Help Jester learn Jazz Piano!!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I’ve taken classical piano for nigh on 11 years now, and am very proficient in it. But, being a junior in high school, I find that, whilst jamming with my friends, pieces by Chopin and Bach just don’t go very well with blues chords and drum beats. Also, I’ve been progressivly getting more and more into blues and jazz since middle school, and would like to learn that jazz-style playing.

I love classical, and will keep playing it, but I’ve found that it is almost completely dependant on sheet music, since most of the composers are dead. This unfortunate fact has resulted in my near complete lack of real understanding of chord structures, improvisation, and the like.

To remedy this, I think I am going to begin taking jazz lessons, in addition to my classical ones. However, while I’m looking for a teacher, and even after I start, I could use some basic advice/drills/pieces/books that all of the musicians out here on the SDMB have to offer. Any suggestions about how I should go about learning? What I should start with? What not to do? I’m all ears, and am in your worthy hands.

2

If you’re all ears, doesn’t that make it kind of hard to hit the keys?

Oh, I get it…you play by ear.

3

Believe it or not, Chef, that bad joke reminded me to mention that I’m not very proficient at playing by ear, either. Any tips people have on that would be welcome, as well.

(Still…man, that joke was bad):wink:

4

That’s why my handle isn’t “Comedian Troy.”

And I don’t think it was THAT bad, especially considering it was thought up on the spur of the moment in response to your “all ears” remark. Give me some credit for spontaneity, man.

5

An extremely important part of improv is being able to hear pitches and intervals in your head. If you have problems doing that, that might be a good place to start. It will help you take what you hear in your head and play it on piano (or any other instrument, for that matter).
Also, know your scales well. When you find a jazz teacher, he or she will show you the scales and modes often used in jazz. Listen to some blues and jazz, especially the pianists (though since you like the music, I assume you do that already).

-Neil

6

Fine, Chef, I agree, it was a pretty decent one. Don’t quote me on that, though.

Neil, gracias mucho.

As for the rest of you, a bit o help, please?

7

Most of jazz piano is knowing enough music theory to understand what goes into a chord and what can be added. Common additions/modifications are the 9th, the minor 7th, the 11th, the 13th, 6th, and major 7th on top of the tonic. While the 5th and 3rd are used a lot, jazz people tend not to dwell on them as they get a little tired sounding.

This being said, most of jazz is based around a few chord transitions with things added.

Okay practice this :

2-5-1 transitions. A good one is D-7 to G7,9 to Cmaj7.
Rt hand F+A -> F+A -> E+G (all chords low->high)
Lt hand D+C -> G+B -> C+B
D-7 G7,9 Cmaj7c

Songs based on this : Speak Low, Tea for Two, That Old Black Magic, Blues for Alice, Groovin’ High, Lazybird, etc. etc.

Next: infamous 1->6min->2min->5
(C->Amin->Dmin->G), or the Heart and Soul/Blue Moon/Earth Angel transition.

Lots of jazz (especially swing) is based on this.

A good way to dress it up is to play stride bass left hand in 10ths (C+E)->(A+C)->(D+F)->(G+B). Add triads between transitions.

In the left hand, for me, I play C6->Amin7->Dmin7->Gflat9,7,13. Works well as a transition point for improvisation on a major C pentatonic scale.

For variation, switch to
C->Emin->Dflat,diminished->Dmin->G7

And then there is the old 12 bar blues pattern.

Mostly, jazz is about reading gig sheets and improvising using the chord framework set out in them. This is usually done with a “blues scale” (minor pentatonic plus flat 5 and 9) for starters.

So, get a book on jazz theory. That should be all it takes. Then buy a jazz fake book and practice playing the melody line with the chords. Then dress things up using the jazz theory.