Phase 2 Checkpoint: Harmonic Depth

After Sessions 6-10

Congratulations!

You have completed the second phase, and your musical vocabulary has expanded dramatically. Five sessions ago, you played triads. Now you build and play 7th chords — Cmaj7, G7, Am7, Dm7, Em7, C7, D7 — and understand why each sounds the way it does. You have played arpeggios across the keyboard, felt the lilting sway of compound time in “Greensleeves” and “Tere Bina,” navigated the ii-V-I progression that powers hundreds of jazz and pop songs, and performed genuine classical repertoire — Bach’s “Minuet in G” and Beethoven’s “Fur Elise.” You played your first jazz standard, “Autumn Leaves.” You are no longer a beginner exploring the keyboard. You are a musician building a harmonic vocabulary.

Self-Assessment Checklist

Rate yourself honestly: Mastered / Needs Work / Not Yet

Knowledge (Theory & Concepts)

• Can you explain the construction formula for major 7th, dominant 7th, and minor 7th chords?
• Can you explain why a dominant 7th chord (like G7) wants to resolve to the I chord (C)?
• Can you describe what a “shell voicing” is and why it is useful for jazz?
• Can you explain the difference between simple time (4/4) and compound time (6/8)?
• Can you count in 6/8 correctly — TWO main beats per measure, each divided into 3?
• Can you explain the ii-V-I progression and name the chords in at least 2 keys?
• Can you explain what a secondary dominant (V/V) is and give an example in C major?
• Can you describe the difference between Baroque style (Bach) and Classical style (Beethoven)?
• Can you define trill, acciaccatura, and appoggiatura?

Technical Skills (Chords & Arpeggios)

• Can you play Cmaj7, G7, C7, D7, Am7, Dm7, and Em7 as block chords?
• Can you play V7-I resolution in C (G7 to C), G (D7 to G), and F (C7 to F)?
• Can you play shell voicings (root + 7th in LH) for Dm7, G7, Cmaj7, and Am7?
• Can you play the ii-V-I progression in C major with smooth voice leading (both hands)?
• Can you play the ii-V-I in G major and F major?
• Can you play the vi-ii-V-I progression in C major?
• Can you play 1-octave arpeggios for C, G, D, and F major — hands together at 60 BPM?
• Can you play 1-octave arpeggios for Am and Em — hands together at 60 BPM?
• Can you play the Alberti bass pattern (root-5th-3rd-5th) in C, G, and F major?
• Can you play a trill on D, G, and B evenly for 4 beats at 80 BPM using wrist rotation?
• Can you execute a grace note (acciaccatura) — quick crush note before the main note?

Musical Skills (Repertoire & Performance)

• Can you play “Autumn Leaves” (8 measures) with RH melody over LH shell voicings at 80 BPM?
• Can you play Chopin “Prelude in E minor” (12 measures) with even LH broken chords and pp dynamics at 60 BPM?
• Can you play “Greensleeves” in 6/8 with the bass-chord-chord LH accompaniment pattern?
• Can you play “Tere Bina” in 12/8 with LH swaying compound-time pattern?
• Can you play “All of Me” (John Legend) with melody and LH chord voicings at 66 BPM?
• Can you play Bach “Minuet in G” (16 measures) with both hands at 100 BPM with Baroque style (no pedal, light touch)?
• Can you play Beethoven “Fur Elise” A section (8 measures) with the E-D#-E opening motif smooth and even at 60 BPM?

Ear Training & Creativity

• Can you distinguish Cmaj7, C7, and Cm7 by ear?
• Can you hear the richer quality of 7th chords compared to triads when you play them?
• Can you identify compound time (6/8 or 12/8) vs simple time (4/4) by ear when hearing a piece?
• Can you hear the “pull” of a V7 chord resolving to I?
• Can you create your own arpeggio accompaniment pattern for a ii-V-I progression?

Scoring

• All “Mastered”: Outstanding! Your harmonic depth is genuine. Phase 3 will add expression, ear training, and Indian music.
• Mostly “Mastered” with 1-2 “Needs Work”: Move on. The skills you are building in Phase 3 will reinforce everything from Phase 2.
• 3+ “Not Yet”: Spend another week on this phase. See remediation below.

If You’re Not Ready

7th chords shaky:

• Go back to Session 6. Focus on the three types: play Cmaj7, then C7, then Cm7 ten times each. Say aloud: “major 7th has B, dominant 7th has Bb, minor 7th has Bb plus minor 3rd.” Spend 10 minutes daily for 1 week.

Arpeggios not fluent hands-together:

• Go back to Session 7. Practice C major arpeggio hands-separate only for 3 days. The thumb-under in arpeggios is wider than in scales — let your wrist guide the motion. Then attempt hands-together at 40 BPM. Spend 10 minutes daily for 2 weeks.

Compound time feels unnatural:

• Go back to Session 8. Clap the 6/8 pattern (1-2-3, 4-5-6) for 2 minutes before playing. Then play just the LH 6/8 accompaniment pattern (bass-chord-chord) in Am until it is automatic. 10 minutes daily for 1 week.

ii-V-I not smooth:

• Go back to Session 9. Practice in C major only: Dm7 to G7 to Cmaj7. Focus on which notes stay the same (common tones) and which move. Play 10 times per day. After 5 days, add G major and F major.

Classical pieces (Bach/Beethoven) not secure:

• Go back to Session 10. Practice hands-separate for each piece. The Bach Minuet LH has its own melody — learn it independently. The “Fur Elise” triplet E-D#-E must be perfectly even. 15 minutes per piece daily for 2 weeks.

What’s Coming Next

Phase 3 is where you find your musical voice. You will master pedal technique — legato, syncopated, and half-pedaling — and play John Lennon’s “Imagine” with proper pedal throughout. You will learn the full dynamic range from pp to ff and execute articulation marks (staccato, legato, accents, tenuto) in Chopin’s “Waltz in A minor.” You will develop playing by ear and transcription skills. And then — the highlight — you will enter the world of Indian raga, learning Raga Yaman and playing “Ek Pyaar Ka Nagma Hai,” “Lag Ja Gale,” and “Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai.” Phase 3 transforms technique into expression.