversant with “traditional” music theory!

January 31, 2010

Play Piano – The Piano is the ORCHESTRA!

Here’s some “comic relief!”

I need it sometime(s)as such, I know you need it!

Hopefully… you will be motivated to “analyze” the harmonic structure of the “background” MUSIC!

Play Piano – Here’s How to Exercise Your Fingers to Begin to Learn to Play Piano!

Attention: Adult Beginner Piano Students!!

The following exercise should be practiced DAILY, to acquire agility, endurance and independence in the fingers, before you attempt to play ANY song!

You’ll soon discover, with consistent practice, that your failure or success is dependent upon your ability to “strike” the keys of the keyboard “rhythmically” and “smoothly,” to play piano with feel!

I don’t care if you invest thousands of dollars in video lessons, you will never be able to play smoothly, if you do not focus on HANON Exercises!

It’s a FACT!

Remember… these exercises are not about SPEED!

The speed will come naturally with the skill to play them SLOWLY and SMOOTHLY!

To own Hanon and Czerny Exercises, in addition to EASY PLAY “BIG NOTE” Beginner songs, including religious, pop, rock, folk and classical styles (for only $29.95) CLICK HERE!

January 29, 2010

Play Piano – That’s Right… I’ve Been Playing the Piano for a LONG TIME!

I’m classically trained… from CHILDHOOD!

It’s all about MUSIC THEORY… once you embrace this reality… only then will you be able to express your SPIRIT as it relates to keyboard performance!

I will teach you how to “think” any style of music, to play the keyboards!

Click Here to Join the Private Piano Coaching Inner Circle!

January 28, 2010

Play Piano – Give Your Old Songs a “Tune-Up!”

Reharmonization is the musical equivalent of a new paint job on an old car.

When you reharmonize a tune, you give the melody new color by changing its underlying harmonics.

Whether you write songs, direct a band or choir, or play solo piano or guitar, you will find simple and innovative techniques to update songs and develop exciting new arrangements, when you join the Private Piano Coaching Inner Circle!

YOU will finally understand how to reharmonize songs by studying popular tunes presented in the Inner Circle.

You will learn the following “reharmonization” techniques, such as:

  • Simple Substitution: substitute chords with others in the same harmonic family to vary tunes while maintaining their original color
  • Diatonic Approach: reharmonize with chords from a single key to create a harmonic change for most standard jazz, religious and pop contexts
  • Adding Dominant and Subdominant Chords: use these chords, or their tritone substitutions, to create sophisticated harmonic sounds
  • Harmonic Displacement: relocate important cadential points in a phrase to create open space to fill with new chords
  • Modal Interchange: borrow chords from common minor keys to darken the harmonic color of phrases
  • Working with bass lines, turnarounds, extended endings and modulatory interludes, diminished seventh chords, hybrid chord voicings, and other advanced patterns to give your music a unique sound

In order to use simple substitution as a reharmonization technique, you must understand the division of the seven diatonic chords into three groups or families.

Each of these chord families has a function.

A chord’s function is its tendency to move or remain stable within a musical phrase.

Now if you know how to this already… you don’t need this membership.

But if you don’t… believe me, YOU NEED IT!

If you’re genuinely interested in creating your own music or possessing the techniques to reharmonize some of your favorite songs, you’re invited to join the Private Piano Coaching Inner Circle TODAY!

January 27, 2010

Play Piano – Here’s How to Explore the Sounds on Your Keyboard!

January 20, 2010

Play Piano – Custom Private Piano Lessons Designed for YOU!

Sign up today at: www.PlayPianoAndReadMusic.com/innercircle.html

Be prepared to “play for me” over the phone!

Here’s how it works:

  1. Once I receive a payment notification from PAYPAL, please contact me at: (301) 565-0358, or send me an email at: ronsmusic@aol.com that includes your phone number, so that I can hear you play and discuss your specific needs.
  2. It will take about 2 to 3 days for me to create a custom lesson and video for your specific needs.
  3. You will have 30 days to master the lesson.  During this period, you may call me or send me an email with any issues you’re having.
  4. As long as you remain an active member, you will receive another lesson the next month.

That’s it…

January 19, 2010

Play Piano – Arranging Using Triads in Inversion

Composers use inversion for different reasons.

One is simply to vary the SOUND of the harmonies.

Another is to reduce the finality and weight that root position lends a chord.

Perhaps the most important reason is to “smooth out” the bass line.

Music’s second most important melody is of the bass. Against the true melody, this line forms a counterpoint that is to some degree melodic and independent, and its impact is dramatic.

A wonderful melody with the most imaginative harmonies can be undermined by a bass line that does nothing but lurch from one chord root to the next.

To use the jargon of corporate America, the bass is voice leading’s “multi-tasker.”

Voice-Leading Practices: A Summary

Root Position

  1. Double the bass
  2. Retain common tones, if present, and mover the other voices in as conjunct a manner as possible.  Where common tones are not present, move the other voices contrary to the bass, if possible.
  3. In the deceptive cadence, resolve the leading tone to the tonic when it appears in the soprano, doubling the 3rd instead of the bass.

First Inversion

  1. Double the soprano, the bass, or the inner voice, but never a sensitive tone.
  2. Retain the common tones where possible.
  3. Step or and/or from the bass if possible.
  4. Depart the doubled tones in contrary or oblique motion where possible.

Second Inversion

  1. Double the bass.
  2. Retain the common tone where possible.
  3. Move the non-doubled tones in the most conjunct manner possible.
  4. In the cadential and pedal six-four chords, the bass and the tone doubling it remain stationary.  In the passing six-four chord, the bass and the tone doubling it resemble passing tones.

Here are some examples:

Click to Hear “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” (The Lion King)

Click to Hear “If” by David Gates

I encourage you to join my Private Piano Coaching Inner Circle!”

January 15, 2010

Play Piano – Ron Worthy’s Private Piano Practice!

I’m very concerned that there are a number of “online” students that do not recognize the importance of SLOW PRACTICE!

They think they’re practicing slowly, but they aren’t!

Below, you will hear the product of my “memory” tests… (mistakes in ALL) of literature that I MUST perform for the “Music Education License,” that encompasses Bach and Chopin… to name a few!

I’m trying to teach you “how to PRACTICE the piano,”… with FEEL!

I’m only looking for a few GOOD men and women:-)

Click Here to Join the Private Piano Coaching Inner Circle!

Click to Hear Ron Worthy’s Private 2010 Practice No. 1

Ron

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