Playing the i iv minor chords
- Sarah Lyngra
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Today I recorded the 3rd lesson in the Key Finder Lesson series.
For whatever reason, I can't link the live stream video on this page, but you can find it here:
I'm a nerd. I like counting things, tracking things, and playing around with ideas to see what works and what doesn't.
In the first two lessons, I played around the circle of 5ths with I-IV major chords, using a syncopated rhythm with the left hand chords. Notes from the corresponding 5 note scale made up the melody.
I think over the first two lessons I played the chords with my left hand several hundred times, literally.
Today's lesson was a repeat of the first lesson, except this one was the minor i-iv chords with the left hand. I'll be recording a fourth lesson with the chords and complete melody later this week.
What I'm finding interesting is I'm improving too. As you can imagine, counting out loud while playing chords and melodies over and over and over gets one good at keeping a steady beat while counting aloud. The fingerings on the chords are consistent, so the muscle memory is becoming automated.
It's no wonder that my students are doing so well if this is what I'm subjecting them to during a lesson.
I'm giving myself the same experience they are getting. It's one thing to tell students to repeat an exercise going around the circle of 5ths, but another thing entirely to experience it oneself.
I need better titles for these little pieces, but here's the pdf for the minor exercise:
Every time I work through this with students, I'm struck by something else. This one looks like the one in the majors. What differentiates them is the key signatures. This one start on a minor. If you look at any of the lines that is A based (A Major and A flat Major from the major exercise, for example) They look exactly the same, until you take into consideration the key signature.
I'm curious to learn what others notice and experience doing this. Do you find connections between keys, see fingering patterns that are everywhere? Are you anticipating the chords by your hand getting into the right shape automatically before hitting the right keys? Are you internalizing the pulse and keeping a steady beat? Is your left hand starting to play itself? Can you have a conversation with others while playing- OK this one takes a while to get to. . .
This is the 3rd lesson I have with students over the age of 12. Imagine where these students will be in a year if this is what they are starting to play around with in the first month!
Happy Playing!
Sarah
The materials in the video are these:
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