AttacheC major · 4/4
Imagine
John Lennon
Broken-chord accompaniment, melodic balance, legato, restraint.
Why this piece
The piano accompaniment is part of the song’s identity rather than merely a harmonic backing. It provides a natural transition from block chords toward a more flowing, continuous texture. The deliberate tempo also exposes uneven note lengths and abrupt changes of touch.
Musical profile
- Key / tonal centre: C major
- Meter: 4/4
- Suggested version: Recognizable piano introduction and accessible melody-plus-accompaniment arrangement.
Representative harmony
Intro/verse: C – Cmaj7 – F; phrase endings introduce Am, Dm, and G7.
Practice loop
What to listen for
On C → Cmaj7, only one chord tone needs to change (C → B); listen to how a tiny movement alters the mood.
What to learn
Break chords into small groups while keeping the harmony clear. Then introduce the melody and play it louder than the accompanying notes, even when both are in the right hand in a solo arrangement. Observe where the musical phrases breathe; do not fill every gap with extra notes.
Practice checkpoint
Record eight bars and check whether a listener could sing the melody from the piano alone without the accompaniment masking it.
Diagnostic drill · E04 — Melody louder than accompaniment
Target: Separate melody and accompaniment volume.
Drill key / meter: C major · 4/4
Use this only when it addresses the current bottleneck. Skip it when the skill is already ready.
Steps
- LH plays soft C-major broken chords, for example
C3–G3–E3–G3, four quarter notes per bar. - RH plays this original two-bar melody:
E4 G4 A4 G4 | E4 D4 C4(half note); keep the RH clearly stronger than the LH. - Reverse the balance deliberately for one attempt—LH loud, RH soft—then restore the intended balance. This shows whether you can choose the balance rather than merely hope for it.
Ear task: Record eight bars. Can you hum the RH line without struggling to hear it?
Transfer: Find a phrase in Imagine where the vocal melody is played on the keyboard.
Drill checkpoint: Two clear dynamic layers with a stable pulse and no hard, accented RH attacks.