How to Work on Increasing Tempo

General Discussion
1

Hi
I’ve completed and memorized Moon River and Autumn Leaves from the Lead Sheet Fundamentals learning path and now just starting on Misty. I learned both of these songs at a very slow tempo/rubato technique to get a better understanding and feel for the 251 progressions and seeing how the 7ths drop to 3rds. These lessons have really helped me a lot.
Now I’m trying to increase the tempo by playing with a metronome but the straight feel is making it difficult to play with a rubato/ballad touch. Any suggestions on how to work on increasing tempo?
All suggestions and feedback appreciated.

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Hi @Ivan.C :wave:

Firstly, congratulations on memorising Moon River and Autumn Leaves.

I’d recommend to keep working through the other tunes in the Lead Sheet Fundamentals Learning Path, as those tunes are covered throughout the PianoGroove course and seminars.

Suggesstions For Playing Up Tempo

Yes I have a couple of suggestions for you with regards to playing at faster tempos:

1) Autumn Leaves Up Tempo Tutorial

Autumn Leaves can be played as a ballad, but it’s more commonly played at faster tempos in a medium swing style.

We have a lesson on Autumn Leaves Up Tempo for solo piano, which incorporates some more advanced jazz theory including chord extensions, chord alterations, upper structure triads, passing chords, tritone substitutions, and suspended chords.

Here’s the lesson:

That lesson is actually part 2 of an arrangement which starts with 1 chorus as a ballad (you can find that lesson here), and then transitions into a faster swinging chorus.

If we try to play Autumn Leaves in this uptempo swinging style with just roots 3rds and 7ths (as you have learnt in the beginner lesson) it can sound a little plain, harmonically-speaking.

So my first recommendation would be to check out the lesson above and copy/emulate some of the chord voicings to get a feel for more advanced harmony.

Most of the theory used in that arrangement is covered in the 4 theory courses in our Essential Jazz Harmony Learning Path which you can find here:

This learning path contains the bulk of beginner/early intermediate jazz theory.

2) Autumn Leaves with Rootless Voicings & Backing Track

A second option for playing Autumn Leaves at faster tempos is to use a backing track and to play rootless voicings in your left hand.

We have a theory course on Rootless Voicings here:

Finally, check out the first lesson in the Autumn Leaves Improvisation Course where I demonstrate these voicings with the melody and the backing track:

This style is more advanced than the beginner lessons in the Lead Sheet Fundamentals Learning Path, but as you’re interested in playing up-tempo, then you need to learn this theory to get there.

Start by learning the rootless voicings for Autumn Leaves - which is actually a good tune to start with as most of the song’s harmony is repeating 251 progressions in Bb Major, and G Minor.

I hope that helps Ivan - check out the links above and let me know if you have any follow up questions.

Cheers,
Hayden

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Thanks, Hayden. I will check out the courses you recommended, including the essentials. jazz Harmony learning path.

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My pleasure, Ivan.

The Essential Jazz Harmony Learning Path is theory-heavy. As mentioned those 4 courses contain what I deem to be the bulk of beginner/early-intermediate jazz piano theory.

It is a slow and ongoing process to become comfortable with that theory in all 12 keys, which is why I suggest checking out these 2 tutorials to start:

My view is that once we can see how the theory is applied in context of a jazz standard, it gives us a little more motivation, direction, and most importantly allows us to see the ‘fruits of our labor’ from working through the theory lessons and drills.

When I was first learning this theory, my teacher was always showing me how it was applied to jazz standards and often I was just copying his voicings and emulating how he played the through chord progressions - even though at the time I didn’t fully understand the background theory.

Personally, I feel that’s a good way to approach the task at hand. For me at least, it certainly helped me to stay motivated and consistent with the drills, and the full understanding comes with time.

I hope that helps and if you have any further questions don’t hesitate to get in touch!

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