Hi Hayden
I was here about a year ago and worked through the Jazz foundations course in the Lead Sheet Fundamentals Learning Path. I also completed a few standards from the Keys of C, Bb, and Eb in the same syllabus.
This time around I’ve been working on the Slow Blues for Beginners course for the last two weeks and enjoying it so far. I also want to add some jazz lessons. I was thinking about Beginner Jazz Arrangements. What do you recommend?
Thanks
Ivan
Hey @Ivan.C 
Please excuse my late reply here and welcome back to PianoGroove!
Firstly congrats on your progress so far - it’s great that you’ve got a handful of jazz standards under your belt.
I’ve outlined 3 possible paths for you below - so take a quick browse of the links and information and choose which one feels like the best fit for you:
My first recommendation is our dedicated jazz standard courses. These are in-depth courses which focus on a single tune. Think of them as Jazz Standard Masterclasses where I share my insights and discoveries from playing these songs for many years:
“Misty” - Cocktail Piano Improv: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/cocktail-improvisation-for-beginners/
“Nearness Of You” - Ballad Fills & Runs: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/ballad-voicings-fills-improv/
“Body & Soul” - Elegant Stride Piano: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/elegant-stride-improvisation/
“Georgia” - Bluesy Stride Piano: https://www.pianogroove.com/blues-piano-lessons/bluesy-stride-piano-beginners/
“In A Sentimental Mood” - Minor Improvisation: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/minor-harmony-improvisation/
These courses are mixed-level, starting with basic 3-notes voicings and then each lesson introduces new voicing options and arranging techniques.
We teach the basic arrangement and then show the many options that we have available for chord voicings, fills, reharmonisation, improvisation, and jazz piano arranging styles.
I’d suggest these courses if you’d like to learn how to take a single tune and learn many different ways to play and arrange it.
The second option would be the Beginner Jazz Arrangements Course which you mentioned above. Here it is: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/beginner-jazz-piano-arrangements/
This course primarily covers R-3-7 spread voicings, but moves at a slightly faster pace than the Lead Sheet Fundamentals Learning Path.
This course is designed to help students solidify 251 visualisation and recognition, and internalise the voice leading of 7ths falling to 3rds.
The final 3 lessons in the course on “My Funny Valentine” are a little more advanced.
Another option would be to pick a handful of tunes from the jazz standard index page.
You can find a full index here which is organised by difficulty: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-standard-index-difficulty/
I recommend to pick the tunes that interest you most. The page shows the song titles, the parent course page, and also the teacher.
The “Beginner” category are all pretty accessible R-3-7 arrangements, but just to make you aware that there isn’t a clear line between “Intermediate” and “Advanced”. Some of the “Intermediate” lessons are more on the “Advanced” side, and vice-versa.
All of the tutorials that you will find in the index list are full arrangements that I have quite meticulously arranged. This is a little different to the “Jazz Standard Masterclass Courses” that I recommend above where in each lesson I show a different way that we can play and interpret the tune.
So if you want to learn set arrangements then pick a handful of songs from this index list.
If, on the other hand, you’d like to go deeper into a single tune and play that tune more spontaneously and creatively, then I’d suggest the Jazz Standard Masterclass courses.
I hope that helps Ivan - again please excuse my late response and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like further guidance.
Cheers,
Hayden
Hi Hayden
Thanks for the comprehensive answer to my question and no worries about not getting back sooner. I can appreciate the demand on your time and besides, it gave me a chance to browse around.
I think I’ll start with the Dedicated Jazz Standard Courses and alternate with the Beginner Jazz Arrangements or vice versa, I can always backtrack when I feel I need to. Thanks again!