half

Intermediate Level

Name: Nivel Medio
Price: 175 EUR

Over 206 videos and over 22 hours. Theory, practice, montunos, and repertoire with sheet music and backing tracks.

By Rafa Madagascar

Intermediate Level

CA$275

One-time payment · lifetime access

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Step-by-Step Hand Independence
Simple Progressions and Substitutions
Montuno featuring guaracha, son, and pachanga
Quimbara with piano and choir
Sheet music and audio tracks for each lesson

Language: Spanish English subtitles
Level: half
Lessons: 96
Video: 25 h
Access: For life

Full Pass All the courses! Unlimited lifetime access to all Piano Salsa lessons and sheet music, including all future updates. No membership required. CA$700 ~~CA$1,750~~ See →

Who is it for?

This course is designed for pianists with a solid foundation who want to delve deeper into the rhythms and melodies of Latin music. The intermediate level will help you progress toward more complex technical concepts. Thanks to the video tutorials, demonstrations, and player features, you can repeat the lessons as many times as you like and progress at your own pace.

About the Course

LIFETIME ACCESS – EVERYTHING FOREVER

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The course on LEVEL MEDIUM This is the second volume in the three-level trilogy of the PIANO SALSA method. This course is organized into four main content sections: THEORY, PRACTICE, MONTUNOS, and REPERTOIRE. In each section, you’ll find exclusive materials for learning and practicing. Most of the videos come with a PDF file containing sheet music or summaries of each lesson’s content.

Once you have purchased the course, you can log in to the website using your username and password.

Course Topics:

In the THEORY section, you'll find explanations covering a wide range of topics, from harmony, scales, and tensions to technical techniques applied to salsa, forms and structures, analysis, and much more.
In the PRACTICE section, you can train your fingers with all kinds of exercises, “play-alongs,” rhythmic independence exercises, exercises for learning chords, harmonic progressions, and accompaniments, as well as practice with famous montunos that will help you develop fluency and speed.
In the MONTUNOS section, you’ll find instructional videos where you’ll learn how to play montunos and accompaniments, and you’ll also see examples featuring all kinds of rhythms, including “Son Tradicional,” “Son Montuno,” “Guajiras,” “Guarachas,” “Descargas,” “Pachangas,” “Timba,” and many more.
In the REPERTOIRE section, there is a wide variety of songs categorized by skill level. Each one comes with a comprehensive tutorial, as well as a note-for-note transcription of the sheet music.

Students can progress at their own pace; they can study freely or follow a recommended STUDY PLAN to learn in a structured and organized manner.

96 lessons. You get access to all the content; the video becomes available upon purchase, except for the free lessons.

THEORY10 Lessons

HARMONY, “Scales, Chords, and Tonal Functions”4 lessons

Scale Modes: What Are They For? 22:57
Learn the Four-Note Chords 15:14
Guidance Notes 9:23
Secondary Dominants (Major Mode) 21:50

ARMONÍA, “The Tensions”3 lessons

The Tensions: Novenas 16:43
The Tensions: Eleventh 14:16
The Tensions: Thirteenths 11:45

LEARN VOICINGS: Intermediate Level3 lessons

7 Dominant Voicings + Diatonic Tensions 17:03
2 Dominant Voicings with Altered Tensions 14:57
5 Voicings with Half-Diminished Chords 14:11

PRACTICE61 lessons

PRACTICE WITH FOUR-NOTE CHORDS4 lessons

Four-Note Chords: Major Seventh 10:36
Four-Note Chords: Minor Seventh 9:28
Four-Note Chords: Dominant Seventh 11:26
Quad Chords: Half-Diminished 10:39

PRACTICE OF THE TUMBAO DEL BAJO WITH GUAJEOS2 lessons

Bass Tumbao Exercise with Guajeo 1 – Clave 2-3 6:27
Bass Tumbao Exercise with Guajeo 2 – 3-2 Clave 6:53

EXERCISES WITH QUADRUPLE ARPEGGIOS6 lessons

Quadruplet Arpeggios – Diatonic, 2-Part 10:09
Quadratic Arpeggios + Ninths for 2 Voices 1 (Major Diatonic) 13:47
Quadratic Arpeggios + Ninths for 2 Voices 2 (ii V I) 7:44
Quadratic Arpeggios + Ninths for 2 Voices 3 (iiø V in A minor) 5:42
Quadratic Arpeggios + Ninths for 2 Voices 4 7:49
Quadratic Arpeggios + Ninths for 2 Voices 5 (Andalusian Cadence) 10:45

PRACTICE WITH CLOSED VOICINGS16 lessons

Closed Voicings 1 – QUADRATS WITH INVERSIONS – in blocks and arpeggios 15:52
Closed Voicings 2 – QUARTS – BASIC POSITION (fourth cycle) 17:05
Closed Voicings 3 – QUARTS – SECOND INVERSE (fourth cycle) 9:20
Closed Voicings 4 – QUARTS – Combination of Root Note + 2nd Inversion (Quart Cycle) 24:10
Closed Voicings 5.1 ii-7 | V7 | root + 2nd inversion (fourth cycle) 10:08
Closed Voicings 5.2 V7 – Imaj7 root + 2nd inversion (fourth cycle) 8:12
Closed Voicings 5.3 II-7 V7 with Harmonic Continuity (Fourth Cycle) 6:11
Closed Voicings 5.4 V7 – Imaj7 root + 2nd inversion (fourth cycle) 6:28
Closed Voicings 6 II-7 V7 Imaj7 I6 (ascending chromatic cycle) 13:44
Closed Voicings: 7 II-7 V7 Imaj7 I6 (descending chromatic cycle) 11:56
Closed Voicings 8.1 II-7 V7 Imaj7 I6 (fourth cycle) 12:58
Closed Voicings 8.2 II-7 V7 Imaj7 I6 (whole-tone cycle) 9:27
Closed Voicings 9 II-7 | V7 | Imaj7 | I6 | (combined fourths cycle) 9:18
Closed Voicings 10 II-7(b5) V7 root + 2nd inversion (fourth cycle) 9:31
Closed Voicings 11 II-7(b5) V7 i7 i6 root + 2nd inversion (chromatic cycle) 17:13
Closed Voicings 12 II-7(b5) | V7 | i7 | i6 | (fourth cycle) 9:35

WORKOUTS WITH ACCOMPANIMENTS: Intermediate Level33 lessons

Training with Accompaniments – Explanation 7:47
Intermediate Level 1a Accompaniment Practice (Key 2–3) 2:39
Intermediate Level 1b Accompaniment Practice (Key 3-2) 2:41
Intermediate Level 2a Accompaniment Practice (Key 2–3) 2:42
Intermediate Level 2b Accompaniment Practice (Key 3-2) 2:40
Intermediate Level 3a Accompaniment Practice (Key 2–3) 2:40
Intermediate Level 3b Accompaniment Practice (Key 3-2) 2:40
Intermediate-Level Accompaniment Practice, Level 4a (Key 2–3) 2:40
Intermediate Level 4b Accompaniment Practice (Key 3-2) 2:40
Intermediate-Level Accompaniment Practice, Level 5a (Key 2–3) 2:40
Training with Intermediate-Level Accompaniments 5b (Key 3-2) 2:39
Intermediate-Level Accompaniment Practice, Level 6a (Key 2–3) 1:27
Training with Intermediate-Level Accompaniments 6b (Key 3-2) 1:29
Training with Accompaniments, Intermediate Level 7a (Key 2–3) 1:28
Training with Intermediate-Level Routes 7b (Grade 3-2) 1:28
Training with Intermediate-Level Routes 8a (Grade 2–3) 2:39
Training with belays, intermediate level 8b (grade 3-2) 2:40
Intermediate-Level Training with Belays, 9a (Grade 2–3) 2:40
Training with Intermediate-Level Belays 9b (grade 3-2) 2:40
Intermediate-Level Training with Support 10a (Grade 2-3) 2:40
Training with Intermediate-Level Routes 10b (Grade 3-2) 2:40
Training with Intermediate-Level Accompaniments 11a (Key 2-3) 2:40
Training with Intermediate-Level Accompaniments 11b (key 3-2) 2:40
Intermediate-Level Accompaniment Practice, 12a (Key 2-3) 2:40
Training with Intermediate-Level Accompaniments 12b (key 3-2) 2:41
Intermediate-Level Accompaniment Practice, No. 13a (Key 2-3) 2:42
Training with Intermediate-Level Accompaniments 13b (Key 3-2) 2:43
Training with Intermediate-Level Routes 14a (Grade 2-3) 2:42
Training with Intermediate-Level Accompaniments 14b (Key 3-2) 2:45
Intermediate-Level Training with Accompaniments, 15a (Grade 2-3) 1:28
Training with Intermediate-Level Accompaniments 15b (key 3-2) 1:31
Workout with Intermediate-Level Accompaniments, 16th Notes (Key 2-3) 1:30
Training with Intermediate-Level Accompaniments 16b (Key 3-2) 1:29

MONTUNOS MEDIO101 Lessons

BUILDING STACKING STRUCTURES – INTERMEDIATE LEVEL10 Lessons

How to Play Montunos with Sevenths? 11:36
Learn to Play II V7 I with Montunos 18:34
Learn to Play II V7 I with Montunos (Part 2) 11:04
Montuno Construction 1 I IV V IV Major and Minor 14:17
Montunos Construction 2 I vi ii V7 (major mode) 11:11
Montunos Construction 3 I bVII IV V 17:07
Construction of Montunos 4 i bVI bIII V7 13:57
Construction of Montunos 5 i bVI bIII bVII 13:04
Montunos: 6 Triads for 2 Voices 11:09
Composition of 7 Montunos in Cuatriadas for 2 Voices 9:47

EXAMPLES OF PACHANGAS22 lessons

Example: Pachanga 1 1:53
Pachanga 2 Example 1:53
Example: Pachanga 3 1:51
Pachanga 4 Example 2:14
Example: Pachanga 5 1:52
Example: Pachanga 6 1:54
Example: Pachanga 7 1:54
Example: Pachanga 8 1:53
Example: Pachanga 9 1:50
Example: Pachanga 10 1:53
Example: Pachanga 11 1:55
Example: Pachanga 12 1:54
Example: Pachanga 13 1:53
Example: Pachanga 14 1:55
Example: Pachanga 15 1:55
Example: Pachanga 16 1:53
Example: Pachanga 17 1:54
Example: Pachanga 18 1:54
Example: Pachanga 19 1:55
Example: Pachanga 20 1:53
Example: Pachanga 21 1:52
Example: Pachanga 22 1:52

EXAMPLES BY SON MONTUNO. Intermediate Level10 Lessons

Montuno Example 1 (key 2-3) 2:50
Montuno Example 2 (key 2-3) 2:00
Montuno Example 3 (key 2-3) 2:02
Montuno Example 4 (key 2-3) 2:00
Montuno Example 5 (key 2-3) 2:04
Montuno Example 6 (3-2 pattern) 2:03
Montuno Example 7 (3-2 pattern) 1:48
Montuno Example 8 (3-2 rhythm) 2:10
Montuno Example 9 (3-2 pattern) 2:30
Montuno Example 10 (key 3-2) 2:04

EXAMPLES OF DOWNLOADS. Intermediate Level13 lessons

Example Download 1 2:58
Example Download 2 3:04
Example Download 3 2:57
Example Download 4 2:52
Example Download 5 2:54
Example Download 6 2:55
Example Download 7 2:56
Example Download 8 2:49
Example Download 9 2:54
Example Download 10 2:51
Example Download 11 2:55
Example Download 12 2:49
Example Download 13 2:55

EXAMPLES OF GUARACHAS. Intermediate Level12 lessons

Example of Guaracha 1 (key 2-3) 2:26
Example of Guaracha 2 (key 2-3) 2:29
Example of Guaracha 3 (key 2-3) 2:32
Example of Guaracha 4 (key 2-3) 2:27
Example of Guaracha 5 (key 2-3) 2:30
Example of Guaracha 6 (key 2-3) 2:29
Example of Guaracha 7 (3-2 rhythm) 2:28
Example of Guaracha 8 (3-2 rhythm) 2:30
Example of Guaracha 9 (3-2 rhythm) 2:33
Example of Guaracha 10 (3-2 rhythm) 2:26
Example of Guaracha 11 (3-2 rhythm) 2:26
Example of Guaracha 12 (3-2 rhythm) 2:26

PRACTICING WITH MONTUNOS. Intermediate Level24 lessons

Intermediate Practice 1 – Move Away (Key 2-3) 2:25
Intermediate Practice 2 – Azuquita Pal Café (key 2-3) 2:29
Intermediate Practice 3 – The Menu (Key 3-2) 2:14
Intermediate Practice 4 – Cali Pachanguero (key 2-3) 3:16
Intermediate Practice 5 – Don't Tell Me It's Too Late Now (key 3-2) 2:12
Intermediate Practice 6 – Que Pena (Key 2-3) 3:39
Intermediate Practice 7 – Tun Tun, the Drum Beats (3-2 time signature) 1:39
Intermediate Practice 8 – I Forgive You (key 3-2) 2:06
Intermediate Practice 9 – Take Off Your Mask (Key 2-3) 2:32
Intermediate Practice 10 – Guararé (Key 2-3) 2:09
Intermediate Practice 11 – Anacaona (Key 2-3) 2:07
Intermediate Practice 12 – Fault (Key 2-3) 2:58
Intermediate Practice 13 – Rebellion (Key 2-3) 3:11
Intermediate Practice 14 – I Almost Sent You (key 3-2) 3:11
Intermediate Practice 15 – Me Gusta (key 3-2) 2:34
Intermediate Practice 16 – Her Wedding (Key 3-2) 2:54
Intermediate Practice 17 – Yesterday's Newspaper (Key 2-3) 2:20
Intermediate Practice 18 – She Lied (key 3-2) 2:58
Intermediate Practice 19 – And I Don't Do Anything Else (Key 2-3) 2:34
Intermediate Practice 20 – A Great Day in the Neighborhood (Key 2–3) 2:13
Intermediate Practice 21 "Que Linda Que Estás" (Key 2-3) 2:21
Intermediate Practice 22 – Find What's Yours (Key 3 -2) 2:01
Intermediate Practice 23 – Clown (Key 3–2) 2:38
Intermediate Practice 24 – La Banda (Key 2–3) 3:11

LEGENDARY MONTUNOS2 lessons

Easy Montuno with 2 Chords – Eddie Palmieri Style 7:32
10 TASTY INTRODUCTS, Part 1 3:30

THE HOTTEST MAMBOS IN HARD SALSA8 lessons

AHÍ NA MA – Mambo 1:00
THE DRUM SKIN – Mambo 1:22
EL FLAMBOYAN – Mambo 1:57
WHAT JUSTI SAYS – Mambo 1:54
THIS IS THE SONORA PONCEÑA – Mambo 1:48
WATCHING YOU – Mambo 1:31
LOS RUMBEROS – Mambo 1:23
INDESTRUCTIBLE – Mambo 1:19

MEDIUM-SIZED REPERTOIRE34 lessons

"Water That's Going to Fall" Tutorial 16:31
AGUACERO: The Gran Combo Tutorial 23:59
ANACAONA Cheo Feliciano Tutorial 24:57
WITCHCRAFT – Gran Combo Tutorial 27:21
THE MENU – Gran Combo Tutorial (Part 1) 4:24
THE MENU – Gran Combo Tutorial (explanation + study guide) 22:51
EL NAZARENO – Ismael Rivera Tutorial 6:01
EL NAZARENO – Ismael Rivera (explanation + study guide) 21:11
UNTIL YOU COME BACK – Oscar D’ León Tutorial 27:14
IDILIO – Willie Colón Tutorial 26:19
THE ESSENCE OF GUAGUANCÓ – Pete Rodriguez Tutorial 14:57
DEATH – The Great Combo Tutorial 22:43
A STICK FOR THE BELL – Tromboranga Tutorial 14:57
NO SAUCE, NO HEAVEN – The Gran Combo Tutorial 20:24
AND THAT'S ALL I DO – The Great Combo Tutorial 28:55
LOVE AND CONTROL – Ruben Blades Tutorial (Part 1) 5:57
LOVE AND CONTROL – Ruben Blades Tutorial (Part 2: Explanation) 20:01
LAS CARAS LINDAS – Ismael Rivera: How to Play with Chord Symbols – Tutorial and Explanation 32:00
THE BEAUTIFUL FACES – Ismael Rivera 15:19
THE TRUCK DRIVER – Frankie Ruiz Tutorial 25:22
IRIMO – Gran Combo Tutorial 28:01
PARADISE OF SWEETNESS – Hector Lavoe Tutorial (Part 1) 4:49
PARADISE OF SWEETNESS – Hector Lavoe Tutorial (Part 2: Explanation) 23:02
FIRE AT 23 – Sonora Ponceña Tutorial (Part 1) 4:51
FIRE AT 23 – Sonora Ponceña Tutorial (Part 2: Explanation) 22:31
A SUMMER IN NEW YORK – Gran Combo Tutorial 10:43
DON'T BE LATE – Tromboranga Tutorial 10:04
FASHION – Tromboranga 12:26
YESTERDAY'S NEWSPAPER – Hector Lavoe Tutorial 13:52
EYES – Ruben Blades Tutorial 11:05
BILONGO – Eddie Palmieri Tutorial 12:01
I DON'T KNOW TOMORROW – Luis Enrique Tutorial 9:09
I AM FROM THE ANTILLES – Celia Cruz & Sonora Ponceña Tutorial 12:47
VEN MORENA – Oscar D’ León Tutorial 11:05

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Intermediate Level

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