About Us Workshops FAQ Testimonials Contact Us

Home New Products Games Kreative Keyboard Theory Gymnastics Technic Gymnastics Flashcards Student Notebook Teacher Materials Search View Cart

Theory Gymnastics | Technic Gymnastics

About Theory Gymnastics^TM

This series of 12 theory/ear training books for beginners through advanced students is ideal for group or individual study. They are loaded with fun puzzlers and thinkers to capture the imagination! Each book is approximately 150+ pages and follows the theory requirements outlined in the Keyboard Gymnastics ^TM handbook.

Theory Gymnastics^TM was written to coordinate with the current multiple key methods. Each book is divided into units so teachers may exercise flexibility in correlating theory with repertoire.

Concepts are taught in an age-appropriate way and build upon one another so the student feels secure in learning the next step. There are practice pages on which to practice new concepts, and challenge and thinker pages which apply higher levels of thinking and present the concept in a creative and fun way.

Students of many ages and varied backgrounds study theory. To accommodate the ever-changing student profile, the Theory Gymnastics^TM series offers more than one age-group option for some levels. To get started, see the the chart below to determine the level that best fits each student according to their level and age.

Level A	Brillante K-2	Animato 3-5	Accelerando 1 Moves quickly. One book covers two levels. For Teens or Adults
Level B	Energico K-2	Spirto 3-5
Level C	Con Moto (Elementary Grades)		Accelerando 2 Moves quickly. One book covers two levels. For Teens or Adults
Level D	Con Brio (Elementary Grades)
Level E	Con Fuoco (Music Periods Overview)
Level F	Stretto (Baroque Period)
Level G	Preciso (Classical Period)
Level H	Appassionato (Romantic Period)

History is included in every book--a composer in the early books, a music periods overview in Level E, and an in-depth look at one music period in each book thereafter.

Each book contains the following types of pages:

• Discovery pages introduce and explain concepts.
• Practice pages give students an opportunity to practice those concepts.
• Additional reinforcement and exploration is provided by Challenge and Thinker pages - often fun puzzlers!
• Review pages give students the opportunity to review the concepts they have learned.

Form & Style, Harmonization & Modulation are taught in a progressive way as the student's knowledge of theory increases - form in the early books followed by style, harmonization, and modulation.

Copyist Skills and Analysis are taught to enable the student to more easily work with and understand composition and the construction of music.

Concepts are reinforced in the Listening section found at the end of each book. Solfeggio (moveable do) and critical listening pages are included in addition to traditional ear-training skills (melody, harmony, and rhythm).

In the critical listening pages, students improve their listening skills by recognizing and identifying such characteristics as ascending or descending and crescendo or diminuendo at the same time. They may be asked to edit a piece as it is being played, or to determine the type of dance from a Baroque dance suite. The variety of listening experiences coupled with a practical approach will help to dramatically increase students' musicianship and awareness.

Composition is presented in a way in which everyone can succeed. The pages in the composition units provide practice using the tools of composition--so even if the student does not want to compose, he will have the tools to understand a composition.

Jazz units begin at level D and continue through the end of the series. These units build upon the concepts taught in the theory pages and give the student an opportunity to use those concepts. An enjoyable and motivating subject for students!

Theory Gymnastics^TM Curriculum

	ACCELERANDO 1		ACCELERANDO 2
	BRILLANTE (A1) ANIMATO (A2)	ENERGICO (B1) SPIRITO (B2)	CON MOTO (C)	CON BRIO (D)
RHYTHM	Whole, dotted half, half, quarter and two eighths.	Whole,dotted half, half, quarter, two eighths, dotted quarter/eighth: notes & rests. 2/4, 3/4, 4/4	Whole,dotted half, half, quarter, two eighths, dotted quarter/eighth: notes & rests. 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8	All previous notes & rests in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8. b and weak beats, simple & compound meters.
NOTES	Low B to high D on the staff and keyboard, Music alphabet, forward and backward.	All notes, including sharps and flats and all ledger line notes, on the staff and keyboard. Order and placement of sharps and flats.	All notes, including sharps and flats and all ledger line notes, on the staff. Order and placement of sharps and flats. Identify B flat, F, C, D, and A Major.	All Major keys. Circle of 5ths.
INTERVALS	Skips and steps on the staff and keyboard.	Skips and steps, whole and half steps, unisons through octaves (white notes only), ascending and descending on the staff and keyboard. Major and minor 3rds (Accelerando 1 only).	Whole and half steps, unisons through octaves (white notes only), ascending and descending on the staff and keyboard. Major and minor 3rds.	Major and Perfect in the keys of B flat, F, C, D, and A Major, harmonic and melodic, ascending only on the staff and keyboard, Major and minor 3rds.
SCALES	C, G, F, D, A,and E Major five-finger patterns on the keyboard and the staff (both Animato only).	F, C, G, D, A, E, D flat, A flat, E flat, B, B flat, and F sharp Major five-finger patterns on the keyboard and staff. Accelerando 1: All Major and minor 5 finger patterns.	All major and minor five-finger patterms on the keyboard and staff. (Con Moto including emharmonics).	All Major scales on the staff and keyboard, Blues scales.
HARMONY	C, G, F, D, A,and E Major chords on the keyboard and the staff (both Animato only).	C, G, and F Major 1 chords on the keyboard (both) and the staff (Animato only).	All Major and minor 1 chords including enharmonics, blocked and broken, on the keyboard and staff.	Primary triads (I, IV, V) in all major keys, root position, Major and minor triads and inversions.
COMPOSITION	Recognize and draw the parts of the Grand Staff, Direction of notes on the staff and keyboard.	Recognize and draw the parts of the Grand Staff including F clef, G clef, and ledgers line. Repitition and sequence.	Repetition and sequence, question and answer phrases, parallel and contrasting answers.	Antecedent-consequent, parallel, contrasting, and embellishing phrases. Binary (AB) binary form. Binary composition. 12-Bar-Blues.
TERMS	Sharp, flat, tie, slur, staccato, crescendo, decrescendo, F, mf, mp, p, identify in a music example.	Sharp, flat, natural, tie, slur, staccato, legato, andante, allegro, ritard, fermata, accent, crescendo, decrescendo, F, mf, mp, p, identify in a music example.	Staccato, legato, largo, andante, allegro, ritard, fermata, accent, crescendo, decrescendo, spz, dim., D.C., al fine. Identify in a music example.	8va, 8va bassa, loco, tempo, a tempo, phrases, largo, andante, allegro, presto, ritard, D.C. al fine.
HISTORY	Mozart	Beethoven	Bach	Haydn
LISTENING	Same or different pitch, melody, rhythm. Identify the rhythm you hear. Critical Listening: high/low, ascending/descending, steady/unsteady, fast/slow, loud/soft, crescendo/decrescendo (including combinations). 3-line solfeggio.	Same or different pitch, melody, rhythm, triad. Major and Perfect intervals (ascending). Identify the rhythm you hear. Critical Listening: high/low, ascending/descending, steady/unsteady, fast/slow, loud/soft, crescendo/decrescendo (including combinations). 4-line solfeggio. Skips & steps.	Major and perfect melodic intervals, and Major and minor 3rds (ascending): Identify Major & minor 5 finger patterns and I chords: add missing notes (stepwise) of a Major 5-finger pattern; provide the 3rd of Major or minor I chords; identify the rhythm you hear, provide missing note values, rhythmic dictation; critical listening: editing, Q & A phrases, parallel or contrasting answers; solfeggio in a Major key.	Major and perfect melodic intervals, and Major and minor 3rds (ascending). Identify melodies as Major or minor; add missing notes (stepwise) of a Major or minor 5-finger pattern. provide the 3rd of Major or minor triads; identify triads as Major, minor or other; given the tonic triad, identify I, IV and V7 chords; identify the rhythm you hear, provide missing note values, rhythmic dictation; critical listening: editing, antecedent/consequent phrases, parallel or contrasting answers; solfeggio.

	CON FUOCO (E)	STRETTO (F)	PRECISO (G)	APASSIONATO (H)
RHYTHMN	All previous notes & rests plus dotted eighth-sixteenth and sixteenths. 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, c, and ¢. b and weak beats.	All previous notes & rests plus all sixteenth combinations and eighth-note triplets. 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, c, ¢, 6/4, and 3/8.	All previous notes & rests plus 32nds. 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, c, ¢, 6/4, and 3/8.	All previous notes & rests plus all triplets. 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, c,¢, 6/4, and 3/8.
NOTES	All Major keys; Circle of 5ths.	All Major and relative minor keys; Circle of 5ths.	All the Major keys and their parallel and relative minors.	All the Major keys and their parallel and relative minors.
INTERVALS	Major and Perfect in all Major keys, harmonic and melodic, ascending and descending on the staff and keyboard.	Major, minor, and Perfect in all keys, harmonic and melodic, ascending and descending on the staff and keyboard.	Major minor, Perfect, diminished, and augmented in all keys, harmonic and melodic, ascending and descending on the staff and keyboard.	Major minor, Perfect, diminished, and augmented in all keys, harmonic and melodic, ascending and descending on the staff and keyboard.
SCALES	All Major scales on the staff and keyboard.	All Major and harmonic minor scales on the staff and keyboard. Scale degree names.	Harmonic, natural, and melodic minor scales on the staff and keyboard.	Modes
HARMONY	Diatonic triads in all Major keys, root position, identify using Roman numerals; Major, minor, and diminished triads and inversions.	Diatonic triads and inversions in all Major keys. Identify using figured bass. Dominant 7th chords, root and inversions in any Major or minor key. Identify using figured bass.	Diatonic triads and inversions built on the minor scale. Identify using figured bass. 7th chords and inversions. Passing tones and neighbor tones. Authentic, plagal, and half cadences in any Major or minor key.	Diatonic triads and inversions and secondary dominants. Label using figured bass. 7th chords in any inversion; label using figured bass. Non-harmonic tones: passing, neighbor, suspensions (6-5, 4-3, 2-1), anticipations. Cadences: authentic, plagal, deceptive, and half. Modulation.
COMPOSITION	Modulating periods; antecedent-consequent phrases; parallel, contrasting, and embellished parallel phrases. Binary (AB) and Ternary (ABA) form. Ternary composition. Jazz: blues scale, riffs, accompaniment patterns.	Monophony, homophony, polyphony; polyphonic composition. Jazz: improvization. Baroque ornamentation.	Music Period. Homophonic composition. Jazz: half-step modulation, Circle of 5ths movement, fillers.	Song form, nationalistic music, character pieces, lyric pieces, program music, absolute music. Compose a character piece. Jazz: diatonic 7th chords; dorian mode.
TERMS	PP, FF, allegretto, moderato, vivace, presto, prestissimo, double sharp, double flat, dal segno.	Repetition, sequence, imitation, voice, texture, inversion, augmentation, diminution, retrograde, subject, countersubject, episode, stretto, ostinato, continuous variation, Baroque Dance Suite.	Largo, lento, andante, andantino, moderato, allegretto, allegro, vivace, presto, prestissimo, grave, coda, scherzando, rubato, pesante, accelerando, morendo, allargando.	Tranquillo, leggiero, un poco, brillante, energico, animato, spirito, con moto, con brio, con fuoco, stretto, preciso, appassionato, maestoso, grandioso, marcato, fiero, resoluto, bravura, robusto, cantabile, piu, espressivo, grazioso, sempre, senza, simile; una corda, sostenuto, and damper pedal.
HISTORY	Music Period Overview	Baroque Period: dance suite, canon, fugue, chaconne, passacaglia, composers, instruments, historical events.	Classical Period: Sonata form, Theme and Variations, Rondo Form, composers, instruments, historical events.	Romantic Period: Romantic forms and compositional techniques, composers, instruments, historical events.
LISTENING	Major and perfect melodic intervals, and Major and minor 3rds (ascending). Identify Major, harmonic minor or chromatic scales; provide missing notes of Major scale melodies; provide the 3rd and 5th of Major, minor, or diminished triads; given the tonic triad, identify I, IV, and V7 chords; identify the rhythm you hear, provide missing note values, rhythmic dictation; critical listening: editing, phrases, parallel, embellished parallel, or contrasting answers; modulating phrases; identify tempos as moderato, allegretto, vivace, or prestissimo; solfeggio.	Major, minor and perfect melodic intervals (ascending and descending). Major, natural and harmonic minor, chromatic scales; provide missing notes of Major or harmonic minor scale melodies. Identify triads as Major, minor, dimimished or augmented; provide the 3rd & 5thof Major, minor, diminished or augmented triads; given the tonic triad, identify the order of the I, ii, IV, and V7 in a chord progression. Rhythmic dictation including eighth-note triplets; identify meters as 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, or 6/8; simple or compound. Critical listening: monophony, homophony, polyphony, repetition, sequence, imitation, diminution, augmentation, transposition, standard dances of the Baroque Dance Suite. Solfeggio.	Major, minor and perfect melodic intervals (ascending and descending). Major, natural, harmonic, and melodic minor, chromatic scales; provide missing notes of Major, harmonic or melodic minor scale melodies. 1 measure of melodic dictation (pitch & rhythm) beginning on the tonic in any Major key; 2 measures of harmonic dictation using the I, ii, IV, and V7 chords in root position in any Major key (root in the bass); write the bass note and label using figured bass. Identify plagal and authentic cadences in any Major key. Identify non-harmonic tones as passing, upper neighbor or lower neighbor. Identify root position 7th chords as dominant or diminished. Rhythmic dictation including eighth-note triplets; identify meters as 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, or 6/8. Critical listening: sonata, theme and variations, or rondo; grave, scherzando, pesante, morendo, accelerando, or allargando; music period or other. Sing Major and minor melodies using "La".	Identify modes as ionian, dorian, or mixolydian; 4 measures of melodic dictation (pitch & rhythm) beginning on the tonic or dominant in any Major key; 2 measures of harmonic dictation using the I, ii, IV, and V7 chords in root and inversions in any Major key; write the bass note and label using figured bass. Identify plagal, authentic, and deceptive cadences in any Major key. Identify non-harmonic tones as passing, upper neighbor or lower neighbor tones, suspensions or anticipations. Identify root position 7th chords. Rhythmic dictation in any simple or compound meter; identify meters as common, alla breve, 3/8 or 6/8. Critical listening: tranquillo, leggiero, maestoso, grandioso, marcato, resoluto, cantabile, or grazioso. Sing Major and minor melodies using "La".

Theory Gymnastics | Technic Gymnastics