Tap Shoe Shuffle by Dennis Alexander and Martha Mier

Accidentals

Intervals

Sharps, flats and naturals that do not appear in a key signature.

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Blocked 6ths

Intervals

Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 6th of any quality.

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Blocked Chords

Chords

Chord tones played together that are not part of an accompaniment pattern.

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Blocked Intervals Accompaniment

Accompaniment Patterns

An accompaniment that uses a variety of blocked intervals with a relatively equal rate of occurrence.

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Chromatic Scale

Scales and Hand Positions

A scale comprised of only semitones which uses all 12 notes.

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Crescendo and Diminuendo

Expression

Indications instructing the player to play gradually louder (crescendo) or softer (diminuendo).

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Crossing Over Thumb

Hand and Finger Techniques

The physical motion of crossing fingers 2, 3, 4, or 5 over the thumb; used when playing scalar passages or outside of five finger scales.

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Crossing Thumb Under

Hand and Finger Techniques

The physical motion of crossing the thumb under fingers 2, 3, 4, or 5; used when playing scalar passages or outside of five finger scales.

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Extended Hand Positions

Hand and Finger Techniques

Hand positions that require stretching beyond a five finger scale; usually to play intervals that are 6ths or greater.

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Ledger Lines

Notes and Notation

Additional lines added above or below the staff in order to place very high or very low notes that wouldn't normally fit on the staff.

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Left Hand Melody

Texture

A type of texture where the left hand plays the melody and the right hand plays the accompaniment for an extended period of time.

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Legato

Expression

A type of articulation indicating the player to play smoothly and seamlessly, with the notes slightly overlapped.

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Melodic Octaves

Intervals

Two notes played in succession, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of an octave of any quality.

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Octave Higher or Octave Lower

Notes and Notation

Symbols that indicate playing a note or range of notes either an octave higher or lower than notated.

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Ritardando

Meter

An Italian term meaning "delaying"; an indication instructing the player to decrease speed, often gradually.

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Shifting Hand Positions

Hand and Finger Techniques

A technique that requires the player to pick up and move their hand to a new position; usually from a five finger scale to another.

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Staccato

Expression

A type of articulation indicating the player to play short and light; notes not held for their full value.

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Swing 8ths

Rhythm

A technique of playing 8th notes where the first 8th note is held longer than the second of a grouping of two; used often in jazz and blues.

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Tap Shoe Shuffle

Dennis Alexander
Martha Mier

Video

Elements

Accidentals

Blocked 6ths

Blocked Chords

Blocked Intervals Accompaniment

Chromatic Scale

Crescendo and Diminuendo

Crossing Over Thumb

Crossing Thumb Under

Extended Hand Positions

Ledger Lines

Left Hand Melody

Legato

Melodic Octaves

Octave Higher or Octave Lower

Ritardando

Shifting Hand Positions

Staccato

Swing 8ths

Details