| LearnJazzPiano.com archives: scale and chord practice | |
| terry111tj -- 05/13/2004, 08:21:10 -- #4288 | |
| When practicing scales or chords, fr'instance, ii-V-I's around the circle, should you work toward doing them (a) RH or LH separately, (b) with both hands in unison, (c) chords in RH or LH and scales against them in the other hand, (d) all the above? In terms of developing chops, I am probably "early" intermediate, without classical background. If (d), does the above list seem like a reasonable progression. In developing basic technique, should the left hand receive the same training as the right? It seems that the answers would be (a) yes, (b) sure, (c) right on, (d) you betcha..., but for a startup pianist, is there an area here that will provide the quickest gains in terms of applying the technique to the music? | |
| 7 -- 05/14/2004, 12:06:14 -- #4310 | |
| Typically the LH comps chords similar to a rhythm guitarist's chord comping. While the RH should know all the voicings too it is often involved in supplying notes that are left out of the LH voicing or playing an alternate voicing to the LH. There are times when comp the same voicings in both hands, but I usually feel so guilty afterwards that I punish myself by giving myself a huge hangover the next day. LOL Therefore in response, I reccommend: (a) Initially practice RH & LH separately (b) If "unison" means the same voicing, then "no". Practice alternate voicings. eg. (Gm9) LH "F A Bb D" RH "Bb D F A" (c) More typically, chords in LH and riffs (not scales) in RH. Instead of playing scales in the LH and chords in the RH, you're better off to practice BASS LINES in the LH underneath the RH chords. 7 | |
| terry111tj -- 05/14/2004, 19:42:29 -- #4322 | |
| OK 7, thanks for the recommendations... incidentally, I'm starting Maple Leaf Rag, and I have Bach Book 1 (with fingering) coming in the mail... With that on top of the jazz work, I probably won't surface for the next couple of years! | |
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