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The Canon Project
Rating: 4.5 out of 5(16 ratings)
121 students

The Canon Project

Learn to improvise on this magical chord sequence.
Created byMister Musicarta
Last updated 6/2019
English

What you'll learn

  • Learn to play and improvise on the Pachelbel Canon chord sequence and use these creative skills on other chord sequences, too.
  • Learn how a scale produces chords, and chords group into keys.

Course content

1 section • 8 lectures • 2h 18m total length

  • The Canon Project, Module One14:31

    To start your exploration of this wonderful piece of music, you learn a string of eight 'thirds' (pairs of notes). You can immediately start improvising over the backing tracks, which you download via the link below.

    Download the zipped backing tracks folder (in External Resources) to play along to!

    Still not convinced? Try the sample content web pages linked below.

    For your convenience, you can also study from the module web page linked below.

  • The Canon Project: Module Two13:34

    Next, you add the eight-note bass line for your first solo performance.

    Download the lesson notes from Resources.

    For convenience, you can also study the module from the web page linked below.

  • The Canon Project: Module Three14:36

    Next, you fill out the treble (top) part by making three-note 'triads' - with two hands to start with. You can make a lot of music over backing tracks and the audio examples with these three notes and their neighbours!

    Download the lesson notes from Resources.

    For convenience, you can also study the module from the web page linked below.

  • The Canon Project: Module Four22:55

    Now you play the triads with you right hand alone over the left hand bass line, and see how many of the Module Three patterns you can manage single-handed.

    Download the lesson notes from Resources.

    For convenience, you can also study the module from the web page linked below.

    Also with this module, there is a downloadable Voice Movement Diagram supplement to help you get to grips with how the three notes of the triads move about.

  • The Canon Project: Module Five16:30

    The right hand triads can usefully be broken up into 'broken chord patterns', notated in bottom, middle, top (BMT) shorthand. This is a staple of popular-styles keyboard texture.

    Download the lesson notes from Resources.

    For convenience, you can also study the module from the web page linked below.

  • The Canon Project: Module Six34:20

    'Time out' from further developments to make sure you understand some basic music theory items and terms, like chord symbols, chord tone naming, Inversions and so on.

    Download the lesson notes from Resources.

    For convenience, you can also study the module from the web page linked below.

  • The Canon Project: Module Seven19:49

    Now we start building the left hand accompaniment pattern - a classic root-fifth-octave-tenth pattern you will find yourself using again and again in your 'improvising at the keyboard'.

    Download the lesson notes from Resources.

    For convenience, you can also study the module from the web page linked below.

  • The Canon Project: Module Eight1:54

    You play the accompaniment pattern with your left hand alone and add thirds and third patterns in the right hand.

    Download the lesson notes from Resources.

    For convenience, you can also study the module from the module web page linked below.

Requirements

  • You have a piano or keyboard and elementary keyboard skills. You do not have to be able to read music!
  • You need to arrange your workspace with your keyboard and learning tool both easily accessible.

Description

Johann Pachelbel’s beautiful and ever-popular Canon in D major is the ideal place to start learning about chords and how to play a chord sequence. The simple key chords repeat predictably under melodic figures, providing the ideal opportunity for learning about harmony, melody writing and improvisation.   

Familiar and delightful, the Canon chord sequence forms the basis of many pieces of popular music, and you will be able to apply the keyboard skills and theory learnt in the Musicarta Canon Project to lots of other chord sequences you know.   

Each module in the Canon Project adds a ‘bite-sized’ piece to your music theory knowledge and to own unique performance, showing you what to play and how to practice it, with numerous illustrations and full audio and video support.   

Studying the Canon also provides a good opportunity to develop your musical ear. Module material coaches your recognition of the Canon chords, and, with practice, you will find yourself being able to tell just by listening what chords are being used in lots of mainstream popular music.   

Watch the Introduction module for free and access the sample content web pages to see if the Musicarta Canon Project is the keyboard creativity course for you! 

Who this course is for:

  • Anybody who wants to play beautiful chord piano and understand music theory in a creative way.

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