Homework for Module 24

A. Melody projection

Take five different RH chords.

Place melody on top.

Practice making the top note clearly louder than the inner notes.

Do this very slowly.

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B. Three LH textures

For:

Cmaj9 → Am9 → Dm9 → G13

play:

1. roots only
2. root + fifth
3. root–5–10 broken pattern

Keep RH the same.

Compare.

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C. Rubato intro

Create a four-chord intro:

Cmaj9 → A7 → Dm9 → G13

Play it:

1. in strict time
2. rubato

Then begin melody in steady time.

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D. Suspensions

Practice:

G13sus → G13 → Cmaj9

and:

C/F-type 4–3 suspension: F → E

over C.

Let the tension breathe.

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E. Ballad fills

Take a melody with phrase gaps.

Allow:

• maximum 3 notes per fill on first pass,
• maximum 5 on second.

Record both.

Choose which sounds better.

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F. Reharmonization levels

Play the same phrase four ways:

1. triads
2. 7ths/9ths
3. secondary dominants
4. one borrowed chord or tritone substitution

Do not assume #4 wins.

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G. Dynamic form

Play one tune three times:

First pass

piano, sparse.

Second

mezzo-piano/mezzo-forte, fuller.

Third

climax, then fade to sparse ending.

This is arrangement practice, not merely dynamics practice.

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H. Complete ballad arrangement

Your main assignment:

Create a 2–4 minute solo piano arrangement of one simple melody containing:

• short intro
• clear first statement
• richer repeated statement
• at least one fill
• one secondary dominant
• one borrowed chord
• one deliberate bass line/inversion
• one suspension/delayed resolution
• one climax
• intentional ending

Record it in one take.

Don't aim for perfection. Listen afterward for whether the musical architecture is clear.