The subtlety of the swing feel is a very tricky thing to learn. Listening to the great jazz players and soaking up what you hear is the best way to absorb and ultimately develop your own swing feel, but there are some things I can teach concretely and this is one of them. Practice these comping rhythms with me and let's get to work!
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People don't think about the blues scale in the right way, and it's ruining their jazz solos. Improvisation can't simply be thought of in terms of "a scale" and have imagination, soul and meaning.Try these things instead!
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One of the things that gives jazz it’s unique feel and sound is a walking bass line. Follow this simple formula of mine to be able to create your own bass lines with your left hand and really start to sound like a swinging pianist.
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Don't let chords that are in difficult keys scare you! With just a little flip of a switch in your mind, you can think about these hard chords in a different way and turn them into easier, more manageable chords. Music theory is amazing!
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Ok, so you think you know about 251s - but can you recognize them when they occur in songs? Can your ears tell the difference between a major 251 and a minor? It's time to practice with me. Let's go!
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There is so much to learn before you can adequately comp - before you can successfully be the one in the band who lays down the harmony for everyone else. Whether you are a piano, organ, guitar, or vibes player in your jazz band, this video will provide an overview, but also very specific advice about how to comp - from voicings to rhythms to a deep understanding of what your purpose is as a chord instrument.
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Rosana Eckert - Principal Lecturer of Vocal Jazz at the University of Northern Texas, is one of the best improvisers and educators I know of. Without an instrument to press buttons on (a singer), Rosana has to accurately call up pitches from her improv vocabulary and execute them at top speed. Her ability to do this is matched only by a handful of people, in my opinion. Discount code to get both CuriosityStream and Nebula at 26% off - $14.79 for a year https://curiositystream.com/aimeenolte Rosana’s new single: Samba Jiji - Single by Brasuka https://music.apple.com/us/album/samb... Rosana’s website: https://www.rosanaeckert.com/index.html
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You’ve learned about the modes for years - but somehow Dorian, Lydian, Locrian - these groupings of notes with their strange names haven’t quite MADE SENSE for you - until now. Let’s go beyond music theory and talk about how these modes make you feel - what emotions they evoke and how you can use them in your own composition and improvising.
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