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Harmonic Progressions: Change

Goal: To hear, sing, and play harmonies in inverted positions while focusing on minor keys, using all three forms of minor (and refer to the Harmony Smorgasbord for possible combinations).

Out of Tempo

Beginning

  1. Teacher plays a first or second inversion chord and prompts, “When I say change, alter the bass note of the harmony.”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher plays a first or second inversion chord and prompts, “When I say change, alter the root of the harmony.”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher plays a first or second inversion chord and prompts, “When I say change, alter the fifth of the harmony.”
  2. Students do so.

In Tempo

Teacher sets up a tempo, time signature, tonality, using only one or two notes per measure.

Singing and playing.

Beginning

  1. Teacher plays a root position chord and prompts, “When I say change, sing a first or second inversion of the chord.”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher plays a root position chord and prompts, “When I say change, change the chord to a different type in root position.” For example: major to minor.
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher plays a root position chord and prompts, “When I say change, change both the position and the type of the chord." For example: from root position major to first inversion minor.
  2. Students do so.