Exploring Jazz Piano - Part 1
with Tim Richards
Intermediate
78 lessons (4h 37m)
Sheet music included
Backing tracks included
Mobile, Tablet + Desktop
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Course Trailer
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Sample Lesson
Free
- WELCOME
- Introduction
- CHAPTER 1: MAJOR TRIADS
- Section 1: The Five Finger Position
- Intervals and fingering
- Triad inversions
- THREESOME Performance (straight)
- THREESOME Performance (swing)
- Roman numerals
- Improvising with the five-finger position
- Section 2: The Major Pentatonic Scale
- Formation
- NO PROBLEM Performance
- Improvising with the major pentatonic
- Section 3: The Cycle of Fifths
- Triad shapes in other keys
- MAJOR TRIAD CYCLES Performance
- Sing & Play – the five-finger position
- Improvising with triad arpeggios
- Section 4: Horizontal & Vertical Improvisation
- The I - IV - V - I sequence
- COINCIDENCE CALYPSO Performance
- Horizontal improvisation
- Vertical improvisation
- Comping
- Section 5: Improving Fluency and Coordination
- Playing over alternating I and IV chords
- MAJOR TRIAD WORKOUT Performance
- Target notes and pick-ups
- Bass line and the four-note scale
- Section 6: Three Major Triads a Tone Apart
- Y TODAVIA LA QUIERO Performance
- Horizontal & vertical improvisation options
- Forward motion
- Section 7: Broken Chords
- Pedal point
- BLUE DOLPHINS Performance
- Improvising with triad inversions
- Spread position triads and broken chords
- Section 8: Checkpoint #1
- Augmented Triads + Major Triad Quiz
- CHAPTER 2: MINOR TRIADS
- Section 9: Minor Triads in the Major Scale
- Minor triad shapes and inversions
- The minor triad as a II chord
- MANNENBERG Performance
- Pentatonic scale improvisation techniques
- Section 10: The AABA Form
- Two-feel bass lines
- TAKE THE ‘A’ TRAIN Performance
- Thickening the melody
- Broken chords in triplets
- ‘A’ TRAIN IMPROVISATION Performance
- Walking bass lines
- Section 11: Minor Scales
- Playing off the beat
- Minor harmony
- MONTUNO FOR MONTY Performance
- Natural minor and harmonic minor scales
- NATURAL MINOR WORKOUT Performance
- Playing two-bar phrases
- Section 12: The Minor Pentatonic scale
- Formation and fingering
- Open triads
- OPEN TRIAD WORKOUT (straight) Performance
- OPEN TRIAD WORKOUT (swing) Performance
- Section 13: Slash chords and open triads
- Playing the 3rd or 5th on the bottom
- SONG FOR SALLY Performance
- Section 14: CHECKPOINT #2
- Triad review – Augmented and Diminished triads + Triad Quiz
- CHAPTER 3: SEVENTH CHORDS
- Section 15: The Major Seventh chord
- Major seventh arpeggios
- DREAM ON Performance
- Inversions and accompanying
- MAJOR SEVENTH WORKOUT Performance
- Scale patterns and improvisation
- The key clock + major scale fingering
- Section 16: The Dominant Seventh chord
- Dominant seventh arpeggios and inversions
- DOWN THE LINE Performance
- Improvisation tips
- The 12-bar blues sequence, tritones and shells
- Mixolydian, whole-tone and chromatic scales
- STRAIGHT NO CHASER Performance
- The Flat Three Pentatonic scale
- Learning Dominant 7ths in all keys
- DOMINANT SEVENTH WORKOUT #1 Performance
- Broken chord patterns
- Rhythm changes and the dominant seventh cycle
- THE THEME Performance
- Improvising over the tonic chord
- Section 17: The Minor Seventh chord
- The Dorian mode
- DRIFTING Performance
- Improvisation and coordination
- Section 18: CHECKPOINT #3
- Chord-Scale relationships
- Conclusion
Lesson plan (4h 37m)
This course is based on Tim Richards' Exploring Jazz Piano, Volume 1, Awarded the prestigious Music Industries Association Award in 2006 for Best Pop Publication. The overall level is intermediate, and would suit pianists of Grade 4 standard and above.
In the course, Tim introduces pianists to the basic chord-types used in jazz, from major and minor triads to seventh and ninth chords.
Other topics covered include: Chord/scale relationships, modes, broken chord and scale patterns, pentatonic and blues scales, walking bass lines, Latin rhythms and bass lines, the diatonic cycle, secondary dominants, II V I sequences, horizontal and vertical improvisation, tritone substitution, two-handed voicings, rootless voicings, technical exercises and fingering, accompaniment styles, ear-training, discography (suggested listening).
The course is interactive and includes:
- 70+ lessons with embedded figures and sheet music
- 23+ songs and exercises for students to learn
- interactive sheet music with slow down and looping
- interactive + downloadable backing tracks
- downloadable PDFs for songs
If you're looking for a detailed, comprehensive method to progress at jazz piano, critics agree this is one of the best options available:
"I cannot praise it too highly... Vol. 1 and 2 together rank among the best instructional material that I have seen in the 21 years since Jazzwise started." - Charles Alexander, JAZZWISE Magazine
"Richards' approach is methodical, thorough and progressive. No shortage of useful information, much of it illuminated by the two well-played and well-produced backing tracks.. Years of fruitful and fascinating study to be had, and plenty of good advice." - Mark Gilbert, JAZZ REVIEW
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