We will use the song "Killer Joe" as a springboard for improvisation. You'll learn the scales needed for improvisation.
This lesson is all about using rhythmic accents in your improvisation.
In this last lesson we will focus on creating an improvisation over "A Foggy Day" and wrap up this course.
In this lesson you'll learn how to comp chords and improvise over a simple minor-key bassline. We will discuss how to create longer phrases and add rests to your improvisation.
In this lesson you'll learn my popular song, Kimmy's So Cool. You'll learn the song along with improvisation and I'll show you exactly what you need to practice. This is an important song for Beginning Improvisation!
In this lesson you'll learn a really cool minor chord progression and how to play it with two-handed chord voicings and an easy bassline.
Learn how to vocalize rhythms to make your rhythmic playing stronger. Using my song "Do'h Blues" you'll also learn how to create 7th chords, chord shells and how to create basslines from shells.
The blues is an extremely important form to learn. In this lesson I'll show you the entire blues in C along with a great bassline.
In this lesson you'll learn a bunch of licks that you can use to solo over the bassline and progression we learned in the previous lesson.
In this last lesson of this course you will be learning another original piece, "Chicken Pox Blues" which we will use to learn more about the blues and improvisation.
In this first lesson we will be covering the basics of improvisation like rhythm, fingering, relaxing, phrasing and more. I'll also show you how to get started improvising in 6 steps.
Improvisation Over Standards in 5 steps teaches you the 5 steps that are critical for students to learn in order to effectively improvise over jazz standards and other songs. You can build upon these 5 steps to create more in-depth arrangements. We will use the song "For Heaven's Sake" as an example.
In this lesson you will learn the Ray Charles version of Ring of Fire. We will go over the right hand voicings and the left hand bassline. We will also go over the scales used for improvising over this tune with some jazz techniques.
In this lesson, you will learn how to play an arrangement of the jazz standard All of Me. We will cover note-for-note each measure of the arrangement. We will also be covering stride left-hand styles along with some jazz piano theory which will allow you to apply these techniques to other jazz piano standards.
In this lesson, you will learn how to play a reharmonized version of the Sting & The Police classic Every Breath You Take. Note, this is not the original version and contains some jazz style reharmonizations.
In the 2nd part of this arrangement, you will continue learning how to play an arrangement of the jazz standard All of Me. We will cover note-for-note each measure of the arrangement. We will also be covering stride left-hand styles along with some jazz piano theory which will allow you to apply these techniques to other jazz piano standards.
In this lesson, you will get an inside look into creating a reharmonized, solo piano jazz arrangement of the pop tune “Every Breath You Take”. Topics include how to reharmonize chords, jazz theory, reading a lead sheet, and how to create comping and soloing ideas over a static (2 chords only) harmony.
In part 1 of this lesson, you’ll learn how to play the classic pop song Whitney Houston’s How Will I Know from the 1980s. This is not a piano arrangement of these songs but rather a note-for-note transcription of what the keyboard players played on the recording so that you can learn exactly what was played and play along.
Learn Paul Simon’s classic song Bridge Over Troubled Water. In this part 1 lesson you’ll learn the first 2 pages of the arrangement, step-by-step along with all reharmonizations. We will also devote a chapter to the analysis of the song.
In this second part you will finish learning the arrangement of the song step-by-step. You will also learn a cool C minor pentatonic lick.
The secrets for creating rich chords and snappy endings, that are actually used on gigs by professional musicians, are revealed step-by-step.
Part 2 of the lesson. The secrets for creating rich chords and snappy endings, that are actually used on gigs by professional musicians, are revealed step-by-step.
In this lesson you will learn Annika’s Song note for note. In addition to learning the song you will learn how I put the melody together and the how and why of the entire song. This lesson will prepare you for creating your own new age arrangements.
In this second part of Giant Steps, you will learn 6 steps for improvising over Giant Steps changes. We will also tackle the Giant Steps solo in 4 measure chunks to help you master this tune.
Part 2 of the lesson.
In this lesson, you will learn note for note the solo from Someday My Prince Will Come. This solo is described as being influenced by Bill Evans and it uses a lot of diatonic approaches. There is also some bonus material on modulations and advanced concepts on reharmonization.
In part one of this lesson, you will learn 8 different practice methods for learning Giant Steps. We will learn how this advanced complex harmonic tune is unique and how it will make you a better piano player.
In this lesson, you will learn how to play Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror.
Quartals give your improvisation a modern sound.
In part 1 of this lesson you will learn how to play The Beatles – In My Life. Not only will you learn the basic melody and harmony but you will learn their relationship to each other. You will be able to take the basic information and put in the rest of the notes to fill out the voicing. He will show you how to sprinkle in some jazz influence and 2-5-1 progressions.
In this lesson, you will learn how to play Some Day My Prince Will Come note for note. We will also discuss the theory behind the chords. We will go over how to play this lesson with a ballad feel and with a jazz waltz feel by breaking up the chords.
In this lesson you'll learn how to create several advanced-sounding Otis Spann licks. Each lick is broken down and taught step-by-step.
In this lesson you will learn how to play eight 2-5-1- licks in major mode. We will also discuss the theory behind these licks and how to take these licks and add them to any 2-5-1 progression in your playing.
In volume 3 of our New Age Piano series, you will learn 5 different left-hand accompaniment patterns that you can use to create your own New Age piano composition. In volume 4 we will use these left-hand patterns to create an original song.
In this lesson you’ll learn how to more effectively break down a piece of music to not only learn it, but learn it for the “long term” and be able to play it for years to come.
In this lesson you'll learn several different Otis Spann licks, including how to play his fast 32nd-note runs and fills. Each lick can be used over the entire 12-bar blues progression (which we also review in the lesson), giving you a wealth of improvisation material at your fingertips!
In this lesson you will learn how to play eight 2-5-1 licks in minor mode. He will also discuss the theory behind these licks and show you how to play them at tempo. He will focus on left hand shell voicings & rootless closed position voicings. You will transpose these licks into all 12 keys.
In this 2nd part we will focus on dominant 7 chord voicings with 2 hands along with some examples of how to apply these techniques.
In this lesson, you’ll learn the 4-way closed position and rootless voicings that make your chord voicings scream professional. We begin by focusing on the voicings in your left hand, but the theory and application can be used all across the keyboard. You’ll quickly be able to use these voicings in all aspects of your playing.
In this lesson, I’ll share my tips, tricks and techniques that I use to pick out songs and chord progressions by ear. I’ll also show you how to use a mix of your ear and analysis to know what chord should come next before it is even played!
Master these 10 Jazz and Blues licks to use them in your songs.
In this follow up lesson, you’ll learn how to master the solo from Miles Davis’s So What using the dorian scale. Each chapter breaks it down into smaller pieces to help you understand the theory behind the solo.
Learn Burt Bacarach’s beautiful song Alfie. In this lesson, I will break down the piano arrangement note-for-note. We will only be learning the song in the lesson, no improvisation. There will also be little explanation of how the arrangement was created. The goal is to just learn the song note for note. The skill level needed in order to play Alfie would be intermediate to professional level. It’s pretty intense with a lot of notes in it.
In this lesson, you will learn different ways of using both the dorian and pentatonic scales for improvisation. You’ll also learn several scale patterns that will boost your improvisation creativity.
In this lesson, you'll learn 6 different exercises to help you speed up your arpeggios while also learning how to be more musical with arpeggios.
You will learn “So What” a classic Mile’s Davis modal song in two parts. In the first part of the lesson, you’ll learn about the dorian mode and start working on the chord voicings which make this song so iconic.
This is the lesson to begin with if you are a complete beginner to the piano. You'll learn all of the important techniques to get started properly. Work through each chapter slowly and feel free to come back to this course time and again.
TwoMinutePiano – a perfect solution for those students with limited time. In these 9, two-minute mini-lessons, you’ll learn a variety of concepts with minimal talking.
In this arrangement, the song What a Wonderful World is played three times. The first time the arrangement from Wonderful World part 1 is played. The second time through the song I play a solo and the third time, I play my own personal arrangement using chords and voicings that come naturally to me. The key to this lesson is that we’ve included chapters SLOWED DOWN by 50% to make it easier for you to see the notes that I am playing!
Learn how to create jazz chords.
