Improvisation

Make your band better, or prepare yourself to join one! This sensational series lets you improve your intuitive sense of timing and improvisation, develop your technique and reading ability, and master your role in the groove. Play along with a Berklee faculty band on the accompanying CD, then play with your own band!

The short, lively, and easy-to-master selections in this book offer beginning piano students musical experience that is entertaining as well as rewarding. Each selection in this companion book to the Robert Pace Keyboard Series reinforces concepts of the core books, including: • Practice in line, space, and pattern recognition; in performance of basic rhythms; and in indentification of these rhythms both by sight and by sound; • A sparking of the student's imagination, as the student is guided to expand upon each piece in this collection and create his or her own improvisations and compositions; • Lasting fun, becasue the reinforcement of reading, writing, and listening skills supports ongoing musical learning and enjoyment. The CD provides many helpful functions, including modeling the music, providing ensemble playing experience, and tracks in various tempos for practice and performance.

From the very first lessons in Book 1, students are making music as they explore the piano keyboard through fun improvisation pieces called My Own Song. The beginning of the book introduces finger numbers, the black-key and white-key groups, and basic rhythm patterns. Directional reading is taught first by finger number, then by note name, and then by interval (stop, skip, and repeat). Once the students are introduced to the staff, they learn reading guides Bass F and Treble G and read by interval in several different hand positions. This value pack includes the Lessons Book plus an accompaniment CD featuring beautiful background tracks to accompany the student during practice or performance.

A basic how to book on blues improvisation with companion CD.

These duets may be enjoyed and played in a number of different ways. In addition to playing them with a partner (or using the CD as your partner), you can do some interesting improvisations and create new Primos and Secondos. The CD features five different tracks for each song: primo part at performance and practice tempos, secondo part at performance and practice tempos, and a full demo at performance tempo.

Book 2 opens with a new My Own Song improvisation on CDEFG. Unit 1 introduces phrasing and legato touch, and also presents harmonic 2nds and 3rds with staccato touch. The following two units are dedicated to the introduction of 4ths and 5ths. Also in Unit 3, sharps are introduced in a diatonic setting starting on D, and flats are introduced as blues notes. Most pieces in the second half of Book 2 coordinate hands playing together. This book works very well for transfer students. This value pack includes both the Lessons Book plus the accompaniment CD with wonderful backing tracks for students to play along with.

Kabalevsky's pedagogical works develop real musical culture in children. This volume contains both the easier pieces from opus 39 and the intermediate pieces from opus 27 into one convenient and value-priced edition.