Course: Learn Jazz Piano: Advanced and Solo Playing

We present some exercises designed to get you “inside” major scales.

We look at the seven modes of the melodic minor ascending scale. You can download the chart for “Melodic Minor Ascending Modes” in PDF format at the bottom of this …

We look at the seven Ionian modes, where a mode is just a scale rooted in a different part of the major or Ionian scale. You can download the chart …

We discuss how to play and improvise on the tune “Blackbird” as a solo piece, and utilising a pentatonic scale in the improvisation, prior to presenting an illustration.

We analyse a transcription I have made of how the American jazz pianist Brad Mehldau plays the Lennon and McCartney tune “Blackbird” in one of his recordings. You can download …

We consider some five note scales which may be employed in jazz. You can download the charts for “C Pentatonic” and “Five Note Scales” in PDF format at the bottom …

We give a review of the scales we have already met. You can download the charts for “Basic Scales I” and “Basic Scales II” in PDF format at the bottom …

We present an introduction to the section on scale theory.

Here are some suggestions for tracks covered this week :- Someday My Prince Will Come Bill Evans Live (1979) Sadao Watanabe (alto), Chick Corea (piano), Hiromi Uehara (piano), Austin Peralta …

At the end of Week 4 you should be able to :- Play a waltz vamp till ready Play “Someday My Prince Will Come” in root position Play “Someday My …

Please consider sharing your recordings and I particularly recommend Soundcloud for doing this. Exercises for Week 4 Practice playing the waltz vamps till ready discussed in several keys Play “Sometime …

Exercises and Listening

We look at some ideas for how we can begin and end the waltzes we have met.

I play the tune of “Everybody’s Song But My Own” as a solo in root position.

We discuss the structure of Kenny Wheeler’s tune “Everybody’s Song But My Own”. You can download the chart for “Everybody’s Song But My Own” in PDF format at the bottom …