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Notes of Departure ...and Arrival
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NEW ITEM! Ear Training fun with Tasting Harmony by Greg Fishman.
Tasting Harmony is designed to teach your ear to focus on the sound of each individual chord tone while simultaneously hearing the full chord. This is a new approach to ear-training, utilizing the concept of synesthesia; the mixing of the senses.
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Click on the discs below to hear samples from Tasting Harmony:
Tasting Harmony taps into the ability we all possess to discern the different flavors of food items and uses that ability to establish an emotional connection to your note choices by providing you with a harmonic menu of eighty-one different sounds played in all twelve keys…that’s nine hundred and seventy-two chords you’ll hear and “taste” with each listening to the play-along CD.
The chord progression of every song represents a harmonic recipe created by the composer. Tasting Harmony allows you to fully stock your ear with the ingredients needed for each recipe, so you don't have to substitute water for cream when it's time to put those ingredients together to bake your harmonic creation.
Tasting Harmony was developed to provide a fun approach for all musicians who want to get involved with harmony on a deeper level in a direct and non-theoretical way. Sing and play along with vocalist Petra van Nuis and pianist Jeremy Kahn as they take you through a full menu of ear-enriching harmonic flavors.
The girl on the cover? That's Chicago based vocalist Petra van Nuis! She sings all of the tracks on the Tasting Harmony play-along CD and also announces the names of the chords. I heard Petra singing in a club in Chicago and knew that the beauty and purity of her voice would be just perfect for Tasting Harmony.
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| Playing 9ths on mi7th chords |
Chord Arpeggios ascending on mi7th chords |
Chord Arpeggios descending on mi7th chords |
Voiceleading
7ths to 3rds on dom.7th chords |
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With this example, I'm playing the circle of 4ths starting on the 9th of the chord while Petra sings the 7th. This is a great way to hear how chord tones blend together.
Note also, that the interval produced between the 7th and 9th is a major 3rd. This exercise lets me hear the sound of major thirds in this chord.
Since Tasting Harmony organizes notes in the circle of fourths, you can easily play harmony to any of the 81 tracks by simply playing a different chord tone than the one being sung, and play the circle of fourths. |
With this example, I'm arpeggiating mi7th chords (ascending).
Note that Petra is singing the 7th of the chord and I'm starting on the root.
The benefit of this exercise is that your ear can hear mulitple intervals compared to the note being held by Petra.
For example, while I play the root of the chord, she sings (and holds) the 7th. This lets me hear a minor 7th interval.
When I play the third of the chord, I hear the interval of a perfect fifth between my note and her note. When I play the 7th, I'm playing in unison, matching her note. |
With this example, I'm arpeggiating mi7th chords (descending).
Note that Petra is singing the 7th of the chord and I'm matching her note.
The benefit of this exercise is that your ear can hear mulitple intervals compared to the note being held by Petra.
For example, while I play the 5th of the chord, she sings (and holds) the 7th. This lets me hear a minor 3rd interval.
When I play the third of the chord, I hear the interval of a perfect fifth between my note (the 3rd) and her note (the 7th).
When I play the root, I'm playing a minor 7th below her note. This lets my ear absorb the unique flavor of this interval in this particular context. |
With this example, I start out by matching the note being sung by Petra (the 7th of the chord) and descend by 1/2 steps. This creates a "7 to 3" voiceleading pattern.
The benefit of hearing this pattern is that it teaces you to hear a smooth, melodic connection between chords moving in the circle of fourths. |
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| CMAR lick starting on the 9th on mi7th chords |
CMAR lick starting on #9 on Dom7#9
chords |
Diminished pattern starting on 3rd of dim7 chords |
Diminished pattern starting on 3rd of dim7 chords - in doubletime! |
Improvising over Dominant 7th chords |
With this example I'm playing the popular CMAR lick in its original harmonic setting.
Notice that Petra is singing and holding the first note of the lick (the 9th) while I play the entire lick.
This allows my ear to hear each note of the lick as an interval against the held note.
A great feature of Tasting Harmony is that you can do this with any lick that works with a single chord.
In addtion, you can also practice the lick with Petra holding each note of the lick. |
With this example I'm playing the CMAR lick in a new harmonic setting .
Notice that Petra is singing and holding the first note of the lick (the #9th) while I play the entire lick.
This allows my ear to hear each note of the lick as an interval against the held note.
In addtion, you can also practice the lick with Petra holding each note of the lick. |
This is a fun diminished pattern starting on the 3rd of the dim7 chord. It really brings out the flavor of the chord. |
Sometimes I like to really push my technique to the limit.
When practicing a lick or pattern with Tasting Harmony, it's easy to work the lick in eighth-notes, sixteenths (doubletime)
or thirty-second notes (quadruple-time). |
With this track, I'm improvising and using the notes being sung by Petra (3rds on Dom7th chords) as target notes in my improvisation. |
Tasting Harmony taps into the ability we all possess to discern the different flavors of food items and uses that ability
to establish an emotional connection to your note choices by providing you with a harmonic menu of eighty-one different
sounds played in all twelve keys…that’s nine hundred and seventy-two chords you’ll hear and “taste” with each
listening to the play-along CD.
The chord progression of every song represents a harmonic recipe created by the composer. Tasting Harmony
allows you to fully stock your ear with the ingredients needed for each recipe, so you don't have to substitute water for
cream when it's time to put those ingredients together to bake your harmonic creation.
Tasting Harmony was developed to provide a fun approach for all musicians who want to get involved with harmony
on a deeper level in a direct and non-theoretical way. Sing and play along with vocalist Petra van Nuis and pianist
Jeremy Kahn as they take you through a full menu of ear-enriching harmonic flavors.
64 Pages + 1 Play-along CD with 81 tracks. Available in C, Bb and Eb Editions.
Price: $24.95. Introductory Sale price: $19.95
Want to read even more about the new book "Tasting Harmony" by Greg Fishman? Click HERE!
Tasting Harmony by Greg Fishman – Special Features
• Individual CD tracks train your ear to hear each chord tone over Major 7th,
Dominant 7th, Dominant 7th sus, Dominant 7b9, Dominant 7#9, Minor 7th,
Minor w/Major 7th, Minor 7b5, Diminished 7th, Major 6th and Minor 6th chords.
• Train your ear by chord types, such as Major 7th, Minor 7th, etc., or by chord
degrees, such as Roots, thirds, fifths, sevenths, ninths, etc.
• Includes section on suggested use of the book and nine specific practice options.
• Eighty-one play-along tracks are included on the CD. Want to train for sharp 9ths
on dominant chords? Play or sing along with track 40. Want to train for sharp
11ths on Major seventh chords? Just go to track 6. Easily locate and train for any
chord tone over eleven different chord types.
• CD tracks are played in a wide variety of styles, including: bossa, samba, swing,
12/8, funk, gospel and two-feel. This keeps things fun and fresh while training
your ears, making tracks like “thirds over minor seventh chords” feel more like a
song than just an ear training exercise.
• Perfect for all levels. From the eager novice to the seasoned professional, all
levels of players will enjoy working with this book and CD set.
• Easily integrated into your daily practice routine.
• Perfect piano background tracks over every chord type so that you can practice
licks in twelve keys…If you have a minor seventh lick that starts on the ninth of
the chord, simply go to track 47 (ninths on minor seventh chords) and you’ll have
the piano accompaniment to play the lick in all twelve keys. What if your lick
starts on the third? No problem…go to track 44!
• Great for practicing scales and chord arpeggios in harmonic context.
• CD can also be used without the book for training your ear while commuting,
walking, working out, etc.
• Excellent for working on intonation by matching pitch of the vocalist on the CD
singing the circle of fourths over all the chord backgrounds.
• Available in Concert, Bb and Eb editions.
Copyright 2009 Greg Fishman Jazz Studios. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.
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