Triads: Change
Goal: To set up the improvisation using triads in inverted positions, major, minor, augmented, and diminished (with focus on using whole tone and pentatonic scales to create triads).
Out of Tempo
All Levels
“Out of Tempo” exercises are not presented separately in Ear Training III and Ear Training IV improvisations. Should any exercise prove difficult performed in tempo, out of tempo versions of the materials in Ear Training III and Ear Training IV can be modeled on Ear Training I and Ear Training II approaches to out of tempo improvisations.
In Tempo
Teacher sets up a tempo, time signature, tonality, and rhythms.
Phrases can be four to thirty-two measures in length depending on the student’s ability.
Start with one note per measure and add different rhythms as students become more comfortable with the exercise. For more confident students, use non-repeating notes and rhythm patterns.
Students sing one, two, three, or four notes per measure.
Speaking, singing, playing.
Refer to the Triad Smorgasbord for ideas.
Beginning
- Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “When I say ‘change,’ turn a major triad in root position into a minor triad in first inversion.”
- Students do so.
Intermediate
- Student sets up as above and prompts, “When I say ‘change,’ turn a major triad in first inversion into a diminished triad in root position.”
- Students do so.
Advanced
- Calling out, "Change" every measure, a student sets up as above and prompts, “When I say ‘change,’ turn triad x in position y into triad y in position z.”
- Students do so.