Getting Started with JazzPianoOnline.com
You've found us- your first step in learning to play. There are two prerequisites that you need to satisfy to get the most out of the site.
Reading Music
- You should know how to read treble and bass clef notation
Piano Technique
- You should be able to play all 12 major scales with both hands at 80 bpm.
Once you can read music and have basic keyboard proficiency you are prepared to use the lessons. Here is a suggested sequence of lessons.
Beginning Lesson Sequence
1 Five Essential 7th Chords
Everything in jazz originates with chords so you will need to know how to build and play them. This lesson will show you how to build and play the 5 Essential 7th chords. These five chord types comprise >95% of the chords used in jazz.
2 The Major ii-V-I Progression and The Minor ii-V-i Progression
Once you know how to build the five essential 7th chords, learn how to use them in progressions with this pair of lessons. These two progressions constitute most of the chord changes to any given standard tune.
3 Comping with Inversions
This series of lessons show you how to play chords using inversions. This skill is also known as voice-leading.
4 Rootless Voicings with Added Tension
This series of lessons show you how to drop the root and add rich sounding tensions (9, 11 and 13) to your chords to help you create a true jazz sound.
Once you know your chords and basic voicings you have a good foundation in jazz harmony. From here you can begin your study of improvisation.
5 Improvisation: the Concept
This lesson provides a conceptual framework for applying the materials of improvisation.
6 Four Components of Melodic Construction
The four components of melodic construction are the basic structures that comprise the bebop melodic line.
7 Improvising Over . . .
Each lesson in this ongoing series examines, in depth, a transcription of a master improvisor soloing over the chord changes to important tunes in the jazz repertoire.
8 Ear training
The skill of being able to recognize and reproduce pitch and rhythm is an important part of learning to play jazz. You should always make room in your practice schedule for this activity. Start with Diatonic Intervals Ear Training then move on in this sequence: Chromatic Intervals Ear Training, Diatonic Tendency Tones and Chromatic Tendency Tones. Continue with Triad Ear Training and then 7th Chord Ear Training.
Still not sure where to start? Contact me with a short description of your musical background and goals and I'll give you specific guidance.
1 Five Essential 7th Chords
Everything in jazz originates with chords so you will need to know how to build and play them. This lesson will show you how to build and play the 5 Essential 7th chords. These five chord types comprise >95% of the chords used in jazz.
2 The Major ii-V-I Progression and The Minor ii-V-i Progression
Once you know how to build the five essential 7th chords, learn how to use them in progressions with this pair of lessons. These two progressions constitute most of the chord changes to any given standard tune.
3 Comping with Inversions
This series of lessons show you how to play chords using inversions. This skill is also known as voice-leading.
4 Rootless Voicings with Added Tension
This series of lessons show you how to drop the root and add rich sounding tensions (9, 11 and 13) to your chords to help you create a true jazz sound.
Once you know your chords and basic voicings you have a good foundation in jazz harmony. From here you can begin your study of improvisation.
5 Improvisation: the Concept
This lesson provides a conceptual framework for applying the materials of improvisation.
6 Four Components of Melodic Construction
The four components of melodic construction are the basic structures that comprise the bebop melodic line.
7 Improvising Over . . .
Each lesson in this ongoing series examines, in depth, a transcription of a master improvisor soloing over the chord changes to important tunes in the jazz repertoire.
8 Ear training
The skill of being able to recognize and reproduce pitch and rhythm is an important part of learning to play jazz. You should always make room in your practice schedule for this activity. Start with Diatonic Intervals Ear Training then move on in this sequence: Chromatic Intervals Ear Training, Diatonic Tendency Tones and Chromatic Tendency Tones. Continue with Triad Ear Training and then 7th Chord Ear Training.
Still not sure where to start? Contact me with a short description of your musical background and goals and I'll give you specific guidance.
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