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To read about workshops and classes that Verlene teaches, click here.To read about workshops currently offered online visit her calendar.The workshops listed below were presented on Zoom in 2020 - 2024 and are available as video links with workshop handouts. Click on a title to read about each class. Then use the button below the description, and you'll receive the handouts and video link via email within 2 or 3 days! |
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Aeolian Mode: Natural and Harmonic Minor -- $30
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Arranging for Harp Ensemble -- $25 In
this workshop, you will learn how to make an arrangement
that will keep all of your ensemble members happy!
Whether they are multi-leveled players or all at the
same level, and whether all on one size harp or on
multiple size harps. I used Sibelius to demonstrate how
a simple traditional tune can be developed in a number
of ways for a variety of harp ensembles. Handouts for
the class include PDFs of each of the harp ensemble
arrangements demonstrated during class.
Use this button to order
your video link and handouts!
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Arranging for Movie Theme Music for Lever Harp -- $30Movie theme music can be a great addition to your repertoire both for entertainment and for therapeutic environments like bedside music, and assisted living concerts. We’ll look at a few pieces of music, taking them from what you may find in piano sheet music to what works best on lever harp. We’ll cover how to alter the arrangement to make it more harp friendly, how to choose the best key and octave, and what to do about any accidentals or key changes that come up!
Use this button to order your video link and handouts! |
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Beyond the Basics! --$30
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Change Up Your Groove -- $30We’ll take a few traditional songs and apply different time signatures, or different rhythm patterns to change up the groove! We’ll try several on for size and hear how each gives the tune a new feel. Changing 3/4 to 4/4 or visa versa is one way to do this, but we can also apply Swing, Jazz Waltz, Bossa Nova, Calypso, Reggae, even Middle Eastern rhythms. I’ll provide lead sheets for several tunes we can choose from, and we’ll try playing them with each of these grooves.
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Christmas Music Workshops
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Cool
Chords & Groovy Rhythms Series
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This workshop is for
those with cross-strung harps (7/5 stringing) who
would like to learn tips on fingering and chord
voicing and how to adapt lever/pedal harp music and
piano arrangements to cross-strung harp. Fingering
charts and chord voicing examples will be provided
along with some music to play together.
Although my cross-strung books are not required for
the workshop, if you are interested, here are links to
a few books you might find useful: Jazz Chord Voicings,
Jazz Chord Finder,
Cross-Strung Traditional Tunes with a Twist,
and Cross-Strung
Traditional
Tunes with a Twist for Small Harp,
which fits Brother Benjamin or Esabelle harps.
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Dorian Mode is the “brighter, bolder” minor mode. We’ll spend some time with a handful of Dorian tunes to add to your repertoire, and we’ll use them as a basis for improvisation. There are lead sheets, harp arrangements, and guitar notation and tablature for each tune in the packet. Handouts include a chart for lever harp and a chart for guitar that show how to play in Dorian Mode on your instrument. You’ll also get a list of the best chord progressions to use for Dorian improvisation and a list of additional Dorian tunes to explore in addition to the packet of tunes for the class. Read comments from participants:"As always, I was inspired
by the Dorian Delight class and thank you! I loved the
Dorian tune selection and did not know any of them! I am
going to have fun with these!"
"I see why you called
your class "Dorian Delight" -- I had a blast today
making up some tunes in D, A and E Dorian. I am
excited to use the chord progressions for patients
until I get more tunes down."
Use this button to order your video link and handouts! |
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In
this workshop, open to all musicians, you'll
start with matching pitches, then move to intervals,
and then on to phrases that include steps, skips,
larger leaps, and chord patterns. Each section will
include instructions and demonstrations, tips and
concepts to help you identify and match what you hear.
You will participate by filling in your answer sheets
(handouts provided ahead of time) for each set of
examples that Verlene will play off camera on four
different instruments (harp, keyboard, guitar, and
violin). At the end of each section, she will show the
answer key so you can check your answers.
Use
this button to order your video link and handouts!
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In
this workshop, open to all musicians, open
to all musicians. In this workshop, you will be
presented with more advanced sequences as well as chord
identification. As in the Basic Ear Training workshop,
you will participate by filling in your answer sheets
(handouts provided ahead of time) for each set of
examples that Verlene will play off camera on four
different instruments (harp, keyboard, guitar, and
violin). At the end of each section, she will show the
answer key so you can check your answers.
Use
this button to order your video link and handouts!
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Express Your Heart! -- $30Although any instrumentalist and even vocalists can take this workshop, special attention will be given to playing expressively on harp. You’ll learn how to play with dynamics, phrasing, and fluidity so that your music seems to come straight from the heart! We’ll cover how to modify your existing arrangements whether written out or learned by ear to increase expressive effectiveness. Read comments from participants: "Thank you Verlene for a
really helpful and interesting workshop today! I was
inspired to put several of your suggestions into practice
today and I felt good about the time I spent with my harp
this afternoon. I was able to slow down and focus on a
couple of small problem sections and this gave me a sense
of accomplishment. One thing that I've never tried is
recording myself. So that's my new challenge for this
coming week."
"Thanks for all your
wonderful classes. I have enjoyed them!"
Use this button to order your video link and handouts! |
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There
isn't only one way to finger a particular tune,
but there are particular things you should
consider when choosing your fingering. In this
workshop, you'll learn some of the logic behind
fingering, using some particularly challenging
passages of music. You'll learn tools for
figuring out the fingering that is best for you,
and that will help you play more accurately and
fluidly.
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Finger
Punctuality -- $30
Whether we are playing dance tunes or
therapeutic music, the goal is to play fluidly, which
means there should never be an unintended pause or
interruption to the rhythmic flow. In this workshop,
you’ll learn how to eliminate those annoying
hesitations that don’t improve with simple repetition.
You’ll learn how to analyze the problem areas and get
solutions that will remove the hiccups and bring a
tune up to tempo and into your performable repertoire!
Use this button to order your video link and
handouts!
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In this workshop, you will have an opportunity to
really drill those chords in root position and
inversions, as well as "root-five-octave" patterns.
You'll learn how to "keep the common tone" and move
to the nearest inversion with a set of chord
progressions. You'll also learn how to easily
add 7s to your chords. If you need some practice
getting from chord to chord, this workshop will give
you some great strategies for making it come second
nature!
Use this button to order
your video link and handouts!
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Harp Chord Intensive -- Jazzy Chords -- $25 This
is great for those who are comfortable with basic triads
and 7th chords. In
this workshop, you will learn where all the chord
extensions are and have an opportunity to drill moving
from one chord to another. You’ll learn how to spread
out the notes between two hands, and still keep the
melody note at the top. You’ll learn how to “keep the
common tone” and move to the nearest inversion with
the provided lead sheets. If you have taken my Cool
Chords and Groovy Rhythms class, the “how-to” part
will be a great review, while the “hands-on” part will
give you some great practice on getting to those juicy
chords!
Use this button to order your video link and handouts!
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Harp Clarity and Fluidity -- $30In this class you’ll learn how to create more clarity by using selective damping techniques, and more fluidity by using selective hovering techniques. You’ll get handouts with exercises and tunes for practice to use during and after the class, as well as guidelines for how to apply these two essential techniques to your current and future repertoire. Use this button to order your video link and handouts! |
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Harp Technique for Harp
Newbies
These three workshops cover
the harp techniques presented in the series "Harp Newbies"
by Verlene Schermer. You can take these without owning a
copy of the books, but if you would like to buy copies,
there are links in the descriptions below.
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How to Play "D" Blues -- $30In this workshop, you'll learn how to
set your levers in order to play the blues in the
key of D, which requires more than just the notes
in the major scale, and how to improvise blues
solos. You'll learn both "rhythm guitar" harp
techniques and "lead guitar" phrasing.
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Jump On In! -- $30
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Lullabies for Babies & Grownups -- $30In
this workshop which is open to all harpists,
guitarists, or other instrumentalists as well, we'll
play through a number of lullabies that can be used
for soothing and calming babies of all ages (0 –
100+)! We’ll not simply play through the lullabies
in the handouts – we’ll also cover what it is that
makes them lullabies, and what we should consider in
both composing and improvising our own lullabies!
Lead sheets, harp/piano arrangements and guitar
tablature will be included in the handouts.
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This
workshop is open to all instruments. In this workshop,
you’ll learn a method that will help you internalize a
new song or tune quickly and thoroughly. By integrating
memorization tools used by theater actors, you’ll find
yourself “in the role” of the director of your play.
You’ll learn to develop muscle memory using a tool used
by athletes as well as professional classical musicians.
And you’ll come away with a deeper understanding of
music theory as a bonus!
Use
this button to order your video link and handouts!
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This workshop is open to any instrument, any level.
Mixolydian Mode is a magical mode for improvisation.
We’ll spend some time with a handful of lesser-known
Mixolydian tunes to add to your repertoire, and we’ll
use them as a basis for improvisation. Handouts include
a chart for lever harp and a chart for guitar that show
how to play in Mixolydian Mode on your instrument.
You’ll also get a list of the coolest chord progressions
to use for Mixolydian improvisation in addition to the
packet of tunes for the class.
Read comments from
participants:
"Thanks Verlene -- enjoyed the class! Level was perfect for me. I'm a solid but not advanced guitar player." "Many
thanks for another great workshop.
Interesting, vibrant, well-paced, and
educational. Well worth it."
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Here are some comments from participants in the Modes Immersion series:Thank you for the workshop
and all the materials. I am really enjoying playing my
harp again and experiencing your gentle and extremely
knowledgeable approach. I am finding inspiration from you
with my teaching. thank you!
I really enjoyed the workshop last Friday evening. The materials and explanations were fun and informative. Can’t wait for more! I really like all of these altered modes! Very exotic and haunting... and fit with my likes in world music. I especially want to say thanks for the doc on ‘What about modes in other keys?” I got myself into a tangle when I tried to work those out after the major modes workshop. This clarifies it beautifully.
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The two ways to
modulate from one mode to another are "Relative" and
"Tonic." Relative modal modulation is easier on lever
harp than tonic modal modulation. So if you are a lever
harpist, you may want to take the Relative Modal
Modulation workshop and leave the Tonic Modulation to
keyboardists and guitarists.
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Moods & Modes of O'Carolan -- $30This workshop is
open to lever or pedal harp, all levels. We look at some
of the lesser-known O’Carolan tunes, all of which are
useful for therapeutic applications, as well as for
background music. There are tunes in four different modes:
Ionian (the basic major mode), Mixolydian, Dorian, and
Aeolian, plus a bonus tune in Harmonic minor. They are
great for playing at any tempo.
Use this button to order
your video link and handouts!
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Music for Memory Care -- $30This workshop is
open to all musicians, particularly those who play in
Assisted Living or Memory Care units. You will be able to
add to your repertoire of music that is not only
appropriate for this demographic but is also sure to touch
a memory deep within that brings joy and light. You’ll
find they will sing along, whether or not they know all
the lyrics, and amazingly, they can remember these lyrics
far easier than they can remember what they had for lunch.
That’s probably true for us all! You’ll get handouts in
lead sheet form to many of the songs I perform at several
facilities where my concerts are regularly scheduled.
Singers, harpists, guitarists – all are welcome!
Use this button to order your video link and handouts! |
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Nordic Songs and Tunes -- $30This class is open to all
levels and all instruments and singers. If
you took the Scandinavian Songs and Tunes workshop, here
is another selection of tunes, this time expanding to
Denmark, Iceland and the Faroe Islands, which are part of
the Nordic region. You’ll also learn songs and tunes from
Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Most will have words with
guidance on pronunciation. You will get arrangements that
can be played on lever harp, pedal harp, or piano, in
addition to lead sheets with melody, lyrics, and chords
for singers, guitarists, and other instrumentalists. I’ve
also added guitar tab for all the songs and tunes so a
guitarist can either play chords using the lead sheet, or
play melody and chords with the tablature. Use this button to order your video link and handouts! |
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In
this workshop you’ll learn to recognize patterns in
music to build up your toolbox that can be used both in
reading and memorizing printed music, and in playing by
ear and improvisation. Melodic and rhythmic patterns,
chord patterns, and patterns of overall song form will
be covered with both notated music and rote “by ear”
exercises.
Use this button to order your video link and
handouts!
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Playing By Ear Series
Many harp workshops that are
taught "by ear" are really taught "by rote." They might
tell you to "place your thumb on C and play for in a row"
or some other directions. Or they might teach you by
saying note names and playing short phrases. This 4-part
series will help you develop the skills needed to actually
play something by ear either from memory, or by listening
to recordings.
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This is open to
all, and it is not necessary to have my book by the same
title. I will be sending handouts ahead of time and will
work from those. Of course, those interested in the book
can order a hard copy or PDF on my website at: Playing and
Improvising Middle Eastern Music book (verlene.com). We'll
cover some of the Middle Eastern scales that can be played
on lever harp, as well as left hand patterns that help
establish rhythms used in Middle Eastern music. We'll use
song samples play and hear the scales and rhythms, and
also cover how to improvise using all the above.
Use this button to order your video link and
handouts!
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Playing
on the White Strings -- $30
Finding a melody when all 12 notes in the chromatic scale are used can be very difficult. Jazz standards and show tunes often have several notes outside the key signature. Reduce that number to 7 different notes that are in the diatonic scale, and it becomes easier to play a tune by ear or to memorize the tune. The harp has 5 white strings per octave, that make up a pentatonic scale -- which makes playing by ear and memorizing even easier! In this workshop for pedal or lever harp, you’ll get lead sheets for 16 tunes that use only white strings for the melody that you can add to your repertoire and use for improvisation as well! There is a discussion about how to get tunes into memory quickly, as well as instruction on how to improvise intros and interludes. Use this button to order your video link and handouts! |
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Playing Well With Others -- $30Playing harp with other instruments can be great fun! But learning about the other instruments in your band or ensemble will help you to find your sonic space within the group. You’ll get a handout that lists each instrument’s range, key, and technical limits. You’ll also get tips on how to play along when songs step out of the key. During the workshop, you’ll get to play along with some audio examples of bands and ensembles to apply the concepts covered in the handouts. Use this button to order your video link and handouts! |
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The Practice of Practicing -- $30 This
is
open to all musicians. If you have felt that no matter
how much you practice, the improvement is either slow or
non-existent, this gentle class will give you steps to
improve your practicing practice... You'll have a step
by step approach to learning a new piece,
troubleshooting an in-progress piece, and polishing a
learned piece. You'll also get tips on how to use your
current works in progress to create warm-up exercises
that will build some much needed muscle memory.
Use this button to order your video link and handouts! |
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Scandinavian Songs & Tunes --$30This class is open to all
levels and all instruments and singers. You’ll learn songs
and tunes from Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Most will have
words with guidance on pronunciation. You will get
arrangements that can be played on lever harp, pedal harp,
or piano, in addition to lead sheets with melody, lyrics,
and chords for singers, guitarists, and other
instrumentalists. I’ve also added guitar tab for all the
songs and tunes so a guitarist can either play chords
using the lead sheet, or play melody and chords with the
tablature.
Use this button to order your video link and handouts!
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Sibelius Music Notation Tips & Tricks -- $25 In
this workshop, which is open to all instrumentalists and
vocalists, you will learn how to put your music into
clear and easy to read notation using Sibelius. Although
the professional version of Sibelius is pricey, there is
a free version of
Sibelius called Sibelius
First, and it has all of the features you
will need for creating solo harp arrangements, guitar
tab, piano/vocal music, lead sheets, or ensemble music
up to 4 instruments. As a music publisher, I have used
Sibelius to transcribe and layout music for 61
publications to date (see
books), and I'll share several shortcuts and
tricks using the shared screen in Zoom along with close
ups of her computer keyboard.
Use this button to order your video link and handouts!  |
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Simple But Beautiful! -- $30
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The Sing-Along Harper -- $30If you've ever wished you could play harp along with group sing-alongs, this class is for you. You can also use the finger picking patterns for accompanying melody instruments. This is either for those who have bought the book "The Sing-Along Harper," and are looking for tips and help with the patterns, or for those who just want to pick up some new tools! If you have not purchased the book, and would like to, you can order a hard copy or a PDF version here.Here are
some comments from participants:
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Sing-Along Harper Summer Song Fest -- $30 This class is open to all
harpers and even non-harpers! We’ll be playing from start
to finish, several songs that celebrate the coming Summer
months! If you either took one of my Sing-Along Harper
workshops or own the book “The Sing-Along Harper,” you’ll
enjoy jumping right in on these songs using the provided
patterns or your own patterns to play along. You’ll be
provided with a songbook of 20 songs, and we’ll try to get
through all of them during the 2 hour workshop. The songs
are in the “words and chords” form that you see guitarists
playing from, and I will let you know the lever settings
for each and also anything else you’ll need to know in
order to play along. We won’t spend a lot of our time
explaining the music theory, so we’ll have time to enjoy
playing and singing the songs!
Use this button to order your video link and handouts! |
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Singing with the Harp -- $30 In
this class, you will learn how to coordinate singing
with playing harp. We'll use a few well-known tunes as
well as a few of the requested songs from a January 2023
concert: "Life Stages: Songs & Stories for those who
care for the elderly." If you'd like to hear some of
those in advance, the concert is on YouTube. In this workshop, you'll
learn some secrets for keeping your voice expressive and
fluid while playing a solid accompaniment on harp.
You'll get lead sheets plus two-hand patterns, in
addition to a brief "how-to" on special lever settings.
Use this button to order your video link and handouts!
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Songs from Eastern Europe -- $30You’ll learn tunes in 7/8,
5/8, 9/8 (not a slip jig!), 4/4 and 2/4 from Armenia,
Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, and
Ukraine. We’ll watch and listen to each tune on YouTube,
some that show the dance, and all with singing. You’ll be
provided with lever/harp arrangements that can also be
played on piano, with lyrics for the first verse in
phonetic spelling, and chord names on top of the melody.
In addition, classical and finger style guitarists will be
provided with arrangements of the tunes in guitar notation
and tablature. Singers can use the “harp and vocal”
arrangements to sing along. These tunes are fun to play
and can be added to your therapeutic repertoire to pull
out when someone requests something from this part of the
world. If you are not a therapeutic musician, you can
enjoy playing these tunes to experience a bit of the
flavor of Eastern Europe!
Use this button to order your video link and handouts!
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Songwriting
Songwriting Course in three parts! Part 1 covers lyrics, part two, melody, and part three, harmony. Each class is $30 but if you buy for all 3, there is a $10 discount! Order all three using this button, or scroll down for each individual part. Use this button to pay for all three parts for $80: |
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Songs
for World Peace Day -- $30
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Therapeutic Guitarist --
Improvising in Major Modes --
$25
This workshop is open to guitarists with a fingerstyle or classical background, particularly those interested in playing in a healing capacity such as hospice or at bedside, or playing for guided meditation, or guided visualization. In this class you’ll learn how to improvise in the three major modes: Ionian (the “major scale”); Mixolydian; and Lydian. Handouts will include notation, guitar tablature, as well as diagrams that show where the scale degrees can be found on the first 5 frets of the guitar. Use this button to order your video link and handouts! |
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Therapeutic Guitarist -- Improvising in Minor Modes -- $25 This workshop is open
to guitarists with a fingerstyle or classical
background, particularly those interested in playing in
a healing capacity such as hospiceor at bedside, or
playing for guided meditation, or guided visualization.
In
this class you’ll learn how to improvise in the
three minor modes: Aeolian (the “relative minor
scale”); Dorian; and Phrygian, as well as the
Harmonic Minor. Handouts will include notation,
guitar tablature, as well as diagrams that show
where the scale degrees can be found on the first
5 frets of the guitar.
Use
this button to order your video link
and handouts!
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Virtual Ensemble
Video Production -- $25
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Vocal Mechanics -- A Look Under the Hood -- $25This workshop is open to all singers, both experienced and novice. In this workshop, I will reveal the inner workings of the instrument we all carry within us, and give exercises along with visualizations and tips for developing and improving your vocal skills. I will also make use of a few simple songs that can be sung together to experience the use of diaphragmatic breathing, vocal registration, and vocal timbre. The book and CD by this title are available both as a physical book and CD and as a PDF book and mp3s. You can order one here.Use this button to order your video link and handouts! |
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Waltz Around the World --$30Waltzing is a fairly
universal dance and where there is a dance, there is music
to go with it! The waltz is based on 3/4 time, and can
range from Oom pah pah to rolling eighth notes, to the
syncopated jazz waltz. They're fun to play and are great
to add to your therapeutic music repertoire. You will
learn traditional waltzes from several countries as well
as a few modern tunes from pop, country, and jazz. You'll
also learn how to improvise using the rhythm and chord
changes of each tune. Lead sheets, as well as simple harp
arrangements and guitar notation and tab will be provided.
Use this button to order your video link and handouts! |
