Chord tones, guide tones, passing tones… so many TONES! What are they? How do I make sense of all of them? Is it really going to help me better understand music? Although the names can start to blend together and get confusing, chord tones, guide tones, and passing tones are a big part of music…
The major bebop scale is a very powerful scale that can be incredibly helpful to jazz pianists in a number of ways. It’s a tool that can be an excellent device for improvisation as well as jazz arranging. The 8-note scale is built by combining two different chords. In this article we’ll discuss the theory…
Rock keyboard soloing is an important part of a keyboardist’s development. Soloing in any context requires that the player is familiar with chords, scales, and keys. Rock is no exception. So in order to go deeper with this you need to learn a couple helpful scales that the pros know (and use masterfully). In this…
The beautiful jazz ballad “Blue in Green” is a jazz piano staple. First appearing on Miles Davis’ classic jazz album “Kind of Blue” in 1959, the song is often attributed to jazz piano hero Bill Evans (though Miles Davis is credited as the composer, many believe Bill Evans played a large role in the composition…
Bossa nova piano playing is but one of many different styles that we piano players need to practice – but what a fun and challenging style of piano it is! Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music and (in the jazz world) is often characterized under the catch-all label of “latin jazz.” The most…
Funk keyboard tricks of the pros… well, not “tricks” exactly. There’s no “inside secret” that the professionals know and refuse to share with the rest of the world. But there is a little thing called “experience” – something the pros have and the advancing students need. Have you ever wondered why your playing doesn’t sound…
Harmonic analysis is an incredibly important key in unlocking the mysteries of music. By understanding and using harmonic analysis we can answer questions such as “what was the composer thinking about (musically) when he/she wrote this music?” Or, “what chords are being used to make this song sound so good?” Or, “what role are each…
Pedal tones are usually thought of as a jazz topic that is reserved for advanced study. That’s sort of ironic because they can be incredibly simple and easy to use. And what’s best is that when used properly (which we’ll discuss in a moment) they can be hugely effective, giving the music a little bump…
Voice leading. Maybe you’ve heard that term before in musical circles and not fully understood what it means. Voice leading is not just an interesting topic discussed by musicians, it is an absolutely essential part of playing rock piano. And as luck would have it, you’ve come to the right place. Because in this article…
In this article we’ll take a look at three specific ways to improve your blues playing. These three tips are presented here in a blues format, but they are equally valid in a jazz setting. After all, the blues form is frequently the template for jazz tunes. And rightfully so because the blues has everything!…
Countless books and college courses have focused on all types of jazz improvisation exercises. With so many opinions on practicing the art of improvisation, it’s often a question of where to begin. In this article we’ll take a look at some of our favorite jazz improvisation exercises. Why are these our favorites? Because you can…
So, you’re playing with a band. Perhaps you’re in a cover band, a jazz band at school, or even a band that writes and performs original music. Or maybe you’re planning to do some playing at a local jam session. Here are some tips from years of experience playing in various bands. Playing With a…
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