David Story, Online Piano Lessons from Toronto
  • Homepage
  • Tips, Ideas, Stories, Free Lessons
  • Adult Lessons
  • Jazz Workshop #Eleven March 5, 2023
  • Contact form, fees, calendar, policies
  • Philosophy
  • Testimonials
  • Children's Winter Concert 2023
  • My Story
  • Student awards and compositions
  • Classical downloads
  • Classical outline for beginners
  • Jazz downloads
  • Jazz outline for beginners
  • Video Library of Piano Techniques
  • Breakfast Piano Minute
  • Books, Apps, Websites, Music
  • Ear Training and Sight Singing Resources

Tips, free lessons, and inspiration

Practicing Jazz Piano: 75 minutes

1/22/2015

0 Comments

 
PictureMelissa Lauren is an accomplished young singer and songwriter making her mark on the Canadian music scene. With a strong influence in jazz and blues, Melissa has developed an original style of her own melting together old school sounds with modern flare. Hear great jazz at the REX hotel in Toronto.
1. Play a tune from your repertoire-5 minutes
2. Review your jazz scales, chords, and arpeggios-15 minutes
3. Sight-read from the fake books-10 minutes
4. Free Improvisation (jam on a chord, a scale, or just play free)-5 minutes
5. Now it is transcription time (listen and imitate)-15 minutes
6. Special disciplines (pick one)-10  minutes
- rootless voicings
- comping with play-along software or CDs
- quartal voicings
- style studies: Be-Bop, Classic Jazz, Ragtime, Blues, or Bossa nova/ Samba studies
- lesson material
7. Finish up learning a new tune/15 minutes

I hope you find this helpful. Have Fun.

David

0 Comments

Jazz Piano Left Hand Patterns

1/4/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Jazz Piano Part two, the pesky left hand.

In my experience teaching jazz, the left hand presents the most trouble for students. Applying chords at sight, at high speeds, in a creatively artistic way is the rub, as they say.

Therefore, with that in mind, I offer the following thoughts and exercises.

1. Spend most of your time on learning chords. Start with the 60 Jazz Chords. Learn the following in the 12 keys.
2. Drill Sonny’s thumbs around the circle of 5ths.
3. Drill the third/seventh combinations. Use blues then standard tunes to start.
4. Drill the rootless voicings.

Free downloads available here.

Remember chords are most frequently played by the left hand in the middle of the piano. The right hand often has to transpose the melody up an octave. The bassist covers the lower register.

Check out play along apps like iRealb to accompany yourself. It will supply a drummer and bass player for you. Click on the link for the app.

Have fun.

David Story

0 Comments
    You've got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.
    Charlie Parker

    Author

    I'm a professional pianist and music educator in West Toronto Ontario. I'm also a devoted percussionist and drum teacher. 

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Categories

    All
    Adult Piano Lessons
    Blues Piano
    Breakfast Piano Minute
    Buying A Piano
    Children's Piano Lessons
    Classical Piano
    Ear Training
    Goal Setting
    Hobby Overload
    How To Practice Scales On The Piano
    Jazz Chops
    Jazz Piano
    Learning Classical Piano
    Learning Piano
    Learning Resources
    Motivation
    Music Practice
    Piano Exams
    Practice Organization
    Practicing Piano
    Starting Piano
    Stories
    Summer Piano Lessons
    Technique
    Theory
    Time Management
    Virtual Piano Lessons
    What Students Are Playing This Week

    RSS Feed

                                                ©2022 David Story
  • Homepage
  • Tips, Ideas, Stories, Free Lessons
  • Adult Lessons
  • Jazz Workshop #Eleven March 5, 2023
  • Contact form, fees, calendar, policies
  • Philosophy
  • Testimonials
  • Children's Winter Concert 2023
  • My Story
  • Student awards and compositions
  • Classical downloads
  • Classical outline for beginners
  • Jazz downloads
  • Jazz outline for beginners
  • Video Library of Piano Techniques
  • Breakfast Piano Minute
  • Books, Apps, Websites, Music
  • Ear Training and Sight Singing Resources