Group 4
Welcome to the NEW TWO WEEK INTENSIVE on tonebase!
Improving your Lyricism (feat Chopin)
Post your progress with videos and written commentary on how things are going for you!
- Course Period: June 26 - July 10th
- Class Size: ALL are welcome!
- Optional check-In via Zoom: July 2nd at 11am PT
- ZOOM MEETING Recording!
- https://youtu.be/Fl-ExGT9aZY
Assignment #1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQpw6fZBOlE
- Pick a short piece (Mazurka, Nocturne, Prelude) or excerpt of a longer piece (Ballade, Polonaise, Scherzo, Sonata, Concerto). Focus on lyrical/slow sections.
- Learn bass carefully, labelling all chords and cadences.
- SING melodic line. Practice singing until your voice can identify the melody instantly.
- Submit a video: playing the Bass while singing the Soprano.
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Assignment #2
https://youtu.be/ri2UD1z8sKE?si=w36XWzqb_rao3RAu
-Label all breathing points with an apostrophe between phrase markings. Practice deep breaths between significant points or use a regular breath for phrase changes.
-Sing Bass notes of all chords while playing Soprano melody.
-Submit a video: playing hands together (performance).
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why am I taking this mini course????...I have no idea so I know I will learn something....thanks, conrad
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Hello! As someone who played during high school and totally dropped out until I started back at 55, I am excited to learn more about making my pieces (esp. Chopin) flow and 'sing'. However! I didn't realize that vocal singing was part of the requirement. Had I known, I wouldn't have signed up
!! But I'm here, so I'll try 
. I was hoping for some help with the Barcarolle which it is my dream to finish and so hard to figure out how to actually achieve the correct sound (despite listening to Garrick Ohlsson over and over). I've got a section in mind, and will try to find something in a range to sing. Looking forward to hearing all the advice and hearing from others. -
Judith M barcarolle is a wonderful choice - which section is it you’ll work on?
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Judith M rhythmically you're in good shape with the melody. You're nearly there with the chromatics, just a bit more ear training work needed. Check those upper range notes of the melody and take some time to work on them with RH assistance. Work slowly on your singing/ear training to get a sense of the soprano line; we need to sing in tune along with the bass. Your accompaniments can help: sing only the bass note (m. 62, first A in each bass group of six, etc).
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Hi there! I hopped onto this challenge not knowing what to expect haha, but I love Chopin and I’m unfamiliar with the topic, so thought this might be a good chance to tackle my weak areas. I have been playing piano for the last 11 years and can play some fairly challenging intermediate pieces. As a self taught musician I have never particularly focused on theory topics and have relied mostly on playing by ear. I have always wanted to play Prelude in E-Minor by Chopin, so I’m going to select that the piece for this challenge. Would love your recommendation on videos I can watch on tonebase for harmony, cadences, voices, etc. Thank you!
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Hi everyone, I’ve been playing the piano as a hobby for most of my adult life. I’m looking forward to learning new ways of learning how to play more expressively and this workshop seems to fit the bill!
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rtansf what repertoire have you chosen?
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Jarred Dunn
I decided on the short Prelude #7 in A by Chopin
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Hello everyone!
This is my first two week intensive! I have been playing on/off for 12 years.
I chose Mazurka Op 67 no 2. I have not played a Chopin mazurka before. It was a tough choice between prelude op 28 no 6 and the mazurka.
Looking forward to this challenge.
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Hi, everyone! I will be working on Chopin's Nocturne in F minor (Op. 55, No. 1), which I learned earlier this year and would like to take to the next level.
I have severe hearing loss, so singing is a challenge--I can't hear myself accurately and am told that I sing very sharp. Should be interesting.
I'm looking forward to this TWI, though not the singing part, I have to admit!
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Hi there I will be playing Waltz in A minor op. Posth., 150. I have played the piano for many years but I am looking forward to hearing new ideas and insights about improving the artistry of my playing.
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Karen Wood Great! Send a video and harmonic analysis soon!
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Jarred Dunn
Hi there, please see the recording and analysis in the thread below.
Thank you!
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Hello all! I have looked at a few pieces and settled on the Prelude no.13 in F# major (just for the A section). Theory-wise I'm mediocre at best so I may not be able to label everything, though I notice a lot of repeated V-I in there. The RH line, though simple, is pretty long and I am going to need some practicing with my not-so-great voice, where to breath, etc, and that will probably dictate how fast the LH should be.
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Ok - I have decided on a different Waltz in A minor (Op. 34 no 2) - as I can at least manage to sing a bit..
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I decided to go back to the Barcarolle...
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Hello there! Dominic Cheli Jarred Dunn
My problem is that I suck at harmony! I would need a more complete harmony course, here on tonebase. At the moment I can only identify II or IV - V - I
I watched all Ben Laude's courses here, but I need a course that explains the other chords too. Harmony for dummies, thank you! 
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Jarred Dunn thank you!
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Jarred Dunn Thanks!
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Hi - here's my recording for the Prelude no 13 A section https://youtu.be/8Vx4VfKjAh0
This is probably my first time ever to play a piece in F# major so still getting used to reading E# and the double sharps in LH.
Singing-wise ... it's pretty clear I am no singer
Holding the long melody line without getting out of breath is a big challenge so working out where to take a breath without disrupting the music became very important.Although the piece is marked Lento, I think imho the LH can't be too slow and need to provide a bit of a forward drive otherwise it's simply not sing-able and would just sound a bit sluggish.
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Priya Viseskul Great work learning bass and singing melody! First I'll respond to one place on your harmonic analysis that I think could use an applied dominant chord instead of a I7- at m. 13, change I7 to V7 / IV (this V7 chord implies B major). Instead of resolving to IV (B+), Chopin resolves the V7 to ii (g-sharp minor, you label correctly) - a called deceptive cadence. Just a thought from another way to see the harmonic design. In your video your singing matches all long tones - great. Use deeper breathing before notes that ascend: your voice should be prepared to go up when needed or breathe beforehand. This will shape your RH and LH timing.
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Jarred Dunn I just watched wk2 assignment and glad that you mentioned about the breath marks - as I have already done the markings when practised singing the melody line.
I found it impossible to hold the breath for the entirety of the phrases so I had to do the occasional mid-phrase breathings ... a bit embarrassed to say that I used to play the oboe a long time ago though no longer have any of that lung capacity left ... I imagined where I would breath if I were to play it.
You mentioned about taking a deeper breathing before the notes that ascend. I am wondering if/how would you do it differently to my markings here? ... thinking also that maybe my "deep" breath still can't cover for the weak singing voice
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Voila! My recording of the first page of Mazurka Op 67 no 2. Singing helped me learn the melody much faster than I had expected. Of course, singing it is a whole different matter.
I struggled with labeling the G minor chords. Not sure where to begin with that. If anyone has any advice I’d appreciate it!
