Skip main navigation

Exercises

Week 1 Exercises
You can record your own playing using a variety of different programs or apps. For this course, I particularly recommend Soundcloud.

  • Soundcloud is a free service but you will need to create an account, if you don’t have one already.
  • Once you have logged in, you can upload your recording.
  • To link your recording to those from other learners on the course use the tag #FLjazzpiano when filling in the Basic Info tab and post a link in the course comments area.

Week 1 Exercises

  1. Play 5 choruses of the tune “I Got Rhythm” in voiced position with a playalong (at about 80% of speed of the Aebersold track) and the tune an octave higher to avoid clashing with the left hand, namely
    chorus 1: tune
    chorus 2: scalic improvisation,
    chorus 3: chordal
    chorus 4: motivic (if you can)
    chorus 5: tune again
    playing two versions with the left hand
    (i) legato on beats 1 and 3 in both the lower and upper voiced position
    (ii) stabbed on beats 1 and 3 in both the lower and upper voiced position

  2. Play the tune of “I Got Rhythm” with a playalong in the middle of the piano with the left hand playing first legato and secondly stabbed chords in the lower position

  3. Do the same as 1 for the tune “Oleo” with the playalong at about 75% of the speed of the Aebersold track

  4. Play the tune of “Oleo” with a playalong using double octaves (if you can) and improvising in double octaves (if you can)

© Goldsmiths, University of London
This article is from the free online

Learn jazz piano: Improvising on Jazz Standards

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now