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Jazz Piano School

Easy 5 Step Process To Play Solo Jazz Piano Tunes

Aug 22, 2023
Explore the three main goals in jazz piano, including comping, playing solo piano jazz standards, and improvising in a jazz style. Learn about the upcoming programs offered by the speaker, including a three-month private program. Discover different styles of jazz piano playing, such as ballads and swing, and the importance of adding chord tones and extensions. Dive into a discussion about the jazz piano tune 'Never Will I Marry' and different swing approaches. Explore methods to create a groove in solo jazz piano tunes and the importance of embracing discomfort to make progress.
01:08:25

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Quick takeaways

  • The process of playing solo piano jazz involves systematic steps, including placing bass notes, shells, and melody together, splitting shells between thumbs for more right-hand freedom, adding chord tones for harmonization, and introducing extensions for unique sounds.
  • The approach to creating a groove in slow swing style includes supporting the melody with chords played between both hands or using the broken stride technique, where the left hand focuses on bass notes, shells, and rhythms while the right hand plays single-note melodies.

Deep dives

Summary of Jazz Piano School Podcast Episode

In this Jazz Piano School podcast episode, the host Brendan Lau discusses the process of playing soulful piano music. He explains a systematic template for playing solo piano in a jazz style, breaking it down into easy-to-follow steps. The first step is to place the bass notes, shells (root and seventh), and melody together. The second step involves splitting the shells between the thumbs, allowing more freedom in the right hand for chord extensions and colors. In step three, chord tones are added to fill in the harmonization, while step four introduces various extensions to create unique sounds. Lau emphasizes the importance of drilling and practicing these steps to improve jazz piano skills.

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