Everything you need to walk in and teach: who he is, exactly where Greg left off after Lesson 2, and a step-by-step agenda. He's sharp and fast — push him.
🖨️ Print this plan ↗ See the full Lesson 2 page (with the exercises)
Poseidon Ho — a successful, very fast learner (runs a fund; competitive poker player). He read sheet music for ~10 years but is building a functional / by-ear foundation from scratch. His goal, as Greg frames it: sit down, hear a song, and play it (and ultimately accompany a singer).
He absorbs theory unusually fast — Greg deliberately moves quickly and throws a lot at him. Don't slow-walk it. His piano arrived right around Lesson 2, and a month has passed since — he may show up drilled, or rusty. Diagnose the fundamentals first; don't assume either.
Covered across Lessons 1–2: C/F/B♭ scales & fingering, all six diatonic chords (I–ii–iii–IV–V–vi), inversions & voice leading, "Let It Be" (now voiced), intervals, a 7th-chord preview, and the first ear training.
Scales to a metronome (C, F, B♭ at 90 bpm). The six chords by number, called at random. "Let It Be" in C and one other key.
Why: it's been a month. Find what hesitates and decide how much review vs. new material. Hesitation = not yet learned.
Have him voice-lead a progression you call out (e.g., 1–5–6–4, or 6–3–4–2). Push for the closest inversion and a left-hand root that can leap freely.
Why: voice leading is the spine of everything that follows — it must become automatic before harmonizing melodies.
Run the interval game and the progression game together. Then do it live: play a 4-chord progression, he names it (1–6–4–5, etc.) and plays it back.
Why: recognizing the number pattern by ear is exactly how he'll "hear a song and play it." This is the core skill.
Play short melodies (start with 3 notes, grow to 5–6, white keys first). He closes his eyes, then replays them. Then add simple rhythms.
Why: Greg flagged this as the next step. Melody recognition + chord recognition together = playing a song by ear.
You play a simple melody; show him how to put chords under it. See the method below. This is Greg's stated goal for around now.
Why: this is where it all comes together — the moment he can accompany, not just play chords.
The V7: three-of-the-five in the left hand, the five chord in the right. Minor 7 as 7-3-5. If he's flying, peek at Dorian via "Get Lucky" — the loop centered on Bm, read as 2–4–6–5 of A major.
Why: adds color and sets up ii–V–I. Optional — only if the core landed.
Give him a repeatable procedure, not magic:
(Greg deferred the how-to to this lesson — the steps below are a sound, Greg-compatible procedure, not his verbatim method.)
Start with melodies that obviously fit 1–4–5–1 or 1–6–4–5, then let him discover the chords. Keep the left hand on roots, right hand voice-led.
Type anywhere below — every keystroke is saved on this device instantly and synced to the shared page within a second. Both of you see each other's notes.