TELEVISION

How to Play Piano

Series: How to Play Piano
4.4
(76)
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Episodes
36
Rating
TVPG
Year
2018
Language
English
Publisher
The Great Courses

About

Discover how anyone can learn to play the piano with the right guidance and a little encouragement. These 36 accessible episodes provide the building blocks you need to go from interested novice to expressive player. Blending music theory and history with hands-on examples and step-by-step instruction, Professor Pamela D. Pike shows you how to pick up this marvelous musical skill.

Related Subjects

Episodes

1 to 3 of 36

1. Basic Piano Rhythm and Fingering

34m

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Let's start by playing some music! From minute one of this course, you will be at the piano, fingering keys and playing tunes. In this opening episode, you'll familiarize yourself with the piano, perform a few basic exercises to warm up, and explore some introductory rhythm patterns. By the end of the episode, you'll know how to play the theme from Beethoven's Ode to Joy.

2. Pitch and Off-Staff Notation

31m

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After reviewing the introductory finger patterns you learned in the first episode, delve into the concepts of pitch and meter. Find out about the concept of measures and different types of notes. Then explore the C major five-finger pattern and play it in action with your first étude.

3. Tonic and Dominant Harmony

31m

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The piano is a brilliant instrument because it can be used for both melody and harmony, the lead tune and the accompaniment. In this introduction to harmony, you'll explore the tonic and dominant notes of a scale, and you'll revisit Ode to Joy to better understand these concepts in action.

4. Intervals and Basic Notation

30m

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"Tempo" refers to speed in music, and it can be measured with a metronome. Continue working on the interplay of harmony and melody. When you add time to the equation, you can explore "intervals," or pitches in a scale. You've learned enough at this point to study basic notation - the first step toward musical mastery.

5. Major Chords and Simple Accompaniment

30m

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Begin to familiarize yourself with the landmark pitches on the staff. By practicing various five-finger patterns (including C major, D major, E major, and A major), you will soon be able to match a tune to a specific tempo. This episode also introduces the concept of "chords," a triad of notes that allow for richer accompaniment.

6. Fourths, Accidentals, and Relaxation

31m

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Round out your study of the major five-finger patterns, and how "accidentals" (changing a pitch by half a step) work. Jazz around with "When the Saints Go Marching In," and then learn about the interval of the fourth. Add "Aura Lee" - the folk song Elvis used for "Love Me Tender" - to your repertoire.

Extended Details

  • Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

The Great Coursesdirector
The Great Coursesproducer
Pamela D. Pikeactor