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20 Ways to Motivate Teen Piano Students to Want to Play the Piano
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20 Ways to Motivate Teen Piano Students to

Want to Play the Piano
by Jerald Simon
1. Ask teenagers what they want to play. It’s simple, but true. Teenagers don’t want to feel as
though they are being forced to do something they don’t want to do. If it is their idea, they are more
excited about it and follow through with what they have decided to do. Every piano student is
different! Find out what makes them unique and that will make all the difference in how you teach
them and also in how they learn. Spend the first few minutes of each lesson connecting with your
piano student. What did they do at school? What are they learning? What are their interests and
hobbies? Do you know what they want to be and do when they grow up? What makes this student
different from everyone else? Along this frame of thought, your piano students want and need a
personal piano teacher. It’s okay to be a little bit informal and have FUN with students. Don’t be all
business when teaching. I have seen far too many teachers be a bit too professional to the extent that
there is no room to be personal and they cannot connect with their students on a meaningful level. The
students, in return, don’t feel a connection with the piano teacher. Be professional, but be a friend and
mentor to your piano students.
2. Find out what music your teenagers listen to and ask if they would like to learn their favorite
music – with or without sheet music. Every month they should select and work on a piece of their
own choosing that is something they listen to and enjoy. Sometimes simply listening to the music on
their phone or iPod encourages and motivates them to play the piano every day (notice I did not say
practice). Help students learn to play the piano every day and set daily goals to accomplish and
improve. It’s about progress. Keep moving forward!
3. Along with the previous suggestion, ask students to come up with at least three to five weekly
goals and monthly goals. These musical goals can give them direction. Sometimes students need an
overview or game plan to give them the direction they need. I created a personal road map for my
own piano students that I call the Music Motivation® Mentorship Map (you can download a copy by
clicking on the image of the map at the end of this section). Along with this music map is the checklist
of exercises (scales and chords). I encourage my piano students to learn from my book Essential

Piano Exercises. It’s something I created for my own piano students to give them a sense of direction
and what I hoped they would work on and learn each year. I often call it a road map because it points
them in the direction we are heading. Simply having them take a few moments at the beginning of the
month to write out what they would like to accomplish that month will help them learn to direct
themselves. It’s not about the teacher telling them what to do and giving them hundreds of little step
by step procedures. It’s about a music mentor guiding them so they can direct themselves and learn to
depend more on themselves and less on the teacher. Again, this is not teacher directed - this is helping
the teenagers tell you where they are and where they would like to go musically. You can also
encourage them in setting goals in other areas of their life as well.
4. Teach the following styles: Pop, Rock, Jazz, Blues, Ragtime, Country, Big Band, Show Tunes,
New Age, Hymns, Techno, etc. An occasional classical piece is fantastic, but most students at this age
are wanting to learn to play music they can perform for their friends. It’s what they know and love.
High school age students tend to do very well with classical music and enjoy it more, but for whatever
reason, Jr. High School age students, especially teenage boys, do better if they temporarily focus on
other styles of music and have an occasional classical piece here and there than the other way around.
I have had several students come to me who were adamant about quitting piano because they “hated
everything to do with piano.” It was not true at all! They did not like the classical pieces they were
playing. That was all. Help students play many varied styles of music and learn to appreciate all
styles. Most of my piano students who “hated” classical music when they were in Jr. High School
begged me to play classical pieces in High School. It’s only a stage and phase, and they might come
around eventually and enjoy playing classical pieces again. We just can’t lose them in the process! I
personally love playing classical music and was classically taught. I enjoy playing all styles of music
and want the students to become familiar with all styles. More often than not, the students are not
familiar with a certain style because it is not what they listen to at home. This becomes a perfect
opportunity to gain a little musical experience with different genres and styles.
5. Teenage piano students enjoy changing things up! I think we all do as well. We all need to
change things up every now and then so we don’t remain stagnant. With change comes new growth
because we are being pushed to do things that stretch us and help us (hopefully) become better. If we
don’t accept change, we will remain as we are. Without change we cannot progress and improve. Do
some of the following all the time and in a way to keep them on their toes. Your students will never
know what you will do next. This helps them stay engaged, and it keeps the piano lessons interesting

for you as a teacher/parent, and for the piano student as well. Change the format of what is taught and
how it is taught. Here are some ideas and suggestions:
Have the student play their piano music on conga or bongo drums. The treble clef is played with the
right conga/bongo drum and the bass clef is played with the left conga/bongo drum. This is great for
working on rhythms.
Turn the music upside down and have the students play their piano music this way. This is fantastic
for sight reading. What was the bass clef is now being played as the treble clef with the right hand and
what was the treble clef is now being played as the bass clef with the left hand.
Play a melody on another instrument (recorder, saxophone, guitar, bass, banjo, etc.) and have the
student try to reproduce the melody on the piano. This is great for ear training.
Teach with technology (use digital recorders, computers, camcorders, internet, phones, tablets, apps,
etc.).
Watch YouTube video tutorials with your students and encourage them to watch YouTube video
tutorials at home. This is the way the majority of teens get their information. You may as well direct
them to videos and channels you approve and recommend for them to watch as many as they want.
Watch my videos at youtube.com/jeraldsimon.
If students begin to lose interest in the pieces they are working on (it happens to everyone), it’s not a
bad thing. Simply choose a new piece and start over. There is no need to keep playing something the
student doesn’t enjoy and the teacher can’t stand listening to any longer. Move on!
Watch a video on YouTube or listen to an MP3 of a song of the student’s choice and have them try to
play the melody followed by the harmony or chord progression of the piece. Again, this is great for
ear training and helps them learn how to play by ear.
Teach composition and arranging. Challenge teenagers to compose music of their own. This is a great
idea. Some will want to and some won’t. Again, encourage them but do not try to force them to do it.
Help them learn how to compose a melody, add harmony, chord progressions, dynamics, etc. Once
they have composed their own piece, help them notate it using Finale, Sibelius, or another music
notation software program. Ask students to compose one new song per month.
Ask students to learn the piano music from their favorite video game, movie, television sitcom, etc.

Have students learn about the composer of the music they are playing. They can read a bio on
Wikipedia, read a book about them, watch a video documentary, watch other professional musicians
perform several of the pieces by that composer, etc. If the composer is alive, they can watch video
interviews with the composer and even try to write a thank you letter to the composer for the music
they have created.
6. Encourage teenagers to add other instruments to their music using Garage Band, Logic Pro,
Pro Tools, or another software program. There are many choices and options available.
7. If you have encouraged and helped teenagers compose their own music, notate it, and
orchestrate it, then encourage them to try to sell their own music. Talk about motivation! When a
piano student can set up a simple blog and sell a PDF download of their own composition or upload
their music to iTunes, Amazon, SoundCloud, or any number of online music stores, they get excited
and motivated. It’s fun to see!
8. Ask your teenage piano students to mentor younger piano students you teach. This helps them
take on responsibility and they learn so much when they teach. Along these lines, if you have siblings
you teach, then during the younger piano student’s lesson, ask if their older sibling will sit on the
bench with them or in a chair next to them and “Be the Teacher” for 5-10 minutes or so. They can
then see what their sibling is not doing that they should be doing and can help correct problems like
wrong notes, timing/counting, dynamics, etc. In teaching their younger sister or brother, they learn so
much more in the process. The teacher really is the one who grows and learns the most.
9. Film your student as they play a piece and then, with permission, share it on a social media
site. Especially if or when they have played a piece well, this is a great way to highlight or feature the
student. It gives them an audience and they feel a sense of accomplishment.
10. Have your students film themselves at home and create their own YouTube page (they will
need permission from their parents to do so). They feel like a rock star and celebrity when they
film themselves and share their piano performance with family and friends. It’s also nice for the
teacher to share it as well.

11. Help students create or learn how to create their own music video. Students love this. I like to
use Final Cut as the video editing software program, but there is iMovie, as well as many other
options that are free to download.
12. Have special concerts or activities for the teenage piano students. Ideas include touring a
piano factory to learn how pianos are made or repaired, attending a special concert, having
what I refer to as “Casual Concerts” where the students can wear jeans and a t-shirt and can
use their music or play anything they want and many other similar ideas. Themed recitals are
great for younger children. Having “Cool Concerts” or Jam Sessions is the way to connect with
teenagers. Simply invite them to ask their friends who sing or play other instruments to perform with
them. Their friends don’t even need to be part of your studio and it’s even better when they are not.
That helps them all work together and feel a sense of shared success with their friends. It is also a
great incentive and motivator for them to share their music with their friends. They’re hanging out and
having fun. When that happens it’s magical!
13. Along with teaching composition and arranging, teach improvisation, jazz, blues, how to
play from fake books, and read lead sheets, etc.. They love different styles and genres. I like to
focus on teaching music theory, improvisation, and composition. I have my entire studio primarily
focus on these areas. I have mentioned these before, but as previously mentioned, I refer to them as
follows: (1) Theory Therapy, (2) Innovative Improvisation, and (3) Creative Composition.
14. Once students feel more comfortable playing around on the piano and begin improvising
and arranging because of the theory they have learned (intervals, scales, modes, chords, chord
progressions, etc.), have the students try to take one simple song and arrange it any way they’d
like. Can they arrange it 5, 10, 15, or 20 + different ways? I encourage my own piano students to take
one simple song, like Mary Had a Little Lamb, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, or Jingle Bells, and
arrange it 5 or 10 different ways. I even came out with books showing how to arrange those pieces
(i.e. Variations on Mary Had a Little Lamb, Twinkle Those Stars, and Jingle Those Bells). They learn
to change the style. This is after I have been working with them on learning all of their scales and
chords. I have them use my books, Essential Piano Exercises and An Introduction to Scales and
Modes to learn all of the scales and chords/chord progressions in all keys and in all inversions. I have
a book I created that will help them take a simple song and learn how to arrange it. It is called “100
Left Hand Patterns Every Piano Player Should Know”. The subtitle for the book is: “Play the
same song 100 different ways!” Imagine a student having 100 different left hand patterns they can use

to take any song they are working on (i.e. hymns, classical pieces, pop/ballad pieces, fake book music,
etc.), and arrange it. This helps the students connect to the music on a much deeper level and the
music becomes theirs because it is now their own arrangement. It is amazing what can happen to a
student when they take a well known song and change it up a little and make it their own. They take
ownership!
15. If you teach teenage boys, start the lesson doing push ups or lifting weights. Have them
punch punching bags, speed bags, stretch, meditate, do sit ups, or even do a few karate and
marshal arts moves. Oddly enough, it works! I will get down with the student and we will do 25
push ups together. We may go into my gym that is in the room next to the piano studio and lift
weights together for four or five minutes. While lifting I explain about the importance of doing reps
(repetition) and sets – either in weight lifting or in playing the piano. I explain why I have them repeat
measures over and over again until they have the notes correct – first with the left hand and then with
the right hand. I explain why I make sure the timing is right on, and the dynamics are beautifully
delivered. It’s like lifting weights, but at the piano. The more we do it the better we become! Also, the
brief exercise, I have found, increases their energy level and improves performance during the lesson.
It’s a fun way to mix up their music lessons a little each week.
16. Have the student try to sing while they are playing. You can also ask them to invite a friend
to their piano lesson who plays another instrument and you will have them jam together with
you at the lesson. This is also fun to do for piano recitals and concerts. In my own “Piano
Concerts” (recitals), I refer to it as a Jam Session or “Jammin’ with Jerald.” You can have a piano
“Jam Session” with your own piano students as well. Do a dueling piano duel with your piano
student. Invite others to attend. It can be a home concert with family and friends. Ask their friends
who play instruments to accompany them (with guitars, bass, violin, cello, saxophone, clarinet, etc.).
Getting them to perform in a cool, laid back setting is the ticket!
17. At a piano recital or concert, ask a few of the students to be the opening act and perform
their own music while the audience is coming in. They can perform something they have composed
or a piece they have perfected. This is fun to do and is a great opportunity for the students to share
their music with others. You can also select a few individual piano students, based on their level of
proficiency, to perform with you at various venues when you will be performing. Think about that as
motivation! I tell students when they reach a certain level they can perform with me at church, at rest
homes, retirement homes, and even at concerts. For the student to be able to perform in front of an

audience with their piano teacher is very motivating. It shows the student that you trust their ability
and it motivates them to want to do their best. Some will even go on to do music professionally either
as teachers, performers, composers, or in other areas within the music profession.
18. Have your students enter contests or competitions either on their piano playing ability,
mastery, performance, technique, theory, or overall musicianship. You can have them enter
composition competitions, local young aspiring artists challenges, battle of the bands, or any other
event where they can compete against their peers. A little competition is a good thing. If there are not
any available competitions or events where students can perform or compete, create your own. Host
an event that you put together or have many piano teachers and their studios collectively work
together on creating a competition. Think outside the box. It does not need to be a traditional
competition. You could have one on composing, improvising, arranging, accompanying, playing lead
sheets, playing pop music, playing new age music, playing jazz and blues music, playing hymn
arrangements, performing original compositions or arrangements, or even having piano students team
up with their friends who play others instruments. They could do duets, trios, and quartets, playing the
piano with the guitar, a harmonica, cello, violin, tuba, accordion, flute, any electric instrument,
keyboards, drums, and hundreds of other combinations.
19. Come up with something entirely fresh and new. Create an idea no one has ever thought of
before. There are so many great ideas out there. This is only a handful. You could have the students
play the piano to silent films. You could have students collectively compose a piece together by
assigning individual sections or movements of the piece and then having everyone perform it together
(never having heard the other sections). You could have group performances on two to twenty pianos
or keyboards. You could come up with fun ideas like taking a piano or keyboard to a park and having
impromptu performances with your students and strangers in the park. See if you could perform in
malls, airports, movie theater lobbies, shopping centers, gas stations, town hall/town squares, or
anywhere you could get permission to perform.
20. Don’t just teach music. Teach life skills. Challenge your students to have many interests and
to pursue many different areas of learning. I encourage my piano students to play sports, dance,
draw, do math, science, ballet, drama, pottery, gardening, hiking, camping, and a thousand other
activities that have absolutely nothing to do with music or playing the piano. I talk to them often
about being well-rounded and doing more than just playing the piano. I know that may sound a little
contrary to the purpose of piano lessons, but I help them understand that, as important as piano is to

me, since it is my life – there is more to life than piano. I tell my own piano students I want them to
learn as much as they can in every area of life and do as much as they can to experience all that life
has to offer. If this means they missed a day or two of practicing the piano, I understand. Don’t
misunderstand what I am saying about this. It is important for the piano students to practice and
improve at playing the piano, but it is imperative that they know they are more than just a piano
player. We all are. We all have interests and other hobbies, activities, and areas of our lives that are
just as important to us as the piano. Some that are even more important. For me, spending time with
my family and being the best husband and dad I can be is much more important than tickling the
ivories. I want my piano students to know that and know that it is okay if they are excited about other
things. So am I. I think we all are and we should be!
Here is a statement I give all of my piano students, and it is found on my website and in the front
of each of my books I have published:
This is my Purpose and Mission in life:
“My purpose and mission in life is to motivate myself and others through my music and writing,
to help others find their purpose and mission in life, and to teach values that encourage everyone
everywhere to do and be their best.” – Jerald Simon
That is what I personally feel my own mission in life is and should be. It’s my mission statement. I
have each of my piano students create their own mission statement.
This is a message I also have in my books and tell my students:
A message from Jerald to piano students and parents:
If you come to piano lessons each week and walk away only having learned about music notation,
rhythm, and dots on a page, then I have failed as a Music Mentor. Life lessons are just as important, if
not more important than music lessons. I would rather have you learn more about goal setting and
achieving, character, dedication, and personal improvement. To have you learn to love music,
appreciate it, and play it, is a wonderful byproduct you will have for the rest of your life – a talent that
will enrich your life and the lives of others. To become a better musician is wonderful and important,
but to become a better person is more important.
As a Music Mentor I want to mentor students to be the very best they can be. If you choose not to
practice, you essentially choose not to improve. This is true in any area of life. Everyone has the same

amount of time allotted to them. What you choose to do with your time, and where you spend your
time, has little to do with the activities being done and more to do with the value attached to each
activity.
I believe it’s important to be well-rounded and have many diverse interests. I want students to
enjoy music, to learn to be creative and understand how to express themselves musically – either by
creating music of their own, or interpreting the music of others – by arranging and improvising well
known music. In addition, I encourage students to play sports, dance, sing, draw, read, and develop all
of their talents. I want them to be more than musicians, I want them to learn to become well-rounded
individuals. Above all, I want everyone to continually improve and do their best. I encourage
everyone to set goals, dream big, and be the best they can be in whatever they choose to do. Life is
full of wonderful choices. Choose the best out of life and learn as much as you can from everyone
everywhere. I prefer being called a Music Mentor because I want to mentor others and help them to
live their dreams.
Your life is your musical symphony.

Make it a masterpiece!
I believe it’s important to be well-rounded individuals. If a musician is gifted and can play
anything placed in front of them and compose the most beautiful music, but they have no people skills
whatsoever and are rude, obnoxious, or belittling to others, then their skills as a musician aren’t really
helping them in life. Part of making music is sharing it with others. This is where we invite others on
our musical journey and they experience what we experience. It’s how we relate to and connect with
others. Music really brings people together.
Can you imagine a world where there is no music? How sad would that be? Imagine going to a
sporting event without any music or sound effects. There would be no marching band or half time
show. What if there were no music while we watch our favorite T.V. shows or movies? If there is no
music then there is no singing. You can’t dance very well without music and without singing and
dancing their would be no musicals, no broadway productions, ballets, symphonies, operas, or choirs.
Our everyday experiences would be lessened without music. We need music in our lives.
Music is one of the greatest connections between our memories and experiences, and as we help
the next generation get excited about contributing to the world of music, they will create and share
their music with others. Everyone has music within them that they can share with others. It is their
story, their experiences, their ideas, hopes, fears, failures, and successes. It is who they are and who
they hope to become during their lifetime.
Jerald Simon - jeraldsimon@musicmotivation.com - (801)444-5143 (business line)

Q Getting Started with Jazz Improvisation Q
(the essentials)
by Jerald M. Simon (Music MentorTM)
musicmotivation.com
Far too many music educators avoid jazz improvisation because improvisation is too often perceived as
unstructured, unorganized, lacking theory, content, form, or even meaning - but true improvisors have an
uncanny knowledge of music theory, scales, chords, music structure, form and how to apply that knowledge to
improvisation. This enables them to change keys, change styles, embellish, arrange on the spot, and create or
compose their own musical ideas, themes, melodies, and songs using music theory as their base.
I do not consider myself an expert by any means and I am striving to learn as much as I can and improve my
own understanding of improvisation. In this handout, I will share some of what I have learned about Jazz
Improvisation. For more free handouts, worksheets, free music (arrangements and original compositions), and
a more detailed list of music resources for music educators (primarily piano teachers) music students
(primarily piano students) and parents, please visit musicmotivation.com.
= ♫ 1 - Swing Rhythm = 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & - Why not just write it out? (e.g. 1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a)
When jazz music is written out and played 1 & a 2 & a, etc., it sounds like a classical musician trying to
play jazz music. It sounds unnatural, too rigid and forced, and loses the jazz “feel” about the piece.
3
Swing the 8ths or   =  Typically you will see one or the other. Both are telling the musician to play the eighth notes unevenly.
Try the example below to get the feel of swinging eighth notes.
  
As you play, think or even say the words: long -
      
short - long - short - long - short - long - short, to
help you play it.
long short long short long short long short
The eighth notes are played unevenly. The first eighth note is held longer than the second eighth note. They
follow a pattern of long - short - long - short - long - short - long - short. It’s an easier way to notate the music
- otherwise the notation would be much more complicated and actually would not work (but you should still learn
how to count and play those more challenging rhythms as well - you’ll get there). I tell students to think of, what I call, the

“Drunken Sailor” effect. Everything is slurred and blended together. To help you feel the swing rhythm, play
the blues pentascale below. These are the first five notes of the C blues scale (C E  F F G).
 
= ♫ 2 - Blue Notes = (e.g. E and B or the 3rd and 7th notes. Anytime you flat a third or a seventh, you create
blue notes. Try playing a major third interval (C and E) but slide the third finger down from the E flat.
= ♫ 3 - Grace Notes, Crushed Notes, and Hammerings (what’s the difference?):
Grace Notes (  ) = “A note printed in small type to indicate that its time value is not counted in the rhythm of the bar
and must be subtracted from that of an adjacent note.” - Harvard Concise Dictionaty of Music and Musicians

Crushed Notes (  ) = “A note played simultaneously with the following note and released immediately.” - Dr. Bert
Konowitz, Listen and Play Blues Keyboard

Hammerings (  ) = “A technique of decorating chords and intervals with appoggiatura. This technique was first used
by Blues and Country guitarists. In the late Fifties hammering on the piano was made popular by country-pianist Floyd
Cramer. Hammerings make chord playing more relaxed and make things more melodic and playful...” - 1000 Keyboard
Tips, Dreksler and Harle (published by Mel Bay).
Copyright © 2011 by Music Motivation® - All Rights Reserved - visit musicmotivation.com

facebook.com/jeraldsimon, twitter.com/jeraldsimon, youtube.com/jeraldsimon, linkedin.com/in/jeraldsimon 1
P.O. Box 1000 Kaysville, UT 84037 - (801)444-5143
page 2
(the essentials)
musicmotivation.com
= ♫ 4 - Chords to learn/know (in all keys and all inversions). This is no where near complete (there are many more)!
(All of these exercises in this handout are in the “Cool Exercises for Cool Kids” series {volumes 1, 2, and 3} by Jerald M. Simon)
C Cm C dim C aug C sus4 C sus2 C Maj6 C min6
   
          
  
               
C M7 C mM7 C7 C m7 C m7 5 C m7 5 C dim7


(whole diminished 7th)

th
(half diminished 7 )
3
  
 

  

          
* From the book “An Introduction to Scales and Modes” (second edition) by Jerald M. Simon ($14.95)
 
                  
Now do the above chords in all inversions (root, first, second, and third inversions) blocked (notes played
together at the same time) and broken (notes played one after another - not together as in an arpeggio) in all
keys. It’s important to know these chords and all their positions/inversions in all keys from memory. If you
can play these looking at the music that is wonderful and I applaud you, but to be good with improvisation, you
must know these by heart - not just in your brain - but in your fingers too. This is the age old debate about
mental versus muscular musicality. You may know how to create the chords and the theory behind the chords,
but do your fingers know how to automatically adjust to each chord? It takes practice, but it’s worth it!
= ♫ 5 - Seventh Chords created from the C Major Scale (do in all keys). There are five main types of 7th
chords: major, dominant, minor, half-diminished and diminished. There are several alterations of 7th
chords such as augmented seventh chords, that is, the 5th may be raised. The 5th interval may be raised
or lowered as well as the 7th interval. Major, minor, or dominant 7th chords may have the 4th suspended.
           

     
 
*                 
  
  
Seventh Chords
(Blocked & Broken)
      
                      

  
         
2 facebook.com/jeraldsimon, twitter.com/jeraldsimon, youtube.com/jeraldsimon, linkedin.com/in/jeraldsimon
page 3
(the essentials)
musicmotivation.com
= ♫ 6. - Modes (do you know your modes?) I D P L M A L (I Don’t Play Like My Aunt Louise)
In every scale there are different modes (think of scales within scales). An easy way to understand a mode
is to think of it as a “mood”. We can be in good moods and in bad moods. When we play a song or piece in a
different mode, a different mood is produced. It could be a happy, sad, strange, peaceful, violent, tired, or
thoughtful mood, but with music it all depends on the modes.
To create the mode, you simply start on one of the notes and go until you play the same note an octave
higher. As an example, there are eight notes from C - C, D - D, E - E, F - F, G - G, A - A, and B - B. All of
these modes are played using the same sharps or flats in the given key signature (in this case it would be the
key of C - no sharps of flats).
First let me teach you a simple phrase: “I Don’t Play Like My Aunt Louise!”.
“I Don’t Play Like My Aunt Louise!”

=
Memorize each of these for each of the modes!

Once you have it memorized, it is the same for every key signature.
I * I = Ionian = the major scale (e.g. CDEFGABC)
ii * D = Dorian = take the major 3 and major 7 down a half step rd th

(e.g. DEFGABCD)
iii P = Phrygian = take the major 2 , major 3 , major 6 , and major 7 down a half step
nd rd th th
(e.g. EFGABCDE)
IV L = Lydian = take the perfect 4 up a half step th

(e.g. FGABCDEF)
V
* M = Mixolydian = take the major 7 down a half step th
(e.g. GABCDEFG)
vi A = Aeolian = take the major 3 , major 6 , and major 7 down a half step
rd th th
(e.g. ABCDEFGA)
vii L = Locrian = take the major 2 , major 3 , perfect 5 , major 6 , and major 7 down a half step
nd rd th th th
(e.g. BCDEFGAB)
* Dorian, Mixolydian, and Ionian are the three most used modes because they relate to the ii-V-I chord progression (primary jazz chord progression)
Whenever I teach modes to my piano students or at workshops, seminars, and music camps, I have piano
students learn and memorize the phrase above. I have them repeat it five times. You’ll be able to remember
this phrase once you’ve repeated it five times to yourself. I have everyone pretend they have some aunt named
Louise, who is a phenominal pianist and travels all over the world performing. I then tell them to repeat the
words, “I Don’t Play Like My Aunt Louise”. After I know they have the phrase memorized, I explain the
reason they don’t play like Aunt Louise is because they haven’t learned the modes yet. As soon as they learn
the modes they can be just as good - if not better than Aunt Louise.
Notice how there are seven words and each word is capitalized. If we take out those capitalized letters we
have the first letters of the names of the modes. It is a helpful acronym for: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian,
Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian (the seven primary modes used in jazz improvisation).
= There are three major modes (Ionian, Lydian, and Mixolydian). I tell my students to say “I Love Music” to
remember the major modes. There are four minor modes (technically three minor modes - Dorian, Phrygian,
Aeolian, and one diminished mode - the Locrian mode). I tell my students to imagine they have a “Depressed
PAL” to remember the minor modes.
page 4
(the essentials)
musicmotivation.com
= ♫ 7 - Chord/Scale Compatibility (which chords go with which scales?)
Scale Degree Mode (built from scale degree) Quality of 7th Chord
I. Ionian Major
II. Dorian Minor
III. Phrygian Minor
IV. Lydian Major
V. Mixolydian Dominant
VI. Aeolian Minor
VII Locrian Half-diminished
B m7  5 
C Maj7 D min7 E min7 F Maj7 G7

A min7
 
C Maj7


   


     

I (1) ii (2) iii (3) IV (4) V (5) vi (6) vii (7) VIII (8 or 1)
   
       
  
   
Ionian Dorian Phrygian Lydian Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian Ionian
(C - C) (D - D) (E - E) (F - F) (G - G) (A - A) (B - B) (C - C)
= ♫ 8 - Modal Improvisation (left hand plays seventh chords - right hand improvises on a melody using modes)
This is often referred to as “Modal Jazz”
5
by Jerald M. Simon
                                  
1
3 3
1

       


   
 
   
1
2
3
5
  
same fingering on all 7th chords
Try arranging Mary Had a Little Lamb; Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star; Three Blind Mice; Row, Row, Row
Your Boat, and other children’s songs in a modal jazz style. The right hand will play the melody of the piece
while the left hand will play seventh chords created from the major scale of the key signature of the piece (e.g.
in the key of C Major we would play the seventh chords created from the C major scale). In the beginning, as
long as one of the notes in the seventh chord played with the left hand matches the melody played with the right
hand, you are okay. Don’t look now, but you’re playing modal jazz.
page 5
(the essentials)
musicmotivation.com
= ♫ 9 - ii-V-I (the two-five-one chord progression) - this is the most commonly used chord progression
 Jerald M. Simon
  
       
D min7 G7 C Maj7 G min7 C7 F Maj7
    
  
ii V I I ii V I I
  

root 2nd root root 2nd root
        

    




C min7 F7 B  Maj7 F min7 B 7 E  Maj7
    
9
  
    
       
ii V I I ii V I I
root

2nd root  root

2nd

root

    


 
    
B  min7 E 7 A  Maj7 E  min7 A 7 D  Maj7

      
      
17
     

   
ii V I I ii V I I

  

        
     
   
A  min7 D 7 G  Maj7 D  min7 G 7 C  Maj7

       
       
25

       
   
ii V I I ii V I I

   
        
  
  
   
page 6
(the essentials)
musicmotivation.com
On the previous page (page 5) I introduced the ii - V - I chord progression (following the circle of fourths).
In classical and traditional music we use the I - IV - V - V7 chord progression or a variation of it (with the
authentic, plagal, and complete cadences). We do so because these are the primary chords (since they are the
only major chords in the sequence of chords created from the major scale - Major, minor, minor, Major, Major,
Minor, Diminished, Major). The other chords are secondary chords (because they are minor with one
diminished). In jazz music, the standard progression is ii - V - I (ii = minor seventh, V = dominant seven, I =
major seventh). As an example, in the key of C major, ii = D minor seventh, V = G seventh (dominant), and I
= C major seventh. Play the ii - V - I chord progression on page 5 in all keys (notice how in jazz music we
follow the circle of fifths in a counter-clockwise motion - this is also known as the circle or cylce of fouths).
Jazz musicians and classical musicians do run in different circles.
Here is an example of modal improvisation where I play a progression of ii - ii (dorian - dorian). Try this in
all keys. If you’d like to try this in all keys but don’t know if you’re ready to play this without music yet, I do
have this available on my website as a free download in all keys at musicmotivation.com.
3
swing it!    

= Jerald M. Simon
D min7 F min7 E min7 D M7

  
     
                       
ii ii ii I
           
           
  

D(dorian) - F(dorian) E(dorian) D(Ionian)
= ♫ 10 - Walking Bass Lines (generally the left hand plays quarter notes and the right hand plays eighth notes).
Most of the time the right hand improvises using scales, modes, and chords.
             
     
1 3 2 1
4 3 2 5 4 3 2 5 4 3 2
5
swing it      =
Jerald M. Simon
3
                             
 
         
       
1 3 2 1 5
4 3 2 4 3 2 5 4 3 2
5
Copyright © 2011 by Music Motivation - All Rights Reserved - visit musicmotivation.com
®

page 7
On this page, I will give examples of left hand patterns that are found in several of the pieces from some
of my books. I will explain the theory used to create each pattern and challenge the piano students (and their
teachers) to play each example in every key (moving up chromatically in half steps, following the circle/cycle
of 5ths and the circle/cycle of 4ths). The theory used to create each of these patterns apply to all key signatures.
Once you understand how to create the pattern, you can duplicate it in every key. Try it! Have fun with these
left hand patterns. Visit musicmotivation.com for more music.
Barrel House Blues and Extended Barrel House Blues left hand patterns - from Boot Camp Boogie (”Cool Songs for Cool Kids volume 2” pg. 8)
 
       
The simple barrel house blues left hand pattern is created by playing the
       
perfect fifth interval (e.g. C and G) followed by the major sixth interval
(e.g. C and A) over and over again. The extended barrel house blues left hand
pattern is created by playing the perfect fifth interval (e.g. C and G)
followed by the major sixth interval (e.g. C and A) then the minor
seventh interval (e.g. C and B flat) followed by the major sixth interval
(e.g. C and A) again. This pattern is also used in Locker Jam and Rock
‘n Rag (“Cool Songs for Cool Kids volume 1” pgs. 17 and 18
The is a pattern of ascending/descending intervals - from The Spy Kid (”Cool Songs for Cool Kids volume 2” pg. 10)
      
 
This left hand pattern is created by playing the perfect fifth interval
(e.g. C and G) followed by the augmented fifth interval (e.g. C and G
sharp) then the major sixth interval (e.g. C and A) followed by a minor
sixth interval (e.g. C and A flat).
This is the same example as the one above, but two of each of the harmonic intervals are played as eighth notes - from The Spy Kid (pg. 10)
                     
This is a simple walking bass patter (created from a broken C major sixth chord) - from Deck the Halls (”Jazzed about Christmas” pg. 11)
This is a walking bass pattern created from the C major sixth chord.
       
  Simply break the C major sixth chord apart (broken) and play one note
after another. I used this left hand pattern in “Deck the Halls” on page
11. It is also used in “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas” on page 9, but with a
walking bass pattern created from the F major sixth chord.
5 3 2 1
This is a simple walking bass patter (created from a broken C major sixth chord) - from Deck the Halls (”Jazzed about Christmas” pg. 11)
                    This is another walking bass pattern. I used this left hand

pattern in “Jingle Bells” on page 10, and “Joy to the World” on
page 14.
2 1 2
2 1 3
5 3
This example is like the first example - an extended barrel house blues pattern, but played as eighth notes.
                    This left hand pattern is from the arrangement of Hark

the Herald Angels Sing (”Jazzed about Christmas” pg. 12)
1 (2) 1 1 1
5 Copyright © 2011 by Music Motivation - All Rights Reserved - visit musicmotivation.com
®
5 5 5
page 8
(the essentials)
musicmotivation.com
= ♫ 11 - Jazz Scales (Modes, Bebop Scales, Harmonic Minor, Melodic Minor, Symmetric, Diminished, Octatonic,
Whole Tone, Major Pentatonic (omits 4th and 7th), Minor pentatonic (begins on 6th), Blues (major/minor)
Most frequently used jazz scales are the pentatonic and blues scales (in addition to the modes which are
used all the time). Blues Scales (major = variation of the pentatonic scale - C D D  E G A C)
(minor = minor pentatonic scale plus flat 5th {sharp 4th} - C E  F F  G B  C)
3
Swing it!     =
First five notes from the blues scale. This can be referred to as a
blues pentascale. Try this in all keys.
C Blues Pentascale Jerald M. Simon
                            
1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1
                                    
5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4
 
same fingering for all blues pentascales (in all keys)
The blues scale is created using the root/perfect first (e.g. C), a minor 3rd or flat the 3rd (e.g. E ), a perfect 4th
(e.g. F), an augmented 4th or sharp the 4th (e.g. F  ), a perfect 5th (e.g. G), a minor 7th or flat the 7th (e.g. B ) and
 
ending with the tonic (e.g. C). The C blues scale is C E F F G B  C.
     
1 2 3 4 1 3 4 (or 1 when doing more octaves)
    Once you feel comfortable playing this scale one octave try two,
three, and four octaves up and down the keyboard. Then, for fun
try playing the blues scale in every key moving up chromatically
in half steps.
Now, let’s look at the C major blues scale below. The C major scale is a variation of the C pentatonic scale (where the
4th and 7th have been omitted - C D E G A C). This is a major blues scale because the top four notes (E G A C) create a
C major sixth chord in first inversion.
5
3 3 2 1
  
2
1 2 3 1
  
5
  
3 2 1
      
C Maj. 6th Chord C Maj. 6th Chord
(1st Inversion) (1st Inversion)
   
3
     
2
1 2 3 1 5
               

5 5
32
1
23
1 32
1
23
1  
On the next page I have included all of the minor blues scales (with fingering) in all keys. I have not included the major blues scales
in all keys but it should be practiced in all keys as well. Try improvising using the I (C major blues scale), IV (F major blues scale),
and V (G major blues scale). For fun you can add a walking bass left hand pattern created from the C major sixth chord (broken
apart) and adding the minor seventh interval on top (look at page 7 of this handout for a reminder of left hand patterns you can use).
page 9
(the essentials)
musicmotivation.com
= ♫ 12 - Blues Scales (all keys) - try these 1, 2, and 3 octaves up and down the piano!
3 Generally, you will use the circle of fourths (circle of fifths played in a counter-clockwise motion)
Swing it!     = when playing blues scales or most jazz progressions. I wrote these examples following the circle of
fifths because it is easier to learn the fingering that way.
C Blues Scale Jerald M. Simon

                                  

1 2 3 4 1 3 4(1) 3 1 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 1 3 4(1) 3 1 4 3 2 1
                          
5 4 3 2 1 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 5
        
 
G Blues Scale
5
                       
        
1 2 3 4 1 3 4(1) 3 1 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 1 3 4(1) 3 1 4 3 2 1
5 4 3 2 1 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 5
  

                         
   
D Blues Scale
9
               
        
       
1 2 3 4 1 3 4(1) 3 1 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 1 3 4(1) 3 1 4 3 2 1
      
                   
5 4 3 2 1 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 5
       
 
           
A Blues Scale
13
         
        
1 2 3 4 1 3 4(1) 3 1 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 1 3 4(1) 3 1 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 5
 
                          
   
page 10
(the essentials)
musicmotivation.com
 
E Blues Scale
             
17
               
 
1 2 3 4 1 3 4(1) 3 1 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 1 3 4(1) 3 1 4 3 2 1
   
5
         
4 3 2 1 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 5 5
  
4 3
         
2 1 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 5

       

  
B Blues Scale
           
         
21
         

1 2 3 1 2 3 4(1) 3 2 1 3 2 1 1 2 3 1 2 3 4(1) 3 2 1 3 2 1

4 2 1 3 2 1 2(4) 1 2 3 1 2 4 4 2 1 3 2 1 2(4) 1 2 3 1 2 4
                 
         
       
F Sharp Blues Scale
25
                
                   
3 1 2 3 4 1 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 1 4 3 2 1 3
 
4
   3  1 2 3 4
3 2 1 3 1 2(4) 1 4 3 2
     3  1 2 3 4
1 3 1 2(4) 1
                     

  
D Flat (C Sharp) Blues Scale
 
29
                   
    
            
3 1 2 3 4 1 2(3) 1 4 3 2 1 3 3 1 2 3 4 1 2(3) 1 4 3 2 1 3
4
       
3 2 1 3 1 2(4) 1 3 1 2 3 4 4 3 2
       
1 3 1 2(4) 1 3 1 2 3 4
                  
   
      
A Flat (G Sharp) Blues Scale
      
   
33
             

4 1 3 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 3 1 4 4 1 3 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 3 1 4
2 1 3 1 4 3 2 3 4 1 3 1 2 2 1 3 1 4 3 2 3 4 1 3 1 2
  
                    
         
page 11
(the essentials)
musicmotivation.com
E Flat Blues Scale
           
37
                    
2 3 4 1 2 3 4(1) 3 2 1 4 3 2 2 3 4 1 2 3 4(1) 3 2 1 4 3 2
4 3 2 1 3 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4

 
                   
       
         
                 
B Flat Blues Scale
   
41
   
2 3 4 1 2 3 2(1) 3 2 1 4 3 2 2 3 4 1 2 3 2(1) 3 2 1 4 3 2
4 3 2 1 3 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4
 
                          
   
F Blues Scale
             
45

               
 
1 2 3 4 1 3 4(1) 3 1 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 1 3 4(1) 3 1 4 3 2 1
5 4 3 2 1 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 5

                 
             
C Blues Scale
49
                         
   
1 2 3 4 1 3 4(1) 3 1 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 1 3 4(1) 3 1 4 3 2 1
                   
5 4 3 2 1 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 5
   
    
Once you can play these in all keys (both hands - one octave) practice playing them in every key
signature 2 - 3 octaves up and down the piano with both hands. You’ll get faster and it’s a lot of fun.
Try it!

page 12
(the essentials)
musicmotivation.com
= ♫ 13 - Improvising with the Blues Scales (major and minor). Once students feel comfortable with the major
and minor blues scales, encourage them to improvise with the notes from the scales (any rhythm, any order).
I have my students practice improvising with the major and minor blues scales as often as they can (in all keys). For
improvising with the major blues scale, I have students use a simple walking bass pattern (a broken major sixth chord
with a minor seventh interval added on top - always playing quarter notes) while the right hand improvises on the major
blues scale (which is a variation of the pentatonic scale). This is an example (create your own as well):
3
swing it    =  Jerald M. Simon

2 3 5 3
                                          
1 2 3
1
1 3 3
        
          
5 3 2 1 2 1 2 3 5 3 2 1 2 1 2 3
To teach my students this walking bass left hand pattern with several variations on the major blues scale (pentatonic), I wrote “The
Jazz Song” (from the book Jazzed about Jazz - $13.94). It’s a fun wild piece that helps them learn these patterns on C, F, and G.
Try the minor blues pentascale (first five notes from the blues scale) below and then the full minor blues scale. I do
this with my own students and have them try to improvise using any notes from the blues scale and any rhythm they want.
3
swing it      =
Jerald M. Simon
          
5 4 3 2
          
1 2 3 4
(first five notes of rthe scale)
Minor Blues Penta-scale
     
                   
     
1 2 3 4
5 4 3 2
swing it    =
2 Jerald M. Simon
           
1
              
1 4
       
 
1 2 3 4 3 4 2 3 2
 

Minor Blues Scale
                    
         
 
 
    
1 3 2 1 3 1 2 3
4
4 3 2
5 Copyright © 2011 by Music Motivation® - All Rights Reserved - visit musicmotivation.com
page 13
= ♫ 14 - 7th chords, 9th chords, 11th chords, and 13th chords
The easiest way to explain chords is to think of them like building blocks. All chords are created using
intervals. An “interval” is defined as the distance (comprised of whole and half steps) between two notes. The major
scale uses “Perfect” and “Major” intervals. The perfect intervals are the primary notes (from which the primary chords
are created) from the major scale (e.g. 1 or C; 4 or F: and 5 or G). The major intervals are the secondary notes
(from which the secondary chords are created) from the major scale (e.g. 2 or D; 3 or E; 6 or A; and 7 or B). Look at the
intervals of the C major scale below (once you feel comfortable playing this exercise in the key of C - try playing it in every key moving
up chromatically in half steps.)
       
     
Perfect 1st Major 2nd Major 3rd Perfect 4th Perfect 5th Major 6th Major 7th Perfect 8th
(or unison) (or octave)
Perfect intervals can become a diminished interval by playing the flat (e.g. C and G  is a diminished 5th

interval) and an augmented interval by playing the sharp (e.g. C and G is an augmented 5th interval). Major
intervals can become a diminished interval by playing the double flat (C and B  is a diminished 7th interval),
can become a minor interval by playing the flat (e.g. C and B  is a minor 7th interval), and an augmented
interval by playing the sharp (e.g. C and B  is an augmented 7th interval).
Play the seventh chords below. Try figuring out which intervals have been used to create the chords.
B m7  5  
C Maj7 D min7 E min7 F Maj7

G7
 
A min7
 C Maj7
   


     

This is how I explain 7th, 9th, 11th, and 13th chords to my piano students: Seventh chords are created on top of
basic triad chords (e.g. Major, Minor, Diminished, Augmented, Sus4, Sus2, etc.), 9th chords are created on top
of 7th chords, 11th chords are created on top of 9th chords, 13th chords are created on top of 11th chords. Each of
the previous chords add to following (the same notes are used and added upon). The basic triads, sixth chords,
and seventh chords primarily use inversions when changing the order of the notes (root, first, second, and
third). When we use 9th chords, 11th chords, and 13th chords, we use voicings (where the notes of the chord
are spread between the two hands in different orders and patterns). All chords can be voiced (e.g. basic triads,
sixth and seventh chords). First, let’s look at inverting seventh chords.
 B m7  5  
       
C Maj7 F Maj7 E min7

      
      
 
root 1st 2nd 3rd similar
A min7 D min7
 G7 C Maj7

     
5

     
     


  
page 14
(the essentials)
musicmotivation.com
= ♫ 15 - Voicing Seventh Chords.
The example below is a well-known progression of the seventh chords (notice how the chords descend in fifths - e.g.
C - F, F - B, B - E, etc.). The example below was taken from the book Keyboard Wisdom (Theory and Technique) by
Steven Goomas (published by Mel Bay). It’s a great book and I highly recommend it to teachers and piano students. Try
playing these seventh chords as they are written out below, then improvise on these progressions.
Jerald M. Simon
C Maj7 F Maj7 B m7  5  E min7 A min7 D min7 G7 C Maj7


   


  
    
  

       
  


 
3
   
    



    
  

5

      
     
    
 
 
   
 
page 15
= ♫ 16 - Additional topics to study:
Below I’ve listed some additional points to study with Jazz Improvisation (there is much more, but this list
will keep you going for a while):
♫ Avoid Note (4th/11th)

♫ The difference between Jazz Harmony and Traditional Classical Practice (look up on Wikipedia)
♫ Mode Harmonization (modal playing with improvised chording)
♫ Melody Harmonization and Reharmonization of chord progressions and basic melodies
♫ Bebop Scales
♫ Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales with minor seventh chords
♫ Symmetric Diminished/Octatonic Scales
♫ 9th Chords (voicings)
♫ Left-Hand Voicings (rootless voicings for the left hand)
♫ Open and Closed Voicings (blocked and broken chords)
♫ Polychords and Polytonality
♫ Altered Chords
♫ Slash Chords
♫ Chord-Scale Relationships
♫ Connecting Chords (chord progressions, substitutions, etc.)
♫ Chord Jamming
♫ Chord Parallelism (Chords or chord voicings moving in parallel motion)
♫ Chord Functions (basic substitution and function of chords and scales - how they relate)
♫ Major and Minor Key Functions (the purpose of each of the tones of a scale and the related chords)
♫ Tritones and Tritone Substitution (the interval composed of three whole steps, generally between the 3rd
and 7th of a dominant 7th chord)
♫ Upper Structures
♫ Circle of 4ths/Cycle of 4ths
♫ Circle of 5ths/Cylce of 5ths
♫ Spiral of 5ths
♫ Licks, Riffs, Runs, Frills, Tags, Sequence, Stroll,
♫ Finger Memory (muscular memory of what a chord, lick, phrase, pattern, and so on, feels like)
There are, of course, many more topics and areas we could discuss and focus on in great depth. The more
you learn about music, the more you realize you need to learn even more about music, styles, genres, patterns,
progressions, etc. Below I’ve included a list of recommended resources (there are many, many more):
♫ The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine (Sher Music Co.)

♫ The Jazz Piano Book by Mark Levin (Sher Music Co.)
♫ Keyboard Wisdom (theory & technique) by Steven Goomas (Mel Bay)
♫ Jazz Improvisation for Keyboard Players (complete edition) by Dan Haerle (everything by Dan is amazing)
♫ The Jazz Language (a theory text for Jazz Composition and Improvisation) by Dan Haerle
♫ 1000 Keyboard Tips by Dreksler and Harle (Mel Bay)
♫ Jazz Piano Scales and Modes by Misha V. Stefanuk (Mel Bay)
♫ Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series (various books by various authors) (Hal Leonard)

Locker Jam Passed
Off
skill - C and F blues pentascale, perfect 5th, major 6th, and minor 7th intervals
From the book Cool Songs for Cool Kids (volume 1) by Jerald M. Simon ($10.95).
swing rhythm = long, short, long, short, long, short, long, short,
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
To purchase the book, visit musicmotivation.com or your local music store.

3
Swing it!    =  by Jerald M. Simon

C7
                 
1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1

          
 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
           
1
5
  
 


 

 
 
pedal simile
F7 2 3 4 C7
5 1

         
4
5 3 2 1

            
      
         
 


 

 
 
1
5
9
G F C7
                      
5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4
        
       
  
     
pedal simile
F7 2 3 C7
4 4 3
13 1 2 1
                                        
3 1 4 3 2 3 2 1 1 2 3
  
 

      
          
  

Copyright © 2010 by Music Motivation® (ASCAP)
International Copyright Secured

MM00001010 All rights reserved including the right of public performance for profit 17
Passed
Off
Pogo Stick Punch Out STYLE: Jazz
skill - Key of C Major - walking bass created from the major sixth chord with a minor 7th interval on top
Page 1 of “Pogo Stick Punch Out” by Jerald M. Simon from the book Cool Songs for Cool Kids (volume 2) by Jerald M. Simon ($10.95).
  = 
3
by Jerald M. Simon
C
  
3 5
   
1 2 33
               
      


1 2 3 4 & 1 & 2 & 3& 4 &
  
             
 3
2
 1 2 1 2
3
5
walking bass created from the major sixth chord with a minor 7th interval on top
5 F G C
  
      
(2) 3
        
         
 
 
            
     
10
3
       
    
                 

             
    
15 F G C
         
                
     
 
            
     
Copyright © 2011 by Music Motivation® visit musicmotivation.com
International Copyright Secured (music monitored by ASCAP)
32 All rights reserved including the right of public performance for profit MM00001011
Passed
Off
The Gigabyte Guru STYLE: Jazz/Walking Bass
skill - L.H. walking bass created from the major sixth chord and the whole-half-half left hand walking bass pattern
Page 1 of “The Gigabyte Guru” by Jerald M. Simon from the book Cool Songs for Cool Kids (volume 2) by Jerald M. Simon ($10.95).
3
by Jerald M. Simon
cool and easy    = 
       
5
                  
5 4 3 2 3 4 3
       
3 1 2 1 2 3 2 4 2 1 (2) 2

   
 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

    
 
   
1 3 2  
    
2 5 1
3
5
Broken C major sixth chord Broken F major sixth chord

(simple walking bass) (simple walking bass)
5
    
5
                      
     

    
         
 

     
9
        

1
   
5 2
 
1
         


  
           
     4 2
1
3 2 1
4 2
5 3 5 3
Whole-half-half
L.H. walking bass pattern

14
            
  

       


               
1 3 2 1    
Copyright © 2011 by Music Motivation® visit musicmotivation.com
Passed
Off
Boomerang Boogie
Page 1 of “Boomerang Boogie” by Jerald M. Simon from the book Jazzed about Jazz by Jerald M. Simon ($13.95).
3 Jerald M. Simon
Swing with a Bounce     =
C
1
    
5
3
      

2 1 2 3 1



  
    
     
     
     
  
1 1
3 1
l.h. legato 5
4 2
Pedal ad-lib throughout the song 5

4

      
         
      

 
            
               
   

A 7/C
C m7

3
8 4 3 1 4
F9 G7 C6 3 1 3
       
2
         
1 4 1 3 2 1 3
            


 
          
 
   
A  Maj7
       
12 F min C m7
            

     
            
  


   

      
   
  

All rights reserved including the right of public performance for profit MM00001004
Passed
Off Summer Skies
(named after and written for my daughter, Summer)
Easy Swing (imagine swinging on a swing set)      =

3
Jerald M. Simon
Page 1 of “Summer Skies” by Jerald M. Simon from the book Jazzed about Jazz by Jerald M. Simon ($13.95).
 
C Maj7 D min7 E min7 F Maj7 C Maj7 D min7 E min7 F Maj7
                 

           
         


 
              
    
  
Pedal ad-lib throughout the song
F M 7a dd9 G7
  
similar chord progression
           

5
                 

             


              
       
  

quick

fermata
   
              
9
          

       

rit.
                     
        
 

              
A min G F Maj7 G A min F Maj7
  
         
13
    
       
         
a tempo
               
         
 
 Copyright © 2009 by Music Motivation® (ASCAP)
18 International Copyright Secured
The Jazz Song
Passed
Off
Page 1 of “The Jazz Song” by Jerald M. Simon from the book Jazzed about Jazz by Jerald M. Simon ($13.95).
Jerald M. Simon
Wild and Upbeat  I play it ‘Wild and Upbeat’, but you may swing it if you prefer

Section A C7
(2) (3) (2) (1) 2 3 5
1
     
3 4 3 2
   
1 2 3 1
          
    
  


     
           
5 3 2 1 2 1 2 3
Pedal ad-lib throughout the song
F7 C7
 
(2) 5
   
5 3 (3) (2) (1)

2 3 1
    
1 4 3 2 1 2 3
           
     
      
       

5 3 2 1 2 1 2 3
 
G7 F7
 
(2) 5
      
3

1 (3) (2) (1)

9 2 3
   
1 4 3 2
  
1 2 3
        
           
   
5 3 2 1 2 1 2 3
C7 A min7/C
13

                
          

    
           
   

38 International Copyright Secured
The 7 Markers of Musical Success
facebook.com/jeraldsimon
youtube.com/jeraldsimon
by Jerald Simon
&
C 2
Visit musicmotivation.com/learntoreadmusic to download this FREE PDF and to watch the video of Jerald teaching these 7 markers of musical success in his Theory Tip Tuesday video.
2 Above Middle C (2nd marker)
The 2nd
General G 5 (5th marker)
The story is simple and once you learn the story, you will never forget these notes. This is the fun and simple way to learn to read music.
G
(4th marker)
The 1st
General 4
?
C 1
This is the same note (middle C)
(1st marker)
“Sea Level” (C)
C 1 (1st marker)
F
(6th marker)
The
FROWN 6
The
Angle A 7 (7th marker)
2 Below Middle C C 3 (3rd marker)
Please feel free to make copies of this and share this handout with other piano students, piano teachers, and parents of piano students who are learning to read music. This
is not available for sale since this is a FREE PDF. Piano teachers and parents are authorized to make copies of this handout to help piano students learn to read notes.
Copyright © 2014 by Music Motivation® - Created by Music Mentor Jerald Simon - visit musicmotivation.com
by Jerald Simon
&
2
Visit musicmotivation.com/learntoreadmusic to download this FREE PDF and to watch the video of Jerald teaching these 7 markers of musical success in his Theory Tip Tuesday video.
(2nd marker)
What is this g
5 (5th marker)
The story is simple and once you learn the story, you will never forget these notes. This is the fun and simple way to learn to read music.
(4th marker)
?
1 (1st marker)
1 (1st marker)
(6th marker)
7 (7th marker)
What is this g
3 (3rd marker)
Please feel free to make copies of this and share this handout with other piano students, piano teachers, and parents of piano students who are learning to read music. This
is not available for sale since this is a FREE PDF. Piano teachers and parents are authorized to make copies of this handout to help piano students learn to read notes.
Copyright © 2014 by Music Motivation® - Created by Music Mentor Jerald Simon - visit musicmotivation.com
by Music Mentor Jerald Simon
In this hand-out I explain how I teach what I refer to as “The 7 Markers of Musical Success” - an
easy way to help students quickly identify notes on the staff and learn how to read music once
and for all. You can download the FREE PDF packet, of which this is part, by visiting this link on
my website: http://musicmotivation.com/learntoreadmusic. You will also be able to watch the
video I filmed of myself teaching and explaining these 7 Markers of Musical Success.
Here is a brief explanation. I teach “The 7 Markers of Musical Success” to all of my students
and share this explanation with all of my piano students on their very first lesson - even the
young students. I do modify it a bit with the younger students and I will explain how I do that. Let
me tell you the story. I introduce the students to 7 markers that they can quickly find on the staff
and the piano because of the following story I tell. These are the 7 markers:
1. Middle C (C4) = “C” Level (sea level) - This is Captain “Charlie” at “C” Level
2. C6 = 2 above “C” Level
3. C2 = 2 below “C” Level
4. G4 = the 1st General - This is Gary the General (Charlie’s brother)
5. G5 = the 2nd General
6. F3 = the FROWN
7. A3 = the Angle (the FROWN Angles down)
First I begin by telling the student that we are going to memorize these seven notes, their
names, and where they are on the staff and also where they are on the piano as it relates to the
staff. I tell the students that everything goes up the staff alphabetically according to the music
alphabet: A B C D E F and G. I show them that there are 88 piano keys on the piano and tell
them that the lowest note on the piano, the first key on the left side of the piano, is A. I show
them the notes while I play A, B, C, D, etc. up and down the piano. I tell the students that the
last key on the piano all the way to the right is C. I then have the students play every key on the
piano and say the letter name of the key they are playing as the play it. We also go over the
pattern of the black keys versus the white keys and have them play two black keys with two
fingers with their left hand then the three black keys with their right hand up and down the piano.
After doing this, I show them how to find all of the Cs on the piano (the first white key to the left
of the set of two black keys). I then show them how to find all of the individual keys and have
them find all As, Bs, Cs, Ds, Es, Fs, and Gs on the piano. (It does take longer for little children).
Once the students know the keys I tell them the keys are numbered and explain that the very
first key on the piano is A1. I then show them the next A on the piano and say this is A2. I tell
them this applies to all of the notes from the musical alphabet. Then I begin to teach them “The
7 Markers of Musical Success.” This is what I say - you can say this word for word or put it into
your own words. I use a “Wright-Way Note Finder” (you buy one online) or the PDF handout so I
can show the students the note moving up and down the staff as I explain the words (you can
watch me do this in the video on my website: http://musicmotivation.com/learntoreadmusic.
I pull out a copy of the handout that I’ve included in the above mentioned link. On one side it has
all of the markers listed and on the other side it shows the location of the markers but is
intentionally blank so students can write in the names of the markers to help them learn and
remember the names and where they are on the staff. This is what I then say to the students:
Please Feel FREE to make copies of this to share with others!

Copyright 2015 Music Motivation® - musicmotivation.com
Incidental and nonprofit printing is accepted and encouraged.
Jerald (or Piano Teacher) - “Let’s learn the 7 Markers of Musical Success” so you will be
able to read music or improve and get better at playing the piano. I want students to be able to
play anything that is placed in front of them. To do this you need to know your notes, where they
are on the staff and where those notes are found on the piano.”
Piano Student - “Okay!”
Jerald (or Piano Teacher) - “This is the staff,” I point to the wright-way note finder or the PDF
handout. “A staff has five lines and four spaces. If we combine one staff with another staff it is
known as a grand staff. Do you see this bracket on the left? It connects to the staves (plural of
staff) together and is the grand staff. This is a Treble Clef and this is a Bass Clef.” I point to each
clef and say how the Treble clef is higher up on the piano and the Bass Clef is lower on the
piano. I ask the student to tell me what a staff is (5 lines, 4 spaces) and be able to identify the
Treble and Bass Clefs. “Does that all make sense?”
Piano Student - “Yes!” They may be telling the truth and they may be lying - it’s sad but true! I
continually ask them to teach me and keep pointing to everything and asking them what it is. I’m
very good at not knowing things and asking them to help me. I truthfully need all the help I can
get, but this does help piano students learn the notes!
Jerald (or Piano Teacher) - “This is Middle C.” I point to Middle C on the Wright-Way Note
Finder. “I call this ‘C Level’. You’ve heard of sea level and above and below sea level, right?”
Piano Student - “Yes!”
Jerald (or Piano Teacher) - “This is the 4th C on the piano. It’s known as C4. Let’s count up to
Middle C at sea level (C Level).” We find Middle C and I show it to them on the piano and the
Wright-Way Note Finder of the PDF handout. I then say, “I refer to everything above Middle C as
being above C Level (sea level). If a note is above C level (sea level) it is to the right of Middle
C. If a note is below Middle C it is below C Level (sea level) and is to the left of Middle C. This is
our first marker. The First marker = C4 or Middle C.”
Piano Student - Usually agrees and nods - you never know what a student is actually thinking!
Jerald (or Piano Teacher) - I then point to the the two ledger lines above the Treble Clef staff
and say, “How many lines are there right here?” The student usually says “two” and I tell them
these are called ledger lines because they are above the staff. I tell them since we have two
ledger lines and we are above C level (sea level), then if we place a note on the second ledger
line we are two above C level (sea level). This note is our second marker and is two above
Middle C. Can you find the C that is two above Middle C?”
Piano Student - “Yes!”
Jerald (or Piano Teacher) - The student finds two above C level (sea level) on the piano and I
say, “This is the Second marker and is C6 or Two above C level (sea level).” After showing
the students the second marker I then point to the two ledger lines below Middle C in the Bass
Clef and say, “If the second marker was two above C level (sea level), then what do you think
this bottom ledger line is here?”
Piano Student - “Two below C level.”
Jerald (or Piano Teacher) - “That is right! This is the third marker. It is the second ledger line
below the Bass Clef since we are below C level (sea level). The Third Marker = C2 or Two
below C level (sea level). I then review the first three markers of musical success. This is a lot
of writing, but this really only takes a few minutes to teach them these markers. I then go to the
Treble Clef and say, “The Treble Clef and the Staff don’t like each other. I don’t know why, but
they are always fighting. They are always at odds and ends with each other and just can’t get
along at all. The Treble Clef is really a Treble Maker and causes problems. The first thing he
does is surround the Two Generals and then captures the Captain.” At this point I move my
finger along the Treble Clef and circle the first G above C level (Middle C) and then continue up
the Treble Clef until my finger circles the second G above C level. I will move the note of the
Wright-Way Note Finder up to the first G above C level or will show them the note on the PDF
handout. “This is the First General,” I say, pointing to the first G above C level (sea level). “The
Treble Clef surrounds the First General and then goes up to surround the Second General.” I
then move my finger up and surround the Second General and say, “This is the Second
General. This is the second G above C level.” I explain that the Fourth Marker = G4 or the
First General and is the First G above C level (Middle C). The Fifth Marker = G5 and is the
Second General or the Second G above C level (Middle C). I show the students where the
First and Second Generals are found on the piano and ask them to tell me what happened
when the Treble Clef and the Staff fought each other. They do so and teach me and then show
me where the notes are on the Staff and also on the piano. I ask if the students understand.
Piano Student - “Yes.” I determine if they are telling the truth by having them explain it to me and
teach me what they just learned.
Jerald (or Piano Teacher) - “Perfect! You know the first five markers. Let’s move on to the last
two.” I move the piano note down to the first F below C level (Middle C). I tell the students this is
the FROWN. The word FROWN begins with the letter F. I show the students the Bass Clef and
turn it to the left on its side. It actually looks like a frown. I tell the students the frown is sad
because it was hit between the eyes. The F line has two dots surrounding it - one on each side.
They look like eyes and I tell students the frown was hit between the eyes. They instantly
remember where the F is because it is a FROWN. I then tell the students the FROWN actually
Angles down. I show them how the frown is going down and the tail of the frown ends in the A
space where the A note belongs. I help piano students know the Sixth Marker = F3 or the first
F right below C level (Middle C) and the Seventh Marker = A3 or the second A below C
level (Middle C). I then tell students the music moves up and down on the staff alphabetically -
A B C D E F and G from space to line or line to space. The first space in the Bass Clef is A3 (the
Seventh Marker). As a helpful hint, I also let students know these simple musical rules:
1. On the staff, either the Treble or Bass Clef, the bottom space and the top line are the same
notes - only an octave (8 notes) apart. I explain that octave means 8 and they can think of
an octopus being called an octopus because it has 8 tentacles, arms, legs, or whatever you
want to call it. In addition, an octagon is a shape with 8 sides so an octave is a distance of 8
notes - e.g. C-C.
2. On the staff, either the Treble or Bass Clef, the bottom line and top space are the same
notes as well - only an octave (8 notes) apart.

This entire example only takes a few minutes to teach and yet the students remember the
stories. They need to have an example or marker to help them identify neighboring notes. If they
know where the First General is - the first G above C level, then they can easily identify the
notes directly above and below the First General because the notes move alphabetically. The
note directly below the First General is F (F4) and the note directly above the First General is A
(A5). The students can find the notes and see where they are and also know how to find the
other notes as they relate to The 7 Markers of Musical Success.
When teaching younger students or beginning students who have no experience whatsoever, I
usually only teach the first five markers. In addition, I also teach the C Major Pentascale (the
first five notes of the C Major Scale). I do this by having them identify C level (C4) and the First
General (G4). I tell them the Captain is at C level. His name is Charlie. The First General is
named Gary. Charlie and Gary are brothers. The only problem is that Charlie Does Everything
For Gary. Did you see what I did there. I said Charlie Does Everything For Gary. That is my
pentascale. My C Major pentascale to be exact: C D E F G. The word pentascale means a scale
that has five notes. In this case, it is the first five notes of the C Major Scale. The students
quickly learn the first five notes on the Treble Clef starting with C4 (Middle C). This is perfect for
having the students quickly begin playing pentascale pieces.
The video explains everything I have shared in this PDF but with visual aids and is a great way
to see what I do and how I do it when I teach these markers. I recommend watching the video if
you haven’t already. You can watch it at this link: http://musicmotivation.com/learntoreadmusic.
Let me know if you have any questions or need help with anything. I have more resources
available on my website at musicmotivation.com.
First and foremost, Jerald is a husband to his beautiful wife, Zanny, and a father to his wonderful
children. Jerald Simon is the founder and president of Music Motivation®. He is a composer,
author, poet, and Music Mentor/piano teacher (primarily focusing his piano teaching on music
theory, improvisation, composition, and arranging). Jerald loves music, teaching, speaking,
performing, playing sports, exercising, reading, writing poetry and self help books, gardening,
and spending time with his wife, Zanny, and their children.
Jerald created musicmotivation.com as a resource for piano teachers, piano students, and parents
of piano students. In 2014 he began creating his weekly "Cool Songs" to help teach music theory
- the FUN way by putting FUN back into theory FUNdamentals. He is the author/poet of "The
As If Principle" (motivational poetry), and the book "Perceptions, Parables, and Pointers.” He is
also the author of 21 music books from the Music Motivation® Series. He has also recorded and
produced several albums and singles of original music.

Q Key Signatures Q
Key Signatures (Major and Minor) and Major Penta Scales, and Scales:
(Circle of Fifths)
Let’s talk about key signatures. When we talk about key signatures, the easiest way to explain them is
by thinking about languages.
Look at the chart of the circle of fifths on the next two pages in the handout. In the key of C major we
have no sharps or flats. If we move to the right of the circle of fifths we will be in the key signature of G major.
Think of this like learning to speak German. We have one sharp - F sharp (F  ) in the key signature. When we
are playing a piece in the key of G major we will always have an F sharp (everytime you see F play F sharp
(F  ) instead of F natural).
Any note in the musical alphabet (A, B, C, D, E, F, and G) can have a flat sign (  ) or a sharp sign (  )
placed in front of it. When this happens, the note either moves down half a step to the left for flats, or up half
a step to the right for sharps. Let’s look at the F note. The regular F note is the fourth above C. The F note is
a white note, but when it has a sharp placed in front of it the note is taken up half a step to the right. The black
note directly to the right of F is F sharp (F  ).
This is where the key signature goes. The first example to the left is in the key
of C major. When the sharp symbol (  ) is
Since there isn’t anything here (sharps or flats - this is the key of C major or it could be
A minor - the realitve minor of C major).
added in the measure you will play the

=
       
sharp for that measure only. This is called
 an accidental note because it is not part of
the key signature. After you finish
F F sharp B B flat playing the measure with the sharp, you
(this is an accidental) (this is an accidental)
will play the F natural again unless you
see another accidental note. Below the
=
This is where the key signature goes. This is where the key signature goes.
=
Since we have one sharp (F sharp) Since we have one flat (B flat)
  first example is an example of the key of

     
this is the key of G major/E minor) this is the key of F major/D minor)
    G major (which has an F sharp in the key

signature) followed by an F natural. The
F sharp F natural B flat B natural same examples are shown with B flat and
A natural cancels the sharp. A natural cancels the sharp. B natural.
I like to have the students memorize the order of the sharps introduced by saying this:
musicmotivation.com • facebook.com/jeraldsimon • twitter.com/jeraldsimon
Five Cute Gorrilas Dance And Eat Bannanas. Once they have memorized this saying I tell them the order of
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the sharps is F  , C  , G  , D  , A  , E  and B  . For flats I have them say: Better Exercise And Drink Good Cold
Fluids. Once they have memorized this saying I tell them the order of the flats as B  , E  , A  , D  , G  , C  , and
F  .
 = Memorize This! for key signatures with sharps: Five Cute Gorrilas Dance And Eat Bannanas.
 = Memorize This! for key signatures with flats: Better Exercise And Drink Good Cold Fluids
(for flats you may also say BEAD GCF if that helps you)
I like to have students first play all major pentascales in all keys following the circle of fifths. After they can
play all of the major pentascales in all keys, I then have them learn the minor and diminished pentascales in all
keys. They can learn the patterns and the feel of playing the pentascales in all keys quickly. After doing so
they are then ready to play the major and minor scales 1 octave, then 2, and 3 octaves contrary (opposite direc-
tion starting on the same note - right hand goes up, left hand goes down, and parallel motion (both hand
moving the same direction up and down the piano). I like to start with contrary motion because the fingering
is the same for both hands and students learn the patterns quickly. 11

Key Signatures
 
Major Penta Scales, and Scales:
 
P P
C
Sh
at
s F a g
ar
Fl
ps
 d e 
 
b 1
0 1 d
 
g 2 b
2
 
 e a 
  3 3 
c
  f
a 4
5 7
4
e
f 
6 5 c 

(key signatures 7 (key signatures
6
 
with flats)
 with sharps)
C/D 
B/C



a/b F/G 
g/a

  d/e 
      
 
     P = Perfect (interval)
      M = Major (interval)
(when completed)

  
Minor Key Signature
Major Key Signature
Music Motivation® P.O. Box 1000 Kaysville, UT 84037 • (801)444-5143 • jeraldsimon@musicmotivation.com
Major Scales:
Created by Jerald M. Simon - please share with piano teachers and piano students - feel free to make copies
Major Pentascales:
Check Off
visit musicmotivation.com/resources for more FREE exercises and music from Music Motivation®
 Sharps: (in order as they appear) P
1
M
2
M
3
P
4
P
5
M
6
M
7
P
8
C a 0 Ø C d e f g a b c

g e 1 f g a b c d e f g
f c f c
d b 2 d e g a b d
a f 3 f c g a b c d e f g a
e c 4 f c g d e f g a b c d e
b g 5 f c g d a b c d e f g a b
f d 6 f c g d a e f g a b c d e f
c a 7 f c g d a e b c d e f g a b c
Major Scales:
 Flats: (in order as they appear) Major Pentascales:
C a 0 Ø C d e f g a b c
f d 1 b f g a b c d e f
b g 2 b e b c d e f g a b
e c 3 b e a e f g a b c d e
a f 4 b e a d a b c d e f g a
d b 5 b e a d g d e f g a b c d
g e 6 b e a d g c g a b c d e f g
c a 7 b e a d g c f c d e f g a b c
Copyright © 2010 by Music Motivation®

o va
2. Inn tive Imp
 
- TM
TM r
apy
Date Passed Off


ovi
11 22 
ry Ther
satio
P P
nTM - 3. C
Theo
33 re
1.
(Print off a Copy of this and Practice until you know it) to be filled out by the Student (all instruments can/must do this)
ati
ve C
omposition TM
Sh
s
at
ar
Fl
ps
 
 0 
1 1
2
  2
 
 
  3 3 
 
4 4

5 7
6 5


(key signatures 7 (key signatures
6
 
with flats) with sharps)
  
      
 
     P = Perfect (interval)
      M = Major (interval)
(when completed)

  
Minor Key Signature
Major Key Signature
Major Scales:
Major Pentascales:
Check Off
 P M M P P M M P
Created by Jerald M. Simon - please share with piano teachers and piano students - feel free to make copies
Sharps: (in order as they appear)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
visit musicmotivation.com/resources for more FREE exercises and music from Music Motivation®
0 Ø
1

2
3
4
5
6
7
Major Scales:
 Flats: (in order as they appear) Major Pentascales:
0 Ø
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Copyright © 2010 by Music Motivation®

Not your Grandmother's facebook.com/jeraldsimon
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star!"

This fun Theory Tip Tuesday exercise was created to help students begin improvising on the well-known
children's song - "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". Jerald shows piano students the chord progression used
Jerald Simon and then teaches piano students how to create an arrangement of their own! Watch Jerald teach and explain
musicmotivation.com these improvisation tricks to begin improvising on your own! Here are five variations you can try!
With Feeling q = 120

Jerald Simon
& 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
C F C F C G C C F C G
œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
? 44 www ˙˙ ˙˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙˙ ˙˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙˙ ˙˙

Twin - kle, twin - kle, lit - tle star, how I won - der what you are! Up a - bove the world so high,
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
C F C G C F C F C G C
œ œ ˙
7
&œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
like a diam - ond in the sky. Twin - kle, twin - kle lit - tle star, how I won - der what you are!
? ˙˙˙ ˙ ˙˙˙ ˙˙ www ˙ ˙˙˙ ˙ ˙˙˙ œœ œœ ˙˙˙

˙ œ œ
80's Pop Variation (play around with this example)

80's Pop {m q = c 120}
j j
œ Œ œj ˙ j
œ Œ œj ˙
C F C F C G C
j Œ
13
& œ œ ˙ œ œœ ˙
? œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
j j
& œ Œ œj ˙ jŒ j œ Œ œj ˙ jŒ j
17 C F C G C F C G
œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙
? œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
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To learn more about Jerald's cool weekly songs and cool exercises, please visit musicmotivation.com/annualsubscription
2 Not your Grandmother's
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star!
j j j jŒ j
& œj Œ œ Œ
21 C F C F C G C
œ ˙ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œœ ˙
? œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ
& .. ..
C F G F
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
25
50s ROCK variation
? .. œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ .
œœ œœ œœ œœ b œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ .
ŒÂ = Œ Ç‰
& .. ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ..
29 C Swing! F G F
Boogie-Woogie variation - swing the 8th notes
? .. œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ n œ œ œ œ œ b œ n œ œ œ ..
œ œ œ œ œ œ
& .. ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ..
33 C F G F
Elephant Walk variation (see the "Elephant Walk" by Henry Mancini)
? .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ..
œœ œœ b œ n œ œœ œœ b œ n œ œ œ b œ n œ œœ b œ n œ œœ b œ n œ œœ b œ n œ œœ b œ n œ œœ b œ n œ
& .. ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ..
37 Am (use in place of C) F G Am (use in place of C)
? .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ..
New Age variation
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Having FUN with the facebook.com/jeraldsimon
ii - V - I Jazz Chord Progression

This fun Theory Tip Tuesday exercise was created to help students learn and begin improvising on the ii-V-I
jazz chord progression. Learn how to create the seventh chords and improvise with the notes from the chords.
Jerald Simon Watch Jerald teach and explain these improvisation tricks to begin improvising on your own!
musicmotivation.com
Swing! ŒÂ = Œ Ç‰ Jerald Simon

www www www
& 44 .. wwww www www
C M7 D m7 E m7 F M7 G7 A m7
w w w w
w
www www www www
? 44 .. wwww w w w w
& www
w
B m7b 5 b
www www œ œ œB m7œ œ5 œœœ œœ œœœ œœ
C M7 C M7 A m7 G7 F M7 E m7 D m7 C M7 C M7
& w w œ œœ œ œœ œœœ œœ www ..

7
œ œœ œ œœ w
œœœ œœ œœœ œœ
œ œœ œœœ œœ www
www œ œœ œ œ ? œ œœ œ œœ ..
& www w
w w œ œœ
Right Hand plays the broken seventh chords (bottom note moving up to the top note)
Swing! ŒÂ = Œ Ç‰
. œ œ œ œœœ
C M7 D m7 E m7 F M7
. ‰ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ
14
& œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ

www www www
? .. wwww w w w
œ œ œ œ œ œ
B m7b 5
œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœ.
œ œ œ
G7 A m7 C M7
& ‰œœ œœ ‰œ œ ‰œ œ ‰ .
18
www
? w www www ? ..
& www
w w w
Having FUN with the
2 Swing! ŒÂ = Œ Ç‰ ii - V - I Jazz Chord Progression
j j j j j j j j
& .. ˙˙˙ ˙˙˙ www œœœ Œ œœœ ˙˙˙ œœœ Œ œœœ ˙˙˙ œœœ Œ œœœ ˙˙˙ œœœ Œ œœœ ˙˙˙ ..
22 D m7 G 7 C M7 D m7 G7 C M7 C M7
˙ ˙ w œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙
˙ ˙ www œœœ œœœ ˙˙˙
? .. ˙˙˙ ˙˙˙ w œŒ œ ˙ œœœœ Œ œœœœ ˙˙˙˙ œœœ œœœ
œŒ œ
˙˙˙
˙
œœœ œœœ
œŒ œ
˙˙˙
˙ ..
J J J J J J J J
& .. ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ .. b
D m7 G7 C M7 C M7
œœ ‰
28
œœ œœ œœ
œ œ ˙
? .. œœœ Œ œœœ ˙˙˙ œœœœ Œ œœœœ ˙˙˙˙ œœœ œœœ
œŒ œ
˙˙˙
˙
œœœ
œŒ
œœœ
œ
˙˙˙
˙ .. b
J J J J J J J J
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ ‰œœœ œ œ œ .. b b
& b .. ‰ œ œ œœ ‰œœ œœœ ‰œœ
32 G m7 C7 F M7 F M7
œ
œœœ œœœ ˙˙˙ œœœ œœœ ˙˙˙ œœœ œœœ ˙˙˙ œœœ œœœ ˙˙˙
œ
? b .. J Œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œŒ œ ˙ œŒ œ ˙ .. b b
J JŒ J J J J J
B bM7 B bM7
b
& b .. ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ ..
C m7 F7
œœœ œ œ
36
œ
œ œ œœ œœ
? b b .. œœœœ Œ œœœœ ˙˙˙˙ œœœœ Œ œœœœ ˙˙˙˙ œœœ Œ œœœ ˙˙˙ œœœ Œ œœœ ˙˙˙ ..
œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙
J J J J J J J J
ova
2. Inn tive Imp
“All Blues Pentascales”

™ TM
-
r
TM
apy
ovi
11 22
ry Ther
satio
nTM - 3. C
moving up chromatically in half steps through every key signature
Theo
M O T I V A T I O N
33
re
1.
a ti
ve C
mposition TM o
presented by Jerald M. Simon

visit musicmotivation.com 3
Swing it!    
=
for more FREE exercises visit musivmotivation.com/resources
new exercises and FREE music are added every week
 
C Blues Pentascale
                            

1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1
                                         
5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4

same fingering for all blues pentascales
5

 
C Sharp Blues Pentascale
  
                     

                                             
 
D Blues Pentascale
9
 
                
 

                                     

E Flat Blues Pentascale

     
13

                  
 
                                      
 
Copyright © 2010 by Music Motivation® - International Copyright Secured - All rights reserved - musicmotivation.com
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“All Blues Pentascales” (moving up chromatically in half steps) - page 2
E Blues Pentascale
17
 
                  
                                 
          
F Blues Pentascale

 
21
                   
                                
         

F Sharp Blues Pentascale

25
  
                   
                                 
           

G Blues Pentascale
29
                
     
                               
      



33 A Flat Blues Pentascale
                     
    
                 
   
           
“All Blues Pentascales” (moving up chromatically in half steps) - page 3
                       
37 A Blues Pentascale
    
 
                        
         
     
B Flat Blues Pentascale
                 
41
  
      
                        
         
                          
45 B Blues Pentascale
   
 
                         
     
C Blues Pentascale
               
49
   
                                   
musicmotivation.com/resources
Music Motivation® books are designed to provide students with music instruction that will enable them to improve
and increase their successes in the field of music. It is also intended to enhance appreciation and understanding of
various styles of music from classical to jazz, blues, rock, popular, new age, hymns, and more. The author and
publisher disclaim any liability or accountability for the misuse of this material as it was intended by the author.
Albert's Adventure
This fun "cool song" composed by Jerald Simon, is available to piano teachers and piano students
under license with an annual subscription to the weekly "Cool Songs and Cool Exercises by Jerald
Simon." To learn more about Jerald's cool weekly songs and exercises, please visit his website at
musicmotivation.com/annualsubscription.
Jerald Simon
musicmotivation.com This fun "cool song" was created to teach a very simple Alberti Bass left hand pattern (the left hand
pattern in measures 1 and 2) to piano students. If you are more advanced and can easily sight read
this, play it in all keys moving up half a step each time.
You set the pace - How do you want to play it? Jerald Simon
& 44 ˙ . œ ˙. œ ˙ œ œ ˙˙ ˙ œ
Œ Œ
œœ
P f
? 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙. ww œ
œ œ œ
pedal ad-lib
& ˙˙ .. œ ˙˙ œ œ œ œ ˙. ˙. œ
œ œ œ
? ww ww ˙ ˙ ww ww
¤€
∑
11
& ˙ ˙ w œ œ œ œ w
? ww www ∑ ∑ w
`
Please feel free to print this off as a FREE PDF download
Share with your piano students or friends!
Copyright © 2014 Music Motivation® - All Rights Reserved - visit musicmotivation.com/about to learn more about Jerald
This is a FREE piano piece by Jerald Simon. Visit musicmotivation.com for more free piano resources.
When Sharks Attack!

Jerald Simon Simon." To learn more about Jerald's cool weekly songs and exercises, please visit his website at
musicmotivation.com musicmotivation.com/annualsubscription.
This fun "cool song" was created to teach a half step interval (e.g. E to F) to piano students and to
help them with a steady quarter note in the left hand (until measure 29) while the right hand plays
eighth notes "on beat" and "off beat" with the eighth rests (in measure 9). HAVE FUN!
WATCH OUT!! They're COMING! {m q = c 120}

Jerald Simon
œœœœœœœœ
& 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
P
? 44
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
A F G
œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ ‰ ‰œ‰ ‰ ‰ ‰ ‰

6
& ‰
œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œ
œ
F
?
& ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œœ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œœ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
11
œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ
f
?
œ œ œ œ
A
2 When Sharks Attack!
œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ ?
16
& œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ

?
G A
F
? b œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ b œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ &
21
?
E
& b œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ b œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ ?
25
?
? w w bw
w b ww
29
bw w #w w
?
œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ
E F E F E F E F same left hand pattern!
? w ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
34
?
œœœœœœœœ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ w w w
Power Play
Jerald Simon This fun "cool song" was created to teach three simple chords to piano students: C Suspend the
musicmotivation.com 2nd, (C Sus2), C Major (C), and C Csuspend the 4th (C Sus4 or sometimes simply C Sus)
With Feeling q = 120 Jerald Simon

& 44 œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ
F > > > >
? 44
˙. œ ˙. œ ˙. œ ˙. œ
˙. œ ˙. œ ˙. œ ˙. œ
5
& œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ
œ
œœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ
œ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ
> > > > >
f
? Œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ ‰ j‰ ‰ ‰ Œ j‰
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
9
& œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

œ œ œ œœœœœ œ œ œ œœœœœ œ œ œ œœœœ œ
> > > > > >
? ‰ ‰ Œ j‰ ‰ ‰ Œ j‰ Œ j‰ Œ j‰
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ ‰ ‰ ‰
œ œ œ œ œ
13
& œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ
> > > > > >
F
? ‰ ‰ Œ j‰ Œ j‰ Œ j‰ Œ j‰
œ œ œ œ ‰ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ ‰ ‰ ‰
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
2 Power Play
17
> > > >
?
21
P > > > > >
? œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ
˙. œ ˙ .. œ ˙. œ ˙ .. œ
˙. ˙.
∑
25
& œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ www
> > > > > > > > >
f
? ˙ ˙
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
˙ ˙ w
w w

The Gamer
FRIDAY
4.3.2015

Jerald Simon
musicmotivation.com This fun "cool song" composed by Jerald Simon, is available to piano teachers and piano students
This fun "cool song" is in the key of C Major in pentascale position, meaning that the student is only
playing the first five notes from the C maor scale. I have several students who love playing video
games so I created the orchestration and instrumentation to have video game sound effects and an
overall feel of being a "gamer". Have fun playing this!
Like a true "Gamer" would {m q = c 120} Jerald Simon
& 44 ˙ . ˙. œ œ œ œ œ w
œ
F
? 44 w w w
w
&œ œ œ ˙. œ œ œ ˙. œ
œ œ œ
f F
?w w w
w
Œ Ó
9
& ˙. ˙. œ œ œ œ œ
œ w œ
f
? w w ˙ ˙ œœ Œ Ó
w
Party
6.5.2015
Jerald Simon Skill - C Major Pentascale: C D E F G (try composing your own composition LH plays whole notes)
musicmotivation.com
It's party time! {m q = c 120} Jerald Simon

& 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ Ó œ œ œ œ
œ œ
F
? 44 w w w œ Œ Ó w
Ped. ad lib
Œ Ó œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ Œ
∑
6
&œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
P f P
?w Œ œ Œ œ œ Œ Ó œ œ œ Œ ∑ ˙ ˙
& œ œ œ Œ
12
œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
f F
? œ œ œ Œ w w w w w
&œ Œ Ó Œ Ó
18
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w œ
f
?œ Œ Ó w ˙ ˙
w w œ Œ Ó
Copyright © 2015 Music Motivation® - All Rights Reserved - visit musicmotivation.com/about to learn more about
Jerald This is a FREE piano piece by Jerald Simon. Visit musicmotivation.com for more free piano resources.
Ethereal 7.10.2015
Skill - Students learn the harmonic intervals from the key of D major (created from the D major scale)
Jerald Simon To learn more, watch the video of Ethereal on youtube.com/jeraldsimon
musicmotivation.com
Please feel free to print this off as a FREE PDF download - Share with your piano students or friends!
Jerald Simon
## 4
Powerful, yet subdued {m q = c 120}
& 4 ˙ ˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙
F
? # # 44 ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
Ped. ad lib
œ
## œ œœ ˙ œ
œ ˙ œœ ˙ œ œœ œ œ œ w
œ˙ œ œ˙ œ œ œ ww
8
& ˙˙ ˙˙
? # # ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ww
## . ˙˙ ˙
& . ˙˙˙ ˙ ˙˙ ˙ ˙˙ œ œ .. ww ww
15
˙ ˙ œœ ww
˙ w w w ˙˙˙ ˙
f ww
w ˙˙ ˙
? # # .. w
w w w ˙ ˙˙ .. www ww ww
w
## ˙ œ ˙˙˙ ˙˙˙ ˙˙ œœ œ œ œ
˙
˙ . ˙˙ wwww wwww œ
23
.
& ˙˙ œ œ ˙ . ˙ ˙
F www
˙ ˙
? ## ˙ ˙ ˙
˙ ˙ g
g
g ww ggg ww ww ww
2 Ethereal
# # ˙˙˙ ˙
œœœ œ œ œ wwww
˙˙˙ ˙
30
& œœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ
œ
? ## ggg ww ww ww ggg ww ggg ww
g ggg ww g
## œœ œ œœ œ ˙˙ ˙ ww
œœ œ œœ œ ˙˙ ˙
36
& www ww ww
w
? ## g w ww ww ww w ww ww
gg w w ww
# w
& # w wwww wwww
44
˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
P F
? # # ww ww ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
w
52
## ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
& ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
? # # ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
## ˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ww ww
& ˙
58
www www
? # # ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ w w
w w
Autumn
9.4.2015
Jerald Simon Skill - We are in the key of E Major and have four sharps (F sharp, C sharp, G sharp, and D sharp).
musicmotivation.com We are in the E Major Pentascale position - only using the first five notes of the E Major scale.
Jerald Simon
#### 4
Like Autumn has Fallen upon Us {m q = c 115}
& 4 œ œ ˙ ww
œ
œ ˙ ww ˙ ˙
ww
? # # # # 44 ww ww ww w
w w
Students can write in their own dynamics. Can you name the chords in each measure?
#### œ œ œ œ
œ œ ˙ ˙.
6
& w œ ˙. œ
ww ggg www
? # # # # www ww w g
ww
w
####
œ ˙
11
& œ ˙. œ ˙. œ w w w
? # # # # ww ggg www ggg www ww ww ww

g g

Scaler Skillz
Skill - We are in the key of C major and are working on the C Major scale. The left hand plays a
9.18.2015
perfect fifth interval while the right hand plays the C Major scale. Then, beginning in measure 21,
Jerald Simon the left hand plays the C Major scale while the right hand plays the C Major scale as octave intervals.
musicmotivation.com Have fun with this "cool scaler song". It's fun to play scales!

Share with your piano students or friends! Jerald Simon
With Feeling {m q = c 120}
& 44
5 4
œœ œœœœœœ œ
4 3 2
∑ ‰
3
?
1 2
œ
3
œ
1 2 1 3 2 3
&
œœ œ œ
w
F ◊
? 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
5 1
œ œ œ œ œœœœœœ œ
œ
5
‰œœ œ w
2 1 3
?
5
& w
1 1 3 1
&
w
◊
? œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ
√
w 5
‰œœœœœœœ œœœœœœœ ?
10 1 3 2
&
1 2
w œ w &
◊
? œœœœœœœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ
5
&‰œœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œ œ
3
œ œ œ
15 1 2 5
œ
3 1 4 4
œ
1 3 1 3 2
? œ œ œ œ œœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Copyright © 2015 Music Motivation® - All Rights Reserved - visit musicmotivation.com to learn more about Jerald
2 Scaler Skillz
w w œ œ œ œœ
&w ? w w œ œ œ
19 5
1
&
w
1
f ◊ F
? œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œœ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
œœœœœ
œ œœ
œ œ œ œ œ ww
œ œ œ œœ
& ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ
1
?
24 1 3
&
w œ
f ◊
? œ œ œ œœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ
œ œ
&œœœœœœœœ w ‰ œœ
?
28
œ
1 3
&
œ œ œ œ
w
◊
?œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ
œœœ œœœ
œ œ
& œœœœœœœœ œ œ œœœœœ

5
œ œ
1
œ
32
œ
3
œ œ œœœ
? œ œ œ œœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ

œ œ
œœ œœœ œ œ œ
œ œ
&œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ w w ?
36 2 1 4 5 4 1 2 1
w
◊
? œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ w
rit.
œ œ œ œ
This can be copied and shared as part of the FREE resources from Music Motivation 2015 Music Motivation®
Tricks and Treats

10.30.2015
Skill - We are in the key of C Major (though you wouldn't believe it with all of the accidentals I threw
Jerald Simon into this tricky piece). It is more of a late intermediate piano piece. I'd tell you to watch the accidentals
musicmotivation.com but I think that is probably a given with this piece. It's tricky, but it's a fun treat to play this. Tricks and
Treats is perfect to play for Halloween. Starting in measure 10 you get a great chromatic scale exercise.
Have fun with this one! Happy Halloween!
Weird q = 140 Jerald Simon
& 44 Œ
b
bœ œ Œ nœ
n œœ
Œ b b b œœœ Œ n n n œœœœ Œ
b
bœ œ Œ nœ
n œœ
F
b b b œœœ nœ
? 44 b b œœ Œ n n œœœ Œ Œ n n œœœ Œ b b œœ Œ n n œœœ Œ
Ped. ad lib
Œ b b b œœœ Œ n n n œœœœ ‰ ‰ b b b œœœ ‰ n n n œœœœ

4
& b b œœ ‰ n n œœœ
? b b b œœœ nœ
Œ n n œœœ Œ b b œœ ‰ n n œœœ
bœ
‰ b b œœ ‰ n n n œœœœ ‰
bœ œbœnœbœ bœ w bœ nœ bœ nœ bœ
œ # œnœ
‰ b œ ‰ n œ ‰b b b œœœ ‰n n n œœœœ # œ œ
6
& b œ n œœ
? b b œœ ‰n n œœœ ‰b b b œœœ ‰n n n œœœœ ‰

w w bw
w w bw
10
& œ bœ nœ bœ nœ bœ œ bœ œ œ nœ œ nœ bœ œ bœ œ bœ nœ œ #œ nœ œ bœ œ œ nœ œ #œ nœ œ bœ
F
?
w bw
w bw
2 Tricks and Treats
& œ œ #œ œ bœ œ œ nœ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ bœ nœ œ #œ nœ œ bœ œ œ nœ œ #œ nœ œ bœ
12
?
w bw
w bw
b˙ w
˙ ≈ œ ≈ # œ ≈ œ ≈ b œ ≈ n œ ≈ b œ ≈ n œ ≈ œ
b˙
14
& b˙
f
œ ≈ b œ œ ≈ œ b œ ≈ œ b œ ≈ œ
? ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈
˙ ˙ #˙
˙ ˙ bw
˙ #˙ ˙ bw
œ ≈ b œ œ ≈ b œ n œ ≈ œ b œ ≈ n œ b œ ≈ n œ
b œ n œ b œ ≈ n œ ≈ œ ≈ # œ ≈
& ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈
18
poco rit.
? # œ ≈ n œ ≈ œ ≈ b œ ≈ œ ≈ b œ ≈ œ ≈ œ ≈ b œ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈
œ b œ œ # œ n œ œ ≈ b œ ≈
√ ¤€
œ ≈ #œ œ #œ œ ˙. w w
& ≈
20
? ≈
œ ≈ b œ ˙. w w
˙. w w

Jingle
3
12.11.2015
Skill - We are in the key of C Major. This is a simple little piece that I intentionally tried to re-create
Jerald Simon the effect of bells being shaken - a rhythm of a dotted quarter note followed by an eighth note. Have
musicmotivation.com
FUN playing this "Cool Song"! As a challenge, try playing this "Cool Song" in all keys!
Pop Feel q = 125 Jerald Simon

œœ
Write the chord name above each measure!
& 42 œœ
œœ ˙˙
œ ˙˙ œœ œ
œœ œœ ˙˙
? 42 ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
˙
Students can write in their own dynamic markings! How would you play it?
∑ j j j
6
& ˙ œ. œ œ. œ œ. œ ˙
˙
? ˙ œœ . œœ j j œœ . œœ
˙ . œœ . œœ œœ .. œœ .
˙ J . J
∑ ∑ ∑ j j
12
&
œ. œ œ. œ ˙ ˙
? œœ .. œœ œœ . œœ œœ . œœ j j
. . œœ . œœ œœ .. œœ ˙˙ ˙˙
J J J .

Making Spirits Bright
12.18.2015
Skill - We are in the key of D Major. There are quite a few tied notes in this piece. In addition,
Jerald Simon and in part because of this, there is a syncopation feeling about the piece because most of the
musicmotivation.com measures are played on the "and" of 2 and with your counting. The left hand primarily plays
simple triads or fifth and octave intervals. Have FUN playing this "Cool Song"!
Pop Feel q = 125 Jerald Simon

## 4 ‰ j œ œ œ œ
A
œ œ œ œj œ J œ
œ œj
‰
D A Bm G D
& 4 œ œ œ œ J
œ œ.
F
? # # 44 œ˙˙ œ œ˙˙ œ œ˙˙ œ œ œ œ˙˙ œ œ˙
˙
œ
˙
Ped. ad lib
B m C #mb 9 B m C #mb 9
## œ œ œ œ œ œ . œœ .. œœ œœ œ œ ww
Bm G G add2 G add2
œœ .. œjœ œœ œ œ ww ww
4
& J J
ww
f
? # # œ˙˙ œ j j
œ˙ œ œ . œ ˙ w œ . œ ˙ w
œ. œ ˙ w œ. œ ˙ w
# # ww ˙
A sus D A Bm G A
& ww Œ œ œj œ œj œj œj œj œ j j œj œj œ j œ œ œ œ œœ œ
9
œ œ œ œœ œ œ
P
.
? ##
w wœ œ œ w œ œ œ w œ œ œ ˙˙ ˙˙
w
## Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ Jœ Jœ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œ
14 D A Bm G A D A
& J J J J J J J J œ œ œ
f
? ## w œ . œ œ œ œ œ
w w œ œ œ ˙˙ ˙˙ œ œ œ ˙
œ œ ˙
2 Making Spirits Bright
## œœ œ œ œœœ œœœ œ œœœ ... œœ œœ œœ œ œœ œ

D sus/B A sus2/E A A/D A D sus/B A sus2/G A D A
œ œ
œœœ ... œjœ œœ œœ œ œ œœ ‰ J
19
& J
œ œ œœ J
F
? ## œ . j
œ œ œ ˙ ˙ œ . œj œ œ œ & œ˙ œ
˙
œ˙ œ
œ. œ œ œ ˙ ˙ œ. œ œ œ ˙
√ A
# # œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œJ œ œ
œ œ œ Bm œ
A
Bm G G
23 D D
& J J J J J J
##
& œ˙˙ œ œ œ œ˙˙ œ œ˙ œ œ˙˙ œ œ˙˙ œ œ˙ œ
˙ œ˙ œ ˙
˙
(√B)m
œ
# œ œœ œœ œ œ œ Bm œ
‰ œ œ J œ Jœ œ œ œ œJ œ .
G D A G D
& # Œ j j
27
J J œœ œ œ œ
P
## œ . œ œ
& œ˙˙ œ œ˙ œ œ˙ œ œ˙˙ œ
? w
œ˙ œ ˙ ˙ œ˙ œ
## j
& œ œ œj œj œ œj œ œ œ œj œ œj œ œ œ œœ œœ œ Œ j j
31 A Bm G A D
œœ œ œ œ
p
? ## w œ œ œ .
wœ
. œ œ
wœ œ œ ˙˙ ˙˙
## j j j j j j j j
A Bm G A D
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œ
35
ww ww
w w
? ## w œ œ œ
w œ œ œ ˙˙ ˙˙ w
poco rit.
w
w
New Year's Countdown
1.8.2016
Skill - We are in the key of C Major. The purpose of this "Cool Song" is to help students learn
to play harmonic intervals - two notes played together at the same time. Students learn to play
Jerald Simon the harmonic 5th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd intervals. Even though the piece is written in the key of C
musicmotivation.com Major, the piece introduces these intervals in G, D, A, and E positions. Have FUN playing this
"Cool Song"!
Late Beginner Level
Pop Feel q = 115
Jerald Simon
& 44 œœ
œœ œœ
5th 4th 3rd 2nd
œœ
same pattern of intervals
œœ œœ œœ
interval
œœ # œœ
interval interval interval
5 4 3 œœ œœ œœ
F
1 1 2
œœ
1 1
œœ œœ œœ œœ
? 44 œœ
1 2 œœ 3 œœ œœ œœ # œœ œœ
5 5 5 54
same fingering with both hands

Ped. ad lib
œœ œ # œœ œ œ ww
& œ œ œ œœ # œœ # œœ w ww ww
4
w ww f
œ œ P
? œ œ # œœ œœ œœ œœ # œœ # œœ ww ww ww ww ww
ww ww ww ww
w
&w ww
11
w ww ww
w
p f
?w ww ww ww ww ww ww
w ww ww
w ww
& w
20
ww ww # ww ww w w
Ï
? w
Five, Four, Three, Two, One!
ww ww ww # ww
w ww w w
Easy Does It! youtube.com/jeraldsimon
4.8.2016
Skill - We are in the key of D Major. This is a fun, easy going piece. The left hand primarily
plays perfect fifth and major sixth intervals. Can you identify all of them? Students can write
Jerald Simon in their own dynamic markings with this piece! Have FUN playing this "Cool Song"!
musicmotivation.com
Early Intermediate Pop Ballad Feel {m q = c 110} Jerald Simon

œœ œœ œ œœ œ
Level
# # 4 œœ œœ œ ˙˙ ww ww œœœœœœœœ
& 4
## 4
& 4 ˙˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ww
˙ ˙ ˙ ww ww
Ped. ad lib
## œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Students can write in their own dynamic markings with this piece!
œœœœœœœœ
6
&
## ? ww
& w ww ˙˙
w ˙˙
##
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œ
10
&
? # # ww ww ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙
˙
## œœ œ œœœ œ
œœ œ œœ œ www www
14
&
www
? ## w ˙˙ ˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ww ww
w
2 Easy Does It!
## œœ œ œœ œ
œœ œ œœ œ wwww ww ww
19
&
wwww
? ## ˙ ˙˙ ww ˙˙ ˙
˙
ww
&
˙ ww ww
25
## œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
&
## ?
& ww w ww ˙˙
w ˙˙
#
& # œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ
29
? # # ww w
w ww ˙˙ ˙˙
##
œ
33
& œœ œ œœ ww
www ww
w www
? # # ˙˙ ˙
˙ ww ww ww ww
Download this FREE PDF at musicmotivation.com youtube.com/jeraldsimon
The Chase
5.27.2016
Skill - We are in the key of A minor and then we move to C Major. This is a pop rock solo. Watch
Jerald Simon the patterns in each hand. For help, refer to the video. Have FUN playing this COOL SONG!
musicmotivation.com
Intermediate
Pop Rock Feel {m q = c 120} Jerald Simon
& 44
œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ
> > > >
? 44 ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
&
œ œœœœœœ œ œ œœœœœœ œ œ œœœœœœ œ œ œœœœœœ œ œ œœœœœœ œ
> > > > >
?
w w w w w
w w w w w
◊
10
&
œ œœœœœœ œ œ œœœœœœ œ œ œœœœœœ œ œ œœœœœœ œ œ œœœœœœ œ
> > > > >
?
w w w w w
w w w w w
◊
15
&
œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ www
> > > >
? w
w w ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ w
w ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ w
2 The Chase
20
& w ww œ œ œ œ
ww w ˙˙˙ ˙˙
˙ œ œ œ œ œœœœœœœœ
? w w
w w w
w w w w
w
◊
25
& œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ
? w
w w w
w w w
w w w
30
& œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ
?
w w w
w w œ œ œ œ w œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ
35
& œœœœœœœœ
?
40
œœœ œœœ œœ œœ ˙˙ œœœœœœœœ
& œœ œœ œ œ ˙ œœ ˙ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ
œ œ œœ œœ ˙˙
? œœœœ œ œ œœ œ œœ œœœ œœœ
œœœœ œ œœœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œœ
œ œ œ œ œ
œœœœ œ œ
The Chase 3
œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œ
œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ
45
& œ œ œ œ
œ. œ.
? œœœ œœœ œ œ
œ
œ œœ œ œ
œ œœ ˙ œ ˙ ˙ J J
œ œ œ œ ˙
œ œ œ œ
œœœœ œœœœ
œ œ
œ œœœœ œœœ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œ
50
&
œ. œ. œ . œ. œ œ. œ.
œ œ œ œ
? J J œ J
J J J
w w
w w
œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ
55
&
? w w
w w w w w w
w w w w
61
& ww www www www œ œ œ œ

w ww
w
ww
w œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ
> >
?
w w w w w w w w
w w w w w w w w
◊
ww ww
? w w
69
&
> >
?
w w w w
w w w w
(◊) ◊
Dolphins Play Everyday
11.4.2016
Skill - We are in the key of C Major. This is a pre-primer/primer level piece for brand new students -
Jerald Simon especially younger students who are learning the note names. Have FUN playing this "Cool Song"!
musicmotivation.com
Playfully {m q = c 110}
4
Pre-Primer Jerald Simon
&4
or Primer
œ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ
4
œ
1 3 1
Level
œ œ
* 4 F Once I saw a dol - phin swim - ing in the
&˙ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ w
4 1 5 5 1 3 2 4 5
o - cean. I splashed it, it splashed me, we had fun!

9
&œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙
1 5 3 5 3 4 2 1
w w
Dol - phins play ev - ery day, in the sun!
* For fun try playing an F to a G in measure four instead of the F to an E (it's what I do in the video because I wanted students to choose which note they wanted
to play.) I also liked going up since we went down in measure two. You can even switch back and forth from one note to the next.
Charlie and Gary are brothers but Gary is very lazy and Charlie Does Everything For Gary!
Memorize that phrase to help you remember the names of these five notes: C D E F and G.
1 2 3 4 5
C D E F G
Feel free to make copies of this and print it off for your piano students. You can make as many copies as you'd like for friends, family, other piano students and also
other piano teachers who would like to play this. Have fun playing this "Cool Song"!
youtube.com/jeraldsimon FREE PDF
facebook.com/jeraldsimon visit musicmotivation.com to download
more FREE music by Jerald
This is from the book: TRIUMPHANT by Jerald Simon
published by Music Motivation®
You can print this off and use

this and even perform this!
1
2
3
4
FREE PDF
visit musicmotivation.com to download This is from the book: Cool Songs for Cool Kids (Primer Level)
more FREE music by Jerald by Jerald Simon published by Music Motivation®

FREE PDF This is from the book: Cool Songs for Cool Kids (book 1)
visit musicmotivation.com to download
Locker Jam by Jerald Simon published by Music Motivation®
youtube.com/jeraldsimon skill - C and F blues pentascale, perfect 5th, major 6th, and minor 7th intervals Passed
facebook.com/jeraldsimon swing rhythm = long, short, long, short, long, short, long, short, Off
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
3
Swing it!    = 

by Jerald Simon
C7
                 
1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1

          
 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
           
1
5
  
 


 

 
 
pedal simile
F7 2 3 4 C7
5 1

         
4
5 3 2 1

            
      
         
 


 

 
 
1
5
9
G F C7
                      
5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4
        
       
  
     
pedal simile
F7 2 3 C7
4 4 3
13 1 2 1
                                        
3 1 4 3 2 3 2 1 1 2 3
  
 

      
          
  

MM00001010
All rights reserved including the right of public performance for profit

FREE PDF
more FREE music by Jerald youtube.com/jeraldsimon
This is from the book: Cool Songs for Cool Kids (book 2)
by Jerald Simon published by Music Motivation®
1
2
Passed
Off
FREE PDF
Master of My Fate STYLE: Classical/Newage
more FREE music by Jerald youtube.com/jeraldsimon

This is from the book: Cool Songs for Cool Kids (book 3)
Challenge - Can you name all of the intervals? Which ones are perfect, major, minor, melodic, or harmonic?
by Jerald M. Simon

foreboding 
  
4
   
  
3

5
    
1
     

 
 
     
     
     
1
5

Pedal ad-lib throughout
7

         
      


 
   
   
   

       
   
13
     

  
     
    
  
19
         
        
    

   
  
    
 
 
You can print this off and use Copyright © 2011 by Music Motivation® - musicmotivation.com
Master of My Fate - page 2
      
     
24
            
          
 

   
  


   
 
  

 
  
28
 
 
        
    

     
 
   
     
   
  
lively  
                 
32
   
 

    
      
     

 
foreboding 
      
 
36
             
 
          
          
    
    
  
41
        
   
  
 
 
      
        
   
MM00001012 Copyright © 2011 by Music Motivation® - musicmotivation.com 2
Ace In the Hole
FREE PDF STYLE: Classic ROCK
This is from the book: Cool Songs that ROCK! (book 1)
the lowest A on the piano is the “Ace” in the hole

Rock Feel {m q = c 115} by Jerald Simon
4
A min E min F
ww
G
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˙˙ œ ˙. œ www
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˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
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the lowest A on the piano
? ∑ œ œ œ
∑ ∑ ‰ œ œ
10
f
?
œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

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w w w ˙ ˙
Copyright © 2013 by Music Motivation® - http://musicmotivation.com MM00001015 1
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Ace In The Hole this and even perform this!
? ∑ ∑ ∑
18
?
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˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
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∑ ∑ ‰ œ œ œJ œ .
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? ∑ ∑ œ ‰ ‰ œ Ó œ‰ ‰ œ Ó
26
&
> > > >
?
œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙
30 J J
?
A min E min/A
& ww ww
w w www ww
w
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œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ
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J J J J
? ‰‰ Ó
œ‰‰œ Ó ‰œ‰œ Ó ‰œ‰œ Ó
34
A min
œ œ
> > > > > > > >
?
œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙
2 MM00001015 J J J J
Copyright © 2013 by Music Motivation® - http://musicmotivation.com
Ace In The Hole
>œ >œ >œ >œ
?‰ ‰ Ó
œ‰‰œ Ó ‰œ‰œ Ó ‰œ‰œ Ó
38
œ œ
> > > >
?
œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œ œœœ œœœœ œ œœœ
œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙
> J > > J > J>œœ .. œœ ˙˙ G/A J
?‰ œ ‰ œ Ó œ ‰ ‰ œ Ó œ. œ ˙ œœ .. œœ ˙˙
œ.
42
œ œ œ œ J œ ˙ &
J
P
?
w
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w w
œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙ F Maj7 w
J
j J œœ .. œœ ˙˙ œœœ ..
? œ. œœ œœ
G
œœœ .. œ ˙ w œ ˙ . œ œ œœ
46 A min
œœ ˙˙
G/A
& . ww J J œ
F P
?
w w w
w w w w
wA
? www ∑ ∑ ∑
50
w
f
?
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙
J JF JD min
? ww ww
∑ & w www w
54
ww w w
A min D min G
w w
> > > >
P
? w> w w
w w w
w w > w
œ œ œ œ > >
œ œ œ œ w
Ace In The Hole
www ww
A min E min
ww ww ∑ w
60 A min
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G
w
Dolce (gently/sweetly)
?
w w w w w
w w w w w
w ww ww>
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F G A min E min F
w ww
65
& w w w
>
F
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w w w w w
w w w w w
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70
?
G A min
f
?
w
w œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
w w w w
? ‰ œ œ œ œ.
75
œ œ œ œ œ œ& w
A min
œ J ww ww
w
?
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
w w œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙
J J
œ‰‰œ Ó œ‰‰œ Ó
79
?
E min/A A min
&w ww
ww w > > > >
?
œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙
4 MM00001015 J J J J
Ace In The Hole
?‰ ‰œ Ó ‰œ‰œ Ó ‰œ‰œ Ó œ‰‰œ Ó

83
œ
> > > > > > > >
?
œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙
> J
>œ J
>œ >œ > J
> > J
>
œ
?‰ ‰ Ó œ œ œ œ
‰œ‰œ Ó ‰œ‰œ Ó œ‰‰œ Ó
87
œ œ
?
œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙
J J J J
? œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
91
œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ &
?
w w w w
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
95
&œ œ œ œ
?
œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙ œ. œ ˙
J J J J
w
? w
G
ww ww ww
w
99
w w w
A min E min A min
& ˙˙ œœ œ ˙ .
F
˙ œ ˙˙ .. w
œ ww
F
?Dolce (gently/sweetly)
w w w w w
w w w w w
w w
FREE PDF
1
2
3
This is from the book Hymns of Exaltation by Jerald Simon
published by Music Motivation

4
FREE PDF
1
2
youtube.com/jeraldsimon FREE PDF
facebook.com/jeraldsimon visit musicmotivation.com to download
FREE PDF You can print this off and use
visit musicmotivation.com to download this and even perform this!
Dreamland
by Jerald Simon
˙ ggg œœ œœ
Gently {q = c 80}
#### # 4 gg œ ˙˙˙ œœœœœ œ ˙˙˙ ...

& # 4 œ œœ ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙. œœ
œ œ
P
œœœ ˙ œ œ œ ˙
? # # # # # 44 œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ
œ œ
# œ ˙
pedal ad-lib throughout
#### # ˙ ggg œœ œœœ ˙˙ œœœœœœœœ ggg œœœ

œ ˙˙ gg œ ˙˙ œœœœœœœœ
œœœ ˙˙˙
5
& # œœœ œ gg œ œ ˙ œœ œœœ ˙˙˙

œ ˙
œœ œggg œœœ œ
? #### # œ œ œ ˙ œ œœ ˙
# œ œœ g œ œ œ œ
œœ œ ˙
œ ˙
#### # œ
(B)
& # ggg œœ œœ
10
˙˙ œ œœ œ œ
gg œ œ œ œ wwww wwww
? #### # œ œ œ ˙ œ œ
# œ œ œ w
œ œ w w
w
#### # j j U
œœœ .. œj œœ œ œœœ œ œ œœ ww
14
& # œœ .. œ ˙˙ œœ .. œ ˙˙ ww ww
œ. ˙ œ. ˙ œ .. œ œ œ ww ww ww
? #### # w U
nw w w
# w nw w w w
œ w
j
w w w w
All Rights Controlled and Administered by ASCAP
MM00001017 All rights reserved including the right of public performance for profit
Hereafter
This piano solo uses a 1-3-5-5-3 (e.g. C-E b-G-G-E b - see measure 1) and 1-5-8-5-8-5 (e.g. C-G-
C-G-C-G - see measure 9) left hand patterns.
by Jerald Simon
Gently {q = c 108}
œ œœœ
b >œ . >œ . >œ . œ.
& b b 68 Œ . Œ. Œ. Œ. œœ
F
b bb 6
& 8
œœœ œœ œœœ œœ œœœ œœ œœœ œœ œœœ œœ
√
pedal ad-lib throughout
œœœ œœœœœœ œœœœœœ œ

bb œ. œ œ œœœ
b
6
& œœ œœ œœ
P
bb œ œ œœœœ œœœœœ
& b œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œJ œ ?
œ œ
œ œ œ
œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ
œœœ œœœœœ œ œ œ œ œ
bb b œ œ œ œ œ œ
11
& œ œœ
? bb œ œœœœ œœœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œ œœœœ

b œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
œœœœœ
b œ ˙˙ . ˙˙ .
&bb . ˙. . n˙.
16
˙˙ .. ˙˙ ..
˙. n˙.
p F
? bb œ œ œ œ œ œ & ˙ . ? g ˙˙˙ .. ˙˙ .. ggg ˙˙˙ ...
b ggg ˙˙ .. ˙˙ .. ggg ˙˙˙ ... ˙ . gg . ˙. n ˙˙˙ ...
˙. n ˙˙ ..
All Rights Controlled and Administered by ASCAP
MM00001016
Hereafter
œ œœœœ œœ œœœ
bbb œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ
œœ
25
& œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ
? bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
b œœ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
œ œ
œ. >œ .
b bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. >œ .
30
& œ
œ P
? bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ
b œ œœ œ &
œœœ œœ œœœ œœ
√ √
>œ . œœœ œœœ œ
b >œ . œ œ. œ. œ œœœ œ
& b b œ. œ. œœ
35
b œ œ
&bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œœ œ œœ
œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ
b bb œ œ
40
&
F
œ œœœ œ nœ nœ œ
& bbb œ œ œJ œ ?
œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
œ œ œ
œ œ œ
œ œ
bbb œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙.
45
& œ œ
p
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙.
? bb œ œ œ œ œ œ & g ˙˙ ..
b œ œ œ gg ˙ .
œ
Copyright © 2014 by Music Motivation® - http://musicmotivation.com MM00001016

Hereafter
b ˙˙ .. n ˙˙ ..
& b b ˙.
50
˙ .. ˙ ..
˙ ˙. ˙ n˙.
b ? g ˙˙˙ .. ˙˙ ..
& b b ˙˙ .. gg . ˙. ggg ˙˙˙ ... n ˙˙˙ ...
˙. ggg ˙˙˙ ... n ˙˙˙ ...
b
& b b Œ. Œ. Œ.
57
œ. œ. œ. ˙. ˙.
> > >
? bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
rit.
b œ œ œ œ ˙. ˙.
˙. ˙.
MM00001016 Copyright © 2014 by Music Motivation® - http://musicmotivation.com

Mary's Lamb Had the Blues Passed
Off
Enjoy these examples from the song “Mary’s Lamb Had the Blues.” Once you pass these off,
you may turn the page to complete the song. The tiny note that looks like an eighth note with
a slash through it is called a grace note. It is a very quick note.
Passed
With this example slide your third finger down from E flat to E natural. Off
3 3
 
1


     

   

 
  
Passed
Off
          
      
2 (1) 1 1 1
5 5 5 5
Passed
Off
2 3
1 1
      
  
   
  
 
 
Passed
Off
      
    
   
 2 (1) 1
 1
1
5
5 5 5
MM00001002
LESSON TWO
Passed FREE PDF
Off visit musicmotivation.com to download
Arranged by Jerald M. Simon youtube.com/jeraldsimon

Slow and easy - Like you've really got the Blues  70
3 2
 
1 1


     

   

  

   

 
   
Ma - ry had a lit - tle lamb, lit - tle lamb,
          
   
      
2 (1) 
2 (1)

5
5
4 3
1 5
    




     

   

 
    
lit - tle lamb, Ma - ry had a lit - tle lamb, and

    
          
         
5
7 3
1
 

   

  

 
 
they can sing the blues .
     
   

  1
5
The main purpose of this lesson is to teach students a left hand blues pattern. The best way
to describe the left hand blues pattern is by teaching intervals. The left hand plays a perfect 5th
(i.e. C & G), then a major 6th (i.e. C & A), a minor 7th (i.e. C & B ), back to the major 6th, and
ending with the perfect 5th. It repeats this pattern following the primary cadences 1, 4, and 5.
© 2008 by Music Motivation® MM00001002

Passed
Apply What You have Learned in LESSON TWO to These Songs Off
Passed
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star Off
C F C F C G C C F C G
                    
 
7
4
C F C G C F C F C G G C
                  
 
Passed
London Bridge Is Falling Down Off
7
C G C C G G C
                           

Passed
She’ll Be Comin’ Round The Mountain When She Comes Off

C C C C

                     
7
 
G C F F G G C
                 
4
 
Student Challenge: Try playing these songs in every key signature! Move every finger up half a step to the right.
Continue doing this until you have made it through every key signature and have returned back to the key of C.
MM00001002 © 2008 by Music Motivation®

Learn more at musicmotivation.com!
 Music Motivation ® from Music Mentor™ Jerald Simon 

Chordal Composition (also known as Harmonic Composition)
This is a “Music Composing Idea Worksheet” (a template for composing using chords)
Pretend you are using the C Major Scale and want to compose something in the key of C major:
(Play the notes from the C major scale)
These are the three note chords (triads) built from the scale (e.g. C major) [practice playing these chords in root
position, and 1st and 2nd inversions (CEG = Root, EGC = 1st inversion and GCE = 2nd inversion)]
Only use the first five chords for younger or beginning students. Quality of the Chords
M = major
m = minor
dim = diminished
o (diminished)
Primary Chords = 1 4 5 8 (chords used more often when composing)

Secondary Chords = 2 3 6 7 (chords not used as often - unless composing a minor or sad song (also modes)
Start Composing using the numbers 1 - 8 (avoid number 7)

In the beginning, primarily use the major and minor chords only (numbers 1-8, without number 7). At first, avoid the number 7 entirely, because it will sound really
weird and out of place unless you are trying to modulate, transpose, resolve chord progressions, create a modal piece, or create a scary or sci-fi effect. If that is what
you are trying to do, go right ahead - don’t let me stop you! If not, simply avoid 7 when you first begin composing and using the chords and chord progressions.
Start on 1 (here is an example I created to get you going - I just chose random numbers - 1 - 8 {leaving out the 7, of course}) End on 1
1 4 6 5 2 4 5 1
Start on 1 (when we replace the triad chord name with the numbers (e.g. C = 1), this is what we end up with for our composition: End on 1
C F Am G Dm F G C
Here is what it looks like musically (I haven’t added any rhythms yet or changed anything):
Now I have changed the position of the chords (root, 1st, and 2nd inversion) and am playing the right hand in the bass clef (it sounds cool):
Please share with piano teachers and piano students - feel free to make copies - Visit my website at musicmotivation.com for more FREE resources!
youtube.com/jeraldsimon • facebook.com/jeraldsimon • twitter.com/jeraldsimon • linkedin.com/in/jeraldsimon
Copyright © 2014 by Music Motivation® - International Copyright Secured - All rights reserved
(Copies are allowed for non-commercial use - this cannot be sold or distributed)
Learn more at musicmotivation.com!
 Music Motivation® from Music Mentor™ Jerald Simon 

Chordal Composition (also known as Harmonic Composition)
This is a “Music Composing Idea Worksheet” (a template for composing using chords)
Choose any scale in any key and write out the major or minor scale:
(Play the notes from the major or minor scale you wrote out): What is the scale you chose:
Write out the three note chords (triads) built from the scale (e.g. C major) [practice playing these chords in root
position, and 1st and 2nd inversions (e.g. CEG = Root, EGC = 1st inversion and GCE = 2nd inversion)]
M = major
Only use the first five chords for younger or beginning students. Quality of the Chords m = minor
Write in the chords built from the scale below: dim = diminished
M m m M M m o (diminished) M
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Primary Chords = 1 4 5 8 (chords used more often when composing in a major key signature)
Secondary Chords = 2 3 6 7 (chords not used as often - unless composing a minor or sad song (also modes)
Start Composing using the numbers 1 - 8 (avoid number 7)

In the beginning, primarily use the major and minor chords only (numbers 1-8, without number 7). At first, avoid the number 7 entirely, because it will sound really
weird and out of place unless you are trying to modulate, transpose, resolve chord progressions, create a modal piece, or create a scary or sci-fi effect. If that is what
you are trying to do, go right ahead - don’t let me stop you! If not, simply avoid 7 when you first begin composing and using the chords and chord progressions.
Start on 1 (Create a composition of your own - simply choose random numbers - 1 - 8 {leaving out the 7, of course}) End on 1
1 1
Start on 1 (Now replace the triad chord name with the numbers (e.g. C = 1): End on 1
Write in the chords in ROOT position below (taken from the numbers you wrote above):
Below you can change the position of the chords (root, 1st, and 2nd inversion) as well as the rhythm:
Try playing the left hand as an octave interval of the chord you wrote above:
Please share with piano teachers and piano students - feel free to make copies - Visit my website at musicmotivation.com for more FREE resources!
youtube.com/jeraldsimon • facebook.com/jeraldsimon • twitter.com/jeraldsimon • linkedin.com/in/jeraldsimon
Copyright © 2014 by Music Motivation® - International Copyright Secured - All rights reserved
(Copies are allowed for non-commercial use - this cannot be sold or distributed)
Many piano teachers, piano students, and parents of piano students ask me how or why I began creating the “Cool
Songs” from my “Cool Songs Subscription” (musicmotivation.com/coolsongs). It began with my “Cool Songs for
Cool Kids” Series (Primer Level and Books 1, 2, and 3), and my “Cool Songs that ROCK!” Series (books 1 and 2).
To be honest, however, it actually began long before any of those books were created.
I began teaching piano lessons part time in 2003, I was newly married and was selling pianos in a piano store. I
didn’t start teaching full time as an independent piano teacher until 2006. Between 2003 and 2006 I had a few
different sales jobs I did as well, while continuing to do things on the side for my music career. In 2006 I created my
music company, Music Motivation®, at first for my piano studio and for me as a performing musician. I then felt
motivated to come out with two books back to back. The first book I ever created was “An Introduction to Scales
and Modes”. It is an in-depth tutorial of basic scales and modes in all key signatures. After that I came out with my
second book, “Variations on Mary Had a Little Lamb.” This book has nine different arrangements I created using
the children’s song, “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” These are some of the arrangements in the book: Mary Took Her
Lamb to a Swingin’ Jazz Club, Mary’s Lamb Had the Blues, Mary Took Her Lamb to a 50s Rock Concert, Mary and
Her Lamb Live with Indians, etc., etc., until the last arrangement of: Mary Took Her Lamb to a Funeral.
These books were created to help students learn the theory and the practical application of the music. As a result
of these two books, my piano studio more than doubled. At my most busy time in teaching, I had around 88
piano students. The majority were teenage boys (ages 11-19), and most of them wanted to quit piano lessons. Piano
teachers and parents of piano students would send me their students who essentially wanted nothing more to do
with the instrument. The parents and teachers said they didn’t want their students to quit and asked me to try to
motivate them to keep playing the piano (I guess that is what I get for naming my company Music Motivation®).
The students would not play from any method book past or present and would never suggest music they wanted
to play. I needed to figure out how to reach these students and connect with them. I asked each of them what kind
of music they enjoyed and asked them to bring it so they could work on it. The majority would not do it. I then
asked them to challenge me to create or compose a piano solo for them during their lesson. They all found this
very entertaining. I would tell them to choose a style of music, key signature, and the time signature. With some
pieces, such as “Game Over” from “Cool Songs for Cool Kids” book 1, they even said I could only use four notes.
It was a game for the students and a challenge for me. With each of these students, I composed a piano solo during
their lesson time and even notated it in Finale. At the end of their lesson I printed off the music and sent it home
with them. I challenged them to learn the piano solo and then let me know what they thought. I told them I would
compose a new piece the following week during their next lesson for them.
It worked! The following week, the students returned and I asked them if they had tried to play it. The majority
of these students had not only tried to play it, but had perfected the piece and said they were ready to challenge
me to compose a new piano solo. I would accept their challenge and tell them they would need to play what I
composed. I asked the students what they honestly thought about the music and almost without exception, the
students said they thought the music sounded “cool.” They told me they would play the piano more if they could
have more “cool” sounding music like the piano solo I had composed. I appreciated their positive feedback. I told
them I would emphasize the music theory in the “cool song” because they need to know their music theory, but
I also told them I wanted them to have fun learning these “cool songs” each week. That is how it all began. All of
the “cool songs” I had composed in each lesson were later compiled into “Cool Songs for Cool Kids” books 1, 2,
and 3. Because of the great feedback of these books, I then created “Cool Songs that ROCK!” books 1 and 2 for
older teenagers that were a little more advanced. I have my students play through all of the “cool songs” I create so
I can receive their feedback . They know what they like and what sounds “cool” to them. I listen to and now receive
feedback from many piano teachers, piano students, and parents of piano students around the world who tell me
- Jerald
what they would like me to compose as well. Have fun with this music!

™
The Music Motivation® Mentorship Map (for piano students) Music Motivation® ™
by Music Mentor™ Jerald Simon musicmotivation.com
 Apprentice   Maestro   Virtuoso 
This is only an outline or suggestion - add to it or subtract from it! If you are doing something different all together that works, keep doing it. This is meant to give you ideas and supplement what you’re already doing.
M O T I V A T I O N
for 1st & 2nd year students for 2nd - 4th year students for 3rd year students and above
Repertoire Music Motivation® Book(s) Music Motivation® Book(s) Music Motivation® Book(s)
What Every Pianist Should Know (Free PDF) Essential Piano Exercises (section 2) Essential Piano Exercises (section 3)
In addition to the books Essential Piano Exercises (section 1) An Introduction to Scales and Modes
listed to the right,
Cool Songs that ROCK! (books 1 & 2)
students can sign up to Cool Songs for Cool Kids (pre-primer level) Cool Songs for Cool Kids (book 2) Triumphant, Sea Fever, Sweet Melancholy,
receive the weekly “Cool Cool Songs for Cool Kids (primer level) Cool Songs for Cool Kids (book 3) The Dawn of a New Age, Sweet Modality,
Song” and “Cool Exercise”
Cool Songs for Cool Kids (book 1) Variations on Mary Had a Little Lamb Jazzed about Jazz, Jazzed about Classical Music,
composed by Jerald Simon
every week. Visit The Pentascale Pop Star (books 1 and 2) Twinkle Those Stars, Jazzed about Jingle Those Bells, Cinematic Solos, Hymn Arranging
musicmotivation.com/ Christmas, Jazzed about 4th of July
Songs in Pentascale position: Classical, Jazz, Blues, Baroque, Romantic, Classical, Jazz, Blues, Popular,
annualsubscription to Popular, Students Choice, Personal Composition (in Baroque, Romantic, Classical, Jazz, Blues, Popular, New Age, Contemporary, Broadway Show Tunes,
learn more and sign up! pentascale position - 5 note piano solo) etc. New Age, Student’s Choice, Personal Composition. Standards, Student’s Choice, Personal Composition
as such). Jerald simply creates fun, cool piano music to motivate piano students to play the piano and teach them music theory - the FUN way!
The books from the Music Motivation® Series by Jerald Simon are not method books, and are not intentionally created to be used as such (although some piano teachers use them
Piano ( p ) , Forte ( f ) Mezzo Piano ( P ) Tempo Markings Pocket Music Dictionary (2 - 3 years)
Music Mezzo Forte (F ) Pianissimo ( pp ) Dynamic Markings Harvard Dictionary of Music (4 + years)
Fortissimo ( ff )
Parts of the Piano Parts/History of the Piano
Terminology Styles and Genres of Music Music Composers (Weekly Biographies)
Music Motivation® 1st Year Terminology Music Motivation® 2nd Year Terminology Music Motivation® 3rd Year Terminology
C, G, D, A, F, B b, E & Ab(Major)
b
#
Key Circle of 5ths/Circle of 4ths Spiral of Fifths, Chord Progressions
A, E, B, F , D, G, C & F (Minor) All Major and Minor key signatures within Key Signatures. Modulating from
Signatures (Identify each key and name the sharps and flats) one Key Signature to another.
Begin learning all major key signatures
Names and Positions of notes on the staff Names and Positions of notes above and History of Music Notation (the
(both hands - Treble and Bass Clefs) below the staff (both hands) development of notation), Monks & Music,
Music
?
Gregorian Chants, Music changes over the
& ?
Notation & years and how music has changed.
Learn Finale and Logic Pro (notate your music)
Whole notes/rests w ∑ œ ≈
r KKrK
Ó œ Â
Sixteenth notes/rests One-hundred-twenty-eighth
h Kr
(say it and play it - count out loud)
œ ®
Half notes/rests notes/rests
Rhythms (say it and play it - count out loud)
q Œ Thirty-second notes/rests
KrK For more on rhythm, I recommend:
œ Ù
Quarter notes/rests
‰
“Rhythmic Training”by Robert Starer and
Sixty-fourth notes/rests
e
“Logical Approach to Rhythmic Notation” (books 1 & 2)
Eighth notes/rests (say it and play it - count out loud)
by Phil Perkins
All Perfect, Major, Minor, Augmented, 9th, 11th, and 13th intervals
intervals (key of C, G, D, F, B b, and E b ).
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th
Intervals and Diminished intervals (in every key) Analyze music (Hymns and Classical) to
Harmonic and Melodic intervals (key of C, All Harmonic and Melodic intervals identify intervals used in each measure.
G, D, A, E, and B) Explain the intervals used to create major, Identify/Name intervals used in chords.
minor, diminished, and augmented chords?
All Major Pentascales (5 finger scale) All Major Scales (Every Key 1 - 2 octaves) All Major Scales (Every Key 3 - 5 Octaves)
All Minor Pentascales (5 finger scale) All Minor Scales (Every Key 1 - 2 octaves) All Minor Scales (Every Key 3 - 5 Octaves)
All Diminished Pentascales (5 finger scale) (natural, harmonic, and melodic minor scales) All Blues Scales (major and minor)
Scales C Major Scale (1 octave) A min. Scale (1 oct.) (Do, Di, Re, Ri, Mi, Fa, Fi, Cultural Scales (25 + scales)
(Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do) (solfege) Sol, Si, La, Li, Ti, Do) (solfege - chromatic)
All Major and Natural Minor Scales - 1 octave
Modes Ionian/Aeolian (C/A, G/E, D/B, A/F # ) All Modes (I, D, P, L, M, A, L) All keys Modulating with the Modes (Dorian to Dorian)
All Major Chords, All Minor Chords, All Major, Minor, Diminished, Review All Chords from 1st and 2nd year
All Diminished Chords, C Sus 2, C Sus 4, Augmented, Sus 2, Sus 4, experiences
Chords C+ (Aug)., C 6th, C minor 6th, C 7th, Sixth, Minor Sixth, Dominant All 7th, 9th, 11th, and 13th chords
C Maj. 7th, C minor Major 7th, A min., 7th and Major 7th Chords inversions and voicings.
A Sus 2, A Sus 4,
Arpeggios Same chords as above (1 - 2 octaves) Same chords as above (3 - 4 octaves) Same chords as above (4 + octaves)
Inversions Same chords as above (1 - 2 octaves) Same chords as above (3 - 4 octaves) Same chords as above (4 + octaves)
Technique (other) Schmitt Preparatory Exercises, (Hanon) Wieck, Hanon, Bach (well tempered clavier) Bertini-Germer, Czerny, I. Philipp
b b b b
Sight Reading Key of C Major and G Major Key of C, G, D, A, E, F, B, E, A , D All Key Signatures, Hymns, Classical
Ear Training Major versus Minor sounds (chords/intervals) C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and intervals Key Signatures and Chords, Play w/ IPod
Music History The origins of the Piano Forte Baroque, Classical, Jazz, Blues Students choice - All genres, Composers
Improvisation Mary Had a Little Lamb, Twinkle, Twinkle... Blues Pentascale, Barrelhouse Blues Classical, New Age, Jazz, Blues, etc. Play w/ IPod
Composition 5 note melody (both hands - key of C and G) One - Two Page Song (include key change) Lyrical, Classical, New Age, Jazz, etc.

Testimonials about Jerald
here are a few testimonials from musicians and piano teachers
“Jerald’s hymn arrangements are as beautiful as they are musically interesting. I’m sure people are going to
love hearing them in church meetings or wherever they are played.”
- Jon Schmidt - Piano Guys
“Jerald is a wonderful human being who has inspired not only me to be a better pianist, but hundreds of other
people. Keep up all the great work Jerald.”
- Paul Cardall - Music Producer, Film Composer, Recording Artist
“What I love about arrangements of well-sung songs done by various artists is that one can hear the pianist’s
personality come through in a very real and intimate way. Jerald’s passion for life and his beliefs comes
through in his unique and distinctive arrangements of these well-known religious hymns.”
- Kurt Bestor (Owner, Kurt Bestor Music)
“Jerald Simon’s arrangement of A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief is peaceful and soothing. It is not rushed,
allowing lines to breathe and resolve. He continues to produce music that will bring spiritual comfort to those
who are listening.”
- Josh Wright (concert pianist and online piano teacher)
“Jerald Simon is a brilliant musician, teacher, and performer, with a fascinating story to tell. If you’re interest-
ed in learning how to improvise or compose music, be sure to check out his books.”
- Brandon Pearce - Owner, Music Teacher’s Helper, LLC
“Jerald’s motivational poetry, writing and music education books are a true expression of Jerald’s winning
personality and innovation. He is a Utah treasure.”
- David Burger, Music critic, arts reporter, Salt Lake Tribune
“Not only do you get a song per week to learn, but all of the “fixings” (supplements) to go with it! Backing
tracks, PDFs and also a step by step video going though each song. Wow! It’s a great value for the price.
I think students would enjoy playing these (cool) songs. Teachers and students shouldn’t think twice about
learning about (Jerald’s) compositions and letting themselves be inspired by his musical style. Don’t delay -
jump in today!”
- Jeff Willie - Piano Teacher
“My favorite thing about the “Cool Songs” is the music theory that is introduced in the YouTube videos. So
many times, students don’t understand the why behind theory until they have been taking lessons for several
years. The videos introduce theory concepts in a way that compliments the song, and then gives students a
reason to actually use it!” Thanks again!
-Amanda W Smith (Piano Teacher - Founder of modernmusicteaching.com

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel:
On my YouTube channel, youtube.com/jeraldsimon, I have a few different playlists filled with great content
for beginning piano students up to advanced piano students. The videos are geared for everyone from brand
new piano students to music majors, professional pianists, and piano teachers of all skill levels.
There are three main playlists for my free online piano lessons. I offer in person piano lessons,
skype/FaceTime piano lessons, and step by step piano lesson packages you can purchase and watch at home,
but the ones listed below are FREE to everyone who subscribes to my YouTube channel:
1. PIANO FUNdamentals (emphasis on the word FUN!)

2. 5 Minute Piano Lessons with Jerald Simon
(sponsored by Music Motivation)
3. Theory Tip Tuesday Piano Lessons

I frequently release new videos. Some are piano lessons, and others are filmings of workshops, masterclasses,
or concerts. I also have these additional types of videos on my YouTube channel:
a. Meditation/Relaxation Music Composed by Jerald Simon

b. Hymn Arrangements by Jerald Simon
c. Motivational Messages by Jerald Simon
d. Motivational Poetry by Jerald Simon
e. Theory Tip Tuesday (FREE Weekly Piano Lesson Videos) by Jerald Simon
f. Cool Songs by Jerald Simon (musicmotivation.com/coolsongs)
g. Assemblies, Workshops, Firesides, and more...
Let me know if you have a tutorial you’d like me to come out with to better help you learn the piano. I’m happy
to help in any way I can and love hearing feedback from others about what they personally are looking for in
piano lesson videos to help them learn to play the piano better. I primarily focus on music theory, improvisation/
arranging, and composition. I refer to these as THEORY THERAPY, INNOVATIVE IMPROVISATION, and
CREATIVE COMPOSITION.
I have also produced hundreds of COOL SONGS that teach students music theory the fun way. You can choose
one of five COOL SONGS packages on my website. If you’d like to learn more about the COOL SONGS (as
I call them), that I composed to motivate my own piano students, or if you would like to purchase any of the
COOL SONGS packages featuring the music/books, simply visit musicmotivation.com/coolsongs to be taken
to the page on my website that explains a little more about the COOL SONGS. You can also watch piano video
tutorial lessons featuring 85 of the 200 + COOL SONGS (youtube.com/jeraldsimon). Let me know what you
think. I’d love your feedback about the music. It helps me as I compose more COOL SONGS to motivate more
piano students. I’m excited to have you watch my free video piano lessons on YouTube.com/jeraldsimon.

Perceptions, Parables, and Pointers by Jerald Simon (read more at this link): http://musicmotivation.
com/shop/motivationalself-help-books/perceptions-parables-and-pointers-by-jerald-simon/
What do you really want to do with your time? What is your mission in life? Where have you been, and where
would you like to go? What are your dreams, your hopes, your wishes? If you could do anything in the world,
what would it be?
The main goal in writing down these perceptions, parables, and pointers, and in creating this book in general,
is to present ideas that will help get people thinking, imagining, planning, creating, and actively participating
in life.
The “As If” Principle (motivational poetry) by Jerald Simon features 222 original motivational poems
written by Simon to inspire and motivate men, women, businesses, organizations, leaders, mentors, advisers,
teachers, and students. The poems were written to teach values and encourage everyone everywhere to do and
be their best. (read more at this link): http://musicmotivation.com/shop/motivationalself-help-books/the-as-if-
principle-by-jerald-simon/

Jerald’s Albums & Singles
are available from all online music stores
Stream Jerald’s music on
Pandora, Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, and all streaming sites.
Check out Jerald’s Cool Song Piano Packages

Jerald continually produces and releases new “Cool Songs” available for all piano students and piano teachers
on his website (musicmotivation.com). Each new “Cool Song” is emailed to Music Motivation® mentees (piano
teachers and piano students) who have enrolled in the “COOL SONGS” monthly subscription program. See
which subscription is the best fit for you and for your piano students (if you are a piano teacher) by visiting:
http://musicmotivation.com/coolsongs
At Music Motivation®, I strive to produce the best quality products I can to help musicians of all ages better understand music
theory (Theory Therapy), improvisation (Innovative Improvisation), and composition (Creative Composition). I try to tailor my
products around the needs of piano teachers and piano students of all ages - from beginning through advanced and would love
to receive your feedback about what I can do to better help you teach and learn. Let me know if there is a type of piano music,
music book, fun audio or video tutorial, or any other educational product you would like to see in the field of music (principally
the piano), but have not yet found, that would help you teach and learn the piano better. Please contact me. I look forward to your
comments and suggestions. Thank you.
Check out these best sellers by Jerald Simon
Jerald is continually coming out with new books and has multiple books planned to be released each year. Check musicmotivation.com for new books, CD, singles, and more.
visit musicmotivation.com to purchase, or visit your local music store - Chesbro music is the national
distributor for all Music Motivation® books. Contact Chesbro Music Co. if you are a store (1.800.243.7276)
Learn more about
Jerald Simon
Visit http://musicmotivation.com/jeraldsimon
“My purpose and mission in life is to motivate myself and others through my music and
writing, to help others find their purpose and mission in life, and to teach values and
encourage everyone everywhere to do and be their best.” - Jerald Simon
First and foremost, Jerald is a husband to his beautiful wife, Zanny, and a father to his wonderful children.
Jerald Simon is the founder of Music Motivation® (musicmotivation.com), a company he formed to provide
music instruction through workshops, giving speeches and seminars, and concerts and performances in the field
of music and motivation. He is a composer, author, poet, and Music Mentor/piano teacher (primarily focusing
his piano teaching on music theory, improvisation, composition, and arranging). Jerald loves spending time
with his wife, Zanny, and their children. In addition, he loves music, teaching, speaking, performing, playing
sports, exercising, reading, writing poetry and self help books, and gardening.
Jerald created musicmotivation.com as a resource for piano teachers, piano students, and parents of piano
students. In 2008 he began creating his Cool Songs to help teach music theory – the FUN way by putting FUN
back into theory FUNdamentals. Jerald has also filmed hundreds of piano lesson video tutorials on his YouTube
page (youtube.com/jeraldsimon). He is the author/poet of “The As If Principle” (motivational poetry), and the
books “Perceptions, Parables, and Pointers”, “Motivation in a Minute”, and “Who Are You?”. Jerald is also
the author of 21 music books from the Music Motivation® Series and has also recorded and produced several
albums and singles of original music.
Jerald also presents to various music schools, groups, and associations throughout the country doing various
workshops, music camps, master classes, concerts and firesides to inspire and motivate teens, adults, music
students and teachers. He enjoys teaching piano students about music theory, improvisation, and composition.
He refers to himself as a Music Mentor and encourages music students to get motivated by music and to
motivate others through music of their own.
SPECIALTIES:
Composer, Author, Poet, Music Mentor, Piano Teacher (jazz, music theory, improvisation, composition,
arranging, etc.), Motivational Speaker, and life coach. Visit http://musicmotivation.com, to book
Jerald as a speaker/performer. Visit http://musicmotivation.com to print off FREE piano resources
for piano teachers and piano students.
Book me to speak/perform for your group or for a concert or performance:
jeraldsimon@musicmotivation.com - (801)644-0540 - musicmotivation.com

COOL SONGS by Jerald Simon Jerald’s YouTube page: youtube.com/jeraldsimon
GETTING STARTED
With COOL SONGS Beginning Level by Jerald Simon
Where to Begin?
The COOL SONGS Beginning
Level Package is a series of 17
COOL SONGS composed by
Jerald Simon - complete with
backing tracks. These are
organized in order - 1 - 17
from the easiest to the most
difficult. These pieces can and
should be used together with
the Cool Songs for Cool Kids
Primer Level Book which
features 21 additional Cool
Songs composed by Jerald
along with Cool Exercises.
COOL SONGS are FUN!
How to Practice? Piano teachers, piano students, and even parents of piano
students around the world continually thank me for these fun
The pieces in the COOL COOL SONGS I have composed - especially for teenagers.
SONGS Beginning Level
Package contain primer and These were composed for my own piano students in my studio in
beginning level pieces - each an effort to help motivate them to have fun playing the piano.
one is 1 - 2 pages in length. The students love performing these COOL SONGS at their
Most are written in C Major
recitals, school talent shows, and even for friends and family.
Pentascale position (5 note
scales - using C D E F and G). There are 17 COOL SONGS in
Practice hands separate and the Beginning Level
then together.
Package, 16 COOL SONGS
in the Early Intermediate
Need Help?
Level Package, and 50
For each of the 17 Cool Songs COOL SONGS in the
that have minus tracks, you can Intermediate Level
watch the video lesson where Package. In addition to
Jerald teaches the song. these pieces, there are an
Visit musicmotivation.com for help and resources. © 2019 - Music Motivation®

additional 21 Cool Songs from the COOL SONGS for COOL KIDS
Primer Level Book, 21 Cool Songs from the COOL SONGS for COOL
KIDS Book 1 book, 21 Cool Songs from the COOL SONGS for COOL
KIDS Book 2 book, and 10 Cool Songs from the COOL SONGS for
COOL KIDS Book3 book. That is an additional 73 COOL SONGS
on top of the already 83 COOL SONGS in this package. All are
included in the downloads and you have access to all of these
COOL SONGS in addition to the bonus books.
Connect with Jerald Overview of COOL SONGS Series: 

I try to be an additional resource
and help out as time permits. COOL SONGS Beginner Level:
Please connect with me on the
following platforms and social 17 Cool Songs complete with video lessons and minus tracks 
media sites: Cool Songs for Cool Kids (Primer) - an additional 21 Cool Songs 
Essential Piano Exercises - Apprentice Stage
YOUTUBE: youtube.com/
jeraldsimon COOL SONGS Early Intermediate Level:
Face Book: facebook.com/
16 Cool Songs complete with video lessons and minus tracks 
jeraldsimon
Cool Songs for Cool Kids Book 1 - an additional 21 Cool Songs 
Twitter: twitter.com/jeraldsimon Cool Songs for Cool Kids Book 2 - an additional 21 Cool Songs 
Essential Piano Exercises - Maestro Stage
Instagram: instgram.com/
jeraldsimon COOL SONGS Intermediate Level:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ 50 Cool Songs complete with video lessons and minus tracks 
jeraldsimon Cool Songs for Cool Kids Book 3 - an additional 10 Cool Songs 
Cool Songs that ROCK! (Book 1) - an additional 7 Cool Songs 
Essential Piano Exercises - Virtuoso Stage
Listen to my music on the
following sites: Each of the books are sequential and go in order and level of
difficulty from primer level up through late intermediate to
Pandora: http://tinyurl.com/ advanced levels. The COOL SONGS are comprised of various
jerald-pandora
styles, genres, and each one teaches and reinforces different
Spotify: http://tinyurl.com/jerald- theory concepts and helps the students improve and progress
spotify while having FUN!
iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/jerald- Here are some ways to connect with me if you need any help: 
itunes  
http://musicmotivation.com/contact-jerald/  
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/
jeraldsimon@musicmotivation.com 
jerald-amazon
(801)444-5143 (Business Line) 
P.O. Box 1000 Kaysville, UT 84037

GETTING STARTED
With COOL SONGS Early Intermediate Level by Jerald Simon
Where to Begin?
The COOL SONGS Early
Intermediate Level Package is
a series of 16 COOL SONGS
composed by Jerald Simon -
complete with backing tracks.
These are organized in order -
1 - 16 from the easiest to the
most difficult. These pieces can
and should be used together
with the Cool Songs for Cool
Kids Book 1 and Book 2 books
which features 21 additional
Cool Songs composed by
Jerald in each book (42 total).
COOL SONGS are FUN!
How to Practice? Piano teachers, piano students, and even parents of piano
students around the world continually thank me for these fun
The pieces in the COOL COOL SONGS I have composed - especially for teenagers.
SONGS Early Intermediate
Level Package contain These were composed for my own piano students in my studio in
beginning - later beginning an effort to help motivate them to have fun playing the piano.
level pieces - each one is 1 - 2 The students love performing these COOL SONGS at their
pages in length. Most are
written in various key
signatures and time signatures. There are 17 COOL SONGS in
then together.
Need Help?
For each of the Cool Songs COOL SONGS in the
watch the video lessons where Package. In addition to
Jerald teaches the Cool Songs. these pieces, there are an


jeraldsimon
jerald-pandora
itunes  
jerald-amazon

GETTING STARTED
With COOL SONGS Intermediate Level by Jerald Simon
Where to Begin?
The COOL SONGS
Intermediate Level Package is
a series of 50 COOL SONGS
composed by Jerald Simon -
complete with backing tracks.
These are fun pieces piano
students enjoy performing for
their friends. These pieces can
and should be used together
with the Cool Songs for Cool
Kids Book 3 book which
features 10 additional Cool
Songs composed by Jerald.
How to Practice? COOL SONGS are FUN!

Piano teachers, piano students, and even parents of piano
The pieces in the COOL students around the world continually thank me for these fun
SONGS Intermediate Level COOL SONGS I have composed - especially for teenagers.
Package contain intermediate -
advanced level pieces. Each These were composed for my own piano students in my studio in
one is 1 - 6 or 7 pages in an effort to help motivate them to have fun playing the piano.
length. Most are written in The students love performing these COOL SONGS at their
various key signatures and
time signatures. There are
many styles and genres. There are 17 COOL SONGS in
then together.
Need Help?
For each of the Cool Songs COOL SONGS in the
watch the video lessons where Package. In addition to
Jerald teaches the Cool Songs. these pieces, there are an


jeraldsimon
jerald-pandora
itunes  
jerald-amazon

The COOL SONGS Club Jerald’s YouTube page: youtube.com/jeraldsimon
GETTING STARTED
With COOL SONGS Club Resources for Parents by Jerald Simon
Thank You for Welcome to the COOL

becoming a COOL
SONGS CLUB SONGS CLUB! 
member!
I’m excited for you to be a As a member, you will now receive 1 - 2 new COOL SONGS
member of the COOL SONGS composed by Jerald Simon every month of your subscription.
CLUB. For only $6.95 per These COOL SONGS include the PDF download, the
month, it’s a great investment! I
accompanying MP3 minus tracks, and the video lessons taught by
try to create and share as much
Jerald. These new COOL SONGS are at various levels. As a
content as I can with the
parent, I encourage you to go through all of these resources with
members of this club and am
so excited to have you join us. your child if they are younger, or help your teens know about
Much of the content created these various resources I am sharing. I’m here to help!
for the COOL SONGS CLUB is
You will also receive 3 - 4 new COOL exercises per month. These
created at the request of the
members in the club. If your are exercises, worksheets,
child needs any specific PDF downloadable/re-
resources, please let me know! printable tips on how to
arrange, improvise, and
Need Help? compose music of your
own.
Here are some ways to
connect with me if you need Another perk of being a
any help:  member of the COOL
 
SONGS CLUB is that
http://musicmotivation.com/
you will have access to our monthly webinar series. Every month
contact-jerald/ 
I film a new webinar tutorial where I teach a specific concept
 
jeraldsimon@musicmotivation. (music theory, improvisation, composition, etc.) that is only
com  shared with our COOL SONGS CLUB members. We are also
  preparing to have other piano teaching experts share their ideas,
(801)444-5143 (Business Line)  tips, suggestions, on their own areas of piano expertise - again
P.O. Box 1000 Kaysville, UT primarily focusing on helping our members learn more about
84037 music theory, improvisation, and composition. 

What to do First: 
1. Visit the COOL SONGS CLUB (monthly subscription

plan) section, log in, and download the 9 MP3 albums I
have shared as a special thank you for joining the COOL
SONGS CLUB. This is the link where you can log in: https://
Connect with Jerald
coolsongs.musicmotivation.com/members-area-login-coolsongs
2. Print out the COOL PIANO EXERCISES and COOL
and help out as time permits.
SONGS already available for the members of the club.
following platforms and social 3. Subscribe to my YouTube channel: youtube.com/
media sites:
jeraldsimon and begin watching some of the free content I
YOUTUBE: youtube.com/ have created and shared on my YouTube channel. You will
jeraldsimon be notified of additional live broadcasts and webinars I offer on
my YouTube channel in addition to all of the content already
available.
jeraldsimon
4. Check back every week as new content will be added
Twitter: twitter.com/jeraldsimon
weekly and monthly to this section. An email will also be
Instagram: instgram.com/ sent out once a week to members of the COOL SONGS CLUB
jeraldsimon letting them know of new resources available to members.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ 5. Invite other piano teachers, piano students, or parents
jeraldsimon of piano students to join the COOL SONGS CLUB for
$6.95 per month. It is the most beneficial for them (and for
you) to already have purchased the COOL SONGS bundle (for
Listen to my music on the $49.95). You can simply share this link where they can download
following sites: my introductory FREE PDF book, “20 Ways to Motivate Teen
Pandora: http://tinyurl.com/ Piano Students to Want to Play the Piano - the FUN way!”:
jerald-pandora https://coolsongs.musicmotivation.com
Spotify: http://tinyurl.com/jerald- As a personal side note, I would love to have you check out my
spotify artwork and photography I have taken. I have had many
members ask if would begin creating resources (i.e. flyers,
iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/jerald-
postcards, piano recital programs, practice charts, etc. using my
itunes
photography). I am in the process of creating those and offering
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/ them as a free perk for the members of the COOL SONGS club.
jerald-amazon In the meantime, you can check out my various photos and
artwork at this link: http://shrsl.com/1kk92

GETTING STARTED
With COOL SONGS Club Resources for Piano Students by Jerald Simon

becoming a COOL
member!
Jerald. These new COOL SONGS are at various levels. As a
student, I encourage you to go through all of these resources and
so excited to have you join us. please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. I
Much of the content created try to respond to everyone, time permitting.
for the COOL SONGS CLUB is
You will also receive 3 - 4
created at the request of the
members in the club. If you new COOL exercises per
need any specific resources, month. These will be
please let me know! exercises, worksheets,
PDF downloadable/re-
Need Help? printable tips on how to
arrange, improvise, and
compose music of your
connect with me if you need
any help:  own.
 
Another perk of being a member of the COOL SONGS CLUB is
that you will have access to our monthly webinar series. Every
contact-jerald/ 
month I film a new webinar tutorial where I teach a specific
 
jeraldsimon@musicmotivation. concept (music theory, improvisation, composition, etc.) that is
com  only shared with our COOL SONGS CLUB members. We are
  also preparing to have other piano teaching experts share their
(801)444-5143 (Business Line)  ideas, tips, suggestions, on their own areas of piano expertise -
P.O. Box 1000 Kaysville, UT again primarily focusing on helping our members learn more
84037 about music theory, improvisation, and composition. 


Connect with Jerald
media sites:
available.
jeraldsimon
itunes

GETTING STARTED
With COOL SONGS Club Resources for Piano Teachers by Jerald Simon

becoming a COOL
member!
Jerald. These new COOL SONGS are at various levels. In
addition, as a piano teacher, you are licensed and authorized
so excited to have you join us. because of your monthly
Much of the content created subscription to print out
for the COOL SONGS CLUB is any of these new monthly
created at the request of the COOL SONGS for the
members in the club. If you piano students in your
need any specific resources, piano studio.
please let me know!
You will also receive 3 - 4
Need Help? new COOL exercises per
month. These will be
exercises, worksheets, PDF downloadable/re-printable tips on
connect with me if you need
any help:  how to arrange, improvise, and compose music of your own.
 
Another perk of being a member of the COOL SONGS CLUB is
that you will have access to our monthly webinar series. Every
contact-jerald/ 
month I film a new webinar tutorial where I teach a specific
 
jeraldsimon@musicmotivation. concept (music theory, improvisation, composition, etc.) that is
com  only shared with our COOL SONGS CLUB members. We are
  also preparing to have other piano teaching experts share their
(801)444-5143 (Business Line)  ideas, tips, suggestions, on their own areas of piano expertise -
P.O. Box 1000 Kaysville, UT again primarily focusing on helping our members learn more
84037 about music theory, improvisation, and composition. 


Connect with Jerald
media sites:
available.
jeraldsimon
itunes

Visit musicmotivation.com to learn more Watch videos on YouTube.com/jeraldsimon Getting Started with Music Motivation®
Music Motivation® with music mentor Jerald Simon
What are COOL SONGS and How do they motivate and help teens?
Intro to Jerald’s COOL SONGS

Take a Tour of Jerald’s COOL SONGS and learn more - see and hear You can learn more about
Jerald’s COOL SONGS by
examples of Jerald performing these COOL SONGS
visiting this website:
Music Theory and Piano FUNdamentals Taught https://
www.coolsongsclub.com
Why You Should Purchase the lifetime individual piano student license
On the website you will
($49.95), or the lifetime studio license ($190.00 - must purchase the find much of the content
individual student license for $49.95 and then add on the studio that is share in this
handout. The video links
license) mentioned in this handout
Join Jerald’s COOL SONGS Club (a monthly subscription program for help!
$6.95 per month). All COOL SONGS Club members will receive 1 - 2 new

COOL SONGS each month in addition to 3 - 4 new COOL EXERCISES plus additional webinars,
tutorials, handouts, and other extras. All of the new COOL SONGS and COOL EXERCISES are
lifetime studio licenses so piano teachers can use all of them with the students in their studios.
Let’s learn a little more about these COOL SONGS!
Intro to Jerald’s COOL SONGS:
What are COOL SONGS?
Jerald Simon, founder of Music Motivation®, creates COOL SONGS - complete with
backing tracks - to motivate and inspire piano students the FUN way! Parents praise COOL
SONGS, piano teachers rave about them, and piano students think they sound really
"COOL" and can't wait to play them!
Jerald originally created COOL SONGS for teens! He needed to do something to motivate
his own piano students. These COOL SONGS were created for teens, but adults love them
too!
Here is a link where you can watch me (Jerald) introduce my COOL SONGS and give you
an overview of how and why I began composing these COOL SONGS: https://youtu.be/
lXE6C9DKfq0
As mentioned in the video above, after publishing my first two music books, my music studio
more than doubled. Parents and other piano teachers sent their piano students who were
not enjoying piano lessons to me hoping I could motivate and inspire them to keep playing
the piano. The only problem was, with the majority of these new students not wanting to take
piano lessons anymore, more than half of my studio now wanted to quit piano lessons.
Some even said they actually hated the piano. Every lesson became drudgery, dread, and
despair, and that is just what I was feeling during their piano lesson! I'm sure they felt worse
than I did because they thought piano lessons were a waste of their time and felt they had
better things to do. They did not see the value in playing the piano because they were not
having FUN! Now I want piano students to work hard, push themselves, and learn to do
difficult things. It takes persistence to learn to play the piano. It takes effort, practice,
dedication, and hard work. But I believe it can and should be a FUN and enjoyable process.
I had a problem and had to figure out how to motivate and inspire these piano students. If
you are a piano teacher or a parent of a piano student, maybe you can relate to what I
experienced in trying to motivate my piano students.
As explained in the video above, I began composing a piano solo for each individual piano
student during their piano lesson in any style, key signature, time signature, and genre of his
or her choosing. Some wanted faster music that sounded like pop, rock, jazz, blues, or

boogie-woogie styles. Others wanted slower music that sounded more like new age,
contemporary/classical, ballads, or hymns. I composed music my piano students wanted to
play! After composing each piece I asked the students what they thought and almost without
exception, every student said they thought the music sounded COOL! All of these pieces
became known as COOL SONGS.
I have compiled all of the various COOL SONGS I composed for my own piano students into
a COOL SONGS Bundle to help motivate other piano students and share my COOL SONGS
with piano teachers around the world!
Take a Tour of Jerald’s COOL SONGS and learn more

(see and hear examples of Jerald performing these COOL SONGS)
Visit this link to watch a video where Jerald walks through the entire process to help take
you from learning about the COOL SONGS to purchasing Jerald’s COOL SONGS: https://
youtu.be/_AwSRoooCp4
Quick Highlights from the Intro Video Above

(to help you quickly navigate your way through the video)
• 1:10 - Tour of the website (coolsongsclub.com) begins. Jerald demonstrates how to

purchase COOL SONGS and walks you through the process.
• 14:43 - Tour of the "Log In Portal" begins - Learn how to log in and navigate
through your COOL SONGS account.
• 15:18 - Jerald introduces the COOL SONGS Series: 1. The COOL SONGS SERIES
(Books and Individual Music) (for $49.95), 2. The Studio License for Piano
Teachers (for $190.00), and 3. The COOL SONGS Club (a Monthly Subscription
Plan) (for $6.95 per month)
• 18:31 - Jerald introduces the COOL SONGS for Beginning Level Piano Students
• 35:33 - Jerald introduces the COOL SONGS for Early Intermediate Level Piano
Students
• 47:07 - Jerald introduces the COOL SONGS for Late Intermediate to Advanced
Level Piano Students
• 1:25:21 - Jerald introduces ESSENTIAL PIANO EXERCISES Book
• 1:30:55 - Jerald introduces The Studio Licenses for Piano Teachers (for $190.00)
• 1:36:00 - Jerald introduces the COOL SONGS Club (a monthly subscription plan)
for $6.95 per month
Music Theory and Piano FUNdamentals Taught
Every single COOL SONGS Jerald has created teaches music theory - the FUN way. Jerald
refers to this as Piano FUNdamentals (emphasis on the word FUN). Each COOL SONG was
composed to teach a specific theory concept, left hand pattern, skill, lick, chord

progression, or other useful and important element of music. The three main areas Jerald
likes to focus on with these COOL SONGS and in his own teaching is: 1. Theory Therapy, 2.
Innovative Improvisation, and 3. Creative Composition. Jerald teaches the music theory in a
very practical approach where students learn how to play these patterns, scales, and
chords, and also what to do with it. It is, what Jerald refers to as, the “Practical Application
of music theory.” As Jerald puts it, if you know your music theory but you don’t know what
to do with (i.e. improvise, arrange, transpose, compose, play by ear, perform, etc.), knowing
the music theory won’t help you apply that music theory in the real world of music. In
addition, since most of the COOL SONGS and many of the COOL EXERCISES have
accompanying minus tracks (background instrumentation - drums, guitars, keyboard
synths, midi-controllers, special sound effects, etc.) piano students learn how to play with
other musicians. This is the practical application element of learning how to perform a piece
while other musicians/instruments are playing as well. Jerald presents fun and COOL
sounding minus tracks featuring other instruments performed by Jerald (either on the
instrument of on keyboard and midi synths).
Why You Should Purchase the lifetime individual piano student license
($49.95), or the lifetime studio license ($190.00 - must purchase the
individual student license for $49.95 and then add on the studio license)
Both the individual piano student license and the lifetime piano teacher studio license are
lifetime licenses. Once students or teachers purchase the COOL SONGS bundle, they will
be able to access the COOL SONGS for life. This includes the PDF sheet music, MP3
minus tracks, the video lesson tutorials taught by Jerald, and the extra PDF exercises and
other freebies! With the individual piano student license students receive 163 COOL
SONGS (beginning level, early intermediate, and intermediate to advanced levels). With the
piano teacher studio license piano teachers receive over 350 COOL SONGS at various
levels (beginning level, early intermediate, and intermediate to advanced levels).
Join Jerald’s COOL SONGS Club (a monthly subscription program for $6.95
per month). All COOL SONGS Club members will receive 1 - 2 new COOL
SONGS each month in addition to 3 - 4 new COOL EXERCISES plus
additional webinars, tutorials, handouts, and other extras. All of the new COOL
SONGS and COOL EXERCISES are lifetime studio licenses so piano teachers

can use all of them with the students in their studios. Let’s learn a little more
about these COOL SONGS!
The COOL SONGS Club is a great way to continue to receive new COOL SONGS and
COOL EXERCISES every month from Jerald Simon. For $6.95 per month, it really is a no-
brainer and anyone and everyone can afford to join the COOL SONGS Club! Stay motivated
and inspired as you receive new advice, tips, video lessons, and supplemental materials
produced by Jerald each month. It’s a fantastic resource and an amazing bang for your
buck (six that is).
If you know other piano teachers, piano students, or parents of piano students who would
be interested in learning more about Jerald’s COOL SONGS and his COOL SONGS Club,
please have them download Jerald’s FREE PDF book: “20 Ways to Motivate Teen Piano
Students to Want to Play the Piano - the FUN Way” by visiting this link: https://
www.coolsongsclub.com/freebook.

FREE PDF Book... 20 WAYS TO MOTIVATE TEEN... 1 PDF

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Visit musicmotivation.com to learn more Watch videos and free piano lesson on YouTube.com/jeraldsimon COOL SONGS!

Music Motivation® with music mentor Jerald Simon

20 Ways to Motivate Teen Piano Students to Want to Play the Piano

Visit my website for FREE resources: http://musicmotivation.com/shop

musicmotivation.com/coolsongs Copyright © 2018 Music Motivation® 1

20 Ways to Motivate Teen Piano Students to

musicmotivation.com/coolsongs Copyright © 2018 Music Motivation® 2

musicmotivation.com/coolsongs Copyright © 2018 Music Motivation® 3

musicmotivation.com/coolsongs Copyright © 2018 Music Motivation® 4

musicmotivation.com/coolsongs Copyright © 2018 Music Motivation® 5

musicmotivation.com/coolsongs Copyright © 2018 Music Motivation® 6

musicmotivation.com/coolsongs Copyright © 2018 Music Motivation® 7

musicmotivation.com/coolsongs Copyright © 2018 Music Motivation® 8

This is my Purpose and Mission in life:

This is a message I also have in my books and tell my students:

A message from Jerald to piano students and parents:

musicmotivation.com/coolsongs Copyright © 2018 Music Motivation® 9

Your life is your musical symphony.

Jerald Simon - jeraldsimon@musicmotivation.com - (801)444-5143 (business line)

musicmotivation.com/coolsongs Copyright © 2018 Music Motivation® 10

long short long short long short long short

= ♫ 3 - Grace Notes, Crushed Notes, and Hammerings (what’s the difference?):

Copyright © 2011 by Music Motivation® - All Rights Reserved - visit musicmotivation.com

C Cm C dim C aug C sus4 C sus2 C Maj6 C min6

               

C M7 C mM7 C7 C m7 C m7 5 C m7 5 C dim7

           

“I Don’t Play Like My Aunt Louise!”

Memorize each of these for each of the modes!

I * I = Ionian = the major scale (e.g. CDEFGABC)

ii * D = Dorian = take the major 3 and major 7 down a half step rd th

IV L = Lydian = take the perfect 4 up a half step th

= ♫ 7 - Chord/Scale Compatibility (which chords go with which scales?)

       

 Jerald M. Simon

  

        

B  min7 E 7 A  Maj7 E  min7 A 7 D  Maj7

     

A  min7 D 7 G  Maj7 D  min7 G 7 C  Maj7

swing it!    

D min7 F min7 E min7 D M7

6 facebook.com/jeraldsimon, twitter.com/jeraldsimon, youtube.com/jeraldsimon, linkedin.com/in/jeraldsimon

                    This is another walking bass pattern. I used this left hand

                    This left hand pattern is from the arrangement of Hark

               

                     

Copyright © 2011 by Music Motivation® - All Rights Reserved - visit musicmotivation.com

swing it    =  Jerald M. Simon

= ♫ 15 - Voicing Seventh Chords.

C Maj7 F Maj7 B m7  5  E min7 A min7 D min7 G7 C Maj7

C Maj7 F Maj7 B m7  5  E min7 A min7 D min7 G7 C Maj7

C Maj7 F Maj7 B m7  5  E min7 A min7 D min7 G7 C Maj7

♫ Avoid Note (4th/11th)

♫ The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine (Sher Music Co.)

Copyright © 2011 by Music Motivation® - All Rights Reserved - visit musicmotivation.com

To purchase the book, visit musicmotivation.com or your local music store.

Swing it!    =  by Jerald M. Simon

To purchase the book, visit musicmotivation.com or your local music store.

 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

To purchase the book, visit musicmotivation.com or your local music store.

Broken C major sixth chord Broken F major sixth chord

To purchase the book, visit musicmotivation.com or your local music store.