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How to Improve Sight Reading – My Personal Challenge

May 27, 2020July 27, 2020 JulianHarnishTheory
Sight Reading Sheet Music

I have always struggled sight reading, I was better at technical exercises – like learning scales and arpeggios. So I decided I would document a sight reading challenge. My Motivation to Improve Sight Reading There are two motivators for this […]

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How Many Hours a Day Should I Practice Piano?

May 24, 2020July 27, 2020 JulianHarnishTheory
Arthur Rubinstein - How Many Hours Should I Practice Piano

As I prepared for college I knew I wanted to study piano. But was I good enough? Was I practicing enough? How many hours a day should I practice piano anyways? The short answer: depending on your skill level and […]

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What Does the Middle Pedal on a Piano Do?

May 13, 2020July 27, 2020 JulianHarnishPiano Design
The middle pedal on the piano?

Comedian and pianist Victor Borge once said, “You know, some people have asked me why there are three pedals on these grand pianos. Well, the pedal in the middle is there to separate the two other pedals…which might be bad […]

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What’s Easier to Learn, Guitar or Piano?

May 8, 2020February 8, 2021 JulianHarnishTheory
What's easier to learn guitar or piano? Infographic

I’ve played the piano for years, and dabbled with the guitar briefly. So when I first started crafting this article, my gut response was that guitar is easier. To make sure my biases weren’t getting in the way, I asked […]

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Understanding, Creating, and Mastering Diatonic Chord Progressions

April 25, 2020July 27, 2020 JulianHarnishTheory
Diatonic Chords in C Major

“Diatonic chord progressions” – that may sound like an ugly theory term to you. Exploring this topic, however, leads to a deeper understanding of the larger musical phrases in your piano sheet music, and a more polished sound in your […]

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Piano Stretches For Hands, Wrists, Elbows, Shoulders and Neck

April 17, 2020February 5, 2021 JulianHarnishTechnique
Tiger that is stretching and ready to play piano

I’ll admit that I don’t do nearly as much warming up as I should. So in preparation for this article I tried a lot of stretching and warm-up routines to see which ones stuck! I found two main reasons for […]

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How to Practice Inversions on the Piano

April 10, 2020March 5, 2021 JulianHarnishTheory
Chord Inversions Explained

Chord inversions (not inverse chords) are helpful in learning to sight read better, and read chord sheets. In this article will give 4 easy exercises to help practice inversions. What Are Chord Inversions An inversion is a triad with a […]

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What is an Arpeggio? | How To Make, Finger, and Practice Them

January 31, 2020September 3, 2020 JulianHarnishTechnique

Whether you are playing a cadenza in your upcoming clarinet concerto, slipping in a slick lick in your blues jam, or accompanying a music group on the piano, arpeggios are everywhere! Arpeggios are part of the fundamentals of any instrument […]

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What Are the Differences Between Major and Minor Scales

January 30, 2020July 27, 2020 JulianHarnishTheory
Major and Minor Emotions of Happy and Sad

When I listen to “don’t worry, be happy” by Bobby McFerrin I can’t help but smile as I hear his expert whistling and light hearted “doot, doots.” When I listen to “Hello” by Adele I can’t help but feel the […]

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NEW way To Remember Notes on the Treble Clef

February 24, 2021February 24, 2021 JulianHarnishTheory
Spme notes on the treble clef

“Every Good Boy Does Fine.” Yes, it’s a useful mnemonic that describes the line notes in the treble clef, but is it really the best way to memorize notes in the treble clef? I, and others, think not. I would […]

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What is a 2 Note Chord Called? Can 2 Notes be a Chord?

February 15, 2021February 15, 2021 JulianHarnishTheory
G and D in bass clef. Arrow and question "2-note chord?"

So, what is a 2 note chord called? The technical term for a 2-note chord is a “dyad.” That said, a 2-note chord may also be referred to as a partial chord, power chord, double stop, or simply an interval. […]

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Lead Sheets vs Chord Charts vs Sheet Music vs Tabs

February 8, 2021February 19, 2021 JulianHarnishTheory
Burnt sheet music

There are many different ways to notate music. In this post we will go over the most common ones – lead sheets, sheet music, chord charts and tabs. We will explore the key differences and pros/cons of each notation style. […]

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How To Write a Lead Sheet [By Hand and Computer]

January 25, 2021February 8, 2021 JulianHarnishTheory
Hand writing lead sheet notes

Lead sheets are a simple form of music notation. It is useful to know how to write a lead sheet so that you can quickly capture musical ideas, or easily play tunes you know and love. In this post we […]

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How to Write Lead Sheet Symbols? A Complete Guide to Chord Notation

January 18, 2021February 15, 2021 JulianHarnishTheory
Gm7b5/Bb lead sheet symbol example

A lead sheet is a concise form of music notation that includes only the melody line and chord progression of a piece. They are great for capturing jazz, pop, and folk tunes, and make it possible for beginner and advanced […]

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How to Read a Lead Sheet on the Piano [for Beginners]

January 13, 2021February 19, 2021 JulianHarnishTheory
Person plays piano

Reading a lead sheet is a challenging, but useful exercise. It improves your knowledge of chords, and helps you to play more creatively. In addition, lead sheets often make familiar songs more approachable. If you are interested in learning how […]

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What Are Lead Sheets? A Minimalist Music Notation

January 7, 2021February 8, 2021 JulianHarnishTheory
Scarborough Fair Lead Sheet Example

What is a lead sheet?A lead sheet is a type of music notation that specifies only the most essential musical elements – melody, harmony, and rhythm. The melody is notated on the staff (typically the treble staff). The note duration […]

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Is Für Elise Classical or Romantic? – Why Für Elise is a Romantic Piece

September 16, 2020September 16, 2020 JulianHarnishTheory
Fur Elise Sheet Music - Classical or Romantic Piece?

Beethoven wrote Für Elise in 1810, likely for one of his romantic interests Therese Malfatti. Many see Beethoven as the bridge between the classical and romantic eras. He wrote Für Elise as he was exploring elements that would become part […]

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Is Für Elise a Sonata? Discovering the Musical Form of Für Elise

September 7, 2020September 16, 2020 JulianHarnishTheory
Beethoven Bust (Composer of Fur Elise)

Für Elise is one of the most memorable melodies in classical music. It was written during the end of the classical era and beginning of the romantic era. During that time, the most common instrumental pieces were sonatas, so is […]

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What Does Für Elise Mean? Uncovering the Elusive Elise

September 2, 2020September 16, 2020 JulianHarnishTheory
Für Elise Sheet Music

Beethoven’s Für Elise is one of his most famous compositions. Yet it wasn’t published until 40 years after his death when the German music scholar Ludwig Nohl discovered the manuscript, and published it in 1867. Let’s explore the meaning and […]

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