PIANO CLASSICAL IMPROVISATION

OVERVIEW LEVEL 1

LESSONS LEVEL 1

Level 1 Workbook (32 pages)
20 lessons of condensed knowledge

10 Lessons Without Form 

(meaning without a classical composition form like Sonata or Minuet for example)

1. Improvising with chords on a bass line (I, IV & V scale degrees)
2. The dominant seventh chord, improvising a melody using chord notes
3. Perfect & imperfect cadences
4. Using passing notes in your impro
5. Improvising a melody on chords
6. How to harmonise a melody (and never need to buy scores of arrangements anymore)
7. Using suspensions in your impro
8. Improvise with anticipation notes & scales
9. The subdominant with added sixth chord, using half-tone suspensions
10. Typical classical patterns to spice up your impro (specific rhythms, harmonies, endings, the notion of motives, using unisono)

10 Lessons Improvisation on a Form - Variations

1. Definition & variation types, choosing a theme, improvising a melodic variation
2. Rhythmic variation in the right hand (r.h.)
3. Variating the articulation and piano register, using thirds and “broken” thirds, the off-beat
4. Melodic variation with motives based on passing notes, turns, suspensions
5. „Breaking“ chords (r.h.) into tuplets (triplets) & other rhythmical choices
6. Variating the left hand (l.h.), using different chord notes
7. Creating various accompaniment patterns (l.h.)
8. „Broken” chords (l.h.), the Alberti bass
9. Minor harmonies & variations in both hands, the syncopation
10. Improvising a shiny virtuoso variation and wowing everybody

Requirements:

C Major Scale, basic intervals, basic chords (triads), early intermediate piano playing abilities (music reading, articulation & dynamics)

Achievements:

Basic melody improvisation on the basic scale degrees (I, IV & V) and typical accompaniment forms like the Alberti bass (l.h.), basic melody harmonisation, passing notes, anticipation notes, suspensions, basic cadences (finished, half-finished), minor transposition, syncopation, technique practice

BONUS LEVEL 1:

Chord progressions to improvise on

Examples of „fills“ (filling the space within intervals) & turns

OVERVIEW LEVEL 2

LESSONS LEVEL 2

Level 2 Workbook (56 pages)
20 lessons of condensed knowledge

10 Lessons on Improvisation Without Form 
(meaning without a classical composition form like Sonata or Minuet for example)

1. Short recap of Level 1, add the VI scale degree to your impros
2. The surprising effect of the deceptive cadence
3. Using the II scale degree in cadences & sequences
4. The progression of falling fifths and other chord progressions based on various intervals
5. Typical beginning & ending harmonies
6. Triad inversions (r.h.), beginnings & cadences with inverted triads
7. More triad inversions (r.h.), the golden rule of harmony
8. „Broken“ chords patterns (r.h.), progression of fifths with inverted chords, inverting the subdominant with added sixth chord
9. The leading note & the silver rule of harmony, inverting the dominant seventh chord
10. Embellishments, improvise based on an opening, a sequence & a cadence

10 Lessons Improvisation on a form - Minuet & Trio

1. Definition & A-B-A form, creating the A section
2. Creating the B section: the pedal point
3. Creating the returning A section
4. Modulating to the dominant: the secondary chord (double dominant)
5. Options in the returning A section: transposition, pedal point opening
6. Creating a Trio in major & minor keys
7. Cadences, sequences and modulations in minor keys
8. Accompaniment patterns & different chord notes in the l.h., suspension endings
9. Cadences & sequences with different chord notes l.h.
10. Extended dominants in sequences & cadences (major & minor keys)

Requirements:

Major & minor scales up to 3 alterations, basic melody improvisation on the basic scale degrees (I, IV & V) and basic accompaniment forms (Alberti bass), basic melody harmonisation, passing notes, anticipation notes, suspensions, basic cadences (finished, half-finished), minor mode, intermediate piano playing abilities

Achievements:

Improvisation of A-B-A pieces & rich Major & minor melodies using triad inversions on various harmonies and different chord notes l.h. (I, II, IV, V/V7, VI scale degrees), various accompaniment forms, intermediate cadences (plagal, deceptive) & sequences (progression of 5ths), basic harmony notions (the leading note, dissonances, resolving V7 & dissonances), basic modulating notions (the secondary/double dominant), technique practice

BONUS LEVEL 2:

More modulations & inverted harmonies

Chords and harmony inversions in narrow and wide ranges

OVERVIEW LEVEL 3

LESSONS LEVEL 3

Level 3 Workbook (74 pages)
20 lessons of condensed knowledge

10 Lessons on Improvisation Without Form 
(meaning without a classical composition form like Sonata or Minuet for example)

1. Short recap of Level 2, inverting & resolving the dominant seventh inverted harmony, suspensions in ending cadences
2. Variating sequences with extended dominants
3. The typical classical syncopated rhythm, inverting & resolving the subdominant with added sixth inverted harmony, sequences with suspensions
4. Creating accompaniment forms based on inverted chords, sequences in the l.h.
5. Improvise using parallel patterns in both hands, broken chords, tremollos, arpeggios
6. Minor scale modes and cadences
7. Improvise sequences with the progression of falling fifths, diatonic & chromatic seventh chords in minor keys
8. Using the German and Napolitan sixth chords in your cadences
9. Examples of open/imperfect cadences in major and minor keys
10. Advanced examples of patternst to improve your technique with

10 Lessons Improvisation on a form - The Sonata

1. Definition & structure, improvising the opening and main theme in the exposition
2. Improvising the second theme and the exposition end
3. Improvising the development (1)
4. Improvising the development (2), augmentation and diminution
5. Other possibilities for returning to the home key in the development
6. Improvising the recapitulation (reexposition) and a Coda
7. Improvising the exposition in minor keys – harmonic possibilities
8. Improvising the development in minor keys  - possible transitions (1)
9. Improvising the development in minor keys – possible transitions (2)
10. Modulating with the full diminished chord

Requirements:

All major & minor scales, improvisation of A-B-A pieces & rich Major & minor melodies using triad inversions on various harmonies and different chord notes l.h. (I, II, IV, V, VI scale degrees), various accompaniment forms, intermediate cadences & sequences, basic harmony notions (the leading note, dissonances), basic modulating notions (the secondary/double dominant), advanced piano playing abilities

Achievements:

Improvise complex pieces & polyphonic, virtuoso and rich melodies (r.h.) on lots of harmonies and their inversions (all scale degrees), on various accompaniment forms, inversion of harmonic functionality (melody in the l.h. etc.), advanced cadences (napolitan, German 6 a.o.) & sequences (Fonte & Monte, 7-chords), advanced modulation (Major & minor), advanced harmony notions, technique practice

BONUS LEVEL 3

How to practice improvisation and improve your technical abilities at the same time

How to improvise a cadenza for a classical piano concerto

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