Mastering Theory

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95 Lessons

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Introduction

Start Here

What to Expect, Things You'll Need...

Welcome from ML

Calendar

Release Dates for Classes

Navigating the Class

How to Get Around

Try Sloth Speed!

Slow Us Down!

Techniques to Practice

Ask Us Questions!

We Want to Hear from You!

Resources for Beginning Hammered Dulcimer Players

Q&A Session for Beginning Hammered Dulcimer Players

Replay of Zoom Session Feb 23, 2022

Live Q&A Sessions

Live Q&A Session 1 Replay

May 22, 2022 Replay now available

Live Q&A Session 2 Replay

August 14, 2022 - Replay now available

Live Q&A Session 3 Replay

Nov 6, 2022 Replay now available

Live Q&A Session 4 Replay

By Zoom on January 8, 2023

Session 1

1: Learning the Notes; Intervals

pp. 2-5

1: Flashcards

Test Your Knowledge

Session 2

2: Circle of Fifths Organization of the HD

pp. 6–9

Session 3

3: Scales & Duplicate Notes; Additional Scale Exercises

pp. 10-13

3: Flashcards

Test Your Knowledge!

Session 4

4: Thirds Scales; The "Chromatic" Trick

pp. 14-16

4: Sloth Speed

An extra talk-through of thirds scales (sloth speed)

4: Thirds Scales-Left Hand

Practice Thirds Scales starting with your left hand

4: Thirds Scales-Right Hand

Practice Thirds Scales starting with your right hand

Session 5

5: Harmonic Intervals & The Rule of Nine

pp. 17-21

5: Sloth Speed

Harmonic Intervals Study Guide

5: Flashcards: Harmonic Intervals

Test Your Knowledge!

5: Flashcards: The Rule of Nine

Test Your Knowledge!

Session 6

6: Triads

pp. 21-25

6: Flashcards: Triads

Test your knowledge!

6: Homework: Triads Key of G

Apply what you have learned

Session 7

7: Root Position Arpeggios

pp. 26-29

7: Flashcards-Root Position Arpeggios

Test Your Knowledge!

Session 8

8: Combining Root Arpeggio Patterns

p. 30

8: Sloth Speed

Combining Arpeggio Patterns in A minor

Session 9

9: Inversion Patterns

pp. 31-35

9: Flashcards - Inversion Patterns

Test Your Knowledge

9: Pachelbel Exercise - Shed

Plucking the shapes

9: Pachelbel Exercise - Parallelogram

Plucking the shapes

9: Pachelbel Exercise - Nevada

Plucking the shapes

Session 10

10: Derivation of 3 Note Chord Patterns

pp. 36-37

10: Sloth Speed from D (RT)

Start from D on the right treble bridge

10: Sloth Speed from G (BB)

Start from G on the bass bridge

Week 10 Extra: Simon Speed (with Sticky Dots)

Session 11

11: Duplicate Three Note Chord Patterns

pp. 38-39

11: Flashcards

Test Your Knowledge

Session 12

12: Harmonizing a Major Scale (RLR)

pp. 40-44

12: Sloth Speed RLR Patterns

Simon takes over!

Session 13

13: Harmonizing a Major Scale (LRL)

pp. 45-48

13: Sloth Speed LRL Patterns

Simon takes over again!

13: Gentle Maiden Homework

Homework for Harmonizing a G scale

13: Flashcards

Test Your Knowledge!

Session 14

14: Harmonizing a Major Scale with the Most Likely (Major) Chords

p. 49

14: Sloth Speed Summary

S L O W it down a little...

Session 15

15: 7th Chords Overview & 7th Chords in the Key of D

pp. 50-51

15: Flashcards

Test Your Knowledge!

Session 16

16: Major 7th Chords

pp. 52-53

16: Practice

Practice Major 7th patterns

16: Flashcards

Test Your Knowledge!

Session 17

17: Minor 7th Chords

pp. 54-55

17: Flashcards

Test Your Knowledge

16-17: Review Flashcards

Differences and similarities in major AND minor 7th chords

Session 18

18: Dominant 7th Chords

pp. 56-58

18: Flashcards

Test Your Knowledge - Dominant 7th Chords

Session 19

19: Dominant 7th Chords in Minor Keys

p. 59

19: Flashcards

Test Your Knowledge - Dominant 7th Chords in Minor Keys

Session 20

20: Diminished 7th Chords

pp. 60-63

20: Flashcards

Test Your Knowledge - Diminished 7th Chords

Session 21

21: Full Range 7th Chords

pp. 64-66

Session 22

22: Inverting 7th Chords; Confusions and Comparisons

pp. 67-69

22: Review Flashcards

Review of all 7th chords

Session 23

23: Secondary Dominants (Part 1)

pp. 70-75

Session 24

24: Secondary Dominants (Part 2)

pp. 70-75

24: Sloth Speed

Simon presents an extra chat about V of the V of the V

Session 25

25: Secondary Dominants (Part 3)

pp. 70-75

Session 26

26: Secondary Dominants (Part 4)

pp. 70-75

26: Flashcards for Secondary Dominants

Test Your Knowledge!

Session 27

27: Relative Minors; Parallel Majors and Minors

pp. 76-77

Session 28

28: Suspensions; Slash Chords

pp. 78-79

Session 29

29: Augmented Triads

pp. 80-81

Flashcards-Review of All Triads

Test Your Knowledge!

Session 30

30: Chord Palette: Developing a Chord Progression (Part 1)

pp. 82-83

Session 31

31: Chord Palette: Developing a Chord Progression (Part 2)

p. 84

Session 32

32: Chord Palette: Developing a Chord Progression (Part 3)

p. 85

Session 33

33: Introduction to Modes

pp. 86-87

33: Not in the Mode for this...

Guest Appearance by Renowned Mode Scholar Mark Grobner

Session 34

34: Ionian and Dorian Modes

p. 88

Session 35

35: Mixolydian Mode

p. 90

Session 36

36: Aeolian Mode

p. 90

Session 37

37: Summary of Modes

pp. 90-91

37: Take the Pop Quiz: Modes

37: Mode Summary by a Sloth

Simon explains the 4 modes using the Key of A

37: Flashcards - Modes

Test Your Knowledge of all the Modes

Session 38

38: Compact Backup Pattern

pp. 93-95

38: Compact Pattern Practice

Play along - Keys of D, G, and A

Session 39 & 40

39: The Universal Backup

40: Last Class Q & A

Big List of Coupons & Resources

Coupons and Resources

Compilation of Discounts and other resources from all sessions