Attache
Piano Week 42: Rhythmic vocabulary expansion
Rhythmic vocabulary expansion — Q4 curriculum plan.
Daily Schedule
Weekly Focus
Week 42 expands rhythmic vocabulary for comping. The goal is intentional rhythm-cell switching by section while keeping harmonic clarity.
Success this week means multiple rhythm cells are usable on demand, including Charleston rhythm, without timing drift.
Repertoire & Chord Map
Primary tune is My Romance, with Fly Me to the Moon as transfer. Keep chord shapes stable while rhythm vocabulary changes.
Core rhythm loop:
Daily map task: assign one rhythm cell per section and switch only at planned bars.
Rhythm Bank Reference
Four cells to work from. Assign each to a section before you start.
Pads: whole-note hold
Charleston: hit on 1 and & of 2
Anticipation: new chord on & of 4
Quarter-note pulse: one chord per beat
Supplementary Listening & Ear Training (Required)
Treat this as part of your weekly agenda, not optional background listening: it targets “Rhythmic vocabulary expansion”.
Weekly listening pick:
- Equinox — John Coltrane
Why this track now: It highlights minor blues depth and motif restraint, which matches Week 42’s goals.
Ear tasks (10–15 min, at least 3 sessions this week):
- Listen once without the instrument and name the key center by ear (major/minor/modal). Then verify the key at piano.
- Find one cadence or arrival point, then play: root + shell ii-V-I (or closest functional equivalent) in that key.
- Lift a short 4–8 bar fragment by ear, play it slowly, and record ~30s so you can compare your hearing vs. the recording.
Extra challenge (optional): transpose your lifted fragment to the weekly priority ladder when possible (F → Eb → G → Bb → C).
End-of-Week Reflection
Which rhythm cells became dependable in full takes, and which still collapse under pressure? Carry two reliable cells into Week 43 ear challenge work.