Big Chords, Progressions & Fills
I get asked a lot 'How do you create those BIG chord voicings and Jazz piano chords?' Well, it is not as difficult as it might seem. In this article I am going to share with you my thoughts on good vs. poor chord voicings. What is a chord voicing? Read More...
How to comp chords - comping chords
I got this question from a student: "I am struggling to comp rhythmically & unpredictably while improvising or playing from a lead sheet. I can comp chords in my left hand to a pattern (i.e., 4 to the floor or on the 1 & 3, etc) but I struggle to mix up the comping especially when improvising. I have used some of your comping patterns from the Blues Lessons as a start and then try to mix & match different patterns, but I find it very difficult to comp without being locked to a fixed pattern or combination of patterns. Any suggestions for helping to overcome this problem?" - Adam K. Read More...
Beginning Jazz Piano
Where do I start?
This is a question that I am often asked from new and potential students. I suppose if I only have two DVDs available, it would be easier to pick a place to start. However, I have dozens of DVDs available on many different topics. So, I completely understand why many of you ask 'Where Do I Start?' Read More...
Chord Piano Tensions
Understanding Jazz Piano Chords
Jazz piano chords can sometimes be confusing at first glance. In this article, I am going to explain how jazz players usually interpret chords and pick tensions to create lush chords. Bear in mind, every musician has their own 'tricks' that they use to form their chords. However, there are some basic harmonic concepts that you need to understand and I'll cover some of them in this article.
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Creating Seventh Chords
There are several ways that you can form chords:
- Number the scale and choose the appropriate scale degrees
- Use intervals to 'stack' notes
- Use your ear to 'hunt and peck' at the notes
Richer Piano Chord Voicings with Quartals
Using Quartals To Make Richer Chord Voicings I love the sound of those big, fat jazz chords. Don't you? Those tensions and 'extra' notes really make the song go from dull to dazzling. Creating these rich chord voicings becomes much easier when we use quartals. A quartal is two stacked intervals. It is two perfect fourths stacked on top of one another. The interval from C to F is a perfect fourth. If we add another perfect fourth above F, we'd get Bb. C-F-Bb played together becomes a quartal. Read More...
