Melody Adventures (MA) & Keyboard Accompaniment (KA)

These two series are unique! They have been written specifically for students that need help building a repertoire of chords, styles, rhythms, patterns, progressions & embellishments, from which to draw upon, to provide their ‘own’ accompaniment (acc.) for melodies.

As with any skill, there are those that have acquired acute hearing from birth and it is possible that these musicians cannot understand why the QuenMar books are needed.

To demonstrate, how the ear can be activated, with just a few pages from each book for viewing, is difficult – the harmonic understanding is woven into each page and progresses gradually. Working through a complete book, page by page, it does become clear. The first observation is that there is no dissonance and chords are easily understood – especially, when working with only two chords! This extension of 2-chord melodies/songs is to allow for the acquiring of more chord variation skills. This can give students confidence. Performances can seem advanced with the audience unaware that there are simply two chords. What also becomes clear, progressing through the books, is that many terms & abbreviations are specific to KA. An example is Stretch AB-SN. This is an abbreviation for: “Alternating the Bass, with Single Notes from the chord, and a Stretch of an Octave in the Middle”. This linking of abbreviated acc. possibilities to the chords is consistent throughout both series. In this way, MA can give the technical skills & knowledge for the suggested or requested acc. in KA. As well, the melodies are often the same in each series – maybe different keys! This gives additional support.

The two QuenMar series are an item, working together, to give the knowledge & motor skills needed to challenge the ear in a regular, routine way – same as other music skills are trained.