Classroom Keyboard

Patricia Melcher Bissell received BM and MM degrees in piano and composition from Peabody Conservatory and Yale University, and she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship. Bissell has been a keyboard class teacher at Gateway Community College in New Haven, CT since 2004, taught K-12 music in suburban and inner city schools, operated piano studios, and she was the floor exercise arranger/pianist for two U.S. Women's Olympic Gymnastic Teams.

• NOTATION1 Musical SoundWhite Key NamesThe KeyboardOctave and Middle CPosture and HandsC positionPlaying KeyboardsStep, Skip and RepeatPitch Motion2Hand PositionsChanging PositionPlaying MusicComposition One3RhythmNotes and RestsTreble Clef and StaffBeats and NotesLines and SpacesNotated Pitch MotionPlaying Melodies4Time SignaturesNotes and BeatsBass Clef and StaffBeats and NotesStems & Grand StaffComposition Two5Dots & TiesPartial Measures6Shorter Notes and RestsComposition ThreeCHORDS7 OvertonesIntervalsNotated Intervals 8ChordsNotated ChordsChord Progressions9Chord StructureChord Inversion5 Fingers, 7 pitchesImprovised EndingsComposition Four10Lead SheetsComposition Five 11Chording StylesSong AccompanimentRock StylesF MAJOR12 Half and Whole StepsC Major ScaleBlack Key NamesNotated AccidentalsScales & The Blues13TranspositionKey Signatures 14Scale DegreesChord StructureChord InversionKey ChangeComposition Six 15Chording StylesHand ChangesPartial Chords16Song AccompanimentComposition SevenG MAJOR17 TranspositionKey Signatures18Scale DegreesChord StructureChord InversionLedger Lines19Dotted Quarter NotesComposition Eight20Chording StylesSong Accompaniment21Hand ChangesExpressionComposition Nine MINOR22 Major and Minor ChordsChord SymbolsScale DegreesKey of C Chords23Three Pitch ChordsAny Triad, Any KeyFour Pitch ChordsSeventh ChordsDominant SeventhBasic Chord TypesKey of C 7th ChordsAltered Chords 24Major and Minor ModesMinor ChordsScale DegreesHarmonic Minor Scale25Perfect Fifths & SignaturesCircle of FifthsKeys with Flats and Sharps Composition Ten

The Keyboard/Guitar strand of the National Core Music Standards calls for students to become not only performers, but also creators of music. Pat Bissell's book presents strategies and sequences — developed over years of dedicated work with urban and suburban children — designed to help students achieve the standards. I applaud in particular her use of authentic musical examples and emphasis on improvisation through aural understanding. Teachers who incorporate this book into their keyboard classes — not to mention their private lessons — will give their students the gifts of joy and creativity.