Hi there. I’ve just signed up for a 7 day trial to browse through the Jazz Learning Path options. After watching the Orientation videos I’m really happy with the platform, course structure and technology. I’m seriously thinking of upgrading my account.
I’m an adult learner. I’ve been playing piano for two years and understand scales, triads, 7th chords and 3-note spread voicings theory enough to play a jazz lead sheet in its simplest form. My biggest struggle is keeping the rhythm/pulse moving with my left hand and/or right hand which results in a lot of dead space and sounding disconnected. My end goal is to play solo piano without depending on backing tracks to fill these gaps.
I’m thinking of starting with the Lead Sheet Fundamentals (Novice) Learning Path. I thought I would begin with the Reading Lead Sheets For Beginners course and the Jazz Piano Foundations course and work on them both simultaneously. Looking for suggestions.
Thanks in advance for all your feedback.
I’m glad the orientation videos were useful - whilst the majority of the information in those videos is relevant, they need to be updated as we have a new dashboard and other updates to key pages. Updating those videos is on my to-do-list.
From what you say here, I think that stride left hand style will help you to achieve exactly this - removing dead space and reliance on backing tracks.
I have many courses which cover stride style and technique.
Here are 3 courses (the 1st beginner/intermediate, the 2nd intermediate/advanced, and the 3rd advanced) which all covered stride technique in context of jazz standards:
Check out these 3 courses and find your comfortable level. These courses are mixed level, and so whilst they start with the absolute basics, as each lesson passes we add an extra layer of sophistication into our voicings and arranging techniques.
The Lead Sheet Fundamentals learning path teaches how to play 2-handed spread voicings with the melody. I don’t think it will do any harm for you to study this learning path but it doesn’t incorporate stride style which I mention above as an area of interest to you.
The Lead Sheet Fundamentals learning path does pay special attention to the form of the songs and the numeric harmony, and this information is very useful for internalising song structures and freeing ourselves from lead sheets so that we can play more creatively.
With your current experience, I feel that you will be able to move through the Lead Sheet Fundamentals learning path quickly so definitely complete those tutorials.
Also spend some of your jazz standard practice time dipping into the 3 jazz standard courses I highlight above.
You might like to check out the “Essential Jazz Harmony” learning path which contains the most important theory areas for beginner/early-intermediate jazz studies. This contains the Foundations course, and also 3 other theory courses.
I recommend to spend 50% of your time on these theory courses (which can take many months/years to master depending on your level) and then the other 50% studying the jazz standard courses highlighted above.
If you can also dedicate 10/15 minutes per day on ear training, that will also be hugely beneficial to your overall musicianship and in the space of a few months you will be ready to start transcribing from your favourite recordings and albums:
Hi Hayden.
Thanks for the quick response and comprehensive feedback. I think I’m going to start with the Leadsheet Fundamentals. I’m sure there’s concepts I don’t know or forgot. When completed I’ll follow up with your other suggestions as posted. Looking forward to it.
Thanks again.