A AmeRICAN ScHOOL of RAGTIME PIANO H.d.BECKERMAN F. HENRI KLICKMANN Published by S$. M. MAUTNER, Chicago, Ill.PREFACE RAGTIME je an American form of eyncopation,| sty American because of its origin. Thave bean a atudent of classical musio in Europe for many years and disagree with skeptics who have condemned and criticized RAGTIME as not being rousioal. I contend that It can be made very melodious when played slowly and in strict time. it ‘8 falso impression that this method is a self instructor oF It 3 not my wish to deceive the public or tog that ope can in a fow lessons become « proficient RAGTIME pianist It in absolutoly necessary to learn the fundamental prinoiples of music before commencing the etudy of RAG - ‘TOME. T have endeavored to make my method as concise and tse simple as possible and have given examples of all the principle figures in RAGTIME and popular piano playing ax I have studied them in this country. ‘THE AUTHORFUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF MUSIC A Measure ia be distance between THE STAFF __ The Staff consists of five lines and fou: spaces wo bars LEOER LINES CLBRS = Middle © Middle C Middle © Middle C Leger lines are short tines added above or below the tat = ‘Treblecr Ako or Tenoror Bans or Got Celt Colef Picket PRINCIPLE NOTES 'N THE TREBLE CLEP [Noles onthe leg - Notea'a the spaces er linen hove and ba bove nnd bal the sat Notes onthe Five Notesin the '0Wthe taffy pia tines: Four spaces 4s 2 obate tet = el —— Dee ete 5% ind Notes on the; Notes in the spec- leger lines ‘hoa nator ‘Notes oa the Five Notes in the Four **dbslow thastafflthe staff, A. wee amet cee pb aS SSS See tre FEE TUTE 1m order to loarn the noten quickly, it necesenry for tho pupil ¥8 memorize the musta) alphabet CD BFOAR in succession, also in all the intervals backward and forward. INTERVALS: SoS = = = = = Prime or Second Third Fourth «Fit = Sith ‘Savonth Octave Uninc VALUE OF NOTES AND RESTS Axthole note oF whole rest containas 2 ball notes oF “2 half rests A quarter notes or 4 guarier role eighth notes o 8 eighth eats 4 triplous 6 aletoonth notes or Wsixteanth conte 32 thirty-s5caad notes or 132 thiry-second reats (4 sixty-fourth notes oF 64 sixty fourth resteDOTTED NOTES DOUBLE DOTTED NoTeS eto SF DOUBLE NOTTED RESTS DOTTED RESTS eto. ACCIDENTALS. Sharp Fist Natural ° c D double fat D fiat D oatural Double sharp Doshi flat —— = nso th sten to shrpe ano of he tan wi eat 2 ; = — = foe oe a ST a Se C sharp Dsharp. & sharp Fsharp Gahaep A sharp Bharp Csharp C/lat Dftat Eflat Prat Gfint Aflat Bflat Cflat TEMPO MARKS: C= 41k the upper rigare de commen vine Y= 212 goes be mapbercrtents 2g inamanare, 34 ‘he ower figure de- ‘Tripfe time 3g notes that anote of its value receives one bee 48 98 ENHARMONICS = Hpi a See omgnnt ine { ey [oie] Tete pe Jeg Lorne] [ein oe (eau) tt ° D> Efi | ESon Toa Bahay — | whine hope “ig, The small noten are 82° over one oF Ease naan — oe se Zp ater te KEYBOARD OF THE MODERN PIANO Seven atone it xe une eet See eeettee ATCUEFGAHCDREGABE d gf Lowest __ Counter ae tones pe RL CER Cpa ee a ee ree ReteEXERCISES for the Hand at Rest ‘The fingering above the notes is intended for the right hand, that below for the left, which is to we nates an octave lower than written. Play each passage from 10 to 20 times. nA 5 NOG NOG ase 4a has a ates 2g ae Sota Tey sets S255 Ses ses2 Tres ese Se Repeat, these exerotses with both hands, and continue to practice the following pieces. Moderato Noo28 BOHEMIA Allegretto moderatoEXERCISES 10 Repeat each passage 20 times POPULAR AIR an Principle Keys,Scales, Arpeggios,Chords,ete. Tt te essential that the student memorize these, as much of the success in ragtime piano playing depends upon the improvision of chords tn each and every piece. Follawing are the Principle Keys Seales, Arpeggios,Chords,eto. Used in Ragtime Piano ply ing. OMijor or G Majoror-D Mujorar A Majeeor F Major or Ub Majoror BbMajen ABM se A Minor 8 Minor. B Minor, —P2 Mur. r SCALES Chromatic Diatonio os Major Miner —_——, Harmonic — Melodie ‘The Chramatte scale estenda ad Foseends {n half slop. Turenare two Diatonie weales: Major and Minor Me Major scale as two hall aleps ance nding aod descandig, they f eighth degrees. A the rest ar whole steps ‘There are two Minor scales: Harmasie end Molodie. ‘The Harmoie Minor scale has three half ateys ascending and desceuAing.thry fall betwen the secon wind third Fifth and sixth.end seventh and eighth degrees. [tule hus a step and a half herwovus the sixth aud revanth degen. The Melodic Minar seals has two halt steps aycanding, they fa betwrn the seen third and see natn night agrees. Tehan swo halt steps descending, they fall Letworn the sorcnd_amd third. end fi1Yh aid sixth depress eewnen the the Uhied aid Fourth, wud seventh and‘N' Minor (Marmeaied Minor (Melodeo)‘E” Minor (Melodie) °D Major Povo (tarmesis “G'Mivor“Pe" Minor (itermoni) FE Minor (erodte)“DY Minor Aysmonte) “D' Minor (Mloaie)Following are the principle figures used inthe Ragtime Two-Step. Keep repeating each figure unt theroughy famillar with same.20” THE STUDENTS RAG TWO-STEP HJ. BECKERMAN Arr.by F.Henri Klickmann Tempo i Rag‘S.al Fine Following are the principle figures used in'the Slow Drag or Ragtime Sebottische, ‘Keep repeating each figure until thoroughly familiar with same. FigFig MIEDOWN SOUTH SLOW DRAG H. J. BECKERMAN Arr. by Henri Klickmany Moderato (siowly)Foliowing are the prinoiple fieures used in the Ragtime or Syncopated Waltz ea Keep repeating each figure until thoroughly familiar with same Fig.l30 Figv. FigvisHAPPINESS RAGTIME ( Synoopated) WALTZ. 32 H. J. BECKERMAN Valse moderato np Aer Padfenss Klickmann =How to‘Rag”a Straight Melody. ‘There are two ways in which to'Rag”s straight Melody. It oan be “Ragged” elther with the notes of the harmony and chords of the left hand or by us- ing passing notes For instance, this Melody, “May be Ragged’ either with notea of the harmony and. chords of the left hand, As in Example J.u EXAMPLE I Or by using passing notes; as long as you remain in the same key,as in example 0 EXAMPLE IL. = > > ag” a straight Melody. In the above examples Fuse figure V.on page18. In order to become familiar with “Ragging” a straight Melody, practice the above by using all of the principle figures on pagest7, 18,19 & 20. ‘The melody should bemore prominent than the syncopation, therefore Almost any figure may be used to light accent is nevessary. Following are a few more examples in“Ragging”a straight melody. OLD FOLKS AT HOME Andante moderato %OLD FOLKS AT HOME % (In Ragtime, using only the chords to‘Rag” with) Rag tempo D.S.al Fine %86 OLD FOLKS AT HOME (In Ragtime, using: passing tones) Rag tempo a te,LOVES OLD SWEET SONG LOVE'S OLD SWEET SONG In Ragtime) Rag tempo% ANGELS SERENADE Andante con moto G. BRAGA.ANGEL'S SERENADE (In Ragtime) By40 FLOWER SONG G. LANGE Lento espress