New at Jazz Piano HELP on LearnJazzPiano.com

Jazz Piano Book Reviews • Piano Teacher Search • Jazz Piano Links • Jazz Piano Lessons

New at Jazz Piano HELP

hi i am a university trained classical pianist wanting to learn jazz piano. what things do i need to know to get started?

by oki02 on 08/20/2010, 21:34

There are 13 comments, leave a comment.

are aware of what you want to know and which pianists' styles attract you the most.

many of these famous works have been faithfully transcribed. go to amazon or someplace like that and browse for books on the music of your favorite guys.

play through the transcription along with the original recording.

yet playing through transcriptions without understanding the theory won't help you much. i've never read levine's "jazz piano book" but everyone says it's great. also "jazzology" for the theory side of it.

LJP Like

by 7 on 08/21/2010, 10:30

ask yourself..."how did i start learning classical music?" if your answer is "i found a great teacher" then you will find the same thing applys to learning jazz piano. all the same things apply to learning jazz piano except when you reach an advanced level things become different.

LJP Like

by Mike on 08/21/2010, 16:07

start picking out little tunes by ear, harmonize em and transpose em. listen to as much jazz as you can. teachers, books, etc. can help but doing those things will help you get more out of lessons and such (in my opinion)

LJP Like

by Dr. Whack on 08/22/2010, 07:50

you could start by getting a fakebook and learning the melodies of the most important standards. also learn the roots of the chord progressions. play single note melody in the right hand and single note roots in the left hand. start witn autumn leaves and all the things you are.

LJP Like

by Jazz+ on 08/22/2010, 18:01

get a copy of 'metaphors for musicians' by randy halberstadt and mark levine's the jazz piano book' for your own interest, but i agree that getting a good jazz teacher is the best idea.

LJP Like

by Glanddoc on 08/23/2010, 12:12

also, to get the flavor of bebop under your fingers, do what jazz+ suggested and apply it to the melodies (heads) of bebop standards. the charlie parker omnibook is a great all-in-one reference for this.

LJP Like

by ziggysane on 08/23/2010, 12:14

you need to learn the 5 essential 7th chords: major 7th, dominant 7th, minor 7th, minor 7b5, and diminished 7th in all 12 keys. once you can do this (and you probably can, given your training) you need to be able to recognize these chords from reading chord symbols, as in a lead sheet. from here, learn how to voice these chords using rootless voicings with added tension. these are basic but good sounding voicings.

LJP Like

by jazzpianoonline on 08/31/2010, 10:37

looks like there are as many ways to get started as there are people. all of the above are great suggestions. just grab one and get started. please let us know how it's going.

good luck and have fun!

LJP Like

by Dr. Whack on 09/01/2010, 07:38

my teacher started teaching me classical music, do i have to tell him to change the genre to jazz music since that's what i wanted to learn in piano.

LJP Like

by on 10/02/2010, 02:12

my teacher started teaching me classical music, do i have to tell him to change the genre to jazz music since that's what i wanted to play and to [url=https://takelessons.com/category/piano-lessons ]learn piano[/url] easily?

LJP Like

by on 10/02/2010, 02:17

my teacher started teaching me classical music, do i have to tell him to change the genre to jazz music since that's what i wanted to play and to [url='https://takelessons.com/category/piano-lessons']learn piano[/url] easily?

LJP Like

by on 10/02/2010, 02:18

i think most teachers are going to teach what they know and what they think you should know, so ya have to find one that suits your needs.

LJP Like

by Dr. Whack on 10/03/2010, 08:12

psylocke24 - i agree with the good doctor, but if you are a beginner, you will get a lot of value directly applicable to jazz piano from learning all the scales and learning to play some classical pieces with proper technique. from there you will have to chose to either persist with your current teacher and teach yourself jazz, or find a new teacher. my experience was that i started piano as a young adult (although already a musician) by having 6 months lessons from a suburban classical teacher, and then finding a very good jazz teacher. in fact, i think (and others may disagree) that learning to play simple pieces by reading them, two hands, is an important skill that you may overlook if you focus on jazz from the beginning (although, of course, you can do this with 'jazz style' pieces).

LJP Like

by g on 10/03/2010, 18:03

Reply to Thread

Please sign in to post.

Jazz Piano Notebook Series

Scot Ranney's Jazz Piano Notebook, Volume 1 - jazz piano tricks of the trade

Volume 1 of this educational jazz piano book contains 15 jazz piano exercises, tricks, and other interesting jazz piano techniques, voicings, grooves, and ideas Scot Ranney enjoys playing.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version - videos

Scot Ranney's Jazz Piano Notebook, Volume 2 - jazz piano tricks of the trade you can use today

"Latinesque"

Volume 2 has 14 jazz piano exercises and tricks of the trade, and quite a bit of it is Calypso jazz piano related material, including some Monty Alexander and Michel Camilo style grooves. Jazz piano education is through the ears, but books like this can help.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version

Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Notebook - jazz piano tricks of the trade

Volume 3 contains 12 jazz piano exercises and explorations by the acclaimed jazz piano educator, pianist, author, and recording artist Tim Richards.

Tim wrote the well known "Exploring Jazz Piano" and "Improvising Blues Piano" books and has several others to his name.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version

Jeff Brent's Jazz Piano Notebook - jazz piano tricks of the trade

Volume 4 is by Jeff Brent, a jazz pianist, composer, teacher, and author of "Modalogy" and other acclaimed jazz theory and education books. In this book Jeff shares detailed analysis of transcriptions of live performances. He covers everything from the shape of the songs to the tricks and licks he uses in improvised lines to the ideas behind his lush chord voicings.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version

Jazz piano education is cool.

be the main character in your own story

New at Jazz Piano HELP

There are 13 comments, leave a comment.

by 7 on 08/21/2010, 10:30

by Mike on 08/21/2010, 16:07

by Dr. Whack on 08/22/2010, 07:50

by Jazz+ on 08/22/2010, 18:01

by Glanddoc on 08/23/2010, 12:12

by ziggysane on 08/23/2010, 12:14

by jazzpianoonline on 08/31/2010, 10:37

by Dr. Whack on 09/01/2010, 07:38

by on 10/02/2010, 02:12

by on 10/02/2010, 02:17

by on 10/02/2010, 02:18

by Dr. Whack on 10/03/2010, 08:12

by g on 10/03/2010, 18:03

Reply to Thread

Jazz Piano Notebook Series

"Latinesque"

LJP Jazz Piano Blogs

Most Recent Discussions

Articles

Top Sheetmusic Picks

Jazz piano education is cool.

Rock on. Follow your passion.

Sign In

Sign In to LearnJazzPiano.com

New at Jazz Piano HELP

There are 13 comments, leave a comment.

by 7 on 08/21/2010, 10:30

by Mike on 08/21/2010, 16:07

by Dr. Whack on 08/22/2010, 07:50

by Jazz+ on 08/22/2010, 18:01

by Glanddoc on 08/23/2010, 12:12

by ziggysane on 08/23/2010, 12:14

by jazzpianoonline on 08/31/2010, 10:37

by Dr. Whack on 09/01/2010, 07:38

by on 10/02/2010, 02:12

by on 10/02/2010, 02:17

by on 10/02/2010, 02:18

by Dr. Whack on 10/03/2010, 08:12

by g on 10/03/2010, 18:03

Reply to Thread

Jazz Piano Notebook Series

"Latinesque"

LJP Jazz Piano Blogs

Most Recent Discussions

Articles

Top Sheetmusic Picks

Jazz piano education is cool.

Rock on. Follow your passion.

Sign In