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Category: articles for learn jazz piano
This is the place to read lots of articles written by Paul Abrahams that relate to your jazz practice and how to improve your jazz solos.
Easy steps to learning jazz piano part 5
Here is the fifth episode in this series of easy steps to learning jazz piano In episode 1 we looked at the relationship between two notes: the 5 (dominant) and the 1 (tonic). The second step in episode 2 was to convert these two notes into chords: the dominant 7 chord leading to the tonic… Read more »
Easy steps to learning jazz piano episode 4
Here is episode 4 of easy steps to learning jazz piano. In episode 1 our first step was to find the notes V that lead to I, dominant leading to tonic, tension to release. This interval, up a perfect 4th or down a perfect 5th is the backbone of most Western music. The graphic below… Read more »
Easy steps to learn jazz piano episode 3
Here is episode 3 of easy steps to learn jazz piano. In episode 1 our first step was to find the notes V that lead to I, dominant leading to tonic, tension to release. This interval, up a perfect 4th or down a perfect 5th is the backbone of most Western music. The graphic below… Read more »
The second easy step to learn jazz piano
The second easy step to learn jazz piano is turning the notes into chords. We began with 2 notes, the V leading to the 1. Our second step is to turn these 2 notes into chords. Here is a short video to explain this second easy step to learn jazz piano. Our first chord will… Read more »
The first easy step to learn jazz piano
Step 1: identify the notes V and I. Here are some easy steps to learn jazz piano. For those of you who follow my online jazz piano video course or come to me as private students you will know that I’m always emphasising the importance of V (5) moving to I – the dominant moving… Read more »
How to learn jazz piano, part 2
In part 2 of how to learn jazz piano I am reflecting on how I started to learn and continue to learn to play and have an understanding of jazz piano. In part 1 I looked at the path that I took and how it helped me. Here’s a quick recap. Learn to read music,… Read more »
The jazz turnaround, part 3.
The jazz turnaround is a sequence of 4 chords and appears in many guises. In part 2 of the the jazz turnaround we looked at a ‘I-VI-II-V’ chord sequence in the key of F major. We then exchanged the VI minor chord (Dmin7) for a dominant 7 (D7). This has now created a second V… Read more »
The Jazz turnaround part 2
The jazz turnaround is usually a sequence of four chords that starts with the tonic chord (I) and ends with the dominant (V). In part 1 we looked at what I describe as a pop turnaround, rather than a jazz turnaround. The pop turnaround looks like this: I – V I – IV – V.… Read more »
Jazz Basics, part 2
More about the most important chord in jazz: the dominant 7. When discussing jazz basics there is nothing more basic than your understanding of the dominant 7 chord and its functions. Let’s begin by taking a look at the row of the seven 7th chords constructed over one major scale. Here is an example of… Read more »
Learning jazz basics
Learning jazz basics part 1. The dominant 7 chord and its uses.