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Jazz Theory & Composition
Two Page Piece: Stella
Rootless voicings with added tension, upper structure triads, four way close voicings, minor ii-V chord scales and the half-whole symmetric dominant chord scale are the components that make up this single (more...)
Chordscale Theory: Modes of the Major Scale
Dorian, mixolydian, ionian, locrian. You've no doubt heard these terms tossed around in improv books and by teachers but what do they mean and what are they used for? Find out answers to these questions (more...)
The Jazz Blues Progression
When the blues is played in a jazz context the chord progression is more sophisticated in the number and types of chords used. In addition to the basic I, IV, V chords, jazz blues incorporates major and (more...)
Introduction to Chordscale Theory
Chordscale theory describes the interdependent relationship of harmony and melody. It states that chords serve specific roles within a key which determine the scales that are associated with those chords (more...)
Related ii Chords
In combination with dominant chords, related ii chords can dramatically increase the reharmonization potential of any progression. Watch this lesson and see how a garden variety ii-V-I-V/ii progression (more...)
Substitute Dominants
How many times have you played the same chord changes, chorus after chorus of Autumn Leaves or Blue Bossa or All the Things You Are or any tune? Wouldn't it be nice to throw in a few new chords here (more...)
The Line Cliche
The line cliche is a well worn reharmonization device- and for good reason- it creates the illusion of harmonic progression over an otherwise static chord. Start using this technique in your playing by watching (more...)
Ear Training
7th Chords, Triads, Diatonic Intervals, Chromatic Intervals, Diatonic Tendency Tones, Chromatic Tendency Tones; Ear training gets short shrift among music students- who wants to be occupied with such a mundane task when you can spend your time learning Herbie Hancock licks? Well not so fast. The benefits (more...)
Upper Structure Triads
Upper structure triads have been an enduring feature of jazz since the early Bebop era. This chord voicing technique can be heard in big bands and solo piano alike and produces a rich bitonal effect (more...)
The Blues Progression
Jazz piano students are always asking about the blues. What are the chords? What is the blues scale? How do I improvise over the changes? Well here are the answers. The basics of the blues progression (more...)
The Major ii-V-I Progression  
This lesson will introduce you to this universal and ever-present jazz progression by starting with it's derivation from the major scale all the way through to building, identifying and playing major key (more...)
The Minor ii-V-i Progression
In combination with the major ii-V-I progression the minor ii-V-i progression is the most common progression in jazz. This lesson will show you the derivation of the progression from it's parent scales and how to (more...)
Four Components of Melodic Construction
Strong, harmonically clear melodic lines are composed of four primary building blocks: chord tones, arpeggios, scale passages and approach patterns. Learn more about these components and how (more...)
Improvisation & Licks
Improvising Over Passing Diminished Chords
There is a lot of uncertainty that surrounds diminished chords. How do they work exactly? What chordscales do they take?
How do you improvise over them? Gain some insight into these questions through (more...)
Improv Drills
Improv Drill: Arpeggios
Bill Charlap, the reigning mainstream jazz pianist, makes commanding use of arpeggios in the second chorus of his solo over the tune Blue Skies from his 2000 Blue Note recording Written in the Stars, his (more...)
Improv Drill: Approach Patterns Part 2
Barry Harris' solo over the changes to Tadd Dameron's Good Bait on Warne Marsh's 1986 quartet recording Back Home, is the basis for the series of improvisation drills introduced in this lesson (more...)
Improv Drill: Chord Tones; Improv Drill: Approach Patterns Part 1
The Improv Drill series of lessons is a critcal group of lessons that will get you deep into the changes of any tune by teaching you how to isolate and drill the four components of melodic construction: chord (more...)
Three Benny Green Licks
Benny Green is a hard swinging and intense modern jazz pianist built from the hard bop mold. Influenced by Bud Powell, Phineas Newborn and Oscar Peterson, his solos are both technically challenging yet (more...)
Improvising with Motivic Development
Motivic development is the compositional technique of creating a melody that is made up of a single melodic idea (a motive) that is subsequently "developed" by being repeated, altered, modified or (more...)
Improvising Over . . . Improvising Over The Blues: Wynton Kelly  Just in Time; Confirmation; Lady Bird; Stella By Starlight; Blue Bossa; Solar; Yesterdays; Rhythm Changes; Yardbird Suite; The "Improvising Over . . ." series of lessons is an ongoing collection of lessons on how to improvise over the chord changes to important tunes in the jazz (more...)
Licks
Kenny Barron Lick; Blues Lick; Tommy Flanagan Minor iiV Lick; Tommy Flanagan Whole Tone Turnaround Lick; Jessica Williams Break Lick; Bebop Lick; Licks are short melodic ideas of 2, 4 or 8 measures that jazz players use in their solos. Almost all players use them to one degree or another when they (more...)
Write a Solo over Autumn Leaves
Writing out solos is an important part of learning to improvise. You can take time to think about and manipulate the notes without being limited by your ability to play them in real time. Watch as a solo (more...)
Improvisation: the Concept
Master improvisors of the bebop style use four basic elements of music to create their solos: chord tones, arpeggios, scale passages and approach patterns. Watch how a classic bebop solo is deconstructed (more...)
How to Learn Licks
Licks are short melodic ideas of 2, 4 or 8 measures that jazz players use in their solos. Almost all players use them to one degree or another when they improvise. Learning licks is a good way to build your (more...)
Chords & Voicings
Voicings and a Bassline Once I Loved
Laying down a reliable bossa groove while playing solo piano is no easy feat. Learn to do just that by watching how this standard rhythmic feel is broken down into it's component parts as (more...)
Rootless Voicings in the Real World
Once you gain some facility with rootless voicings and begin to venture out into the wide world of jazz repertoire, you soon notice that certain challenges not seen in ii-V-I progressions begin to (more...)
Solo Jazz Piano Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
The beauty of our chosen instrument is the ability to play alone- solo- without the accompaniment (or interference) of others. Anything you can dream up is fair game when you are playing solo. This (more...)
Rootless Voicings with Added Tension Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
These standard voicings are the bedrock of every jazz pianists' technique. From Wynton Kelly and Red Garland to Tommy Flanagan, Bill Evans and beyond, these voicings pervade bop and post-bop (more...)
Comping with Inversions: Major ii-V-Is, Minor ii-V-is, Beyond ii-V-Is
Once you have mastered the Five Essential 7th Chords in all twelve keys it is time to learn how to voice lead them in progressions. Watch this series of three lessons to learn how to smoothly voice chords, (more...)
The 5 Essential 7th Chords
A clever exercise based on the major scale, you will learn to play all five 7th chord types in all 12 keys. This lesson will get you playing lead sheets faster than any other method. (more...)
Arranging, Styles & More
Gospel Blues 
Gospel music and the Blues are intimately linked. Gospel tunes are often based on the blues progression and because of this the Blues naturally lends itself to gospel style inflection. Wynton Kelly elegantly (more...)
Ode to Joy
As the New Year approaches, we all have happiness, joy, hope and optimism on our minds, right? Maybe not so much given the current state of world affairs but why not let this reharmonized arrangement of (more...)
Two Arrangements of O Little Town of Bethlehem
Get into the spirit of the holidays by playing these two arrangements of this beloved carol. Start with the solo piano chorale-like setting which tranforms this old chestnut into a modern jazz ballad. Then invite a (more...)
Circles
This charming little jazz prelude starts off with clean, clear, harmless sounding, perfectly voice-led rootless diatonic 7th chords derived from the cycle of 4ths. A sunny start to this decades old piece first (more...)
Londonderry Aire Reharmonized
This old irish folk tune (aka Danny Boy) is the perfect choice for reharmonization. When it's familiar diatonic melody is set against the highly chromatic harmonic treatment given here, the tune takes on a (more...)
Star Spangled Banner
Celebrate Independence Day with this jazz arrangement of our national anthem. Incorporating a wide range of reharmonization and arranging devices- substitutions, upper structures, deceptive cadences (more...)
Reharmonize Rhythm Changes
The chord progression of George Gershwin's 1930 tune I Got Rhythm, aka Rhythm Changes, is a particularly good candidate for reharmonization. It is a common progression (more...)
Four Walking Basslines
Continue your study of walking basslines by taking a gestalt approach with this lesson. Watch, listen and read along with transcriptions of four walking basslines played over the chord changes to There is No (more...)
Walking Bassline Part 1, Part 2
Listen to virtually any jazz recording and you will hear it: the quarter note bassline walking up and down the scale providing both rhythm and harmony. This is the walking bassline and it is one of the (more...)
Reharmonize Auld Lang Syne
Instead of playing a vanilla I-IV-V version of this old Scottish melody on New Years this year try this lush one-chord-per-bar reharmonization. Watch the step-by-step transformation take place through the the (more...)
Silent Night Reharmonized*
Like it or not, "The Season" is upon us. This of course means people want to hear Christmas music. A lot of players cringe at the thought of having to play this repertoire but this should not be the case. There (more..)
*This lesson is longer than most and takes more time to download. Please be patient.
An Arrangement of O Tannenbaum
Whether you know this tune by it's German title or the English translation, O Christmas Tree, it is one of the oldest and most traditional Christmas carols. This arrangement starts with a chorale-like (more...)
Harmonizing Melodies with Upper Structure Triads Part 1
Adding harmony to a melody line (harmonization) can add depth and richness to a line. Harmonizing with upper structure triads dials this up a notch by underscoring the melody with a subtle polytonal (more...)
Harmonizing Melodies with Upper Structure Triads Part 2*
Learn how to extend your use of this handy technique from Part 1 of this series to harmonize not only melodic tensions but chord tones as well. (more...) *This lesson is longer than most and takes more time to download. Please be patient.
Peace
Peace, one of Horace Silver's lesser-known compositions is a beautiful and complex ballad of only 10 bars. Watch as the chord changes to the tune are voiced with a variety of techniques: rootless voicings (more...)
Lydian Ending
A classic ending for standard tunes and ballads, this lesson will break this ending down into it's component parts and introduce you to the lydian chord, substitue dominants and the sharp 11 extension and (more...)
The Bossa Bassline
There's not always going to be a bass player there to lay down a nice bossa groove for you so you need to learn how to do it yourself. Learn a basic bossa bassline in this lesson and how to comp effectively (more...)
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