Parent User Guide Getting the most out of the Diamond Piano Method Diamond Piano Method Parent Guide Contents Welcome to the Diamond Piano Method! .......................................................................... 3 Getting started ................................................................................................................. 3 Add student ..................................................................................................................... 3 Purchasing materials ....................................................................................................... 3 Add Portal access for another student ............................................................................. 4 Checking out ................................................................................................................... 4 Accessing your account in the Diamond Piano Method Portal .......................................... 4 Main menu ...................................................................................................................... 5 Edit account .................................................................................................................... 5 Add Student (independent teacher neighborhood only) ................................................ 5 “Your child’s name” ....................................................................................................... 5 Pod list ............................................................................................................................ 5 View ............................................................................................................................ 5 Assignment list................................................................................................................ 6 Activity log ..................................................................................................................... 6 Contact DPM .................................................................................................................. 6 Parent discussion board................................................................................................... 6 DPM overview video ...................................................................................................... 7 Overview of DPM Core Concepts by Book ....................................................................... 7 BOOK 1 (Pods 1-8) ........................................................................................................ 7 Pod 1: G Clef Gets Going… ....................................................................................... 7 Pod 2: F Clef Gets Going… ........................................................................................ 7 Pod 3: Two Hands ....................................................................................................... 7 Pod 4: Three-Four Time.............................................................................................. 7 Pod 5: Sharps and Flats ............................................................................................... 7 Pod 6: Harmony .......................................................................................................... 7 Pod 7: Tempos and Dynamics .................................................................................... 7 Pod 8: Incomplete Measures and Ties ........................................................................ 8 BOOK 2 (Pods 9-15) ...................................................................................................... 8 Pod 9: G Clef Up to High C ........................................................................................ 8 Pod 10: F Clef Down to Low C .................................................................................. 8 Pod 11: Eighth Notes and Eighth Rests ...................................................................... 8 Pod 12: Dotted Quarter Notes ..................................................................................... 8 Page 1 Diamond Piano Method Parent Guide Pod 13: Articulation: Legato and Staccato ................................................................ 8 Pod 14: Crescendo and Diminuendo.......................................................................... 8 Pod 15: Pedaling ........................................................................................................ 8 BOOK 3 (Pods 16-23) .................................................................................................... 8 Pod 16: G Clef Anchor Points .................................................................................... 8 Pod 17: F Clef Anchor Points ..................................................................................... 8 Pod 18: Major Scales and Key Signatures .................................................................. 9 Pod 19: The I Chord .................................................................................................... 9 Pod 20: Minor Scales, Key Signatures and the i Chord .............................................. 9 Pod 21: Relative Major and Minor ............................................................................. 9 Pod 22: Triads in Close Position Inversions ............................................................... 9 Pod 23: Arpeggios and Broken Chords ...................................................................... 9 BOOK 4 (Pods 24-30) .................................................................................................... 9 Pod 24: More Anchor Points....................................................................................... 9 Pod 25: New Time Signatures .................................................................................... 9 Pod 26: Sixteenth Notes and Rests ........................................................................... 10 Pod 27: Eighth Note Triplets and Swinging Eighth Notes ....................................... 10 Pod 28: Chord Families and Major Keys .................................................................. 10 Pod 29: Chord Families in Minor Keys .................................................................... 10 Pod 30: Harmonic Minor .......................................................................................... 10 Pod Group 4: Technique Section .............................................................................. 10 BOOK 5 (Pods 31-37) .................................................................................................. 10 Pod 31: Common Accompaniment Styles ................................................................ 10 Pod 32: Lead Sheets .................................................................................................. 10 Pod 33: Seventh Chords ............................................................................................ 10 Pod 34: The Circle of Keys ....................................................................................... 10 Pod 35: Pentatonic Scales ......................................................................................... 11 Pod 36: The Blues ..................................................................................................... 11 Pod 37: You Write the Songs.................................................................................... 11 Pod Group 5: Technique Section .............................................................................. 11 Why I Wrote the Diamond Piano Method ........................................................................ 12 Page 2 Diamond Piano Method Parent Guide Welcome to the Diamond Piano Method! The Diamond Piano Method is a dynamic, comprehensive and fun piano curriculum for students of all ages! The methodology itself is an outstanding way to learn piano, but with the addition of the online practice Portal, piano practice becomes fun and engaging and progress is achieved more rapidly. Getting started Your child’s teacher will have invited you to join the Diamond Piano Method site via an email. It will have a link to the site, the name(s) of the student(s) and will direct you to the correct materials to purchase. Click on the link embedded in the email to create your account and enter the required information in each field. Create a password for your account. Passwords need to be 6 characters long and contain at least one digit. You will then be directed to a Welcome page. Add student Click “Add Student” from the menu on the left and enter the required information in each field. Choose a username and password for the student account. Passwords need to be 6 characters long and contain at least one digit. Purchasing materials At this point you will be directed to a page which will invite you to purchase (or download) the materials. Materials include all of the sheet music, work sheets and instructional theory in the curriculum. See the Diamond Piano Method Pricing Schedule for pricing information. You will have 2 options – you may choose to purchase a download of the curriculum for printing or you can choose to purchase the curriculum in a spiral-bound book. Make your selection and click “add to cart”. Next, you will be directed to a page inviting you to purchase Portal access for your child or children. See the Diamond Piano Method Pricing Schedule for pricing information. Make your selection and click “add to cart”. Page 3 Diamond Piano Method Parent Guide Add Portal access for another student This is where you would add Portal Access for another child/ student. To add materials for an additional child, choose the appropriate button and follow the directions as per above. Checking out At this point you are ready to check out. Your items will be individually listed in your ‘cart’. When your order is complete, click on the button ‘process order’ and enter your payment information onto our secure payment site. If you have opted to print your own materials, you can choose to download your book or save it to an auxiliary device. Now your child is ready to experience a fun and engaging way to learn piano! Page 4 Diamond Piano Method Parent Guide Accessing your account in the Diamond Piano Method Portal Within the Diamond Piano Method Portal, there are several actions that you can take. Main menu You will see a listing of all the students currently under your account. The student’s Status will be listed (Active or Inactive) and there are options for you to Edit the student’s account or to View the student’s account. Edit account This option allows you to update or change your personal information at any time. Add Student (independent teacher neighborhood only) This option allows you to add an additional child or children to your account “Your child’s name” Clicking on this option gives you a summary of the student’s last login, whether the student is an active (current) student in the system and allows you an alternative location to edit your account. It also informs you of the current book and Pod level your child is working in as well as how many Pod Points he/ she has earned by using the Diamond Piano Method Portal. Pod list ‘Pod’ is the name that we have given to encompass the chapter being taught and all the materials that are associated with that chapter – worksheets, games, tests, videos and audio files. Whenever you see the word, ‘Pod’, know that it refers to a chapter in the Diamond Piano Method books and also the additional materials available through the Diamond Piano Method Portal. Selecting the word ‘Pod’ will take you to the list of all Pods and the current status your child has within that Pod (‘Done’ or ‘Open’) as well as the current score your child has earned. Within this section you can choose from the following options: View – This allows you to view or access: Pod Status (Done/ Open) Pod Points (out of 100 possible) o 70-89=standard certificate, 90 or more points= deluxe certificate Page 5 Diamond Piano Method Parent Guide Test Scores History will show you the date, time and score of each attempt for the Pod Test, the Note Finder Test, Rhythm Tester, Solfege Builder* and Chord Builder** (*available in Pod 5/ **available in Pod 19) o If you click on the word “View” on this page, you will see the test that your child took, the answers for each question and whether your child selected the correct answer. Pod Audio Downloads will show you which of the songs from that particular Pod have been downloaded and how often. Pod Video Views will take you to a listing of all the videos available in that Pod and how often your child viewed each. Songs will list the songs your child has performed and what score the instructor has awarded out of 30 possible points. A comment section is also provided for the instructor to share encouragement, support or provide feedback. Assignment list This will give you a history of all the assignments made by your child’s teacher, the dates the assignment was made and any instructions that were given. Activity log This page will give you a history of all the times and dates that your child has used the Portal and which activities he/she has worked on along with the score achieved. Here is where you will also find a Progress Report for your child for each Pod, along with the Pod’s Status and the student’s Score. You can click on each individual Pod and it will take you back to the Pod View where you can access the information outlined above. Contact DPM This will take you to an email message form where you can submit questions or comments to the support staff at Diamond Piano Method. All fields need to be filled in before the form can be submitted. When you have finished making your comments, click “Send Email.” Parent discussion board This will take you to our online bulletin board, Diamond Piano Method Community. Here is where you will find topics of interest to parents of piano students and we encourage comments and suggestions to the discussion. Page 6 Diamond Piano Method Parent Guide DPM overview video Clicking here will take you to an informational video from the creator and founder of the Diamond Piano Method, Gerry Diamond, detailing the benefits of the Method and how best to support your child’s efforts. Overview of DPM Core Concepts by Book BOOK 1 (Pods 1-8) Pod 1: G Clef Gets Going… G Clef Hand introduced in Middle C Position* Quarter Notes, Half Notes, Whole Notes G Clef (Treble Clef) Staff reading Finger Number System 4-4 Time Signature and Counting Repeat Signs with and without endings Solfege – one hand (major – Do, Re, Mi) * The Diamond Piano Method has found that a beginner student’s note reading ability progresses best in Middle C Position and the Diamond Piano Method’s emphasis on solfege transpositions addresses any hand position issues that may arise when students begin their study in Middle C Position. Pod 2: F Clef Gets Going… F Clef Hand introduced in Middle C Position F Clef (Treble Clef) Staff reading Pod 3: Two Hands Two Hand Middle C Position Melodies Quarter Rests, Half Rests, Whole Rests Grand Staff reading Solfege – one hand (major – Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So) Pod 4: Three-Four Time Dotted Half Notes (Dotted Note Rule) 3-4 Time Signature Pod 5: Sharps and Flats Sharps and Flats introduced Pod 6: Harmony Harmony Pod 7: Tempos and Dynamics Tempos and Dynamics Page 7 Diamond Piano Method Parent Guide Pod 8: Incomplete Measures and Ties Incomplete Measures Ties BOOK 2 (Pods 9-15) Pod 9: G Clef Up to High C G Clef Reading expands up to High C Intervals 2nd – 5th (Melodic and Harmonic) Introduced Two Handed Unison Solfege (Major – Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So) Pod 10: F Clef Down to Low C F Clef Reading expands to Low C Mirror Image Cs Introduced Pod 11: Eighth Notes and Eighth Rests Eighth Notes Counting with “ands” Pod 12: Dotted Quarter Notes Dotted Quarter Notes Pod 13: Articulation: Legato and Staccato Articulation – legato and staccato Pod 14: Crescendo and Diminuendo Crescendo and Diminuendo Pod 15: Pedaling Sustain Pedal BOOK 3 (Pods 16-23) Pod 16: G Clef Anchor Points G Clef Reading Expands to High G Anchor Points in G Clef (FACE) Two Part – Two Hand Solfege (Major) Pod 17: F Clef Anchor Points F Clef Reading Expands to Low F Anchor Points in F Clef (All Cows Eat Grass) Page 8 Diamond Piano Method Parent Guide Pod 18: Major Scales and Key Signatures Major Scale Formula and Tetrachords Key Signatures (Major) Full Major Scale Solfege in Two Hand Tetrachord Position Pod 19: The I Chord Major Triad Formula The “I” chord in Major Keys Transposing with One Hand Major Solfege Melody and Other Hand “I” Chord Pod 20: Minor Scales, Key Signatures and the i Chord Minor Scale Formula Key Signatures (Minor) The “i” Chord Minor Scale Solfege and Transposing a Full Minor Scale Melody Pod 21: Relative Major and Minor Relative Major and Minor Transposing with One Hand Minor Solfege Melody and Other Hand “i” Chord Pod 22: Triads in Close Position Inversions Triad Inversions Identifying Triad use in Songs Looking for the “V” Chord Transposing with “I” and “V” Accompanying Solfege Melody Pod 23: Arpeggios and Broken Chords Arpeggios and Broken Chords “IV” Chord – and Transposing with “I” and “IV” Accompanying Solfege Melody BOOK 4 (Pods 24-30) Pod 24: More Anchor Points Expanded Grand Staff Reading (Double Low C to Double High C) Fermata Technique section with all major and minor scales (one octave), inverted triads, and “IIV-V” cadences Pod 25: New Time Signatures 2-2 Time Signature 6-8 Time Signature Counting with “e-and-a” Page 9 Diamond Piano Method Parent Guide Pod 26: Sixteenth Notes and Rests Sixteenth Notes and Rests Transposing with “I-IV-V” Accompanying Solfege Melody Pod 27: Eighth Note Triplets and Swinging Eighth Notes Eighth Note Triplets Swinging Eighth Notes Counting with “and-a” Pod 28: Chord Families and Major Keys Diatonic Triads in Major Keys 8-measure major key chord progression improvisation Pod 29: Chord Families in Minor Keys Diatonic Triads in Minor Keys 8-measure minor key chord progression improvisation Pod 30: Harmonic Minor Harmonic Minor Scale and Resulting Diatonic Triads 8-measure improvisation - minor key progression with “V” from harmonic minor Pod Group 4: Technique Section All 12 major and minor scales (one octave), triad inversions,”I-IV-V” cadences. BOOK 5 (Pods 31-37) Pod 31: Common Accompaniment Styles Accompaniment – stride bass Accompaniment – Root-Fifth-Root and Root-Fifth-Tenth Accompaniment – Rhythmic Block Chords (close position voicings) Harmonizing a Melody (choosing diatonic triads to support melody) Pod 32: Lead Sheets Reading Lead Sheets and Arranging Accompaniment Improvisation with “Student Chosen” Diatonic Chord Progression Pod 33: Seventh Chords Seventh Chord Formulas (Major Seven, Minor Seven, Dominant Seven) Improvisation with Diatonic Seventh Chords Pod 34: The Circle of Keys The Circle of Fifths Page 10 Diamond Piano Method Parent Guide Quadrant Chord Families Parallel Keys Neighbor Keys Improvisation with neighbors and parallels Pod 35: Pentatonic Scales Pentatonic Scales (formulas for major and minor) Pentatonic Improvisation with guided “licks” Pod 36: The Blues Blues Scale Formula 12-Bar Blues Standard Progression Common Blues Accompaniment Styles Melody Writing Using Blues Scale Pod 37: You Write the Songs Creating Original Music Using Key Signature and Time Signature of Pod Songs Pod Group 5: Technique Section All 12 major and minor scales (two octaves), triad inversions, “I- IV-V” cadences, diatonic triad families, and five finger scale positions from every scale tone Page 11 Diamond Piano Method Parent Guide Why I Wrote the Diamond Piano Method Why did I write the Diamond Piano Method and why do I continually update it? It’s simple: I want everyone taking piano lessons to develop the skills they need to become lifelong musicians playing the music they love. I had ten enjoyable years of classical piano lessons as a child. But throughout this decade, there was a disconnect between the piano music I practiced and the popular music of the day. I loved that pop music; it spoke to my heart in a way that my classical piano repertoire didn’t. Sadly, my studies hadn’t taught me that the harmonic building blocks of both genres were the same. As a teen, some of my friends started a garage band. Seeing my peers actively participating in pop music was transformational. Suddenly, I knew that I wanted to create and play music with others, but, despite my thorough technical background, I had no idea how to play without written music. Still, I joined that band, and thanks to a lot of trial and error, I slowly taught myself a little about improvisation, and I loved it. It was magical for me. I enrolled at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, graduating summa cum laude with a BA in songwriting in 1989. The music theory I learned at Berklee made it so much easier for me to read music, learn pieces by ear, improvise, and write music. And, the theory was so simple that I wondered why these basics hadn’t been an integral part of my study when I was a child first learning piano. After graduating from Berklee, I began teaching piano lessons and discovered how much I loved sharing music with others. I could not find a curriculum that made a sustained, progressive effort to develop a piano student’s arranging and improvising skills, so I created handouts and songs to supplement my students’ lesson books. In 1995, I organized these supplements into a series of lesson books, and my Diamond Piano Method (DPM) was born. Since then, I have been continually developing the Diamond Piano Method, most recently, harnessing the full force of available technology to create the DPM Online Practice Portal at DiamondPiano.com. I remain committed to sharing my love of music with all piano students and to giving them the opportunity to truly understand music so that they can take their own music wherever their hearts desire. Page 12
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