Jazz Piano Articles

Music and You Piano Articles on learning Jazz Piano
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Jazz Piano is more than a few riffs and licks.

Again, I have been reading threads about  jazz and free jazz lessons,
and OH MY, OH MY, OH MY!

All I can say, to me it's like a busy freeway of mass
confusion, and complete chaos.  No wonder students
are so confused. 

Confession: I know it's meant to help students but.... when lessons are taken out
of context it becomes confusing. Every idea taught should be followed with a WHY
this works using music theory and HOW to use the information in songs.

There are exact formulas and principles that can be taught in a very
precise method and everyone can learn to play jazz piano and blues piano.

Here are just a few of the remarks:

1.  Adding and reharmonizing chords to your music.  I read about the chord
     called, "1/2 step above the resolution.  WHAT IS THAT?
     IT IS actually CALLED A SUBSTITUTION CHORD! 
RULE:  ANY CHORD MAY BE PRECEDED BY IT'S V7 OR SUBSTITUTION CHORD.
This is our first lesson in Jazz and it is easy to learn and to use in all music.
Also,  a student should learn why we can use this chord, how to build them,
and how to use them in songs.  Only then can you add substitutions to all songs.
Look at Aura Lee in our Free Sheet Music, I have added substitution chords,
and also notice the left hand styling, you're not playing blocked chords.
It's called open harmony, and it uses 10th's and 7th's.  Taught in our
intermediate Lessons and jazz lesson 3.  The song is written very simply
but will give you an idea of how you can learn substitutions and see how
they are used in a song.

2.  Adding a 6th tone to your chords. Have you hear this one? Add a 6th to
     your chords and see if you like the sound, if so, add it to your music.     
     NO, NO, NO, NO
     Yes, we can add 6th's to our chords, but.....are you adding a 6th or a 13th?
RULES to adding extensions: This is very easy and again there are rules.
Start with your 7 chords: There is the Major 7, dominant 7 (V7), and Minor 7.
Next we want to add extensions to get (color) or jazz sounds. 
EXTENSIONS =  9th's, or lowered 9th's (9-)
                        10th's, or lowered 10th's (10-) 
                        11th's or raised 11th's (11+)
                        12th's can be raised or lowered, (12+) (12-)
                        13th's, can be raised or lowered (13+) (13-)
Each chord has it's rule as to what extensions can be used.
For example, RULE: Using a Major 7 chord, you can always add a
                             9th, 11+ or a 13th to any Major 7 chord at all times. 
                             This is our 3rd lesson in Jazz.

3.  OH, THE BIG ONE: 12 Bar Blues
I have seen this over and over and exactly what is this?  12 Bar Blues is
simply a pattern of the I chord, IV chord and V chord.  Yes, most of
the patterns I've seen are correct, but students are asking what chords to
play and what to do with the 12 bar blues.

12 bars blues is simply a song that can be played in any key and is used by
musicians so they can play together, have fun and just simply improvise on
blues.  It's a universal pattern and a lot of fun.  The key determines the chords.

4 bars of the I chord/ 2 bars of the IV chord/ 2 bars of the I chord/
1 bar of the V7 chord/ 1 bar of the IV chord/ 2 bars of the I chord

Here's what is said, "play this pattern with blues chords, and then to
get a blues sound, lower the 3rd of the chord and you have blues note."

What's a Blues Chord and what's a "Blues Note?"

WHAT SHOULD BE TAUGHT:  Blues is the art of motivic development. 
Basically, learn how to write and play blues scales, developed patterns,
and phrases or licks from the scale and then add them to songs. 
                                IT'S EASY!
Playing blues means playing blues scales and playing blues rhythm.
Here's a fun song for the piano, a simple improv on 12 bar blues.
Also, look at Amazing Grace, this is fun with Blues, and it's simple.
12 bar blues is simply a pattern of chord progressions that musicians
use for blues improvisation.  It's a universal pattern and many songs
are written on these chord progressions.

4.  Have you heard this one?
    When improvising you can use  a major scale and add  a 4+,
     ( raise the 4th tone) if you like the sound use it.  
     NO, NO, NO,  Again there are rules.  This is actually a modal scale.
RULES: MODAL SCALES: LYDIAN, PHRYGIAN, MIXO-LYDIAN
EXAMPLE:  LYDIAN SCALE CAN ALWAYS BE PLAYED WITH A MAJOR 7 CHORD.
                The key here is ALWAYS, not sometimes.  Lydian scale is a major
                 scale with the 4th tone raised and is used with Major 7 Scales.

Jazz is not as complicated as it sounds.  It's just very difficult when students
are picking up pieces of information here and there. 1. First learn your basic
chords, major, minor, and 7ths, (without chord carts) then learn your simple basic
theory of how chords and scales work together. Taught in our Intermediate Lessons.
2. Then begin adding substation chords and extensions 3. learn left hand styling
such as open harmony, blocked or bass lines  4. Learn your scales, modal scales,
Major and minor scales, and synthetic scales, then add scales for improv and you
now have all the pieces.  Sounds easy?  It's knowledge and practice.

I have written this article so students know that there is an answer and that
everyone can learn jazz.  Do not give up!  I think it's very difficult when
we pick up pieces of information here and there and can't get all the pieces
to fit together.  Be patient, practice and you can learn to play well.
This article is presented by Music and You, written by Alana LaGrange.


 

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