Keyboard Skills Challenge

This month at piano, the focus is on mastering keyboard skills, and there are TEN options for students to choose from to complete the keyboard skills challenge. Be sure to choose one that is challenging for you!

Keyboard skills, including learning to play scales, arpeggios, and chord progressions with speed and accuracy, are much like the "warm-ups" that athletes use in practice to prepare for a big game. 

With repetition, the motions become easier and automatic, so when you encounter these familiar patterns in pieces, you can play them more quickly and easily, even though real music rarely has a two octave hands together scales passage. In real music, the keyboard skills are blended or embedded with melodies and more pleasing musical patterns to create beautiful music. 

Option 1:AIM Keyboard Skills

Pass off AIM Keyboard Skills in at Least 5 Keys on Your Level 

Although I encourage my students to learn to play their keyboard skills in all keys on their scale level charts, these videos provide a demonstration in just a few keys that students can play to pass off to move up levels on the leader board for "Advancement in Music." For more fun try playing your scales along with a fun backing track from Bensound.com.  Click here for a list of  tracks to choose from in the key of your scale.

Level 1 Free Printable Pentascale + Chord in C, G, D, A and E Major 
AIM Level 1 Keyboard Skills Video  

For more details see this post.

Level 2 Free Printable Pentascale + Chord, Hand over Hand Arpeggios

AIM Level 2 Keyboard Skills Video

For more details see this post.

Level 3 Free Printable One Octave Scales, I-V-I Chord, Hand over Hand Arpeggios 

AIM Level 3 Keyboard Skills Video 

For more details see this post. 

Level 4 One Octave Scale, I-IV-I-V7-I Chords, 1 Octave Arpeggio + Inversions

AIM Level 4 Keyboard Skills Video 

Level 5  1 Octave Scales, I-IV-I-V7-I Chords, 1 Octave Arpeggio, Primary Inversions, V7-I6/4

AIM Level 5 Keyboard Skills Video 

Level 6

2 Octave Scales HS or HT

I-IV-I-V7-I both HT/LH roots,

Full V7-I inversions

• V7 - I 6/4
• V6/5 - I
• V4/3 - I 6
• V7 - I 6/4

2 octave arpeggios HS or HT

Level 7

2 Octave Scales HT

I-IV-I-V7-I both HT/LH roots, played in 1st inversion

2 octave arpeggios HT

Option 2: Play and sing along with one pattern in the Vocal Warmups video.

#1 Pentascale Challenge

#2 Expanding Scales Up

#3 Expanding Scales Down

#4 Jumping Intervals

#5 Climbing Broken Chords

Option 3: Earn a new Chord Badge on the Leaderboard 

• Chord Apprentice - 12 Major Chords

• Chord Scholar - 12 Minor Chords
• Chord Ninja - 12 I-IV-I-V7-I Chord Progressions
• Chord Superstar - 24 I-IV-I-V7-I Chord Progressions (Try Every Key Challenge)
• Chord Master - Superstar + Primary Inversions & V7-I 6/4

Option 4: Earn a new Scale Badge on the Leaderboard

• Pentascale Star - Major Pentascales

• Pentascale Hero - Minor Pentascales
• Scale Apprentice- 12 1 8va Major Scales
• Scale Scholar - 12 1 8va Minor Scales
• Scale Ninja - 12 2 8va Major Scales
• Scale Superstar - 12 2 8va Minor Scales

Option 5: Play at least  10 Tonic Tutor Scale/Chord Games in FreePlay Mode

• Piano Chords (Major 4+3, Minor 3+4, Diminished 3+3, Aug 4+4)

• Inversion= Move the bottom to the top
• Planets/Rock Climber
• Major= We Were Happy When We Were Home
• Minor- When Harry Went West He Wore White

Option 6: Play 4 types of scales and explain their patterns.

• To prepare, watch this Scale Video and complete the Scales Worksheet.

Option 7: Improvise a song that includes a scale and chord progression.

Scale Sample: Create First Scales Dream of Melodies Duet

Broken Chord Sample: Create First Classic Chords

I & IV Sample: Create First Gospel

 
Minor Sample: Create First Secret Dance 

Option 8: Complete the Crazy Chord Challenge (Broken Chromatic Chords)

Option 9: Fill in the Circle of 5ths and explain how it helps you with scales.

Option 10: Identify 8 Triad/7th Chords  Keyboard Flashcards pg 2

• Triads: Major 4+3, Minor 3+4, Diminished 3+3, Augmented 4+4
• 7ths: Dominant 4+3+3, Major 4+3+4, Minor3+4+3, Dim. 3+3+3