With the HAPI Book you
Play to Learn ! !
“Play to Learn” swiftly and joyfully
Strong Rhythm is a FAST TEACHER!
What makes the HAPI Book happy is that students play a lot more piano in lot less time. Life is short. Learning to play the piano does not need to be agonizing and slow.
A shortcut is different path to get you someplace faster. It may not be easier, it may also be an adventure, but faster with fascination might be best. These shortcuts do not leave the pianist ill equipped, on the contrary, foundations are everything, and the mix of skills used here can inspire reading, playing by ear, improvisation, and brilliant dexterity. You will come to know ‘the keys’.
These methods work because from the first they employ the eye, ear and hand, the three most powerful stimulators for learning and retaining. These high volume motivations are reinforced with pleasurable and profitable repetition.
It’s no wonder they learn FAST!!
(Intelligence growth in children who learn music for six months has been measured to grow as much as ten percent. Neuroscientists report that a strong percentage of the brain is set aside for small muscle control, especially the hand. Music links the hand with the eye and the ear, development is rapid, natural and expected.)
Considered separately, here are several elements, and why they work.
1. Finger Patterns, Hold Patterns and Reach Patterns (Hand Training, based on European 19th Century Traditions)
THESE ARE VERY IMPORTANT because these patterns simultaneously grow many skills.
Melodic Dexterity:
Individual finger strength and control
Fingers in many combinations
Accurate Key finding, familiarity with the keyboard
Hands are ready to play complex passages LONG before they can be read!
Rhythmic Development: the beat, meters and phrasing are quickly linked to the hand and heart.
Finger patterns practiced with a strong even beat grow natural musicianship.
Familiarity with the keyboard is quick and enjoyable.
Strong Rhythm is a FAST TEACHER!
Ear Training
Patterns train the ear. Wrong notes and wrong rhythms instinctively demand correction. Fingers begin to automatically reach for sharps and flats
Harmonic Discernment
These patterns contribute to rapid harmonic comprehension and control. Harmony delights us. The HAPI Book is rich with engaging interesting harmony.
2. Music Looks Like it Sounds (Eye, Ear and Logic)
Music notation is visually logical; it LOOKS like it SOUNDS. Utilizing patterns in interesting pieces, the eye begins to intuitively gather visual information needed to read music. No advanced pianist reads individual lines and spaces, any more than a reader sees every letter. (Although note names must be learned.) Musicians read patterns. The HAPI Book takes advantage of patterning; and the music we love is made of delightful patterns.
3. Demonstrate And Imitate Songs (Touch and Pitch Training, hand and ear)
Unique, fun pieces (especially Black Key Songs) learned by rote and watching. The teacher must play them skillfully and musically, then guide the student allowing simple imitation. (The Haydenpiano.com Website also demonstrates these pieces.) Early joy is achieved by sending them home with music to play. Early reading is done by frequently pointing out the logic, on the written page, of music notation. Do not fear that they may play it by ear, instead welcome and utilize this common gift!
4. Rhythm Reading in only Two Stages
Stage one: accomplishes the rhythmic names of notes and musical timing. By Speaking them Rhythmically the tongue becomes a natural metronome. Rhythm is seen, felt and internalized.
Stage two: Start counting beats when 16th notes are utilized. Numbering the beats with syllable subdivisions becomes easy once the big values are felt using Stage one. (See Haydenpiano.com Website demo.)
Visually obvious Eighth and Quarter notes are employed from the beginning because their appearance makes the ‘twice as fast’ relationship easy to see and perform. Dexterity comes quickly with finger patterns; eighth notes visually help the fingers move.
5. Transposing into all keys
Dexterity from the finger patterns and diatonic scale repetitions equip students audibly to reach for the correct keys instinctively. For many players the sight and sound of the intervals become automatic, which is how advanced players read rapidly.
Students should often watch music notation, even if memorized; so that the visual associations combined with hearing and touch strengthen reading. Hands led by sound and a practiced touch free the eyes to discern and read.
6. Black Key Songs
The black keys are pentatonic and easy to find, and many musical delights can result from their utilization. A major benefit is the common fear of multiple sharp and flat keys is lessened.
7. High Expectations
Expecting students to be thinking, reaching, and achieving, the HAPI Book assumes intelligence, and a childlike desire to learn. Give them the joy of exploration and problem solving.
8. Balance between Difficult and Easy.
Some pieces are hard, a bit complex, and slow to achieve, but then, growth is faster. Easy reading pieces often follow, allowing students a sense of forward motion. Rapid growth is felt and enjoyed.
9. Interesting Harmony and Rhythms
The HAPI Book does not shy from unusual yet interesting harmonies, melodies and rhythms.
10. Four Simple Songs about Lines and Spaces, plus other unique theory application pages.
Learning lines and spaces and their assigned keys should not take long. Assume and drill key finding as the songs increase in range.
11. Smaller Print forces discernment of detail, accelerates ‘seeing’,
(note font sizes in our electronic devices)
The HAPI Book asks students to see the small steps and skips. They CAN see! Teach them to LOOK and play. Music Notation is Logical! Expect intelligence, teach a principle, ask the question, and be silent until they give the answer. Make their ‘wheels turn’.
12. For written theory we enjoy the “Alfred’s Essentials of Music Theory”
Teacher’s Activity Kit, Book 1, 2 & 3
30 Reproducible Activities, Plus 6 Tests. A page per week is reproduced and given to each student. Or buy the book and do it for yourself. ISBN-13: 978-07390-0873-7
.
Yours, with prayer and confidence, Roger C Hayden
Play to Learn ! !
“Play to Learn” swiftly and joyfully
Strong Rhythm is a FAST TEACHER!
What makes the HAPI Book happy is that students play a lot more piano in lot less time. Life is short. Learning to play the piano does not need to be agonizing and slow.
A shortcut is different path to get you someplace faster. It may not be easier, it may also be an adventure, but faster with fascination might be best. These shortcuts do not leave the pianist ill equipped, on the contrary, foundations are everything, and the mix of skills used here can inspire reading, playing by ear, improvisation, and brilliant dexterity. You will come to know ‘the keys’.
These methods work because from the first they employ the eye, ear and hand, the three most powerful stimulators for learning and retaining. These high volume motivations are reinforced with pleasurable and profitable repetition.
It’s no wonder they learn FAST!!
(Intelligence growth in children who learn music for six months has been measured to grow as much as ten percent. Neuroscientists report that a strong percentage of the brain is set aside for small muscle control, especially the hand. Music links the hand with the eye and the ear, development is rapid, natural and expected.)
Considered separately, here are several elements, and why they work.
1. Finger Patterns, Hold Patterns and Reach Patterns (Hand Training, based on European 19th Century Traditions)
THESE ARE VERY IMPORTANT because these patterns simultaneously grow many skills.
Melodic Dexterity:
Individual finger strength and control
Fingers in many combinations
Accurate Key finding, familiarity with the keyboard
Hands are ready to play complex passages LONG before they can be read!
Rhythmic Development: the beat, meters and phrasing are quickly linked to the hand and heart.
Finger patterns practiced with a strong even beat grow natural musicianship.
Familiarity with the keyboard is quick and enjoyable.
Strong Rhythm is a FAST TEACHER!
Ear Training
Patterns train the ear. Wrong notes and wrong rhythms instinctively demand correction. Fingers begin to automatically reach for sharps and flats
Harmonic Discernment
These patterns contribute to rapid harmonic comprehension and control. Harmony delights us. The HAPI Book is rich with engaging interesting harmony.
2. Music Looks Like it Sounds (Eye, Ear and Logic)
Music notation is visually logical; it LOOKS like it SOUNDS. Utilizing patterns in interesting pieces, the eye begins to intuitively gather visual information needed to read music. No advanced pianist reads individual lines and spaces, any more than a reader sees every letter. (Although note names must be learned.) Musicians read patterns. The HAPI Book takes advantage of patterning; and the music we love is made of delightful patterns.
3. Demonstrate And Imitate Songs (Touch and Pitch Training, hand and ear)
Unique, fun pieces (especially Black Key Songs) learned by rote and watching. The teacher must play them skillfully and musically, then guide the student allowing simple imitation. (The Haydenpiano.com Website also demonstrates these pieces.) Early joy is achieved by sending them home with music to play. Early reading is done by frequently pointing out the logic, on the written page, of music notation. Do not fear that they may play it by ear, instead welcome and utilize this common gift!
4. Rhythm Reading in only Two Stages
Stage one: accomplishes the rhythmic names of notes and musical timing. By Speaking them Rhythmically the tongue becomes a natural metronome. Rhythm is seen, felt and internalized.
Stage two: Start counting beats when 16th notes are utilized. Numbering the beats with syllable subdivisions becomes easy once the big values are felt using Stage one. (See Haydenpiano.com Website demo.)
Visually obvious Eighth and Quarter notes are employed from the beginning because their appearance makes the ‘twice as fast’ relationship easy to see and perform. Dexterity comes quickly with finger patterns; eighth notes visually help the fingers move.
5. Transposing into all keys
Dexterity from the finger patterns and diatonic scale repetitions equip students audibly to reach for the correct keys instinctively. For many players the sight and sound of the intervals become automatic, which is how advanced players read rapidly.
Students should often watch music notation, even if memorized; so that the visual associations combined with hearing and touch strengthen reading. Hands led by sound and a practiced touch free the eyes to discern and read.
6. Black Key Songs
The black keys are pentatonic and easy to find, and many musical delights can result from their utilization. A major benefit is the common fear of multiple sharp and flat keys is lessened.
7. High Expectations
Expecting students to be thinking, reaching, and achieving, the HAPI Book assumes intelligence, and a childlike desire to learn. Give them the joy of exploration and problem solving.
8. Balance between Difficult and Easy.
Some pieces are hard, a bit complex, and slow to achieve, but then, growth is faster. Easy reading pieces often follow, allowing students a sense of forward motion. Rapid growth is felt and enjoyed.
9. Interesting Harmony and Rhythms
The HAPI Book does not shy from unusual yet interesting harmonies, melodies and rhythms.
10. Four Simple Songs about Lines and Spaces, plus other unique theory application pages.
Learning lines and spaces and their assigned keys should not take long. Assume and drill key finding as the songs increase in range.
11. Smaller Print forces discernment of detail, accelerates ‘seeing’,
(note font sizes in our electronic devices)
The HAPI Book asks students to see the small steps and skips. They CAN see! Teach them to LOOK and play. Music Notation is Logical! Expect intelligence, teach a principle, ask the question, and be silent until they give the answer. Make their ‘wheels turn’.
12. For written theory we enjoy the “Alfred’s Essentials of Music Theory”
Teacher’s Activity Kit, Book 1, 2 & 3
30 Reproducible Activities, Plus 6 Tests. A page per week is reproduced and given to each student. Or buy the book and do it for yourself. ISBN-13: 978-07390-0873-7
.
Yours, with prayer and confidence, Roger C Hayden