In this article we’ll be discussing a classic Stevie Wonder track, “Isn’t She Lovely.” We’ll take a look and a listen to this tune and cover some of the basic keyboard necessities to get started playing this song. One of the things about Stevie Wonder tunes that makes them ripe for cover by jazz artists…
In this article we’ll take a look at some excellent jazz piano tips and apply them to the classic jazz standard “Body and Soul.” These jazz piano tips can be used on any tune, provided you understand the core concept. Gaining that understanding is exactly what we’ll focus on here. These jazz piano tips are…
Here is the rest of our article, Top 10 Jazz Tunes for Pianists To Know Part 2. Just a couple quick reminders: first, this is a list of tunes that all musicians should know because they are considered jazz “standards” and are frequently heard on jam sessions and recordings. Secondly, don’t forget to check out…
This article features the “Top 10 Jazz Tunes” (Part 1) that pianists should know. Of course, all jazz musicians should learn these tunes, regardless of what instrument they play, but we’ll occasionally throw in some piano specific tips. Learning a tune for a pianist means being able to comp through the chords, play the melody…
In this article we’ll be taking a look at three must-have latin piano grooves. The great thing about these latin piano grooves is that they’re fairly easy and illustrate quite nicely how much music you can make using simple chord structures and some syncopated rhythms. If you like latin piano grooves and want even more…
In this article we’re going to challenge your understanding of jazz arranging techniques. We’ll start off with a really common chord progression and then tweak it step-by-step, sprinkling in some of the common jazz arranging tricks of the pros. The chord progression is fairly simple – it’s from the Bobby Hebb tune “Sunny,” which has…
In Part 1 of our “Upper Extensions” article we discussed the terminology and theory that students often find confusing when studying this concept. Here in Part 2 we will discuss how and when to use upper extensions by examining a few specific examples: Available upper extensions; left hand chords for comping (specific to piano comping);…
In this article we’re going to highlight some specific piano rhythm exercises that all musicians can use to improve their rhythmic understanding. The really great part about these rhythm exercises is that you can practice some of them away from your instrument, meaning that you can work on rhythmic training while you’re at the gym,…
The term “upper extensions” has a very important meaning to musicians, particularly to jazz players. This is because “upper extensions” refers to a jazz theory concept that is critical to jazz improvisation and (for piano players) jazz comping. Sometimes it’s not the concept of upper extensions that is confusing but rather the terminology. It might…
In our article “Relative and Parallel Minor,” we explained the often confusing terms that are associated with the minor scale. in this article, we will learn the differences, as well as how to construct, the natural, harmonic, and melodic minor scales. Many students find it easiest to begin with a major scale and use that…
Building off of our previous article (Rhythm Exercises Part 1 – Easy) this article features the next level up in our rhythm exercises. But let’s get some important points out of the way before jumping in. First, you really need to be using a metronome for these exercises. Many students think “oh, I have a…
In this article we’re going to look at a few different types of funk piano chords that are important parts of funk playing. These funk piano chords can be used in various settings and genres so we’ll spend some time looking at the specific voicings that are being used as well as the theory behind…
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