The Key To Understanding What You're Doing On The Piano

Course & Description

"Duane Shinn's Crash Course In Basic Music"

For Kids (and humble adults)

     A 1-hour summary of music on audio CD, plus 48 flash cards to grove your brain cells. If you want a concentrated course in note reading, rhythm, etc, this is the course you want. Excellent for kids or adult beginners or for those who want to brush up on the fundamentals of music. Also great for parents teaching their children music!

"What is Music Made Of ? A Study of the 5 Basic Elements of Music"

For Kids (and humble adults)

     Music is made from 5 basic elements: 1. Melody -- the part you whistle or hum; 2. Harmony -- the tonal environment in which a melody exists; 3. Rhythm -- the time frame in which music moves; 4. Form -- the structure of music (repetition, contrast, symmetry, variation, development, ABA, etc); 5. Tone Color -- the individual sounds available from instruments and voices and combinations thereof. On this great course you'll learn the inter-relationship of these five elements. Not one person in a thousand knows this music theory material. It will help you get the "big picture" in music.

"A One-Hour Survey of The Great Composers"

For Kids (and humble adults)

     In one hour we're going to meet about 50 of the greatest composers who ever lived and see how they fit into the scheme of music as it developed. A survey course so you can get an overall feel for the history of music. We'll learn about the baroque period, the classical period, the romantic period, and the contemporary period.

"A Capsule History of Music"

For Kids (and humble adults)

     This is an overview course -- a summary of hundreds of years of music. First we take a look at the basic characteristics of each period, and what makes them distinctive. Then Duane plays typical pieces from each period to illustrate the style and sound of that era.

"The Science of Sound"

For Kids (and humble adults)

    Sound is caused by something which is vibrating. The "stuff" out of which music is made is the same stuff from which noise is formed; but sound which is organized and pleasant is called "music" instead of noise. On this course you'll learn about vibrations, pitch, fundamental tones, harmonics, and ultra-sonics.

"How To Teach Yourself Basic Harmony - Fast!"

For Kids (and humble adults)

     A great & fun course for beginners that works like a teaching machine. You learn, then you test yourself immediately to make sure you really understand what you have just learned. Starting with the very first fundamentals of music, this course takes you through key signatures, time signatures, note values, notation, and so forth. The book which comes with the course is done in cartoon format, which makes it fun for everyone to learn. Good for kids. (Not a course for advanced students!)

"Musical Roadsigns: Accents, Dynamics, & All That"

     "Dynamics" comes from the same root word as dynamite -- and you can go a long way toward making your music dynamite by learning how to use accents, staccato, sforzando, crescendo, diminuendo, 8va, fermata, ritard, and all the other "road signs" that make music interesting. You'll learn 45 of 'em -- enough to make anyone's music more interesting!

"All About Scales, & How To Use Them"

     There are various kinds of scales; major, minor (3 varieties -- harmonic, melodic, & natural), chromatic, whole tone, pentatonic, and all the modes - Dorian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, etc. You'll learn how to form all these scales, then you'll learn to finger them -- which fingers cross over, and when. You'll also learn how scales can be used to fill up empty spaces in music -- so you can use them as fills, or improvisations

See Course Description

"How To Use The Metronome"

     If you have trouble keeping a steady beat, or other problems related to counting or time, this course will show you how to use the metronome to begin to solve your "unsteady beat" problems.

     You'll learn how to read tempo markings, such as MM:60; you'll learn the continuum between largo and presto; you'll learn the difference between a semibreve, a minim, crotchet, quaver, semi-quaver, demi-semi-quaver, and yes friends, even a (are you ready?) hemi-demi-semi-quaver! I kid you not!

"A Six Month Course In Music Theory & Harmony"

     Understanding music theory is really the key that unlocks a vast world of musical insight and pleasure. This is a six month course in theory and harmony that starts at square one and goes through advanced harmonic concepts. You have a month to complete each workbook before your new workbook arrives at the start of the next month. Duane walks you through each workbook on the CD that comes with each month's shipment.

     You'll learn about figured bass, voicing (open and closed), part writing, transposition, non-harmonic tones of various sorts, cadences, motion, form, analysis, and you'll even write some compositions of your own. You'll learn to write for vocal parts, as well as for transposing instruments such as trumpet, sax, violin, etc.

     If all this sounds complex, don't worry. You'll start right at the beginning and work your way gradually through everything from beginning to advanced harmony. Tuition for the entire six months of this wonderful music theory course is just $295.00, which is a fraction of what you would pay in a resident college setting. (If you want Duane to personally critique and correct each workbook for the entire six months, add $200).

6 Music Theory Workbooks and 6 Audio CD's...

 Entire 6 month course shipped all at once -- but take it month by month & don't skip around!

For more info, click here.

"How To Play Roughly Half Of All Songs Using Just Four Chords:

I, IV, V, and II"

     There are three chords in every key which are used more often than any others. They are called the tonic (I), the sub-dominant (IV), and the dominant (V) chords. Most songs begin and end on the tonic so it functions as "home base". The other two chords are used to provide contract to the tonic. Learn what the three primary chords are in every key, and guess what -- you've got the magic key to which chords are likely in a song. You'll also learn to match your melody note to these 3 chords, so you can harmonize virtually any simple song. You'll learn the next-most-likely chord in each key, too. It's called the super-tonic (II) chord, and you'll learn when to use it.

"How To Play Roughly Half Of All Songs Using Just Four Chords:

I, IV, V, and II"

"Most-Used-Chords" Sheet

 $97.

"How To Make Your Playing Come Alive Through Pedaling & Dynamics!"

     Have you ever heard a speaker who spoke in a monotone, never raising or lowering his/her voice? Boring, wasn't it? It's the same way in music. The easiest way to make your playing interesting is to learn how to use your pedals correctly, and then to use dynamics creatively. You'll learn how to use the sostenuto pedal, the "una corda" pedal, and of course the damper pedal. You'll also learn how to use the full range of dynamics according to the tension or relaxation of the harmonic structure.

"Become A 'Chord Detective -- Get a Pair of Chord Glasses!"

How To Quickly Scan Any Piece Of Sheet Music & Immediately Know What The Chords Are -- So You Can Fill In The "Empty Spaces" and Make The Music Sound Much Fuller!

      I have had many people call or write me and ask me something like this "I play by ear, or by chords, but lots of music doesn't have chord symbols written in -- how do I know what chord to play when?" Or, "Our hymn book doesn't tell which chords to use -- how can I know what to play?"

     If you want to play a song using chords instead of the written notes, but the song doesn't have any chords symbols printed (such as Cm7, G13, B aug, D dim 7, etc) this DVD video course is exactly what you need.

     There's a logic behind every note written in music & you can learn to understand that logic, and therefore understand music.

     If you can read music to some degree but don't "see through" the written music -- don't understand what you are seeing -- now you can put on your "chord glasses" that good chord detectives wear to see through all that mass of black printed notes on a white page to quickly understand what chords are being used and the "family logic" behind it all.

     You'll learn to read music like a map, by using clues to figure out what chords are being used, then playing by chords instead of the printed score.

For more information, please click here.

"How to Master Rhythm Problems -- Once and For All!" (Level One)

     This is a fantastic course which does more to make rhythm crystal-clear than anything you've ever seen before! Can you learn it? Absolutely! Even if rhythm has always been a problem for you.

     Your rhythm problems will melt like butter in the sun when you see the "visualized rhythm bar" right below the music! Makes it a snap to understand!

     In Level One, you'll learn all the fundamentals of rhythm, and your problems understanding how to count various rhythms will melt like butter in the sun! You'll also learn to play the Waltz, March, Swing, Ballad, Fiddle Jig, Rubato, Disco, Foxtrot, Stride, & Triplets. You'll learn the exact rhythmic formula for each -- how to count and how to play each rhythm.

Click here for a very special offer!

"How to Master Rhythm Problems -- Once and For All!" (Level One)

"How to Master Rhythm Problems -- Once and For All!" (Level Two)

     In Level Two, you'll learn to count and play the more advanced rhythms, such as:

     The Shuffle, Gospel Waltz, Royal March, Polish Dance, Polka, Scotch Snap, Hungarian Skip, Rhythm & Blues, Western, Boogaloo, Hornpipe, Gigue, Jazz Waltz, Rock, The Skip, The Morris Dance, The Schottische,  Habanera, Paso Doble, The Sweet Pea, Samba,  C & W, Tango, Fatback , Rumba, Bolero, Bossa Nova, Cha Cha, Beguine, etc.

     If you're like me, you'll never dance like this frog, but you'll sure get a handle on lots of piano rhythms like you never have before!

     This course is the only thing of its kind in the world, as far as I know!

    Click here for a very special offer!

"How to Master Rhythm Problems -- Once and For All!" (Level Two)

"Playing Chords In Rhythm"

     This course is built around a unique copyrighted chart called the "Chord & Rhythm Finger Finder" which slips behind the keys and shows you what notes to play in various chords, and also shows you how to create a "rhythm bass" by playing a bass note followed by a chord (sometimes called a "swing bass"). All you have to do is place the "pointer" at the name of the chord you want to play, and presto, you have the entire chording patterns at your fingertips. Also teaches other chording patterns and arp patterns on many different chords. Wonderful course! You'll be chording in minutes!

Chord & Rhythm Fingering Finder!

"Playing Chords In Rhythm"

Audio CD, DVD video, Laminated "Chord & Rhythm Finger Finder" $97.

Rhythm Patterns , Harmony,

& Music Theory Courses! 

Learn to understand songs & piano books through rhythm patterns  & musical harmony!

(Don't be afraid to click--you can modify your order as needed after you select the courses you want.)

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P.O. Box 700
Medford, OR 97501