Noodle Challenge Day 24
Channel Chopin
“Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties.
After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.”
Noodle Info
Are you a fan of Chopin? If so, start digging into his repertoire, and you’ll find a gold mine of chord progressions.
I particularly like this one because, although this beloved waltz is in A minor, Chopin cleverly opens it with a progression that features a secondary dominant (G7) that leans toward the relative key of C major.
Psst…get out your recording app!
Your Challenge
Imagine dancing a waltz or swaying back and forth, feeling groups of 3 beats.
In the left hand, play the root of each chord low on the keyboard and then the full chord two times in the middle of the keyboard to create a waltz accompaniment pattern.
If you own a copy of Chopin’s “Waltz in Am,” review the melody and explore ways to change it.
Borrow the rhythm and mix up the pitches.
Flip the direction of intervals—go down instead of up or vice versa.
Shrink or expand the intervals.
EXTRA: Explore changing the time signature to 4/4 or 6/8.
Always ask yourself: What if I?
Did you stumble upon something amazing today?
Make sure to share it on Facebook or Instagram and tag me @leilaviss.
Use hashtag #30daynoodlechallenge.
The idea of borrowing other people’s chord progressions comes from my Composiums.
I suggest borrowing chord progressions frequently because they promise success.
They guarantee a lovely sound and offer a boundary that prevents choice overload and decision fatigue.
Many have shared their noodles and oodles deserve further attention and a place in a notated composition. 😉
My online, interactive Composiums empower pianists to connect with their creativity and compose with it.
This is a fantastic way to dip your toe into composing for yourself, and you can pass what you learn along to your students.
I’d love to meet you and your creativity!
“I am so glad I took this class! I had been looking for some direction in my own quest to compose, as well as help guiding my students. This fit the bill perfectly! The class was very well laid out, instructions were very clear, and the communication was excellent. I liked the idea of composing 8 measures a week - it seemed very doable, and once I got started it was easy to take it further.”
-Composium Alum
