Category: piano

The X-Files left hand workout

One more 10th-based routine for the left hand fluency that is not going to bore you to death as you take it around the cycle of fourths. Works the best in minor keys, it’s a combination of broken 1-5-10’s with minor 6ths and minor 7ths. No wonder it sounds a little bit disturbing. But in a pleasant way. I mean, controllably disturbing. Wait, what? Just share the sheet music, dude—

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Cycling 10ths & 6ths workout

Another routine that I use for developing intevallic patterns fluency in the left hand (combining with simple chord shells in the right hand). This one focuses on broken 10ths while also including minor 6ths. Taking it around the cycle of 4ths or circle of 5ths works the best for me.

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Piano day (1h 40m)

Modal studies

  • Lydian DNA in 7th arpeggios
    • LH only
    • LH + alternating shells in RH (gave up pretty quickly, need to approach it slowly)
  • Harmonising Lydian scale in chord pairs around the cycle in growing gaps (Imaj7 — II7, Imaj7 — iii, Imaj7 — #IV, etc. — e. g. C — D, F — A-, Bb — Eø, etc.) — extra cool exercise!

Arpeggios + combined LH & RH melodic studies

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This badass workout achieves three goals:

  • Improve LH technique by drilling the 2-octave arpeggios along with harmonic intervals
  • Think in chord tones and improve key fluency
  • Enjoy the non-boring exercise that actually sounds nice even though you’re still just playing a diatonic pattern around the cycle of goddam fourths

Improv

  • Major blues scale improv in all keys (recap)
    • LH: harmonic 5ths & 6ths
    • Broken 10ths + blocks

Just for the hell of it

  • All Lydian scales (similar & contrary motion)