Q. I play alto in my school's Jazz Band, and I wanted to replace the senior piano player at my school. I've played classical piano on and off since I was 6, but never was to serious with it. My teacher is clueless about jazz, but i have previous chord knowledge from improving on sax. What could I do to help improve my transition into the jazz piano world, reading more complicated jazz rhythms, and comping chords?
A. PRACTICE! is the short answer. As with anything musical, and especially improvisatory and spontaneous music like jazz, developing to the point of sounding competent will take time and dedication and perseverance.
Transcription and listening is important. That's something you should be doing already for the saxophone. Pay attention to pianists on your favorite records, particularly how they comp behind others, since that will be your biggest job in a large jazz ensemble. Transcribe comping rhythms that are attractive to you as well as ones you hear often; even if you don't transcribe the exact voicing, you can still practice using the same rhythms over the changes to standards.
Practice comping in time with a metronome. If you can consistently and accurately play on a steady pulse, you can decidedly play around it. Set the metronome slower and slower while increasing the beats; for example, start with 120 bpm and play one chord every two metronome beats, then decrease it to around 85 and play on every beat, then set it around 50 bpm and treat each pulse as a full bar, playing four even notes between beats. Practice playing in this way to get your time rock solid.
If you are able to get together and play with the rest of the rhythm section from the band, I'd recommend doing so. Get together and play through standards. Work together on building a communication while playing behind (supporting) a horn soloist. Aebersold play alongs are also good for practicing comping "with a band" at home.
Another vital thing for jazz pianists is effective chord voicings. Check out Dan Haerle's book on voicings and work through his exercises. Phil DeGreg also has a really nice progressive (step-by-step) book that's great for getting good-sounding voicings under your fingers. I've studied both.
The only way to get better at reading rhythms is to do it. Sight-read through a hymnal, old songbook, whatever. If you can find piano charts for big band that only have rhythmic notation with chord symbols, those are great for practicing reading rhythm and chord progressions. Start slow and methodical; remember you are striving for accuracy, not speed. Eventually, you'll recognize rhythms from having read them so many times before, and it will come easier to you.
Above all, technique is king. If you don't know how to touch the instrument and can't get around it, all the internal theory and knowledge and tasty licks won't do you much good on the bandstand. Classical lessons aren't necessary, but they challenged me in ways that I wasn't challenged in jazz lessons. Consider taking lessons regularly (either classical or jazz or both, if you have the time).
Good luck!
How do you transition from D major (two sharps) to E flat major (three flats)?
Q. I'm playing piano for Easter Sunday morning at my church, and the director of our band would like me to transition between the songs during communion rather than stop the first and play the second. Is there a chord I can use to transition smoothly between the two? The songs are Soon (in D major, it's by Hillsong) and Be Forgiven ( I can't remember who this is by, it's from the Spirit and Song book 2). Thanks for your help!
A. Transitioning by a half step doesn't fit easily within a circle-of-5ths progression, but I think I have a solution. D could go to B-flat(7) by way of common-tone modulation (both chords contain D), which then resolves as a V(7)-I to E-flat. Mind your voice leading, and it should work.
How do you read these piano chords?
Q. C#m (2 measures) A maj.7 F#m Ab (Ab/C)
How would you play this. Because when I heard a cover of the song on the piano they played these chords but the notes seem to change throughout the song so I got confused. Can somebody tell me how you would play this or tell me how they would transition into notes???
A. C#m means C sharp minor chord which is : C#, E, G#
A maj.7 means A major chord including 7 which is: A, C#, E, G#
F#m means F sharp minor chord which is: F#, A, C#
Ab means A flat major chord which is: Ab, Cb (B), Eb
^ the brackets thing says that you can play this chord ^ or this one:
C major chord which is: C, E, G
Hope this helps!
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Title : How do I get better at Jazz Piano?
Description : Q. I play alto in my school's Jazz Band, and I wanted to replace the senior piano player at my school. I've played classical piano ...