Learn Bossa Nova, with Piano Transcription
Learn Basic Bossa Nova Comping Styles, with Piano Transcription of 7notemode on The Dolphin 7notemode did a wonderful youtube clip on this bossa nova tune, The Dolphin. Here is the piano transcription of the head: piano transcription of the dolphin by 7notemode (PDF) The basic bossa nova pattern looks something like this Of course…
Cool Jazz Tricks #2
Learn Gospel Blues Piano Style of Ray Charles, with Video. Scott “The Piano Guy” Houston, together with guest pianist Milton Ruffin, did a nice analysis on the gospel piano style of Ray Charles. Milton explained how Ray Charles applied the 1 and 2 technique in his playing, a way of switching between the inversion of two…
Learn Stevie Wonder’s song Overjoyed
Transcription and Video of Overjoyed by Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder, a very talented singer, songwriter, and multi instrumentalist, wrote this beautiful song titled “Overjoyed”. Here’s the video clip. [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edxYCXaQLaw] And here’s the transcription of Stevie Wonder’s Overjoyed in PDF format: Overjoyed-Stevie-Wonder-Transcription A simple song with some nice harmony and beautiful modulations. Do keep in mind…
Tutorial on Assigning Target Tones in Jazz Solo Improvisation
Forward Motion Application on Jazz Bebop Au Privave Solo Improvisation, with video and analysis. Check out this video of my solo improvisation over popular jazz bebop tune “Au Privave” [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXgd3hh76oQ] This is the solo line at 00m16s of the video Improvising a string of eight notes connected over a few bars, would be a difficult…
Cool Jazz Tricks #1
Superimposition with Diminished 7th chord in Jazz Improvisation, with video and thorough analysis. Check out this video of me improvising over the changes of popular jazz bebop tune “Au Privave” [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXgd3hh76oQ] Observe 1m21s of the video, what I was doing there is this: THE TRICK – Superimpose a Diminished 7th chord half step above the…
Acquiring Speed in a Slow Way
According to Hal Galper and his book, Forward Motion, one of the secrets of all those great jazz masters when improvising over fast bebop chord changes, is to count in half time. Here’s an example of the first few bars of popular jazz bebop tune Donna Lee, notated in its usual form. Here’s another example…
Applying Target Note in Mastering Jazz Solo Improvisation
An Article on Inner Target Note/Guide Tone Application in Jazz Solo Improvisation “If you can’t, you must. If you must, you can. ” A quote from the great motivation guru, Anthony Robbins. Here’s another paragraph from the true story of how Ear Training Guru, David Lucas Burge, first acquire his perfect pitch ability, “Once I…
Shakatak Nightbird with Forward Motion
Nightbird, a very catchy tune from the Brit Jazz scene. With a very melodious piano solo, that’s just begging for a transcription. Check out this video of Shakatak playing their Nightbird [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upkpZjnckAc&feature=related] Here’s the transcription of the piano solo on Nightbird: Shakatak-Nightbird-piano-solo-transcription Again, we see the application of Forward Motion theory in this solo transcription.…
Tension and Release Beat
Much has been discussed on Pianologist about the tension and release beat of a bar. This knowledge is crucial when it comes to applying Forward Motion Concept in jazz improvisation. Most music students have been taught to differentiate the strong and weak beat of a bar, but just to make sure no one is left out,…