The BASIC LEVEL course is the first in the collection of the trilogy of the 3 levels of the PIANO SALSA method. This course, as well as the other levels, is organized in 4 large blocks of content: THEORY, PRACTICE, MONTUNOS and REPERTOIRE. In each one you will find exclusive material to learn and practice. Almost all the videos come with a downloadable PDF file where you will find scores or summaries of the content of each lesson.
Once you have purchased the course you can access with your username and password on the web, or with the same user in the Piano Salsa App, which you will find for free on Google Play and Apple Store.
Course topics:
- In the THEORY section, you will find explanations with a wide range of topics, ranging from harmony, scales, technical resources applied to salsa, forms and structures, analysis and much more.
- In the PRACTICAL section, you will be able to train your fingers with all kinds of exercises, “playalongs”, rhythmic independence exercises, exercises to learn chords, harmonic progressions, accompaniments and also practice with famous montunos that will help you to develop fluency and speed.
- In the section MONTUNOS, you will find videos with didactic explanations where you will learn montuno construction, accompaniments, and you will also see examples with all kinds of rhythms, including “Son Tradicional”, “Son Montuno”, “Guajiras”, “Guarachas”, “Descargas”, “Pachangas”, “Timba” and many more.
- In the REPERTORY section, there is a wide variety of songs classified according to the level you are at. All of them are accompanied by a complete tutorial, as well as the score transcribed note by note.
Students can progress according to their own pace of study, they can study freely or follow a recommended STUDY PLAN, in order to learn with an order and an organised structure.
Who is this course for?
This course is aimed at anyone involved in the study of modern piano with some knowledge of piano and anyone motivated to explore the rhythms of Latin Music. Any student who wishes to approach this field effectively will enjoy this course. The basic level will help you to successfully solve and consolidate those first difficult basics that simply cannot be solved by studying them on your own, but only with the support of qualified people in the field. With the tutorial videos and demonstrations, you will be able to repeat each video tutorial as many times as you want, as well as enjoy all the functions that the player allows to facilitate learning.
The BASIC LEVEL course is designed to acquire and consolidate the first basics of Piano Salsa. Below is a list of the lessons you will find in this first course, classified in 4 main blocks of content: THEORY, PRACTICAL, MONTUNOS and REPERTORIO.
BASIC LEVEL lessons:
THEORY
BASIC ASPECTS TO START PLAYING SALSA
1.1. The Keyboard Notes on the Stave
1.2. The Clefs - Explanation
1.3. What does it mean: Playing Montunos in Blocks and Arpeggios?
1.4. Shapes and Structure of a Salsa Theme.
BASIC CHORDS
2.1. The Ciphras
2.2. Introduction to chords
2.3. Triads: Major and Minor Chords
2.4. Triads chords: Augmented, Diminished and Suspended chords
2.5. Triads with Inversions
2.6. Diatonic Triads chords in Major mode
THE BASIC SCALES
3.1. The Natural Major Scales, how to study them?
3.2. The Natural Minor Scales, how to study them?
3.3. The Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales
TONAL FUNCTIONS AND HARMONIC PROGRESSIONS:
4.1. Tonal Functions in Major Mode 4.2.
4.2. Tonal Functions in Minor Mode
4.3. Introduction to Harmonic Progressions
PRACTICE
LEARN TO PLAY IN HARPSICHORD
1.1. Learn to Play in the Key of 2-3
1.2. Learn to Play in Clave 3-2
RHYTHMIC INDEPENDENCE EXERCISES
Independence Exercises 1. The Claves
2.2. Independence Exercises 2. With the bass tumbling
2.3. Independence Exercises 3. With the Shell
2.4. Independence Exercises 4. With the Contra-bell
2.5. Montuno exercise with basic Clave
2.6. The Danzón Bass: 20 Independence Exercises
EXERCISES TO ACQUIRE FLUENCY AND CONTROL
3.1. Exercise with Octaves, to strengthen and secure the octaves.
3.2. The Tumbao of the Bass, Left Hand Only
3.3. Exercise with Quadratic Arpeggios, 2 voices
3.4. Exercises with Arpeggios and Chords in Block 1
3.5. Basic Training Exercises 1
3.6. Basic Training Exercises 2
3.7. Basic Training Exercises 3
3.8. Basic Training Exercises 4
3.9. Basic Training Exercises 5
PRACTICE WITH HARMONIC PROGRESSIONS
4.1. Harmonic Progressions (with 2 chords)
4.2. Harmonic Progressions 1. (With 3 chords)
4.3 Harmonic Progressions 2. (With 3 chords)
4.4 Harmonic Progressions 3. (With 3 chords)
4.5. Harmonic Progressions 4. (With 3 chords)
4.6. Harmonic Progressions 5. (With 3 chords)
4.7. Harmonic Progressions 6. (With 3 chords)
4.8. Harmonic Progressions 7. (With 3 chords)
4.9. Harmonic Progressions 8. (With 3 chords)
COMPLEMENTARY RHYTHMIC EXERCISES
5.1. Montuno Exercises with Clef (octaves)
5.2. Rhythmic Exercises with Octaves (Explanation)
5.3. Rhythmic Exercises with Octaves 1 (3-2 clef)
5.4. Rhythmic Exercises with Octaves 2 (clef 2-3)
5.5. Rhythmic Exercises with Octaves 3 (clef 3-2)
5.6. Rhythmic Exercises with Octaves 4 (clef 2-3)
MONTUNOS
LEARN HOW TO BUILD MONTUNOS FROM SCRATCH
1.1. Building a Montuno from scratch 1. Clef 2-3
1.2. Construction of a Montuno from Zero 1. Key 3-2
CONSTRUCTION OF MONTUNOS WITH 2 CHORDS
2.1. Construction of Montunos: I V7 major and minor
2.2. Construction of Montunos: I IV major and minor
2.3. Construction of Montunos: II V7 major
2.4. Construction of Montunos: I bVII major and minor
EXAMPLES OF SON
3.1. Examples of Traditional Son: 10 montunos (part 1)
3.2. Examples of Traditional Son: 10 montunos (part 2)
3.3. Examples of Traditional Son: 10 montunos (part 3)
EXAMPLES OF SON MONTUNO
4.1. 12 Easy Son Montuno Examples!
EXAMPLES WITH CHACHA
5.1. Basic Chachachá with 10 variations
EXAMPLES OF GUAJIRAS
6.1. Example Guajira 1.
6.2. Guajira Example 2. Rarity in Guajira
6.3. Example Guajira 3. Sofrito
6.4. Example Guajira 4. El Ratón
6.5. Example Guajira 5. Sausage with Eggs
6.6. Example Guajira 6. Guajira Dubois
6.7. Example Guajira 7. Bésame Mama
6.8. Example Guajira 8. I'm not sorry any more
6.9. Example Guajira 9.
6.10. Example Guajira 10. No Tengo pa' Pagar
6.11. Example Guajira 11. Diablo
6.12. Example Guajira 12. Lamento de un Guajiro
PRACTICING WITH MONTUNOS - Basic Level
7.1. Basic Practice 1. Estamos en Salsa (clave 2-3)
7.2. Basic Practice 2. Vámonos pal Monte (clave 2-3)
7.3. Basic Practice 3. Buscando Guayaba (clave 3-2)
7.4. Basic Practice 4. A las Seis (clave 2-3)
7.5. Basic Practice 5. Lluvia con Nieve (key 2-3)
7.6. Basic Practice 6. Pachanga con Guaguancó (clave 2-3)
7.7. Basic Practice 7. Tihuanaco (clef 2-3)
7.8. Basic Practice 8. Agua Que Va a Caer (clave 2-3)
7.9. Basic Practice 9. What Humanity (key 2-3)
7.10. Basic Practice 10. Achilipú (key 2-3)
REPERTORY
- CUCALA - Celia Cruz Tutorial
- NO SOY PARA TI - Ismael Rivera Tutorial
- TUS FLORES Y TU PAÑUELO - Ismael Rivera Tutorial
- RUMBON MELON - Joey Pastrana Tutorial
- LA PALOMILLA - Joe Cuba Sextet Tutorial
- CHAN CHAN - Buena Vista Social Club Tutorial
- LLUVIA CON NIEVE - Mon Rivera Tutorial
- OJOS CHINOS - Gran Combo Tutorial
- SEMILLA DE CAÑA BRAVA Tutorial Sierra Maestra
- CACHONDEA - Cheo Feliciano Tutorial
- OYE LO QUE TE CONVIENE - Eddie Palmieri Tutorial (Part 1)
- OYE LO QUE TE CONVIENE - Eddie Palmieri Tutorial (Part 2 explanation)
- QUITATE LA MÁSCARA - Ray Barretto Tutorial (Part 1)
- QUITATE LA MÁSCARA - Ray Barretto Tutorial (Part 2 explanation)
- SEÑORA LEY - Conjunto Clásico Tutorial (Part 1)
- SEÑORA LEY - Conjunto Clásico Tutorial (Parte 2 Explanation)
