Getting the most out of Teaching Pop Music - NCKP 2015

POP MUSICGetting the most

Tim TophamNCKP Chicago 2015timtopham.comtim.topham.9timjtopham

out of teaching

TEACHING POP?

Is there merit in

“If chords are the building blocks of tonal music, why aren’t we making them a teaching priority?”

@timjtopham

It’s not just pop…

?

What makes for goodSight Reading?

CHORDS &PROGRESSIONS

RHYTHM

MELODY

The building blocks of music

CHORDS &PROGRESSIONS

RHYTHM

MELODY

CHORDS &PROGRESSIONS

RHYTHM

MELODY

CHORDS &PROGRESSIONS

RHYTHM

MELODY

“Pop is the lens through which we can most effectively teach today’s students about musical building blocks.”

POP MUSIC?What

What part would you like to learn?

Learning small sections or riffs is totally OK!

Students don’t have toPerform or Perfect Pop

CHORDSStart with

C F G

C F G12 bar blues

C C C CF F C C G F C C

C C C CF F C C G F C C

C F G (G7)Hey Jude

C G G7 CF C G C

C F G AmLet it Be

C G Am FC F G F

PROGRESSIONSLeading to

…and composing

LEAD SHEETS?What about

HARMONISINGExplore

from the start

C F GAm Dm Em

CAmEC

CONNECTIONSMake

“For pop piano teaching to be relevant, teachers must demonstrate how it links to other areas of music study.”

@timjtopham

Am Dm Em

C F G Am G F E !!

Kevin Olson

Am F G Em

Batman Begins - Eptesicus

Gm Eb

F Dm

What if it’s TOOHARD?

Teach about chords from the beginning

In summary:

In summary:Think of pop as a lens

Be open to teaching what students want

to learn

In summary:

Effective pedagogy is about making connections

In summary:

timtopham.com/nckp-popWant to find out more?

Tim TophamNCKP Chicago 2015timtopham.comtim.topham.9timjtopham