Question 1

Are the courses subscription based?

Accepted Answer

No. It´s a one time fee. No recurring payments. The Piano Musicianship course is priced at 60$ and the Musicianship Course is priced at 40$.  Course participants also get free access to a "class group" specific to their course, which acts as a forum (where they can share their progress, participate in discussions, create polls etc.)

Question 2

What is the difference between the Piano Musicianship Course and the Musicianship Course

Accepted Answer

The Piano Course is tailored to the piano. It includes modules about posture, the relationship between sheet music and the piano, sight reading, improvisation, scales, building relative pitch, piano techniques, advanced music theory & the overtone series (deep dive into sound itself) and a practice plan with guides toward further specializations (jazz/classical/sound production).     The Musicianship course is compatible with any instrument. It still has most of the above, but without posture, instrument techniques. The relationship between sheet music and your instrument is your responsibility.

Question 3

What if i just want to learn Sheet Music?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but not exactly. You can buy our Sheet Music 101 module as a handy printable ebook, which is going to be your ultimate guide on everything about sheet music with tried-and-true tricks on how to easily memorize every concept.

Question 4

When can i book private lessons?

Accepted Answer

You have the option to book private lessons anytime between 12:00 - 16:00 (GMT+2, Vienna Time) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Please note that you cannot book more than 7 days in advance in order to prevent overbooking.

Question 5

What instruments do the private lessons teach

Accepted Answer

As of writing this, we offer 2 services. You can book private lessons for either the piano or the guitar.

Question 6

What is the Piano Webinar about?

Accepted Answer

The Piano Webinar is an introductory lesson to the piano. Perfect if you know nothing about the piano and music in general. It aims to equip you with the basic necessary knowledge in order to understand music. After this webinar you will receive a practice material that will have been already covered in the webinar. It aims to show you that sheet music is actually not that hard to read. This lesson is also covered seperately in our courses.

Question 7

Who is the instructor?

Accepted Answer

The owner of the website. Harmonic Pathways is a sole proprietorship owned by Cosmin Hattwig, an award-winning musician and multi-instrumentalist with over 6 years of experience in the industry. He has studied music in Vienna, Austria at the Friedrich Gulda School of Music.  His music is also available on streaming services.

Question 8

Are notes flipped upside down on the score played differently?

Accepted Answer

No. It does not matter whether they are upside down or not. What matters is their shape (filled circle with a vertical line) and their positioning on the staff. In this example we can see 4 quarter notes and their place on the staff indicates their pitch (which note to play).  The shape of a note tells us how long to play it. It´s positioning tells us which note it is.

Question 9

How can i remember which notes lack a black key

Accepted Answer

If you´ve learned the notes in the solfeggio system (Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti ), you can easily remember which notes lack a black by the fact that those who end in an "i" lack a black key (Mi & Ti) If you´ve learned them through the international system (C D E F G A B), you can always remember 2 words: Eat Bread  (E, B)

Question 10

How can you tell whether a scale is major or minor

Accepted Answer

Not unlike chords, the interval between the 1st and 3rd degree determines whether a scale is major or minor.

Question 11

How do you read notes on sheet music?

Accepted Answer

Through each space and line.  The picture below has a useful way on how to remember them.  We also offer an ebook that contains everything you need to know about sheet music!

Question 12

What is that ´Led´ mark is see on sheet music sometimes

Accepted Answer

Scores for the piano might include a "Led" mark or a "Led*" to indicate when to use the sustain pedal.    "Led" = keep sustain pedal pressed for the duration of this specific measure  "Led*" = keep sustain pedal pressed in this pattern (you will reapply the pedal for every measure)  In some scores you will see "Led*" marked to every measure, but why? Because of issues with the playback software. Do not worry about this. It does not affect your playing.

Question 13

What are those 3 pedals that a piano has?

Accepted Answer

The left pedal suppresses the sound (making it sound softer & quieter) when pressed. The middle pedal keeps the sound supressed when pressed and moved to the right. The right pedal sustains the sound (e.g. You will still hear a note after lifting your finger off of it) Digital pianos or keyboards might lack those pedals, but they are usually replaced with buttons on top of the keyboard. The buttons are not as versatile as pedals, as they would require you top stop playing to press them instead of just using your feet.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a subscription to take the courses?

Which course should you choose: Piano Musicianship or Musicianship 101?

How long do those courses last?

Can I learn just Sheet Music?