Introduce Yourself To The PianoGroove Community! 🌎

scott1 · August 10, 2021, 12:32pm

Welcome! You made a great choice when you signed up for PianoGroove. From what you’ve said about your progress so far, it seems that you’re well on track. I’ve been studying here for over two years, and I learn something new nearly every day. I agree with you when you say “late is a lot better than never.” I’m 69 and have kept at it, though there were times when I was frustrated and thought of hanging it up. Lately, things have started coming together for me–though, like you, I’ve got a very long way to go. Have fun!

celia · August 11, 2021, 10:29am

A warm welcome Dan! Scott and I are happy to have someone join our age group! We are never too old to learn. PianoGroove is the best learning platform for piano. I am amazed at how much I have learned in the past (nearly) three years. Like Scott…I still have a long way to go and know it will be a lifetime commitment that will continue to bring me joy. Enjoy your journey!

kirk2 · August 13, 2021, 7:30pm

Hello, Pianogroove community. I’m Kirk Krekeler and looking forward to improving my piano skills. While I’ve played all my life, I’ve never been able to play songs fluently without mistakes or without stopping and starting. My wife says listening to me gives her a headache. I took jazz piano lessons about 20 years ago for a while and read lots of jazz books, but just couldn’t wrap my head around it. Plus, I was too busy working to practice enough. Now, at 66, I’m devoting most of my time to learning and practicing. My goal is to memorize as many standards as I can, play them using Hayden’s advanced voicings (and some of my own), and learn how to improvise over chords. I also would like to play piano without making my wife ill.

George_Miller · August 13, 2021, 8:19pm

Welcome aboard Kirk! I joined 18 months ago with much the same musical history. I solved the issue of driving my music critic crazy by buying an electronic keyboard and now have a music studio in the basement, where I can practice II-V-I s to my hearts content with headphones on. I do my serious practice downstairs and play on the piano when I’m going through the finished pieces. It cost me a bedroom renovation and a set of drapes but it was worth it! See you on the forum.
Aye,
George

Kristeta · August 13, 2021, 10:15pm

Welcome! @MichaelOkorodudu , @dan2 and @kirk2
Wow - so awesome to see new passionate jazz players in the community! I feel SO lucky to be a part of it!

scott1 · August 14, 2021, 1:10pm

Welcome Kirk. It’s great to have you here!

I’ll second George’s suggestion. Get a good digital keyboard and a set of headphones. You’ll find a discussion about keyboards here:

What is your piano model?

edwin3 · August 15, 2021, 2:20pm

Hi everyone,
Joining Pianogroove out of the Netherlands. I discovered this platform one week ago and I’m positively surprised on all the good things here, both in the lessons and in this community. I have a background in classical organ playing. As I’m new to jazz piano I decided to start with the foundational course, just to be sure I don’t miss important elements from a jazz perspective. So far it has been fun to follow the courses - glad I’ve found this and looking forward to the things to come.
Cheers, Edwin

Hayden · August 15, 2021, 3:01pm

Welcome to the community area @edwin3

Yes it’s a good idea to work through the foundations course even if you have a background in piano. The 2 most important things to take from that course are:

Learning scales numerically instead of the note names. When we can see each scale as 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 it ‘makes all scales equal’ and it makes it much easier to transpose voicings, progressions, and improvised phrases and fills into all 12 keys. All common progressions are numerical based too, think of 251 for example, and so by learning the scales numerically we also set the foundations to build harmony in the keys.
Learning and memorising the 3-note 251 progression in all 12 keys. We find 25s and 251s in virtually all jazz standards, and so mastering this progression allows us to read lead sheet efficiently and we also become comfortable with the most basic building block of jazz harmony which sets strong foundations for further harmonic study.

Study Multiple Courses At Once

I recommend that all new students study the following 2 courses together with the Foundations course as much of the theory is interrelated.

It will give you a great sense of progression as you see how the foundational concepts are applied and developed in the course on extended chords:

You might also like this course which gives insight into more intermediate/advanced topics presented in an accessible way:

Whole Step 251 Drills

Finally, here is a new course which I m currently compiling. It is a nice way to drill 251 progressions around all 12 keys. Start with lesson 1 and when you feel comfortable move onto the next lessons in the course. If any of the theory doesn’t make sense, it is covered in the upcoming courses or referenced in the “Related Lessons” section of each page:

Any questions just let us know.

Cheers,
Hayden

Hayden · August 15, 2021, 3:12pm

Hi @dan2

Thanks for the introduction.

Congratulations on this!

In my opinion, this is one of the most challenging aspects of beginner/intermediate jazz harmony for a beginner.

Being able to visualise dominant chords as 3-b7-9-13 or b7-9-3-13 in all 12 keys is really tricky when we have been used to visualising chords always in their root position.

It’s just a matter of patience and perseverance and once those shapes are engrained in your muscle memory, as you say there are, they are there for life.

Again congrats

Tuomo’s Improvisation Classroom

For working on improvisation, you should definitely join Tuomo’s improvisation classroom, you can do so here:

https://community.pianogroove.com/g/ImprovClassroom

Once you click “join” you will then see all of the associated threads and exercises here:

https://community.pianogroove.com/c/classroom/improv-class/39

This classroom has already been running for a few weeks but you can read the past posts to get up to speed.

We are still working out the finer details with the classrooms and how they will operate, but the current plan is to run a new improvisation classroom every 6 to 8 weeks and it will focus on a different tune each time.

I would like to host a similar recurring classroom but more with an arrangement focus where we pick a tune to focus on in a group setting for a set period of say 4 or 6 weeks.

More to be announced on all this in the coming week once our new forum design is published which will make the classroom section easier to find and the whole forum interface more intuitive.

Agreed!

Hayden · August 15, 2021, 3:34pm

Welcome @kirk2

That’s a great goal to set.

Personally I found the jazz standards to be the vehicle which allowed me to understand and retain the jazz theory that I was learning.

As you highlight, it’s very important to always try to add your own touches to the arrangements that I present in my lessons. This is just one of a potentially infinite number of ways that we can interpret and arrange a tune so always keep that in mind.

Set a goal to learn 20 or so of the arrangements, and make note of the ones that you personally like. It’s natural that you will like some more than others and add these to your ‘shortlist’ of favourite tunes.

It’s good to focus on breadth of repertoire to expose ourselves to different harmonies, but also laser focusing on our favourite tunes and ‘learning them inside out’ is equally as important.

There is a similar discussion thread here which I would recommend reading as it has tips and insights from many of our community members:

Cheers and enjoy the lessons!

Micke · November 16, 2021, 11:18am

Hi My name is Micael Svensson (nickname Micke). I was born in 1967 in Sweden. I have played guitar for about 20 years I guess and learned it from youtube and by listening. And I play mostly fingerstyle guitar old blues tunes from early 1900. Things like Mississippi John Hurt, Big Bill Broonzy and such. Plus I have tried learn some jazztunes as well like Misty for example. And playing the melody for jazztunes with backingtrack is one thing. Chord melodies another=harder…Anyway 2021 I purchased an electrical piano from Yamaha and thought I might use the pandemic times to learn something new…like piano…So I also signed up at Pianote to learn some things…Sadly I have not been the best of students so Im still an early beginner…
Anyway Ive always loved jazz and especially the more “bare bones” versions of songs…And I stumbled over this site wich seem to learn more of the things I really would love being able to play…First thing I learned this week was playing “Misty” root notes+melody and it even sound rather ok…So very happy about that…So I will stay on here for a while and see what I can learn. Hoping Im not to old to learn some things…
As long as one is curious one is more alive I think…And I would really love being able to play some jazztunes in a good way…
So I guess thats my goal and target as well…To spend time with jazz and my piano and the foundation I need (well I dont like tat as much as learning songs but realize the need)
My musical taste has varied over the years from pop and rock to heavy metal and country…However when I started the guitar 15 years ago I started listening to jazz alot…Mainly jazz guitar like Joe Pass, Kenny Burell, Jim Hall, Joe Puma, Johnny Smith,Barney Kessel and Wes Montgomery + many others…
Other artists I love is for example Paul Desmond (a real hero…), Stan Getz,Jobim, Monk, Herbie Mann (check out his album “Today” from 1966…brilliant) and more…I think jazz is stained in my soul when it comes to my listening habits these days…
If you want to see me struggling with guitar and also two vids from my first attempts on the piano you can go here…Take Care Cheers Micke from Sweden…

Hayden · November 18, 2021, 7:20pm

Welcome @Micke and thanks for sharing all of this.

You might like to check out my Beginner Jazz Q&A Session where I covered around 25 questions submitted by students. You can find the recording here:

It contains some useful information on learning jazz standards and also guidance for new students who are just starting out.

On a similar topic I am hosting a live seminar tomorrow evening European time. It’s a listening and transcription session on the jazz pianist Beegie Adair. Find the link below:

Tomorrow’s session will cover some intermediate level jazz concepts such as stride and rootless voicings. If you’re interested in playing solo jazz piano then I think you will find the session interesting and insightful.

Hope to see you there!

Trevor · November 23, 2021, 12:07am

This is my introduction to the PianoGroove group. I joined the group yesterday. My background is that I am a 71 year old male. I have spent most of my life in South London, in the United Kingdom. In 2005 I sold up in London and moved to the Dominican Republic. I am now a retired person.

I had a career in London as a Public Health official.

I have a strong musical background in Home Studio Recording. Having said that I have hardly done any for the past 18 years. I only restarted this year.

My ambitions now, and for the last 15 years is to learn jazz piano, so I am able to write songs in the style of the Great American Songbook. Because I live in the countryside in the Dominican Republic there is not a large Jazz community. Even if there was it would sing in Spanish and prefer Latin Jazz. Because of that I have to do everything myself. That is write the songs, sing snd play them with my piano skills, and record them.

I have a Casio digital piano, and use a MacBook Pro and Logic Audio to record the songs. I have been studying voice and jazz piano with various online tuition organisations. I feel that Piano Groove caters for my needs more than the other groups.I intend to learn all I can about singing and accompanying a singer, in the jazz style, on piano.

I would be keen to talk to anyone who is doing the same thing and wants to do a collaboration.

Hayden · November 23, 2021, 2:07pm

Welcome @seniortrevorfarrell4

It sounds like you are in the right place for learning jazz standards and tunes form the Great American Songbook.

Here are the courses and resources that I would recommend for you:

Vocal Piano Courses

We have a couple of vocal piano courses taught by Lyndol which address vocal accompaniment and also some vocal exercises:

Vocal Seminars

You might like to check out these vocal themed seminars, there are 13 of them in total which delve deeper into different vocal topics:

Vocal Accompaniment Archives | PianoGroove.com

Gospel Vocal Course

We have a gospel blues course taught by Davell which covers some interesting accompaniment principles. The final lesson of the course shows the live accompaniment of a gospel singer. Check that course out here:

Vocal Accompaniment Forum Section

You can find lots of articles and related lessons here on vocal accompaniment:

We are soon building out a new subcategory for vocal-play-a-long tracks. It’s been on my to-do-list for some time and I will get around to that shortly.

Other Resources

In addition to the vocal lessons, here are our index pages so that you can browse the rest of the courses and lessons on the website:

Let me know if I can help further and enjoy the lessons.

Cheers,
Hayden

beckykilburn · December 2, 2021, 7:51pm

Hi Everyone,

I am Becky Kilburn. I just joined November 26, 2021. I live in Ashland, Oregon. I have been exploring jazz piano in bits and spurts for many years but now I want to really focus on developing my skills and repertoire for my own enjoyment, to play for friends, and possibly to form an ensemble.

As a kid, I took private classical piano lessons for 12 years. My educational and work background was in math, physics, information systems, business, and teaching. I am retired now but not from life. I recently completed an online general professional music certificate at Berklee College of Music in Boston. I have accompainied singers and played in big bands and jazz bands. I am currently a member of Open Studio and Jazz Piano School websites as well.

I am excited to continue my studies with PianoGroove.

scott1 · December 4, 2021, 12:11pm

Welcome Becky @beckykilburn

You’ve a solid background and will find that there is something here for everyone, at whatever level. The instructors are friendly, responsive, and open. The community is a great place to ask questions and share your ideas and your playing. I’ve been here for over two years, and I still find something of interest every time I log on.

Like you, I am retired. I also live in Oregon, in Portland. I tried to work with Open Studio for a while, but I never found their approach very useful in comparison to that of PianoGroove. Then again, such things are subjective.

At any rate, again, welcome! We look forward to hearing from you.

Zbigniew · June 11, 2022, 1:30pm

@220611, “Tenderly in C” by Walter Gross, Jazz Ballad

Hi guys,

I joined the PianoGroove group 2 weeks ago and at last I’d like to introduce myself.

I waited a bit because I wanted to learn a new tune “Tenderly” as this tune was the reason I’m actually here, link below the post.

I found PianoGrove channel while viewing different tutorials on YouTube and I liked Hayden’s way of teaching jazz.

I’m pretty newbie for piano and especially for jazz piano playing.

I’m 59 y.o. medical doctor from Poland.

I graduated from medical school in 1988 so it’s already 34 years since I’ve been working as a radiologist, now in my own private clinic.

Nine month ago I came up with the idea to start playing piano, so joined a few piano teaching groups for basics, but mostly I tried to follow YouTube piano jazz players.
Tony Winston was my favorite piano teacher on YouTube.

I also joined the Piano With Jonny group, not too jazzy for my needs and lastly even Open Jazz Studio but needed something different and suppose I found it here:grinning:

In my school years I played guitar with simple chords, and occasionally piano with the melody line in the right hand and sometimes some basic chords in the left one, of course, if the piano was somewhere available (Poland wasn’t then on the right side of the iron curtain, so people were rather poor and the piano wasn’t available for the average family).

I never learnt how to play any instrument with a teacher. Everything I played was played by ear.

Then more then 40 years long break from playing.

Now I’m able to read notes, but not too much, rather treble clef and very hardly bass clef.

Lead sheets if available are also ok for me to learn a melody, but still need to transpose the music to basic keys.

So enjoy my music and have a good weekend.

Happy practicing:grinning:

gregb · June 11, 2022, 8:29pm

Hi Walter and welcome aboard!

Based on your background and interests, I think you’ve come to the right place, and I expect you’ll get a lot out of your PG membership.

My 2 cents–keep working on learning to read music until you can sight-read easy tunes (LH+RH; slow tempo) comfortably. But, at the same time, keep working on lead sheets and Hayden’s lessons on chords and progressions; that will probably be more rewarding in the short term, and also more empowering in the long term.

I thought your version of Tenderly was great; look forward to hearing more.

Greg

P.S. You might enjoy reading through the Practice Inspiration thread to hear other students share their music; in fact, you might want to cross-post your YT link there.

P.P.S. Tom Spruill (7notemode) has a nice version of Tenderly on his YT channel, along with a tutorial. Something to aspire to.

Hayden · June 12, 2022, 10:36am

Welcome to PianoGroove @Zbigniew

You might like to check out the Website Tour course which explains the features and functionality of the website:

You will be receiving a series of automated emails from me which also show you around the website. If you have any questions you can reply directly to these emails or post any questions here in the forum. The latter is better with theory questions so that you can receive answers and insights from all of the teachers and students.

Here are a few other useful things that i send to our students who are new to jazz piano:

Essential Theory For Beginners

Check out my Voicings For Beginners Seminar that I hosted in January : Jazz Piano Voicings For Beginners & Beyond - this covers the “essential jazz theory” and the main milestones ahead. I demonstrate the drills and exercises in the 4 courses mentioned below.

Here is the PDF file for you which contains links to each of the drills I mention:

Voicings For Beginners & Beyond.pdf (99.9 KB)

You can study multiple courses at once , so I’d recommend studying the following theory courses together:

Much of the theory is interrelated and it will give you more of a sense of progression when you see how the foundational material is applied and developed in the next courses.

Each of these courses contains practice modules where I cover drills and exercises in all 12 keys. You can study these on a modular basis, perhaps one day on each, or allocate days to suit your current level.

The main thing is to progress onto the more advanced lessons so that you are constantly learning and exposing yourself to new theory.

Jazz Standards

Try to learn at least 1 or 2 new jazz standards per month and remember that you will forget some of them on the way. The more tunes we learn the easier the next ones become to learn. It’s very much a numbers game.

You might like to watch this new course on “Georgia On My Mind” which will allow to see the many steps to learning and internalising a new tune and arranging a tune in different styles:

I think it will be a good fit for you based on watching your Tenderly video above. Beautiful performance of Tenderly by the way I enjoyed listening to it

As @gregb mentioned take a good browse around the forum as there is lots of wonderful information and inspiration.

scott1 · June 12, 2022, 12:27pm

You’re going to love it here at PianoGroove. Hayden and company have laid out an incredible path to learning jazz piano. I don’t think there’s a better foundations course available anywhere on the web! (I’ve checked out a few.) Once you’re reasonably comfortable with that foundation, you can take your playing in whatever direction you like. I’ve been here over three years, and it remains a valuable daily resource and source of inspiration. Have fun!