== Modal "Hannon" exercises == I remember being introduced to the Hannon exercises book when I was 11 years old. I particularly used the first exercise #1 (all white keys) - which improved my command of my fingers (improved my facility and fluency). Well, a student of mine has benefitted from these simple repeating modal patterns which I call "Modal 'Hannon'" The Google presentation slides are in this Google Drive folder of mine: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B5rwg6tetYqNN3FacDVUZWxXOEE&usp=sharing You can watch this Presentation that I made, right in your web browser : https://drive.google.com/open?id=1x8MnZqj4mI5-pqdLJCg-pi-KcFIsffp-Om-PQrG-RKU ( alternate URL ) : http://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1x8MnZqj4mI5-pqdLJCg-pi-KcFIsffp-Om-PQrG-RKU/view#slide=id.p One particular student of mine, Ben Berry , responded to me: "This is an outstanding exercise." That is what Ben wrote to me, in response to the following explanation of what I put in those (above) Presentation slides : __________________ Here is a modal "Hannon" exercise (repeating pattern or "sequence") One approach to developing technique/facility with a piano keyboard is to play (repeating patterns of) one pitch at a time. One pitch at a time is referred to as monophonic. Take just a few pitches and play them in a repeating pattern -- I describe the pitches in terms of numbered scale/mode degrees. The root is '1' == the Harmonic context / scope / palette == Dorian mode has 7 pitches per octave register. (It's much like the minor scale (Natural Minor) , except with a raised 6th (sixth) degree. Instead of that sixth member of dorian mode being a _minor_sixth above the root pitch, it is a MAJor-sixth above the root pitch. ) If the tonal centre (root) pitch is 'D' , then that means, all white keys , starting with _D_. D, E, F, G, A, B (is the sixth -- _not_ B-flat) , C : || _____________ Here they are : ex. 1 : | 1 , 2 , 3 , 1 , 5 , 1 , 2 , 3 : || Here is another pattern (another modal "Hannon") : ex. 2 : | 1 , 2, 4, 2 , 3 , 5 : || You can modulate that -- modulation means playing same thing, except in a different key (based on a different tonal centre / root pitch). So, instead of : , | D , E , G , E , F , A : || Start with : | A , B , D , B , C , E : || Those two can be played together, simultaneously. That's harmony (in this case, particularly, parallel Fourths / Fifths (depending on inversions, point of view) ). _________ Here is an arpeggiated pattern (that outlines chords ) : G in bass (maybe G5 , which means G + D (and an 8va octave above "G" ) in left hand + D , B-flat , A , F , A , B-flat : || The right hand outlines (the members of) B-flat Major 7 and, together, with bass / left hand , that is actually a g - minor - 9th chord.
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