<HTML> <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 19:26:44 -0500 From: thepianoarts <thepianoarts@home.com> Subject: Re: Tuner tunes    If you would like to learn a subtle yet profound 'harmonic' (left hand...chords)  diatonic (meaning only using the seven tones in a Major scale) sequence, 'by ear', which also allows you to compose the melody, try the following: First... All chords are voiced with the 3rd. pulled out of the middle of the triad, and put on top.    For example,  'C' on the bottom, then the 'G', and then the 'E'.  (If you can't reach the 'E' with your thumb, either play off the front ends of the key and catch the front edge, or, use the sustain pedal to carry the notes and play them arppeggiated.) Then... Once you learn to play the triad this way, all of the remaining chords use the same 'cookie cutter' hand position. Next... The sequence goes-up 4, then down 5, up 4, down 5...etc. etc.  This keeps the harmonic range contained. The sequence is as follows: 1-4-7-3-6-2-5-1 i.e.,  C, then up (or down) to F...etc.    You will notice a vauge resemblence to several million pieces of music. Simple but profound...like gravity.  'Heart and Soul" for example, uses 1-6-2-5-1. In Bachs music, there is alot of  2-5-1.   5-1 is at the end of most every Hymn ever written.    If you will take the time to learn this sequence, you will train your ear to be aware of this common harmonic movement of..."up 4".    This harmonic sequence , although 'mathamatical' and limited to using the seven tones of a triditional Major scale, can bring a depth of insight into the meaning of this language called music. (I've had just one beer, honest.) Dan Reed Dallas Texas Chapter </BLOCKQUOTE> Dear List, Dan speaks the truth....the simple, unvarnished truth.  I am a music theory teacher by trade, and would LOVE to have my students understand this as clearly as Dan states it.  To go just one very small step further, we are speaking here of "progression and retrogression" as two somewhat different kinds of movement between chords (not an overall progression meaning harmonic movement for an entire song).  The movement of chord roots (see Dan's numbers) are usually considered progressive if they move down a 5th (up a 4th), down a 3rd (up a 6th) or up a 2nd (down a 7th).  There are certain exceptions to this, but it's relatively unimportant..........and not everything must be progression, the retrogression is simply a different, well, flavor added to a musical phrase. Very nice work, Dan, and a VERY cogent explanation! Stan Ryberg Barrington IL mailto:jstan40@aol.com</HTML>