Nigel Chapman Music : Services
Nigel Chapman Music is a registered company in England and Wales Reg. No. 09611198
Nigel teaches online using a variety of platforms , Zoom , Skype , Googlemeet etc. He is methodical and sends out notes at the end of each lesson. He also provides a mid week service where students can send in their video practice examples for feedback.
PIANO LESSONS Nigel caters for complete beginners through to advanced players covering notation and rhythm reading as well as playing by ear, covering a vast range of genre (Jazz, Rock, Classical, Blues & Pop).
MUSIC THEORY Nigel teaches music theory Grades 1 to 5 from the ABRSM syllabus.
YOUTUBE CHANNEL Nigel has his own youtube channel to provide assistance and demos for his clients. https://www.youtube.com/@nigelpiano
SCALES for all grades 1 to 8 are listed below
MUSIC THEORY Overview information : See below
SCALES BY GRADE (1 to 8)
GRADE FOUR
SCALES
BOTH Bb Major Eb Major B Minor C Minor
Contrary Eb Major Contrary C Minor
RIGHT B Major F# Major Ab Major F# Minor F Minor
LEFT B Major F# Major Ab Major F# Minor F Minor
ARPEGGIOS
BOTH Bb Major Eb Major B Minor C Minor
RIGHT B Major F# Major Ab Major F# Minor F Minor
GRADE FIVE
SCALES
BOTH
A Major E Major B Major F# Major Db Major
F# Minor C# Minor G# Minor Eb Minor Bb Minor
Contrary Db Major Contrary C# Minor
Chromatic Contrary LH F# RH A#
RIGHT
LEFT
ARPEGGIOS
BOTH
A Major E Major B Major F# Major Db Major Ab Major
F# Minor C# Minor G# Minor Eb Minor Bb Minor F Minor
GRADE SIX
4 Octaves SIMILAR MOTION
MAJORS D F Ab B
MINORS H D F G# B
MINORS M D F G# B
2 Octaves CONTRARY MOTION
MAJORS D F Ab B
MINORS H D F G# B
CHROMATIC SCALE - SIMILAR MOTION 4 Octaves
Starting on G#
Starting on B
ARPEGGIOS 4 Octaves
MAJORS D F Ab B
MINORS D F G# B
DOMINANT SEVENTHS 4 octaves
MAJORS D F Ab B
DIMINISHED SEVENTHS 4 ocaaves
starting on G#
Starting on B
GRADE SEVEN
SCALES 4 octaves SIMILAR MOTION
MAJORS Db E G Bb
MINORS H C# E G Bb
MINORS M C# E G Bb
SCALES THIRD APART 4 octaves
MAJORS Db E G Bb
MINORS H C# E G Bb
CONTRARY MOTION SCALES 2 Octaves
MAJORS Db E G Bb
MINORS H C# E G Bb
LEGATO SCALE IN THIRDS 2 Octoaves separate hands
G MAJOR
STACCATO SCALE IN THIRDS 2 octaves separate hands
G MAJOR
CHROMATIC CONTRARY SCALE
Left hand C# Right hand E
ARPEGGIOS 4 octaves first inversion
MAJORS Db E G Bb
MINORS C# E G Bb
DIMINISHED SEVENTHS 4 octaves
starting on Bb
starting on E
GRADE EIGHT
SCALES 4 octaves SIMILAR MOTION
MAJORS C Eb F# A
MINORS H C Eb F# A
MINORS M C Eb F# A
SCALES A SIXTH APART 4 octaves
MAJORS C Eb F# A MINORS H C Eb F# A
CONTRARY MOTION SCALES 2 octaves
MAJORS C Eb F# A MINORS H C Eb F# A
LEGATO SCALE IN THIRDS separate hands 2 octaves
Eb Major Right Eb Major Left
STACCATO SCALE IN SIXTHS separate hands 2 octaves
C Major Right C Major Left
CHROMATIC SCALE A SIXTH APART SIMILAR MOTION 4 octaves
Left Eb Right C
WHOLE TONE SCALE SIMILAR MOTION 4 octaves
starting on C Eb F# A
ARPEGGIOS 4 octaves, 2nd inversion 4 octaves
MAJORS C Eb F# A
MINORS C Eb F# A
DOMINANT SEVENTHS 4 octaves 4 octaves
in the key of C Eb F# A
DIMINISHED SEVENTHS 4 octaves
starting on Eb starting on C
MUSIC THEORY
Grade 5 Music Theory Overview
Nigel Chapman Music
RHYTHM
DURATION - understanding how long / short each note is. A string of notes makes up a rhythm. Rhythm notes are contained within each bar, set by the time signature.
DOTS - A dot after a note extends the value to ½ (50%), A dot to the right of a dot, extends the note by a further ½ (50%)
TRIPLETS and DUPLETS - A Triplet is where 3 notes are written representing two notes. A Duplet is where 2 notes are written representing 3 notes
SIMPLE AND COMPOUND - Simple is where each BEAT can be divided by TWO. Compound is where each BEAT can be divided by THREE
TIME SIGNATURES - Time signatures tell the player how many beats there are in each bar - TOP NUMBER. Time signatures also tell the player the type of beat - BOTTOM NUMBER
GROUPING - Notes are grouped within each bar set by the time signature, Regular time signatures – where the number of beats per bar can be divided equally, Irregular time signatures – where the number of beats per bar cannot be divided equally.
PITCH
FOUR STAVES
Treble Middle C sits below the stave
Alto Middle C sits on the middle line
Tenor Middle C sits on the second line from the top
Bass Middle C sits above the stave
ENHARMONIC EQUIVALENTS
Same note, different name. All notes on the keys have two possible keys. Some notes have 3 names.
One semitone up - Sharp, Two semitones up – Double Sharp
One semitone down - Flat, Two semitones down – double flat
TRANSPOSITION
You are required to transpose a bar of music UP or DOWN
By MAJOR 2nd - two semitones
By MINOR 3rd - three semitones
By PERFECT 5th - seven semitones
KEYS AND SCALES
Tonal Structure RHYME - MAJORS
F C G D A E B
Forwards for Sharps, Backwards for flats
Relational Minors
Minor to Major, Up 3 s/tones
Major to Minor, Down 3 s/tones
Harmonic Minors, Raise 7th up and down
Melodic Minors Raise 6th & 7th going up and nothing going down
SHARPS
How Many - Key note, DOWN one note (on the keys) say rhyme
Name the key – Rhyme up to number of sharps – UP one note (on the keys)
FLATS
How Many - Rhyme up to the key note, ADD one flat (on the rhyme)
Name the key - Say rhyme up to the number of flats - BACK one flat (on the rhyme)
TECHNICAL NAMES
Each degree of the scale has a technical name
8 Octave
7 Leading note
6 Submediant
5 Dominant
4 Subdominant
3 Mediant
2 Supertonic
1 Tonic
INTERVALS
The Intervals Square
Use the intervals square to help determine the TYPE of interval
Perfect 4 5 8
Minor / Major 2 3 6 7
Augmented on top
Diminished down low
CHORDS and CHORD CHARTS
SCALES
Make sure you understand Tonal structure / keys and scales for Major and Minor Keys
CHORD CHARTS
To write out a chord chart establish the key (how many sharps or flats)
Follow the rule:-
Scale > Chord > Fill in the chart
Number chords below in roman numerals I II III etc
CHORDS AND INVERSIONS
An extra step, once the chord chart has been written to is to identify the correct inversion
Root chords marked a) – bottom line
1st inversion chords marked b) - Middle line
2nd inversion chords marked c) - Top line
TERMS, SIGNS AND INSTRUMENTS
MUSICAL MEANINGS
There are so many musical meanings in a variety of languages.
A good learning tip is to learn 10 terms a week.
ORNAMENTS
You are required to read / write out ornaments in Grade 5
Acciaccatura, the quick one
Appoggiatura , the slow one
Turns, - Above the note -After the note
Mordents -Upper -Lower
Trills - all trills end with a turn
MUSIC IN CONTEXT
Music in context is the last question of the Grade 5 Music Theory paper.
It tests your knowledge of the previous 6 questions
Study a piece of music and then answer questions on :-
Register (comparing clefs) higher / Lower
Identifying selected notes
Identifying ornaments
Identifying musical elements such as dynamics, articulation, ties, repeats, etc
Identifying tempo and meaning
Comparing musical families
Identifying notes / technical names
Comparing rhythm in two different bars