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!

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!

Modern Jazz Line #30 - Building a Modern Jazz Line - Lee Konitz Method Jazz Lesson

SPECIAL NOTE:  It seems Scribd has disabled the selling of collections of documents.  If you would like to buy any of my collections Jazz Piano Lessons 1-40, Modern Jazz Line 1-10, 11-20, 21-30, please e-mail me via my contact page and I will give you more information.

This week's Modern Jazz line marks the final lesson in my I-VI-ii-V series.  You might recall that in Modern Jazz Line #20 I wrote out multiple lines to show the "evolution" of particular jazz line.  I wanted to do something similar with this lesson so I decided to take a page from the Lee Konitz play book.

I loosely based the 10 step method shown below on Lee Konitz's 10 Steps to Improvisation, an article I discovered when studying the music of Lennie Tristano.  The idea is to take something very simple and be able to mold it in a multitude of ways until you have something completely unique.  The eventual goal is to be able to achieve this level of creativity on a completely spontaneous level while improvising.  A goal worthy of an improvisor on any level!

Sheet Music:  Modern-Jazz-Line-30-Building-a-Modern-Jazz-Line-Lee-Konitz-Method

Video Lesson:



You can find my complete collection of previous Modern Jazz Line "How to Improvise" playlists below.  You may want to review these lessons before continuing with the series.  They will give you an excellent introduction to voicing and improvising over the ii-V-I progression.

Modern Jazz Line #1-10 - The "ii-V-I" Progression
Video Jazz Piano Lesson Playlist (YouTube)
Sheet Music Collection for Jazz Piano Lesson (1-10)
Blog Posts for Modern Jazz Line #1-10

Modern Jazz Line #11-20 - The Tri-Tone Substitution
Video Jazz Piano Playlist (YouTube)
Sheet Music Collection for Jazz Piano Lesson (11-20)
Blog Posts for Modern Jazz Line #11-20

Modern Jazz Line #26 - Mini-Etude - Jazz Piano Improvisation Lesson

Sheet Music:  Modern-Jazz-Line-26-Mini-Etude-Jazz-Piano-Lesson.pdf

It's good to be back after a brief two week hiatus.  This week's modern jazz melody is inspired by Charlie Parker's tune "Chi-Chi," a bebop head written over an Ab blues.  The line starts with an ascending arpeggio of perfect 4ths that immediately resolves to the 5th of Am7.  This is followed by a short Am descending triad that anticipates the 3rd of Dm7 by a half a beat.

Next is a short burst of triplets that imply an E Major Triad over Dm7 (Dhalf-dim) and then outlines notes from a G7(#9,13). The line ends with an interesting circling of the 5th chord tone of CMaj7 followed by a repeated triplet motif.

I hope you enjoy transposing this melody through all twelve keys.  Feel free to substitute any of the written left hand voicings for your own.

You may want to watch my Introduction to Modern Jazz Lines 21-30 before continuing with this lesson.

You can find my complete collection of Modern Jazz Line "How to Improvise" playlists below.  You may want to review these lessons before continuing with the series.  They will give you an excellent introduction to voicing and improvising over the ii-V-I progression.

Modern Jazz Line #1-10 - The "ii-V-I" Progression
Video Jazz Piano Lesson Playlist (YouTube)
Sheet Music Collection for Jazz Piano Lesson (1-10)
Blog Posts for Modern Jazz Line #1-10

Modern Jazz Line #11-20 - The Tri-Tone Substitution
Video Jazz Piano Playlist (YouTube)
Sheet Music Collection for Jazz Piano Lesson (11-20)
Blog Posts for Modern Jazz Line #11-20

Sheet Music:   Modern-Jazz-Line-26-Mini-Etude-Jazz-Piano-Lesson.pdf

Video Lesson:

Modern Jazz Line #23 - Triplet Intervalic Melody - How to Improvise - Jazz Piano

Sheet Music:  Modern-Jazz-Line-23-Triplet-Intervalic-Melody-How-to-Improvise.pdf

This week's Modern Jazz Line is built on a simple triplet motif I've been working with recently.  Try to focus on the intervalic shape and similar rhythm of the motif as you take the line through all 12 keys.

You may want to watch my Introduction to Modern Jazz Lines 21-30 before continuing with this lesson.

You can find my complete collection of Modern Jazz Line "How to Improvise" playlists below.  You may want to review these lessons before continuing with the series.  They will give you an excellent introduction to voicing and improvising over the ii-V-I progression.

Modern Jazz Line #1-10 - The "ii-V-I" Progression
Video Jazz Piano Lesson Playlist (YouTube)
Sheet Music Collection for Jazz Piano Lesson (1-10)
Blog Posts for Modern Jazz Line #1-10

Modern Jazz Line #11-20 - The Tri-Tone Substitution
Video Jazz Piano Playlist (YouTube)
Sheet Music Collection for Jazz Piano Lesson (11-20)
Blog Posts for Modern Jazz Line #11-20

Sheet Music:  Modern-Jazz-Line-23-Triplet-Intervalic-Melody-How-to-Improvise.pdf

Video Lesson:

Modern Jazz Line #22 - Cascading Jazz Melody - How to Improvise (Jazz Piano)

Sheet Music:  Modern-Jazz-Line-22-Cascading-Melody-I-vi-ii-V.pdf

This week's modern jazz line is a motivic melody followed by a somewhat cliche be-bop line.  Notice the triadic movement in the first two measures.  Can you pick out which two major triads are being embellished in these two measures?*  I find that the very simple triad embellishment shown in the example below can be one of the easiest ways to get creative when I'm at loss for what to play.  Try it for yourself.  Improvise for 30-60min on one tune using only triads.  You'll be amazed at how creative you can get with such limitations.

You may want to watch my Introduction to Modern Jazz Lines 21-30 before continuing with this lesson.

You can find my complete collection of Modern Jazz Line "How to Improvise" playlists below.  You may want to review these lessons before continuing with the series.  They will give you an excellent introduction to voicing and improvising over the ii-V-I progression.

Modern Jazz Line #1-10 - The "ii-V-I" Progression
Video Jazz Piano Lesson Playlist (YouTube)
Sheet Music Collection for Jazz Piano Lesson (1-10)
Blog Posts for Modern Jazz Line #1-10

Modern Jazz Line #11-20 - The Tri-Tone Substitution
Video Jazz Piano Playlist (YouTube)
Sheet Music Collection for Jazz Piano Lesson (11-20)
Blog Posts for Modern Jazz Line #11-20

Sheet Music:  Modern-Jazz-Line-22-Cascading-Melody-I-vi-ii-V.pdf

Video Lesson:



*C and E Major Triads

Modern Jazz Line #21 - Bi-Tonal Melody - Jazz Piano Improvisation Lesson

Sheet Music:  Modern-Jazz-Line-21-Bi-Tonal-Melody-I-vi-ii-V.pdf

This week's Modern Jazz Line is an exercise in stretching your ears.  This bi-tonal melody takes some chances with harmony that you may not be expecting.  I always try to write lines that are just out of my comfort zone technique wise.  I think this one is certainly going to be a challenge for most of you.  Singing this challenging line through all 12 keys is guaranteed to improve your ability to hear odd intervals.

You may want to watch my Introduction to Modern Jazz Lines 21-30 before continuing with this lesson.

You can find my complete collection of Modern Jazz Line "How to Improvise" playlists below.  You may want to review these lessons before continuing with the series.  They will give you an excellent introduction to voicing and improvising over the ii-V-I progression.

Modern Jazz Line #1-10 - The "ii-V-I" Progression
Video Jazz Piano Lesson Playlist (YouTube)
Sheet Music Collection for Jazz Piano Lesson (1-10)
Blog Posts for Modern Jazz Line #1-10

Modern Jazz Line #11-20 - The Tri-Tone Substitution
Video Jazz Piano Playlist (YouTube)
Sheet Music Collection for Jazz Piano Lesson (11-20)
Blog Posts for Modern Jazz Line #11-20

Sheet Music:  Modern-Jazz-Line-21-Bi-Tonal-Melody-I-vi-ii-V.pdf

Modern Jazz Line #21:

Introduction to Modern Jazz Lines #21-30 - The I-vi-ii-V (I-VI-ii-V) Progression - Jazz Piano Lesson

This coming week I'll start posting videos from the next Modern Jazz Line series.  In this series we will cover how to voice and improvise over the I-vi-ii-V (I-VI-ii-V) progression.  This week's video covers an introduction to the progression.  In the video you'll discover just what the roman numerals like "ii-V-I" mean, how to construct seventh chords using these numbers and some basic voicing options.

You can find my complete collection of Modern Jazz Line "How to Improvise" playlists below.  You may want to review these lessons before continuing with the series.  They will give you an excellent introduction to voicing and improvising over the ii-V-I progression.

Modern Jazz Line #1-10 - The "ii-V-I" Progression
Video Jazz Piano Lesson Playlist (YouTube)
Sheet Music Collection for Jazz Piano Lesson (1-10)
Blog Posts for Modern Jazz Line #1-10

Modern Jazz Line #11-20 - The Tri-Tone Substitution
Video Jazz Piano Playlist (YouTube)
Sheet Music Collection for Jazz Piano Lesson (11-20)
Blog Posts for Modern Jazz Line #11-20

Sheet Music:  Introduction-to-Modern-Jazz-Lines-21-30-I-vi-ii-V.pdf

Introduction to Modern Jazz Line #21-30:

Modern Jazz Line #19 - Sequencing Seconds - How to Improvise

Stay tuned next week for a special Modern Jazz Line video celebrating our 3000th subscriber!

In this week's Modern Jazz Line we'll tackle a triplet based melody based on arpeggio extensions of each chords.  This is the first melody I've published that is written in the 3/4 time signature.  Be careful to count and make sure you're playing the rhythms correctly.  Any displacement should feel effortless, not forced or disjunct.

I hope you enjoyed watching the first 10 lessons from my Modern Jazz Line series.  In these jazz lessons I covered how to become a better improvisor using the ii-V-I progression as a guide.  The next Modern Jazz Line videos will cover the tri-tone substitution used in the context of a basic ii-V-I progression (see example below).  If you haven't read or watched my explanation of the tri-tone substitution you may want to check it out before continuing with the lesson below.

Sheet Music for this lesson:  Modern Jazz Line #19.pdf

You can find a complete list of my jazz piano lessons here and watch the playlist for either Modern Jazz Lines #1-10 or Modern Jazz Lines #11-20.

Introduction to the Tri-Tone Substitution: The Tri-Tone Substitution

Modern Jazz Line #19:

Watch the video lesson here:

Modern Jazz Line #18: Triplet Displacement in 3/4 Time - Piano Jazz Melodies

Today my youtube channel Tjjazzpiano reached 500,000 views (and 2700+ subscribers).  The blog has also just reached 100,000 in just over the one year since I bought the domain and began posting.  Thank you so much for your support!  I couldn't have done it without all you loyal readers and subscribers.

In this week's Modern Jazz Line we'll tackle a triplet based melody based on arpeggio extensions of each chords.  This is the first melody I've published that is written in the 3/4 time signature.  Be careful to count and make sure you're playing the rhythms correctly.  Any displacement should feel effortless, not forced or disjunct.

I hope you enjoyed watching the first 10 lessons from my Modern Jazz Line series.  In these jazz lessons I covered how to become a better improvisor using the ii-V-I progression as a guide.  The next Modern Jazz Line videos will cover the tri-tone substitution used in the context of a basic ii-V-I progression (see example below).  If you haven't read or watched my explanation of the tri-tone substitution you may want to check it out before continuing with the lesson below.

Sheet Music for this lesson:  Modern Jazz Line #18 .pdf

You can find a complete list of my jazz piano lessons here and watch the playlist for either Modern Jazz Lines #1-10 or Modern Jazz Lines #11-20.

Introduction to the Tri-Tone Substitution: The Tri-Tone Substitution

Modern Jazz Line #18:

Watch the video lesson here:

Modern Jazz Line #17 - Cliche Lick with a Twist - Jazz Piano Lesson

This week's modern jazz line is inspired by a very common bebop phrase I hear a lot of musician frequently playing.  There's nothing too chromatic or "out" in this line but I think it still carries a modern feel.

I hope you enjoyed watching the first 10 lessons from my Modern Jazz Line series.  In these jazz lessons I covered how to become a better improvisor using the ii-V-I progression as a guide.  The next Modern Jazz Line videos will cover the tri-tone substitution used in the context of a basic ii-V-I progression (see example below).  If you haven't read or watched my explanation of the tri-tone substitution you may want to check it out before continuing with the lesson below.

Sheet Music for this lesson:  Modern Jazz Line #17 .pdf

You can find a complete list of my jazz piano lessons here and watch the playlist for either Modern Jazz Lines #1-10 or Modern Jazz Lines #11-20.

Introduction to the Tri-Tone Substitution: The Tri-Tone Substitution

Modern Jazz Line #17:

Learn how to practice this jazz piano lesson here:

Modern Jazz Line #16 - Modern Diatonic Melody - Inspired by Keith Jarrett

This week's modern jazz line is inspired after listening to Keith Jarrett's solo record "Staircase."  Jarrett's solo work is long lasting proof that you don't have to play "outside" to create moving modern melodies.

I hope you enjoyed watching the first 10 lessons from my Modern Jazz Line series.  In these jazz lessons I covered how to become a better improvisor using the ii-V-I progression as a guide.  The next Modern Jazz Line videos will cover the tri-tone substitution used in the context of a basic ii-V-I progression (see example below).  If you haven't read or watched my explanation of the tri-tone substitution you may want to check it out before continuing with the lesson below.

Sheet Music for this lesson:  Modern Jazz Line #16 .pdf

You can find a complete list of my jazz piano lessons here and watch the playlist for either Modern Jazz Lines #1-10 or Modern Jazz Lines #11-20.

Introduction to the Tri-Tone Substitution: The Tri-Tone Substitution

Modern Jazz Line #16:

Learn how to practice this jazz piano lesson:

Modern Jazz Line #15 - Harmonic Minor - Tri-Tone Substitution (ii-V-I)

I hope you enjoyed watching the first 10 lessons from my Modern Jazz Line series.  In these jazz lessons I covered how to become a better improvisor using the ii-V-I progression as a guide.  The next Modern Jazz Line videos will cover the tri-tone substitution used in the context of a basic ii-V-I progression (see example below).  If you haven't read or watched my explanation of the tri-tone substitution you may want to check it out before continuing with the lesson below.

Sheet Music for this lesson:  Modern Jazz Line #15 .pdf

You can find a complete list of my jazz piano lessons here and watch the playlist for either Modern Jazz Lines #1-10 or Modern Jazz Lines #11-20.

Introduction to the Tri-Tone Substitution: The Tri-Tone Substitution

Modern Jazz Line #15:

Learn how to practice this jazz piano lesson:

Modern Jazz Line #14 - Whole Tone Line (Tritone Sub)

I hope you enjoyed watching the first 10 lessons from my Modern Jazz Line series.  In these jazz lessons I covered how to become a better improvisor using the ii-V-I progression as a guide.  The next Modern Jazz Line videos will cover the tri-tone substitution used in the context of a basic ii-V-I progression (see example below).  If you haven't read or watched my explanation of the tri-tone substitution you may want to check it out before continuing with the lesson below.

Introduction to the Tri-Tone Substitution: The Tri-Tone Substitution

Modern Jazz Line #14:  

Sheet Music:  

Modern Jazz Line #14 .pdf

Video Lesson:

Modern Jazz Line #11: The Tri-Tone Substitution

I hope you enjoyed watching the first 10 lessons from my Modern Jazz Line series.  In these jazz lessons I covered how to become a better improvisor using the ii-V-I progression as a guide.  The next Modern Jazz Line videos will cover the tri-tone substitution used in the context of a basic ii-V-I progression (see example below).  If you haven't read or watched my explanation of the tri-tone substitution you may want to check it out before continuing with the lesson below.

Introduction to the Tri-Tone Substitution: The Tri-Tone Substitution

Sheet Music for Modern Jazz Line #11:  Modern Jazz Line #11.pdf

Video Lesson Guide:

Modern Jazz Line #10 - Large Intervals and Triads

Hearing large intervals, particularly descending 6ths and 7ths, have always been a big challenge for me.  For this week's Modern Jazz Line I've decided to tackle some of those tricky intervals using triad embellishment. Try to notice which intervals you struggle the most with.  You may want to identify these intervals for later isolated practice through all 12 keys.

The embellished superimposed triads for each chord are as follows.
Dm7 = FMajor Triad (i.e. 3-5-7 of Dm7)
G7 = AMajor Triad (9-#11-13 of G7)
CMaj7 = DMajor Triad (9-#11-13)
C6 = n/a



Sheet Music for this lesson:  Modern Jazz Line #10 .pdf

Follow the steps in the video below for mastery of this jazz lesson.

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.

Jazz Piano Lesson #33: Improvising in all 12 Keys (ii-V-I-VI)

My college piano teacher Allen Myers kept things interesting by giving each individual semester of lessons a different theme.  We had semesters that covered large topics like modalism and semesters that were more narrowly focused on individual players such as Chick Corea.  One of my favorite semester long topics, and the one where I felt like I experienced the most growth, was on Bill Evans.  Recording this lesson reminded me of one particularly important lesson we had that semester. 

My assignment was to transcribe the changes to Bill Evans' tune Sugar Plum and the melody if I decided there was one.  What I found in "Sugar Plum" was a cyclical progression not so different from the one in Lesson #33.  It is likely that the tune was used by Evans as an exercise for his own practice.  I decided that the piece must have originally been a technical exercise and likely had no true melody.  The introductions however are strikingly similar on the three recordings I have listened to.  Keep Evans' in mind as you practice this progression and try to transcend the technicallity of the exercise to improvise beautiful music. 

Free Jazz Lesson .pdf (Scribd):  Lesson #33 .pdf
- to print and download click purchase to the right.  Lessons will always be free to view on your laptop, iPad and desktop.
Video Lesson:  http://youtu.be/0GfDr9_aEIs

Thanks for checking out this jazz piano lesson.  Feel free to leave any suggestions below for future jazz piano lessons or send me a message with any questions you might have.  Click the link "Lessons" above for more free lessons.

Learn how to get a signed copy of my album "Meditations Vol.1" here:
http://tjjazzpiano.blogspot.com/2012/08/meditations-vol1-solo-piano-tj-martley.html

Free Jazz Lesson #29: Modal Interval Pattern in 5/4

From last week's lesson:

"In this week's lesson we are taking a look at one of the first types of improvising beginning improvisors learn.  One thing I remember as a requirement to Jazz lessons in High School was a copy of the Aebersold book "Maiden Voyage."  The reason being that it had a lot of opportunities for modal improvising.  The idea is that long vamps over one chord are generally easier for younger students to grasp and improvisor over.  While I don't necessarily agree with this approach, I remember being a big part of my early Jazz studies.

Interval exercises are a great way to start internalizing the sound of the modes you practice with.  I wrote out this simple pattern in all 12 keys for you to work with this week.  You don't have to be a jazz pianist to practice this free lesson.  Try it on any instrument!  Better yet, if you're not a pianist, use it as a technical exercise to get bet better on the instrument.  Every musician can benefit from working on piano playing."
This week's free jazz lesson .pdf can be found here:  Lesson #29

This week we are taking the same pattern through the Lydian and Lydian Dominant scales.  I have also altered the rhythm to imply 5/4 time.  Take a look a the video link below to find great suggestions on how to practice feeling this pattern in "odd time."   Listen to and play-along with this free jazz lesson below. 

Here are the intervals:
Ascending -  Up 4th, Up 4th, Down 5th, Down 2nd
Descending - Down 4th, Down 4th, Up 5th, Up 2nd

YouTube Video Lesson:  Lesson #29 Free Jazz Video Lesson
Soundcloud Play-Along: Free Play-Along Recording
FREE .pdf of this lesson:  Free .pdf of Lesson #29