Peter's Practice Log

Practice Inspiration Practice Logs
42

:canada:  Friday, August 26, 2022   :clock3:  3 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  1. Majors: All 12 keys, Random Scale Machine; 2 octaves ascending (HT)
    Dorian mode, 1 octave ascending (RH)
  2. Major Diatonic Triads Inversions: All 12 keys, random sequence;
    1 octave ascending, solid & broken (HS)
  3. Peterson , Exercise No.1 (10-mins) :ok:
  4. Minors: All 12 keys, random sequence;
    Natural & melodic, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
  5. Minor Diatonic Triad Inversions: All 12 keys, random sequence;
    E, G, C, F, D, A, D♯ & F♯ minors, 1 octave ascending (HT)
    C♯, A♯ & G♯ minors, 1 octave ascending (HS)
  6. Simplified Ascending 7th Chord Drills: D♭, F, C, E Majors; (RH 7th chord)

Repertoire

  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners, slow tempo
  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; mm. 1-8

Music

  • Joey Alexander, Warna (2020)
43

:canada:  Saturday, August 27, 2022   :clock4:  4 pomodoro cycle

Foundations
  1. Minors: All 12 keys, Random Scale Machine;
    Natural & melodic, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
  2. Minor Diatonic Triad Inversions: All 12 keys, random sequence;
    E, G, C, F, D, A, D♯, A♯ & F♯ minors, 1 octave ascending (HT)
    Keep to slow tempo, less than 42-bpm on quarter note triplet
    C♯ & G♯ minors, 1 octave ascending (HS)
  3. Peterson , Exercise No.1 (10-mins) :ok:
  4. Majors: G♭, E, B♭, A, C
    • Scales:
      • Ionian mode, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
      • Dorian & Phrygian modes, 1 octave ascending (RH)
    • Diatonic Triads Inversions: 1 octave ascending, solid & broken (HT)
    • Simplified Ascending 7th Chord Drills: Random Scale Degrees (x27, RH)
  5. Peterson, Minuet No.1, mm. 1-4 (10-mins)

Repertoire

  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners (maybe E or E♭?)
  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; mm. 1-8

Music

  • Thelonious Monk, Solo Piano (1954)
44

:canada:  Sunday, August 28, 2022   :clock2:  2 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  1. Minors: All 12 keys, Random Scale Machine;
    Natural & melodic, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
  2. Minor Diatonic Triad Inversions: All 12 keys, random sequence;
    Work on HT solid triad inversions for B & F♯
    :stopwatch: 50-minutes on minor key scales
  3. Peterson , Exercise No.1
  4. Majors: E♭, D, G, G♭, B, E
    • Scales:
      • Ionian mode, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
      • Dorian & Phrygian modes, 1 octave ascending (RH)
    • Diatonic Triads Inversions: 1 octave ascending, solid & broken (HT)
    • Simplified Ascending 7th Chord Drills: Random Scale Degrees (x27, RH)

Repertoire

  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners Keeping it fresh

Music

  • Greg Karukus, GK (2009)
  • Jonathan FritzĂŠn, Magical (2012)
45

:canada:  Monday, August 29, 2022   :clock4:  4 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  1. Minors: All 12 keys, Random Scale Machine;
    Natural & melodic, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
  2. Minor Diatonic Triad Inversions: All 12 keys, random sequence;
  3. Majors: All 12 keys, random sequence; 2 octaves ascending (RH)
  4. Major Diatonic Triads Inversions: All 12 keys, random sequence;
    1 octave ascending, solid & broken (RH)
  5. Peterson , Exercise No.1 (10-mins)

Repertoire

  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners
    Beginning to sound good
  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; mm. 1-8

Music

  • Charles Waterman, Piano Jazz Standards (2019)
Successes / Challenges

I’ve altered my practice routine to include major and minor scales on alternate days rather than having both as part of the daily routine. I may break the major scales practice routine into two parts, also on alternate days: major scales separate from chords and voicings.

This routine will give me more time to explore the topics in depth (at the keyboard) and to focus on those areas where there is weakness.

1 Like
46

:canada:  Tuesday, August 30, 2022   :clock4:  4 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  1. Majors: All 12 keys, Random Scale Machine;
    • Scales:
      • Ionian mode, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
      • Dorian & Phrygian modes, 1 octave ascending (RH)
    • Diatonic Triads Inversions: 1 octave ascending, solid & broken (HT)
    • Simplified Ascending 7th Chord Drills: Random Scale Degrees (x27, RH)
  2. ‘So What’ m11 chords, ascending chromatic sequence: C, C♯, D, D♯, E

Courses/Lessons

  • Extended Chords & Voicings: Jazz Piano Chord Extensions 9, 11 & 13
  • Extended Chords & Voicings: ‘So What’ Chord Voicing

Repertoire

  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; mm. 1-8
  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners

Music

  • Kenny Barron, The Moment (1994)
47

:canada:  Wednesday, August 31, 2022   :clock2:  2 pomodoro cycle

Foundations
  • Minors: Random Scale Machine; F, D♯, F♯, G, A♯
    • Natural & melodic, 1 & 2 octaves ascending (HS, HT)
    • Minor Diatonic Triad Inversions, 1 octave ascending (HS, HT)

Courses/Lessons

  • SEMINAR: Essential Chord Progressions
  • SEMINAR: Voicings: For Beginners & Beyond

Repertoire

  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; mm. 1-8
  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners
48

:canada:  Thursday, September 1, 2022   :clock4:  4 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  • Majors: Random Scale Machine = E♭, F, B♭, A, D, G, A♭, B E, D♭. G♭
    • Ionian, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
    • Dorian & Phrygian, 1 octave ascending (RH)
    • Diatonic Triad Inversions, 1 octave ascending (HS, HT)
    • Simplified Chromatic Ascending 7th Chords (HS)
  • ‘So What’ Voicing, random sequence = F♯mšš, G♯mšš, Cmšš, Bmšš, Dmšš, D♯mšš

Courses/Lessons

  • REPEAT: Extended Chords & Voicings: ‘So What’ Chord Voicing
  • Beginner Jazz Arrangements : “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners
    (from time index 9:41 to 10:52)

Repertoire

  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; mm. 1-24
  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners

Music

  • Chantal Chamberland, Temptation (2019)
1 Like
49

:canada:  Friday, September 2, 2022   :clock3:  3 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  • Simplified Ascending 7th Chord Drills: Random Major Scale Degrees (x30, HS)
    D, G, E♭, G♭, A, E Majors

Courses/Lessons

  • Beginner Jazz Arrangements : “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners
    (from time index 9:41 to 10:52)

Repertoire

  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; mm. 1-24
  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners
  • “Dream A Little Dream of Me,” mm. 1-10

Transcriptions

  • “Days of Wine and Roses,” (for beginners), to m. 29

Music

  • Hank Jones, Solo 1976: A Tribute To Duke Ellington (2010)
  • Hank Jones, Piano Solo (2008)
50

:canada:  Saturday, September 3, 2022   :clock3:  3 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  1. Minors: Random Scale Machine ⇒ G♯, C, E, A, C♯, D
    • Natural & melodic, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
    • Diatonic Triad Inversions, 1 octave ascending (HS, HT)
    • ‘So What’ Voicing ⇒ G♯mšš, Cmšš, Emšš, Amšš, C♯mšš, Dmšš
  2. Peterson , Exercise No.1 (10-mins)

Courses/Lessons

  • Beginner Jazz Arrangements : “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners
    (from time index 10:52 to end)

Repertoire

  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; mm. 1-28
  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners
  • “Dream A Little Dream of Me,” mm. 1-11

Transcriptions

  • “Smile,” to m. 34

Music

  • Olivia Ong, A Girl Meets Bossanova (2005)
51

:canada:  Sunday, September 4, 2022   :clock3:  3 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  • Majors: Random Scale Machine ⇒ E♭, C, B, B♭, A♭
    • Ionian, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
    • Dorian & Phrygian, 1 octave ascending (RH)
    • Diatonic Triad Inversions, 1 octave ascending (HS, HT)
    • Simplified Chromatic Ascending 7th Chords (HS)

Repertoire

  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; mm. 1-28
  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners
52

:canada:  Monday, September 5, 2022   :clock3:  3 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  1. Majors: Random Scale Machine ⇒ G♭, B, D♭, E, D, A
    • Ionian, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
    • Dorian & Phrygian, 1 octave ascending (RH)
    • Diatonic Triad Inversions, 1 octave ascending (HS, HT)
    • Simplified Chromatic Ascending 7th Chords (HS)
    • Simplified 7th Chord Drills: Random Major Scale Degrees (x30, HS)
Successes / Challenges

Spending a lot of time on diatonic triad inversions and 7th chord drills. I’m getting better at identifying major7, minor7, dominant, m7♭5, and diminished chords in all major keys.

Two-handed diatonic triad inversions over two octaves is a foundational skill in classical piano.

53

:canada:  Tuesday, September 6, 2022   :clock3:  3 pomodoro cycle

Foundations
  1. Majors: Random Scale Machine ⇒ G, E♭, B, A♭, B♭, F
    • Ionian, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
    • Dorian & Phrygian, 1 octave ascending (RH)
    • Diatonic Triad Inversions, 1 octave ascending (HS, HT)
    • Simplified Chromatic Ascending 7th Chords (HS)
    • Simplified 7th Chord Drills: Random Major Scale Degrees (x30, HS)

Repertoire

  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; mm. 1-30
54

:canada:  Wednesday, September 7, 2022   :clock3:  3 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  1. Minors: Random Scale Machine ⇒ G♯, D♯, C, A
    • Natural & melodic, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
    • Diatonic Triad Inversions, 1 octave ascending (HS, HT)

Repertoire

  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; complete
  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners
  • 'When Sunny Gets Blue" for Beginners; RH melody, mm. 1-17
55

:canada:  Thursday, September 8, 2022   :clock3:  3 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  1. Minors: Random Scale Machine ⇒ D, C, G, F, E, D♯
    • Natural & melodic, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
    • Diatonic Triad Inversions, 1 octave ascending (HS, HT)
  2. ‘So What’ Voicing, random sequence = Bm¹¹, C♯m¹¹, Em¹¹, Fm¹¹,

Courses/Lessons

  • Beginner Jazz Arrangements : “When Sunny Gets Blue” For Beginners
    (to time index 7:35)

Repertoire

  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; complete
  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners
  • “When Sunny Gets Blue” for Beginners, mm. 1-7
    • RH melody
    • RH melody + LH root note of harmony chord
    • LH harmony chords
    • mm. 1-4, per lesson
1 Like
56

:canada:  Friday, September 9, 2022   :clock3:  3 pomodoro cycle

Foundations
  1. Majors: Random Scale Machine ⇒ G, B♭, D♭, B, A♭, A, F
    • Ionian, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
    • Dorian & Phrygian, 1 octave ascending (RH)
    • Diatonic Triad Inversions, 1 octave ascending (HS, HT)
    • Simplified Chromatic Ascending 7th Chords (HS)

Repertoire

  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; complete
  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners
Notes

Sat down at a couple of Pramberger five- and six-foot grands (Pramberger is manufactured by Samick Musical Instruments of Indonesia). Also tried a Roland GP609 Digital Grand. The Roland had a much warmer sound than did the Pramberger acoustics. The 66-watt, seven-speaker system in the Roland is nice, but cannot compete with the 300-watt, six-speaker system in the Yamaha CLP-795GP. Against comparable instruments, the Yamaha is a bargain.

1 Like
57

:canada:  Saturday, September 10, 2022   :clock4:  4 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  1. Minors: Random Scale Machine ⇒ G, D, B, C, G♯, F♯
    • Natural & melodic, 1 & 2 octaves ascending (HS, HT)
    • Diatonic Triad Inversions, 1 octave ascending (HS, HT)
  2. Simplified 7th Chord Drills: Random Major Scale Degrees (x30, HS)
    ⇒ A♭, G♭, E, G
  3. Major Scales: Random keys, triplets over 2 octaves ⇒ C, F, A

Courses/Lessons

  • Beginner Jazz Arrangements : “When Sunny Gets Blue” For Beginners
    (to time index 9.01)

Repertoire

  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; complete
  • “When Sunny Gets Blue” for Beginners, mm. 1-4

Music

  • Beegie Adair, I’ll Take Romance (2002)

Reading/Theory/Study

58

:canada:  Sunday, September 11, 2022   :clock4:  4 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  1. Majors: Random Scale Machine ⇒ B, F, G, E, B♭, C, A♭
    • Ionian, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
    • Dorian & Phrygian, 1 octave ascending (RH)
    • Diatonic Triad Inversions, 1 octave ascending (HS, HT)
    • Simplified Chromatic Ascending 7th Chords (HS)
  2. Simplified 7th Chord Drills: Random Major Scale Degrees (x30, HS) ⇒ G

Courses/Lessons

  • Beginner Jazz Arrangements : “When Sunny Gets Blue” For Beginners
    (to time index 10.00)

Repertoire

  • “When Sunny Gets Blue” for Beginners, mm. 1-5
  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; complete
59

:canada:  Tuesday, September 13, 2022   :clock2:  2 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  1. Minors: Random Scale Machine ⇒ A, G♯, D♯, C♯, F♯
    • Natural & melodic, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
      Need more work on C♯ minor
    • Diatonic Triad Inversions, 1 octave ascending (HS, HT)

Repertoire

  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners; complete
  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; complete
  • “Tune Up,” mm. 1-3
    • LH & RH harmony chords: Em7 - A7/E - Dmaj7
      The second inversion of the A7 chord is to enable voice leading
    • RH melody
    • RH melody + LH root note of harmony chord
60

:canada:  Wednesday, September 14, 2022   :clock4:  4 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  1. Minors: Random Scale Machine ⇒ G, D♯, F, A♯, G♯, A, D, C
    • Natural & melodic, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
    • Diatonic Triad Inversions, 1 octave ascending (HS, HT)
  2. ‘So What’ Voicing, random sequence ⇒ Cm¹¹, Dm¹¹, Am¹¹, Fm¹¹
  3. Simplified 7th Chord Drills: random major scale degrees (x30, HS)
    ⇒ B♭, E♭, A, G♭

Repertoire

  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners; complete
  • “Tune Up,” mm. 1-8
    • LH & RH harmony chords: Em7 - A7/E - Dmaj7 - Dm7 - G7/D - Cmaj7
      The second inversion of the A7 & G7 chords is to enable voice leading
    • RH guide tones & melody
    • Spread voicing & melody, trying 72-bpm on quarter note

Transcriptions

61

:canada:  Thursday, September 15, 2022   :clock4:  4 pomodoro cycles

Foundations
  1. Majors: Random Scale Machine ⇒ F, C, A, D♭, E, B♭, G♭
    • Ionian, 2 octaves ascending (HT)
    • Dorian, Phrygian & Lydian modes, 1 octave ascending (RH)
    • Pentatonic, 2 octaves ascending (RH)
    • Diatonic Triad Inversions, 1 octave ascending (HS, HT)
    • Simplified Chromatic Ascending 7th Chords (HS)
    • Simplified 7th Chord Drills: Random Major Scale Degrees (x30, HS)

Repertoire

  • “The Nearness of You” for Beginners; complete
    ⟶ Forgot how to play mm. 7 & 8…why I need daily practice!
  • “Days Of Wine & Roses” For Beginners; complete
  • Peterson , Minuet No.1, mm. 1-6
Reading/Theory/Study

:books: From The Jazz Piano Book, Chapter Five - “Adding Notes to Three-Note Voicings”:
When you have unaltered ii-V-I chords (chords that have no ♭9, +9, +4, +11, ♭5, +5, ♭13, Ø, or “alt” in the chord symbol), add the following notes:

  • To the ii chord, add the fifth
  • To the V chord, add the ninth (or the ♭9)
  • To the I chord, add the fifth or the ninth

The fifth of the ii chord and the ninth of the V chord are the same note, which makes going from ii to V very easy.

Music

  • Sonos Radio: Smooth Jazz
  • McCoy Tyner, The Real McCoy (1967)
  • The Enrico Pieranunzi Trio, “Infant Eyes”