4 TASTY 2-5-1 Substitutions
When you see a 251 chord progression, realize that you don't have to play it as written. There are options. Let me show you a few of my favorites!
harmony
A New Jazz Accompaniment Style For You
It's not really NEW, but it might be new to YOU. A contemporary rhythmic addition to your playing; the all-syncopated straight 8th style which originates from the Brazilian Polka style of guitar playing. Have fun with it and let me know if it was helpful to you!
Adding Upper Extensions To Your Solo Piano Arrangements
In this video, I teach about times when a flat nine occurs in the melody, over a dominant seventh chord. Learn how to play triad extensions to increase your harmonic vocabulary with me!
Adding Upper Extensions To Your Solo Piano Arrangements
In this video, I teach about times when a flat nine occurs in the melody, over a dominant seventh chord. Learn how to play triad extensions to increase your harmonic vocabulary with me!
Purchase the worksheet from the video[$ 5]
Aimee and Louis: Everyone Can Harmonize (Part 3)
In this third episode, my son, Louis helps me show how to find the third or the "mi" to start recognizing where to begin making up your own harmony. Try to put yourself in his spot and predict the notes he sings before he sings them...and then we leave room for you at the end for you to sing a note on your own, in three part harmony with us!
All The Crazy Re-Harms
Thank you to everyone who submitted a re-harm video for “Crazy!” There were so many great ones! Show some love in the comment section!
ALL The Easy Reharms
Thanks, everyone for submitting your re-harms of Mac Ayres' "Easy." Time stamps and names of artists below. Make sure and leave positive feedback for these brave souls!
All The Weak Re-Harms
Thanks, everyone for submitting your re-harms of SWV's "Weak." Time stamps and names of artists below. Make sure and leave positive feedback for these brave souls! George Higashiyama - Pavel Duda - Dov Allouch - Hugo Ronciere - Matthew Goldberg - Miguel Munteanu - Gina Mancinelli - Olli Pekkasuua - Peter Fitzsimmons - Francesco Bortolussi - Henrik Martén - Michael Low Chew Tung - Phil Spence - Harsh Shandilya - Hou C Music - Brenda Martin - Geoffrey Rayback - Paulius Skuliesius - Alex Hafezi
Altered Dominant Chords And Scales
This is my practice routine for getting altered dominant (#5, #9 chords specifically) rootless closed-voicing chords, and diminished whole-tone scales (sometimes referred to as the 7th mode of the melodic minor scale) under my fingers and in my brain. You can get such a hip sound in your playing if you understand how these notes function in each key.
Purchase the worksheet from the videos below [PDF - 5.00 $]
Analyzing Lead Sheets
In order to truly understand the music you are playing, a quick analysis is vitally important. Having an understanding of why the song does what it does, and where it does it is KEY to really absorbing it.
Choosing Dominant Alterations
Choosing which altered dominant chord to play during a minor 2 5 1 can be a daunting task, but using a popular holiday classic, I attempt to demystify the process for you and make something beautiful. Recorded using Earthworks SV33 Earthworks PM40 5'3 Hallet Davis Baby Grand
If you'd like to donate to my channel, please do so here: https://paypal.me/aimn
Comprehensive Guide To Rootless Voicings
From 3rds and 7s to 6 note powerful rootless voicings, I walk you through Sonny Rollins' Airegin and discuss ALL the possibilities. Thanks for sharing and liking!
Diatonic Mediant And Submediant Modulations
Temporary modulations to the mediant and submediant are very common in jazz and popular music. It's important to learn to recognize them when they occur, hear the difference between them and know how to predict them when playing chords by ear.
Expand Your Hearing! Minor 2 5 1 Exercise
This is an exercise that takes you through all 12 keys, using a minor ii V i lick, that will help you to be able to hear an altered dominant extension...a triad, based on the flat five of the dominant chord. I like this one because it's melodic and pretty and can be easily used in improvisation while soloing over tunes.
Extreme 2-5-1 Workout
Playing ii V I licks in all keys is one of the best ways I know to improve your soloing skills.There's no better way to get new phrases into your head then by figuring them out in all the keys and drilling them over and over.
Purchase the worksheet of the video [PDF (20+ pages): 5.00 $]
Extreme Minor 251 Workout
Playing minor ii V i licks in all keys is one of the best ways I know to improve your soloing skills.There's no better way to get new phrases into your head then by figuring them out in all the keys and drilling them over and over.
Purchase the worksheet of the video [PDF (20 pages): 5.00 $]
Focus On Augmented and Diminished Chords
After getting a grip on major, minor, dominant and half diminished chords, I think it's important to study fully diminished 7th chords and augmented triads, as they function harmonically in all 12 keys. This exercise will help you to make musical sounding voicings as you navigate through these types of chords.
Purchase the worksheet of the video [5 pages PDF 5.00 $]
Harmonizing With Myself - My Romance
I sat down to practice this, thinking that I probably would need 3 or 4 takes, but I'd better record it just in case I get a good one... and it turned out I didn't need any more takes! Harmonizing with myself is something I practice a lot. It works my brain out like crazy, and challenges me in a way nothing else does. My goals in doing this are always changing, but number one is to be true to myself and sing what wants to come out. After that, it's just "will I put the voice on the top or bottom?", "which intervals will I land on?", "which 'voice' should take the lead now?", etc. I hope you have fun watching and listening!
How To "Reharm" A Pop Song
Using Imagine Dragons' "It's Time", I walk you very slowly and methodically through the way I think about reharmonizing popular music to fit the jazz idiom. We draw from the melody and utilize chords from within the key and from out of the key to create color and excitement!
How To Build And Notate Chords
I'm so sorry that the audio cuts out. Here is the missing audio transcribed: * Alright now we're talking about diminished chords. You can draw two boxes, we'll have a minor 3rd on top, and a minor 3rd on the bottom. And we can come over here and just flat that 5th degree, g flat, and we've got a minor third there, and a minor 3rd there. * A very simple video to demonstrate how to find the notes of chords in root position (using the key of C as an example) and how to write them down, or notate them, and be able to recognize them in your reading of music. If you'd like to support me, you can do so here: https://paypal.me/aimn
How To Figure Out Chords To Songs
Using Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles and She's Always a Woman by Billy Joel, we walk through the steps to deciphering the chords to songs, just by using our ears and our voices. For this video, I tried to take something that is fairly simple for me, accessible to everyone who knows a bit about music.
How To Transpose A Song To Any Key
Using a little Roman numeral analysis, you can play songs in any key you want! Hang out with me while we take this classic and put it in Elvis' key. Pick up the Aimee Nolte Music notebook here: https://www.themusiciansnotebook.com/collaborations/aimee-nolte
Jazz Piano Comping With Open And Closed Voicings
Using the tune, "But Not For Me," I discuss open and close comping voicings for jazz piano. Email me if you would like a worksheet to go along with this video.
Misty With 3rds And 7s
Jazz Piano: 2nd Step - 3rds, 7s, And Melody On Misty - This video follows "Jazz Piano: WHERE TO START (ii V7 Is with 3rds & 7s)" and shows you how to apply what you learned about roots, 3rds and 7s to the jazz standard, Misty.
Purchase the worksheet from the video
My Favorite Elton John Song
Hang out with me while I talk about my favorite Elton John song, Someone Saved My Life Tonight. Pick up my new album, "Lighten Up," as well as all of my other albums here: Buy the CD "Lighten Up" from Aimee
Nowhere Man Reharm (Live video)
Live video: Re-harmonizing the Beatles: Nowhere Man
One Exercise - All The Chords
Voicing simple 7th chords in every key is something all jazz pianists (and pianists who play from lead sheets in general) should be able to do. Without getting too fancy with 9ths and 13ths and altered tones, I'd like to help you be able to simply voice all major, minor, dominant and half diminished chords simply and beautifully with this very musical exercise.
Purchase the worksheet of the video [5 pages PDF 5.00 $]
Playing Outside The Changes #1
A little device to get you thinking outside the box when you are improvising on a blues. Whether you are a player or a singer, get this in your ears and use it to launch you outside and then very stealthily work your way back in.
Purchase the worksheet from the video [ONLY 3.00 $]
Playing Outside The Changes #2
Taking the lick I played in this video: Nat Adderley Work Song (Organ And Vocal), we discuss why it's a good vehicle for playing outside the changes on minor tunes, no matter what your instrument is, and especially if you're a singer.
Purchase the worksheet from the video [5.00 $]
Pro Tip: Triadic Planing
Using major triads as upper extensions and "planing" can give your piano playing a wonderful new sound! Let's talk about how to do it and ways to use it!
Purchase the worksheet of the video [1 PDF 5.00 $]
Rick Beato
Rick Beato is guitarist, a producer and an amazing teacher. Has his own studio called Black Dog Sound based in Atlanta, GA.
Simon And Garfunkel: The Harmony Struggle
If you're like me, you have tried to sing a 3rd part along with these two geniuses for years, and have STRUGGLED. The craftsmanship of Simon and Garfunkel goes DEEP. Explore it with me and see why it is so difficult to sing a 2nd harmony part along with the masters.
Speedy Roman Numeral Analysis
This is a follow up video to my How To Transpose A Song To Any Key video. In which we discuss how to correctly label chords that are "out of the key", but in a slightly easier and "on the surface" type of way. The purpose is still to help you transpose to and play in any key very quickly.
Step Up Your Soul With A Tritone Sub
Leading to the IV chord with a tritone substitution is one of the quickest ways I know of to sound like a legit gospel/soul piano player. Check it out with me!
Purchase the worksheet from the video[$ 5.00]
The Chord That Shouldn't Work
This is the chord that shouldn't work, but does, in the right context.
It's so exciting and beautiful and I think you'll love it!
Using the tune, "My Romance," we walk through how to play this gorgeous chord in all 12 keys.
Purchase the worksheet from the video [5.00 $]
The Half Diminished (Minor 7b5) Chord
A few of my favorite jazz voicings for this wonderful chord.
The Half Diminished (Minor 7b5) Chord
A few of my favorite jazz voicings for this wonderful chord.
Purchase the worksheet from the video Only $2.5
The Jazz Bible
I always jot down this little guide when I teach someone a jazz piano lesson. I tell them to keep it within an arms reach of the piano at all times, because I know how often they will need to reference it. It will tell you which notes are cool to play over which chords, as well as all the ways to notate all of the chords.
Purchase the worksheet of the video [PDF: 5.00 $]
The Magic Of The Tritone
A very simple explanation of what a tritone is, how it functions as a substitute on dominant chords. Complete with examples from tunes you know!
The MONEY Chords
Learn a few more chords with me that will help you on your journey to be able to play by ear. I'm calling them "the money chords.” They really have other names that more properly describe their functions, but I’m keeping it simple here.
Thinking A Tune In 12 Keys
In order to REALLY get to know a tune (a song), you don't only have to play it in all of the keys, but you can also THINK it in all of the keys. This is next level stuff, and I hope you have fun taking this step. If you'd like to donate to my channel, please do so here: https://paypal.me/aimn
Vocal Warmup - Ear Training Maj7
There's no reason why warming up has to be boring or silly. Let's explore, train our ears, and create something beautiful while warming up!
Purchase the worksheet from the video [zipped file containing 2 pages on PDF and MP3! - Just 5$]
When The Harmony IS The Melody
Are you ever fooled by a harmony that has so much strength and power, you think it's really the melody? Let's look at examples by some of the greatest harmony writers in rock and pop and discover deeper truths about the meaning of "melody."
You Hip To The Sharp Nine?
In this video we spend time discussing the minor ii V i and some ideas involving the sharp nine to play over the altered dominant chord. Lesson available with PDF
You Need This Chord
The crazy, beautiful altered dominant chord where BOTH the natural 5 and the flat 5 exist together in wonderful dissonant harmony will add color and depth to your playing. Explore how and when to use it with me! If you'd like to support my channel, you can donate here: https://paypal.me/aimn
You Reharm Aimee (Easy Re-Harm) - [FREE MP3]
![You Reharm Aimee (Easy Re-Harm) - [FREE MP3]](/images/youtube-thumbs4/reharm-easy.jpg)
2nd edition of Aimee's Re-Harm Challenge with Mac Ayres, "Easy." To submit your re-harm, use the mp3 of my vocal here and then email your video, and your lead sheet (no matter how sloppy it is) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by midnight, PST, Feb 17. Watch for the completed video on Tuesday morning! Check out the amazing Mac Ayres here: https://open.spotify.com/track/58dSdj... and here: https://soundcloud.com/macayres/easy-...