In this lesson, we\u2019ll be focusing on the octave shrinking technique.<\/p>\n
If you belong to the category of pianists who play root notes on the left hand, for example, playing C:
\n
\n\u2026on the left hand for the C major seventh chord:
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\n\u2026C:
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\n\u2026on the left hand for the C minor seventh chord:
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\n\u2026C:
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\n\u2026on the left hand for the C dominant seventh chord:
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\n\u2026C:
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\n\u2026on the left hand for virtually everything.<\/p>\n
You know how annoying this can be and I\u2019m doubly sure you\u2019re tired of playing the same root notes on the left hand. How would you feel if I show you step-by-step, how you can \u201cbeef up\u201d that left hand and transform it to something better? If you\u2019ll feel great about that, then read on.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re getting started in this study by doing an overview of the concept of the octave. So, what is an octave?<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve been into music for a while, you must have come across the term octave<\/em>.<\/p>\n The root of the term octave<\/strong> is derived from the Latin word octava<\/em>, which means eight. So many years ago, I probed myself further by asking this profound question \u201cWhy is the number \u2018eight\u2019 so important in music [and to musicians] that there\u2019s a Latin word for it?\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n In a bid to answer this question, I understood what I\u2019m about to share with you.<\/p>\n Pay attention\u2026<\/p>\n In traditional scales<\/a>, there are seven notes (aka \u2013 \u201cscale degrees\u201d.) Take the C major scale: The first tone of any traditional scale is the key center and consequently the most important tone of the scale. Due to the fact that the eighth degree (aka \u2013 \u201coctave\u201d) of any given traditional scale is the duplicate of the first tone (aka \u2013 \u201ctonic\u201d) of that traditional scale, the octave is also considered to have the same importance as the tonic.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a simple definition of the octave\u2026<\/p>\n An octave is the duplicate of a given note that lies eighth notes above [or below] it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Suggested reading: Beyond The Number “Eight” – Four Dimensions Of The Interval<\/a>.<\/p>\n The octave of C: The octave of F: Shrinking an object reduces its size. The octave shrinking technique has to do with the reduction of the size of the octave.<\/p>\n This is done with the intention of deriving other useful intervals that are smaller than the octave. Although there are lots of ways to shrink the octave, we\u2019ll be covering two in today\u2019s lesson.<\/p>\n Check them out\u2026<\/p>\n The C octave: Db – C: C – B: A major seventh interval is the interval formed by the relationship between the first and seventh tones of the natural major scale<\/a>. In the C major scale: Attention:<\/strong> We’ll stick to the octave shrinking technique that has to do with lowering the higher note.<\/p>\n Let’s shrink the octave in all twelve keys by a half step.<\/p>\n The C octave: The octave can also be shrinked by a whole step. The C octave: D – C: C – Bb: A minor seventh interval is the interval formed by the relationship between the first and seventh tones of the natural minor scale<\/a>. In the A minor scale: Here are the minor seventh intervals and how they are derived in all twelve keys using the octave shrinking technique.<\/p>\n The C octave: Shrinking the octave has provided us with two useful intervals – the major and minor seventh intervals. But that’s not all. We’re rounding up this lesson by looking at how these intervals can be applied to the left hand.<\/p>\n The major seventh interval can be used as the left hand accompaniment for major triads. The C major triad: Conversely, the minor seventh interval can be used as a left hand accompaniment for the major, minor, and diminished triads. This accounts for the formation of 60% of common seventh chord qualities<\/a>.<\/p>\n The C major triad<\/a>: It’s possible for triads to be under-rated, however, with the left hand accompaniment we derived using the octave shrinking technique, we can “beef up” the overall chord formed and the left hand as well.<\/p>\n I’m grateful for the time you invested in today’s lesson, see you in another lesson.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In this lesson, we are shrinking the octave and deriving useful intervals that can help beef your the left hand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":22835,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[252,25,9],"tags":[17,842,2122,2121,653,2123],"class_list":["post-13895","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beginners","category-chords-progressions","category-piano","tag-basic-songs","tag-left-hand","tag-major-seventh-interval","tag-minor-seveth-interval","tag-octave","tag-octave-shrinking","post-wrapper","thrv_wrapper"],"yoast_head":"\n
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\n\u2026for an example, there are seven unique notes \u2013 from C to B:
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\n\u2026however, another note is added to this set of seven notes to make it eight notes altogether and in this case, the eighth note that was added is C:
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\n\u2026which is a duplicate of the first tone (aka \u2013 \u201ctonic\u201d):
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\n…of the C major scale.<\/p>\n
\n
\n\u2026is C:
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\nThe octave of Eb:
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\n\u2026is Eb:
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\nThe octave of Gb:
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\n\u2026is Gb:
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\nThe octave of A:
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\n\u2026is A:
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\nCheck out these octaves that are below the given note\u2026<\/p>\n
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\n\u2026is F:
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\nThe octave of G#:
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\n\u2026is G#:
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\nThe octave of B:
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\n\u2026is B:
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\nThe octave of D:
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\n\u2026is D:
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\nNow that we\u2019ve covered the octave, it\u2019s time for you to learn a new octave-based technique that will transform your left hand.<\/p>\nThe Octave Shrinking Technique<\/h2>\n
Shrinking Of The Octave By A Half Step<\/h3>\n
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\n…can be shrinked by raising the lower C by a half step to Db:
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\n…to produce Db – C:
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\nConversely, you can shrink an octave by lowering the higher C by a half step to B:
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\n…to produce C – B:
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\nIn both cases, the outcome of the octave shrinking technique is the major seventh interval…<\/p>\n
\n
\n…a major seventh interval.<\/p>\n
\n
\n…another major seventh interval.<\/p>\n
\n
\n…the relationship between C and B:
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\n…which are the first and seventh tones of the C major scale, produces the C major seventh interval.<\/p>\n
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\n…if shrinked by a half step, produces the C major seventh interval:
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\nThe Db octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a half step, produces the Db major seventh interval:
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\nThe D octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a half step, produces the D major seventh interval:
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\nThe Eb octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a half step, produces the Eb major seventh interval:
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\nThe E octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a half step, produces the E major seventh interval:
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\nThe F octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a half step, produces the F major seventh interval:
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\nThe Gb octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a half step, produces the Gb major seventh interval:
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\nThe G octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a half step, produces the G major seventh interval:
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\nThe Ab octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a half step, produces the Ab major seventh interval:
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\nThe A octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a half step, produces the A major seventh interval:
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\nThe Bb octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a half step, produces the Bb major seventh interval:
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\nThe B octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a half step, produces the B major seventh interval:
\n<\/p>\n
Shrinking Of The Octave By A Whole Step<\/h3>\n
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\n…for example, can be shrinked by raising the lower C by a whole step to D:
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\n…to produce D – C:
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\n…or by lowering the higher C by a whole step to Bb:
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\n…to produce C – Bb:
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\nWhichever way produces the minor seventh interval…<\/p>\n
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\n…a minor seventh interval.<\/p>\n
\n
\n…another minor seventh interval.<\/p>\n
\n
\n…the relationship between A and G:
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\n…which are the first and seventh tones of the A minor scale, produces the A minor seventh interval.<\/p>\n
\n
\n…if shrinked by a whole step, produces the C minor seventh interval:
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\nThe C# octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a whole step, produces the C minor seventh interval:
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\nThe D octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a whole step, produces the D minor seventh interval:
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\nThe Eb octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a whole step, produces the Eb minor seventh interval:
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\nThe E octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a whole step, produces the E minor seventh interval:
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\nThe F octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a whole step, produces the F minor seventh interval:
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\nThe F# octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a whole step, produces the F minor seventh interval:
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\nThe G octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a whole step, produces the G minor seventh interval:
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\nThe G# octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a whole step, produces the G# minor seventh interval:
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\nThe A octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a whole step, produces the A minor seventh interval:
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\nThe Bb octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a whole step, produces the Bb minor seventh interval:
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\nThe B octave:
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\n…if shrinked by a whole step, produces the B minor seventh interval:
\n<\/p>\n
Application Of The Octave Shrinking Technique<\/h2>\n
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\n…over C major seventh interval<\/a>:
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\n…produces an overall C major seventh chord:
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\nIn a nutshell, instead of playing C:
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\n…in the bass for the C major triad, you can beef up<\/em> your left hand [using the octave shrinking technique] by playing a major seventh interval.<\/p>\n
\n
\n…over C minor seventh interval:
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\n…produces an overall C dominant seventh chord<\/a>:
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\nThe C minor triad<\/a>:
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\n…over C minor seventh interval:
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\n…produces an overall C minor seventh chord<\/a>:
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\nThe C diminished triad<\/a>:
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\n…over C minor seventh interval:
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\n…produces an overall C half-diminished seventh chord<\/a>:
\n<\/p>\n
Final Words<\/h2>\n