Exercise #10

Congratulations on making it to part 10 of the Chord Tone Improvisation series!  By now you are definitely starting to hear and improvise more creative jazz lines.  I hope you have enjoyed the jazz piano lessons as well as all the other improvisation lessons on my website and Youtube channel.  

In this exercise we look at the final practical application of the concepts discussed in early videos.  By practicing this "endless eighth" note concept you are creating a strong connection between finding chord tones and effortlessly connecting them in meaningful ways.  

Remember, this is only an exercise to help you familiarize yourself with a way of improvising.  These types of exercises are not meant to exist in a vacuum.  You will want to start combining what you've learned here with other concepts.  I discuss this idea briefly in the video but feel free to send me a message if you have any questions.

Keep in mind, these exercises are not exclusive to jazz pianists.  All instrumentalists, even advanced ones, can reap the benefits of singing and playing through these improvisation exercises.  Remember to sing accurately and slowly through all keys.  Rushing through each exercise will only add frustration when you are trying apply these concepts later on.

A preview of the the 10-part .pdf download can be viewed here: Chord Tone Improvisation Part 1: Chromatic Embelishments (via Scribd.com).  A download is available be clicking the "Add to Cart" button under the top right hand sidebar.

Click on the the Jazz Piano "Lessons" tab above to check out all my other lessons.  Also, please subscribe over at youtube.com/tjjazzpiano to get updates on all my latest lessons.  Thank you for your support!

Exercise #7 - Ascending Chromatic over Jazz Blues - Jazz Piano Lesson

In this jazz piano lesson we take a look at applying the concepts we've learned about chromatics to the Jazz Blues form.


 

Keep in mind, these exercises are not exclusive to jazz pianists.  All instrumentalists, even advanced ones, can reap the benefits of singing and playing through these improvisation exercises.  Remember to sing accurately and slowly through all keys.  Rushing through each exercise will only add frustration when you are trying apply these concepts later on.

A preview of the the 10-part .pdf download can be viewed here: Chord Tone Improvisation Part 1: Chromatic Embelishments (via Scribd.com).  A download is available be clicking the "Add to Cart" button under the top right hand sidebar.

Click on the the Jazz Piano "Lessons" tab above to check out all my other lessons.  Also, please subscribe over at youtube.com/tjjazzpiano to get updates on all my latest lessons.  Thank you for your support!

Exercise #6 - The Jazz Blues Form - ii-V, Minor, Major Triad Embellishment (Jazz Piano)

In this week's jazz piano we take a look at the "Jazz Blues" progression and explain the differences between the "traditional" blues form and the "Jazz Blues" form.

Keep in mind, these exercises are not exclusive to jazz pianists.  All instrumentalists, even advanced ones, can reap the benefits of singing and playing through these improvisation exercises.  Remember to sing accurately and slowly through all keys.  Rushing through each exercise will only add frustration when you are trying apply these concepts later on.

A preview of the the 10-part .pdf download can be viewed here: Chord Tone Improvisation Part 1: Chromatic Embelishments (via Scribd.com).  A download is available be clicking the "Add to Cart" button under the top right hand sidebar.

Exercise #3: Ascending Chromatic Embellishments over ii-V (Jazz Piano Lesson)

In this jazz improvisation exercise we will begin to add context to our chromatic triad embellishments. In the video jazz piano lesson below we will play and sing through ii-V progression in all 12 keys.  In future exercises we will begin to look at how to apply what we've learned to the Jazz Blues progression.

Keep in mind, these exercises are not exclusive to jazz pianists.  All instrumentalists, even advanced ones, can reap the benefits of singing and playing through these improvisation exercises.  Remember to sing accurately and slowly through all keys.  Rushing through each exercise will only add frustration when you are trying apply these concepts later on.

A preview of the the 10-part .pdf download can be viewed here: Chord Tone Improvisation Part 1: Chromatic Embelishments (via Scribd.com).  A download is available be clicking the "Add to Cart" button under the top right hand sidebar.

New Jazz Improvisation E-Book. Exercise #1 (Jazz Piano)

Embellishing basic triads and seventh chords is the foundation for all Bebop and modern jazz playing.   In this new series of 10-part lessons we will look at basic/advanced chromatic embellishment of these chords.  Dedicated practice of these exercises will greatly improve your ability to hear and improvise creative melodies.

Over the next couple of weeks we will cover the following topics in jazz improvisation.

1) Ascending Chromatic Embellishment
2) Descending Chromatic Embellishment
3) Ascending Chromatic ii-V
4) Descending Chromatic ii-V
5) Cycle Practice
6) The Jazz Blues Form
7) Ascending Chromatic over Jazz Blues
8) Descending Chromatic over Jazz Blues
9) Non-Root Chromatics
10) Endless Eighth Notes

Part one of these jazz lessons can be viewed below.  A preview of the lesson is available HERE (via Scribd.com).  To purchase and download the complete 10-part jazz lesson click here or click the appropriate "add to cart button" on the Sheet Music Downloads sidebar.


I hope you enjoy playing through the exercises over the next couple of weeks.  As always, let me know if you have any questions by leaving a comment below or on the YouTube page.  Thanks for watching!

Sheet Music Packages are back! (Jazz Piano Lesson Sheet Music)

Sorry it took so long!  I had to find and re-compile all the original files for 40 lessons.  I am working on Modern Jazz Lines 1-30 and they should be up shortly.  Thank you for your patience.  Please let me know if you have any problems with the download.

Lessons #1-40 Complete .pdf Package

Jazz Piano Lesson #34: Beethoven Inspired Diminished Exercise

Just ask 82 year old jazz pianist and prolific teacher Barry Harris.  Students have much more to teach you than you have to teach them.  I've learned so much over the past couple years just from the experience of teaching students both young and old.  I've had a six-year old ready to play Bach and an eighty-three year old who could barely play Mary Had a Little Lamb.  The age or talent really didn't matter much, every student had something new to show me.

I have one student in particular who is working on the first movement of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata."  It hadn't hear the piece since I was much younger.  Listening with much better ears than in my youth, I was immediately taken by the striking dissonances and simple but potent arpeggios.  There were many sections that I ended up transposing and analyzing on my own after the lesson.  One in particular is what I'd like to share with you in today's lesson.



Scribd Link:  Lesson-34-Beethoven-Inspired-Diminished-Pattern

Soundcloud PlayAlong:


I hope you enjoyed this free jazz piano lesson.  Thank you for considering a donation, purchase of sheet music or my album "Meditations Vol.1" to help support the site.   Please leave a comment below or send me a message if you have any questions about my videos.