This course is designed primarily for those who already play to an intermediate or advanced popular style or are classical pianists who would like to access the world of Jazz repertoire in order to play solo, or accompany a singer.
I include PDF info sheets for those who like to see their music written down; however this is a paperless course, so you can learn jazz even if you do not read music very well. As a keyboardist or pianist following this course, I encourage you to work out the suggested melodies by ear and play them back so that you gradually remove your dependence on written, fixed music.
There are nine lessons, which cover:
•Jazz harmony – the basic additional notes and important intervals
•Jazz scales – the ‘magic’ scales that create the different sounds
•The many variations of dominant sevenths
•Basic chord progressions and ‘turnarounds’
•Simple Jazz impro techniques to ‘fill out space’
•Quartal Harmony
•Step-by-step examples in each lesson: how to play jazz standards by ear
•Guide to being a lounge pianist/accompanist
The course requires:
•Unhindered access to a keyboard – even a small five octave one – or a piano, every day
•Daily practice at working out tunes and learning chords and their inversions
•A keen interest in Jazz (you do not need to know any jazz tunes!)
I am on hand to answer any questions and am happy to upload extra PDFs as required. I’ll also be adding various ‘bolt-on’ videos soon in order to boost your knowledge.
