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Lesson notes

Tuesday 10th December 2013

1. Checking the Tuning, opening out your hand to warm up
Octave, Fourths and fifths
Start by checking the tuning of the fifth and the octave from bottom F - C - F,
then check the Gs  G - C - G  with the C (fourth) as reference
then check the D with the Gs as reference  G - D - G (fifth)
then A from the D (fifth). A-D-A
then E from the A (fifth) then B from the E (fourth);
then F from bottom F,(octave), checking with C (fifth)
;then G from bottom G, checking D etc.

2. Chord inversions to check the tuning
Play the C root chord C - E - G with the left then the right hand
Move the hands up to play the first inversion of the C chord E - G - C
Then play the second inversion of the C chord G - C - E
You can then continue up the harp with root - 1st inversion - 2nd inversion to check the tuning.
Do the same with the F chord whose root is F - A - C,  then 1st inversion A - C -  F
then the second inversion C - F - A and continue up the harp
Then do the same for the G chord whose root is G - B - D and its inversions

3. Practising chord changes
Play an eight-bar pattern (Pwt ar y bys chord sequence) 
C root (CEG), 3 fingers,  F 2nd inversion (CFA) and G first inversion (BDG):   ||C|F|C|G| C|F|CG|C||
Chords: i)  Left hand only  ii)  right hand only  iii) left and right together  iv) left - right sequence
Arpeggios as above. Also left chord, right arpeggio

4. Melody and/or accompaniment
Playing the melody and/or accompaniment to
Heno, Heno
Melody hand placement

i)   The Heno Heno melody starts with E G  E G (two notes apart) sequence using fingers 2,1. (He-no he-no)
ii)  After
playing the second G with the thumb (finger 1) , move the melody hand down one string, sliding the thumb down onto the F. iii) The melody hand is now in position to play the next three notes, F D D. (hen blant bach)
iv) The  pattern of i) to iii) above is repeated but 1 note lower: D  F  D  F  E  C  C (he-no he-no hen blant bach)
v)  The remainder of the tune is pretty well a repeat of parts i) to v) in temrs of fingering with the EG and DF sequnences doubled

5. Retuning to the key of G by raising the pitch of the F strings to F sharp
The Dm chord - D F A changes to D major - D F# A when the F string pitch is raised and this is how to check the tuning.

7. Fingering for the melody of Tawel Nos (Silent Night)
Working out the fingering  - considering the hand position for each group of notes.
Setting the handn positions and fingering according to the run of the notes


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