Q. I've been playing jazz on the piano for a while now, and while my technical skill at the piano is about up to snuff I'm having trouble keeping up with the chord progressions. I can more or less follow a blues if I really concentrate but that's it. So can you guys and gals give me any tips on how to keep up with a song's chord progression and especially on how to practice that?
A. You might want to try what they used to call music minus one records. Now primarily CD's.....What they are is a rhythm section playing thru various tunes.....and you have the book with the chord changes included. The recorded rhythm section plays around 20 choruses of a given tune and you play along with them...As a pianist you can practice either soloing or comping along with the record....the rhythm section never gets tired. Its a new take on going to jazz clubs and asking to sit in. One of the best to work from is the Jamey Abersold records. Look in the back of Down Beat magazine or Jazz Times magazine. Hope this helps you out. Best of Luck!!
What mode do you solo in for jazz piano?
Q. I'm the pianist in my high school jazz band, and I'm working on my jazz piano improv (during repeat sections where people take solos in songs). However, I don't know what musical mode to solo in (ie: major, minor, mixolydian, blues, etc). How do I know which one to pick and which one do you recommend? I'm open to any other suggestions about soloing. Thanks!
A. The mode you use depends on the chordal progression. Use the mode that incorporates the notes of the chord - Cmaj7 - use Ionian or Lydian, (major scale with a sharp 11)
Cmi7 - use dorian, , (minor scale with a b6) or harmonic minor
C7 - use mixolydian (major scale with a b7)
Have you ever used any of Jamey Aebersold's books and cds? Start with his ii-V-I and one with some of your favorite standards. You can play along with them, solo for many choruses, and your rhythm section never gets bored!
Also try singing your solo line without playing. If you can sing an interesting improv melody, you will learn where to find those notes on the keyboard.
What is the best piano method for beginning adults?
Q. I am an adult who wishes to take piano lessons - is their a clear concensus on piano teaching methodology? I desire to be able to play classical pieces, as well as be able to read down a jazz chart!
A. Play Piano In a Flash - Even If You Don't Know Where Middle C Is
So, you've been dying to play the piano. But you don't want to spend years learning how to read music. Of course you don't! And you won't have to IF you learn a chord-based approach to playing the piano.
Here's a method I use to get my students playing piano in a flash. First, you need to learn a few chords. But not just any chord type. No. The chord type I have my students learn first is something called the open position chord. And with it, you'll be able to create your own unique music right away!
The open position chord is exactly what its name implies. It's a chord structure that covers more than 2 octaves of the keyboard AND uses both hands right away. If you don't know what an octave is, not to worry. Suffice it to say that 2 octaves are over 16 white keys. It's a handful to play this chord structure but once you master it, you'll be well on your way to unlocking the secrets of keyboard harmony.
So, how exactly can we use this chord to create music with? Easy. Take a look at my free piano lesson "Reflections in Water" (available by clicking below.) The first thing you notice about this lesson is that it's unusual. It's not your typical piano lesson by far. In fact, you might even think it looks like an art lesson - and you'd be right! I specifically designed the lessons using a step by step approach that many art instruction books use.
The lesson contains four open position piano chords with fingering diagrams. The beautiful thing about this chord structure is that once you master it, you can easily use it to play ALL the chords in all 12 keys. The first thing I ask you to do is play the chords - first all tones together (solid chords) and then with the tones broken up (broken chords.)
Once you have this chord structure under your fingers and you've developed a muscle memory for it, the rest is easy!
In the lesson "Reflections in Water," we use this chord structure to improvise a few minutes of music. The chord progression is laid out for you and all you have to do is simply follow along. I also provide audio examples so you can hear how I used the same chords to improvise with.
If you really want to play piano in a flash and don't want to wait, try the open position piano chord. You won't be disappointed!
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Title : Tips for practicing chord progressions in jazz?
Description : Q. I've been playing jazz on the piano for a while now, and while my technical skill at the piano is about up to snuff I'm having t...