Scot Ranney's LearnJazzPiano.com archive: Block Chords

LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Block Chords
jazz jasper -- 02/15/2005, 16:36:33 -- #11233
My piano teacher thinks that only oscar peterson and famous pianists with big hands can play block chords, and that anyone else has to play with 2 hands. I can stretch a 10th from C to E but not Db to F, does this mean that i shouldnt even bother attempting block chords? What does anyone else think and does anyone have any tips about how to play block chords with 1 hand and make them sound good?! Thanks
francisco -- 05/13/2005, 12:26:46 -- #13787
hello y think that block was played in a more close way, like yo can play f with your left hand and whit your right hand a, c, d and f for an f chord and you covering and octave of register, then you can play inversions os tha chord or another or play whit diminished passing chords for example f a c d f, g bflat dflat e g and then an inversion of the first chord a c d f a , like george shering tecnic but not worry about yor hands because geat pianist have small hands. Also you can think in the same chor with diferent functions, life f6 can be a-7, or f-7 flat 5 can be a dflat9 chord whit fundamental omitted and thins like that you can play a b-7 flat 5 block chord over a G7. is like voicings with rootlees ,chek out a book by bill dobbins named a creative aproach to jazz piano harmony, is really good a is edited for advance music good luck
francisco -- 05/13/2005, 12:27:10 -- #13788
hello y think that block was played in a more close way, like yo can play f with your left hand and whit your right hand a, c, d and f for an f chord and you covering and octave of register, then you can play inversions os tha chord or another or play whit diminished passing chords for example f a c d f, g bflat dflat e g and then an inversion of the first chord a c d f a , like george shering tecnic but not worry about yor hands because geat pianist have small hands. Also you can think in the same chor with diferent functions, life f6 can be a-7, or f-7 flat 5 can be a dflat9 chord whit fundamental omitted and thins like that you can play a b-7 flat 5 block chord over a G7. is like voicings with rootlees ,chek out a book by bill dobbins named a creative aproach to jazz piano harmony, is really good a is edited for advance music good luck
francisco -- 05/13/2005, 12:27:16 -- #13789
hello y think that block was played in a more close way, like yo can play f with your left hand and whit your right hand a, c, d and f for an f chord and you covering and octave of register, then you can play inversions os tha chord or another or play whit diminished passing chords for example f a c d f, g bflat dflat e g and then an inversion of the first chord a c d f a , like george shering tecnic but not worry about yor hands because geat pianist have small hands. Also you can think in the same chor with diferent functions, life f6 can be a-7, or f-7 flat 5 can be a dflat9 chord whit fundamental omitted and thins like that you can play a b-7 flat 5 block chord over a G7. is like voicings with rootlees ,chek out a book by bill dobbins named a creative aproach to jazz piano harmony, is really good a is edited for advance music good luck
francisco -- 05/13/2005, 12:27:19 -- #13790
hello y think that block was played in a more close way, like yo can play f with your left hand and whit your right hand a, c, d and f for an f chord and you covering and octave of register, then you can play inversions os tha chord or another or play whit diminished passing chords for example f a c d f, g bflat dflat e g and then an inversion of the first chord a c d f a , like george shering tecnic but not worry about yor hands because geat pianist have small hands. Also you can think in the same chor with diferent functions, life f6 can be a-7, or f-7 flat 5 can be a dflat9 chord whit fundamental omitted and thins like that you can play a b-7 flat 5 block chord over a G7. is like voicings with rootlees ,chek out a book by bill dobbins named a creative aproach to jazz piano harmony, is really good a is edited for advance music good luck
francisco -- 05/13/2005, 12:27:24 -- #13791
hello y think that block was played in a more close way, like yo can play f with your left hand and whit your right hand a, c, d and f for an f chord and you covering and octave of register, then you can play inversions os tha chord or another or play whit diminished passing chords for example f a c d f, g bflat dflat e g and then an inversion of the first chord a c d f a , like george shering tecnic but not worry about yor hands because geat pianist have small hands. Also you can think in the same chor with diferent functions, life f6 can be a-7, or f-7 flat 5 can be a dflat9 chord whit fundamental omitted and thins like that you can play a b-7 flat 5 block chord over a G7. is like voicings with rootlees ,chek out a book by bill dobbins named a creative aproach to jazz piano harmony, is really good a is edited for advance music good luck
Dr. Whack -- 05/13/2005, 14:10:59 -- #13798
Block chords can be a pretty general term - usually meaning the opposite of arppegiated...But I'm pretty sure Oscar uses two hands for the style you described...Oscar prides himself on playing things that are typically easier for those of us with normal to sub-nubs - it's really quite amzing that he can play so light and fast having such huge hands (he claims to reach a 13th)
Mike -- 05/14/2005, 02:25:02 -- #13810
Maybe you should write off learning about block chords from this teacher who does not really know what they are and plan on learning about them from your next teacher or from another source. But as the Brilliant Dr. Whack points out Block Chords can be a very general term. One guy I knew insisted they were chords only for dumb (blockhead) Pianists.
Mike -- 05/14/2005, 02:25:10 -- #13811
Maybe you should write off learning about block chords from this teacher who does not really know what they are and plan on learning about them from your next teacher or from another source. But as the Brilliant Dr. Whack points out Block Chords can be a very general term. One guy I knew insisted they were chords only for dumb (blockhead) Pianists.
Mike -- 05/14/2005, 02:25:16 -- #13812
Maybe you should write off learning about block chords from this teacher who does not really know what they are and plan on learning about them from your next teacher or from another source. But as the Brilliant Dr. Whack points out Block Chords can be a very general term. One guy I knew insisted they were chords only for dumb (blockhead) Pianists.
Mike -- 05/14/2005, 02:25:23 -- #13813
Maybe you should write off learning about block chords from this teacher who does not really know what they are and plan on learning about them from your next teacher or from another source. But as the Brilliant Dr. Whack points out Block Chords can be a very general term. One guy I knew insisted they were chords only for dumb (blockhead) Pianists.
albetan -- 05/20/2005, 17:02:42 -- #14010
Please write in search engine (upwards) "blocks", selectng "files".
jazz jasper -- 05/20/2005, 18:42:17 -- #14019
thanks this is all really useful i really appreciate it. How should i be practicing to improvise block chords in solo's? is it just slow practice and knowing all the right chords or is there a quicker way?!
albetan -- 05/20/2005, 22:56:35 -- #14034
In "Melodic voicings 2" you will practical rules for doing blocks. Begin with slow melodies. Performing melodies in blocks your piano will sound as a big band. You must play blocks over "all the right chords" as you say.
albetan -- 05/20/2005, 22:57:58 -- #14035
Sorry: In "Melodic voicings 2" you will find practical rules for doing blocks.
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