Malcos Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 This question is less about jazz chords than it is about jazz chords progressions. In fact any chord progressions will do! Any tips on playing jazz piano? I'm trying to improve, but I've hit a glass ceiling and I want to smash through! I'll start with some of my favourites, I use these progressions most of the time. I'll just do the most comfortable fingerings (for me anyway). For those not familiar with slash chord fingerings, something like C/G means play a C chord but with a G note as the bass with your right hand instead of a C. 1. (Cm7, Gm7, AbM7, Fm7) Fingering, starting with the lowest note to be played in the chord: C+Eb+G+Bb, Bb+D+G+Bb, Ab+C+Eb+G, F+Ab+C+Eb. 2. G+B+C+E/A, G+B+D+E/G, F+A+C+E/F, E+G+B+D/G 3. Eb+G+Bb+D/C, Ab+C+Eb+G/F, F+Ab+C+Eb/Db Ahhh, all my secrets are out! lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoozer Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I bought this. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0961470151/sr=1-8/qid=1137520935/ref=sr_1_8/002-5622418-7637640?%5Fencoding=UTF8 Apparently it's pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavous Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Ok, my advice on jazz is this: Take the strangest notes ever and mash them together to make a sound and then use them for variations on regular chords. So: Instead of dm-am-CM-em do dm2(D-E-F-A) - am9 (A-C-E-G- - CMaj7 - em7 I've actually seen progressions like this before, and they don't sound bad. Anyway, that's just my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcos Posted January 18, 2006 Author Share Posted January 18, 2006 That book looks great Yoozer thanks, I'll be picking that up! Chavous, I didn't quite 'get' that chord progression, I thought that Gm fitted the last chord instead of an Em. But then again, I need to learn some more jazz! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubernym Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 You want to be a better jazz player? 3 things: 1. Learn the blues scale 2. Get a Real Book 3. Listen to as much jazz as possible, but especially musicians who play your instrument. If you play piano, I highly recommend the following artists: Thelonius Monk Chick Corea Keith Jarrett Brad Mehldau Jimmy Smith (organ, sure, but still good to check out) Dave Brubeck Count Basie Oscar Peterson Art Tatum Bill Evans Bud Powell Jelly Roll Morton Wynton Kelly Duke Ellington McCoy Tyner Ahmad Jamal And a whole lot more. But that should give you quite a bit to check out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyan Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 You want to be a better jazz player? 3 things:1. Learn the blues scale 2. Get a Real Book 3. Listen to as much jazz as possible, but especially musicians who play your instrument. If you play piano, I highly recommend the following artists: Thelonius Monk Chick Corea Keith Jarrett Brad Mehldau Jimmy Smith (organ, sure, but still good to check out) Dave Brubeck Count Basie Oscar Peterson Art Tatum Bill Evans Bud Powell Jelly Roll Morton Wynton Kelly Duke Ellington McCoy Tyner Ahmad Jamal And a whole lot more. But that should give you quite a bit to check out. Hrm? I assume you forgot about Herbie Hancock. He's like the god of jazzpiano... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavous Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Chavous, I didn't quite 'get' that chord progression, I thought that Gm fitted the last chord instead of an Em. But then again, I need to learn some more jazz! Thanks! Actually, I just threw together random chords as an example. That isn't a real thought-out progression, though I've seen all those chords before (just not in a row ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubernym Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 You want to be a better jazz player? 3 things:1. Learn the blues scale 2. Get a Real Book 3. Listen to as much jazz as possible, but especially musicians who play your instrument. If you play piano, I highly recommend the following artists: Thelonius Monk Chick Corea Keith Jarrett Brad Mehldau Jimmy Smith (organ, sure, but still good to check out) Dave Brubeck Count Basie Oscar Peterson Art Tatum Bill Evans Bud Powell Jelly Roll Morton Wynton Kelly Duke Ellington McCoy Tyner Ahmad Jamal And a whole lot more. But that should give you quite a bit to check out. Hrm? I assume you forgot about Herbie Hancock. He's like the god of jazzpiano... Totally spaced it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcos Posted January 19, 2006 Author Share Posted January 19, 2006 Wow, great! Thanks Ubernym Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IC Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 I bought this.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0961470151/sr=1-8/qid=1137520935/ref=sr_1_8/002-5622418-7637640?%5Fencoding=UTF8 Apparently it's pretty good. Nice, I'll be picking that up as well. I need to play piano more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumUltimA Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 I really like Mark Levine's jazz theory book. I really really like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcos Posted February 11, 2006 Author Share Posted February 11, 2006 Got the book! I'm working through it now (slowly!). It's very very good, I'm having to annotate everything cause I can't really read music all that well, but it's really opening doors for me. Thanks again guys! Right now I'm listening to a lot of Brad Mehldau. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IC Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 My book got lost in the mail. There goes 35 bucks. And here goes another 35... Edit: Doubt anyone cares, but, it finally got here, yay! Oh, and poop on Amazon, they sent me the 1989 edition, when the page says 2005. I don't think a 2005 edition actually exists though. The latest Barnes and Noble had was 1993. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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