Lesson Run Time: 78 minutes / Release Date: 11/01/2009
This lesson will teach you how to re-harmonize the beautiful Christmas song. You’ll also learn the arrangement note-for-note and at the end I’ll show you some more contemporary tips.
Other Chapters in this Piano Lesson:
Introduction
Reharm 1
Reharm 2
Tips & Key points
Arrangement Part 1
Arrangement Part 2
Arrangement Part 3
Arrangement Part 4
Arrangement Part 5
Arrangement Part 6
Contemporary gospel tips
Lesson Run Time: 63 minutes / Release Date: 04/15/2010
In this beautiful piece, I will split the lesson into an easy beginner section that shows a beginning student how to put together a nice arrangement. In the second half we discuss advanced techniques to create a richer arrangement.
Other Chapters in this Piano Lesson:
Introduction
The melody
Figuring out the key (Major or minor)
Important chords within the key
Chords for Precious Lord
A basic accompaniment
Discovery phase
Discovery…measure 9 on…
Arrangement Part 1
Arrangement Part 2 (m. 5)
Arrangement Part 3 (m. 9)
Arrangement Part 4 (m. 13)
Lesson Run Time: 92 minutes / Release Date: 02/26/2011
In this lesson we will be working through arranging this 6/8 traditional piece using re-harmonization techniques in The Old Rugged Cross. We will also focus on various ways to ‘groove’ on a 6/8 song and use grooves in your improvisation.
Other Chapters in this Piano Lesson:
Melody and Time feel
Introduction
6/8 Groove exercise
Analysis
Diminished Exercise
Arr. m1 – Fill in the groove
Arr. m2 – Precede w/ Dom7
Arr. m3 – Scale chords
Arr. m4 – IV over I
Arr. m5 – Change quality of IV
Arr. m6 – Diminished harmony
Arr. m7 – Walk ups
Arr. m8 – Reharm
Arr. m10 – Delayed resolution
Arr. m11 – ii-V of I
Arr. m14 – IV chord to minor
I to IV groove
Improvisation
Lesson Run Time: 120 minutes / Release Date: 03/16/2009
Learn how to create an arrangement for Amazing Grace. Re-harmonization and improv techniques are also covered.
Other Chapters in this Piano Lesson:
Amazing Grace Introduction
Harmonization techniques – lead 1
Harmonization techniques – lead 2
Transition chords
ii-V-I add on progressions
Harmonize using any chord
Available tensions for chords
Lead 4 – Dominant motion
Move between re-harm variations
Amazing Grace arrangement 1
Amazing Grace arrangement 2
Amazing Grace arrangement 3
Amazing Grace arrangement 4
Amazing Grace arrangement 5
Fills Runs & Improv pt. 1
Fills Runs & Improv pt. 2
Fills Runs & Improv pt. 3
Lesson Run Time: 147 minutes / Release Date: 04/09/2009
I cover a lot of really neat re-harmonization techniques in this lesson, including dominant motion, related ii-V’s and much more.
Other Chapters in this Piano Lesson:
Introduction
Danny Boy – the melody
Applying I-IV-V chords to melody
More interesting triad accompaniments
Adding dominant motion to chords
Preceding dominant chords w/related ii
Precede related ii with dominant
Precede dominant with related ii (ext.)
Using tritones to add color
Getting ideas from other lead sheets
Explaining the Arrangement
Disc 2 Intro
Arrangement Part 1
Arrangement Part 2
Arrangement Part 3
Arrangement Part 4
Arrangement Part 5
Danny Boy Improv Part 1
Danny Boy Improv Part 2
Danny Boy Improv Part 3
Lesson Run Time: 133 minutes / Release Date: 05/24/2009
Other Chapters in this Piano Lesson:
Introduction
The Melody
Adding Basic Chords
Introduction to the arrangement
I-V chord progression
I – I7 chord progression
ii – V chord progression
iii-vi-ii-V progression
I – III7 – IV – #ivdim progression
I – IV7/I progression
Chord tones vs. Non-chord tones
Line endpoints
Accompaniment rhythms
Bassline creation rules
Arrangement part 1
Arrangement Part 2
Arrangement Part 3
Shouting Chorus
Arrangement Part 5
Arrangement Part 6
Slow Gospel Feel
Contemporary Feel
Lesson Run Time: 101 minutes / Release Date: 06/18/2009
In this lesson, I will show you some tricks on how to add flavor to your arrangement through passing chords, walk ups and transition chords.
Other Chapters in this Piano Lesson:
Introduction
Part One
Part Two – Dominant motion
Part Three – Measure 5
Sus Sound…continuing the song
Passing chords
Passing chords (review)
Creating richer chords
Measure 13
Cool Turnaround
Walk Downs
Lesson Run Time: 97 minutes / Release Date: 07/01/2008
These Jazz and Gospel exercises will teach you many 2-5-1 exercises, pentatonic exercises, playing outside along with Gospel grooves.
Other Chapters in this Piano Lesson:
Scorch Plug In
Gospel Ex. A
Gospel Ex. B
Gospel Ex. B pt. 2
Gospel Ex. C
Gospel Ex. D
Gospel Ex. E
Gospel Ex. F
Gospel Ex. G
Gospel Ex. H
Gospel Ex. I
Jazz Intro
Jazz 2-5-1 Ex. A
Jazz 2-5-1 Ex. B
Jazz 2-5-1 Ex. C
Jazz 2-5-1 Ex. D
Jazz 2-5-1 Ex. E
Jazz 2-5-1 Ex. F
Jazz 2-5-1 Ex. G
Jazz 2-5-1 Ex. H
Jazz 2-5-1 Ex. I
Jazz 2-5-1 Ex. J
Jazz 2-5-1-V7 Ex. K pt. 1
Jazz 2-5-1-V7 Ex. K pt. 2
Jazz 2-5-1-V7 Ex. K pt. 3
Jazz Hands Together
Lesson Run Time: 122 minutes / Release Date: 05/15/2015
In this Live-to-Library lesson you’ll learn how to start incorporating quartal voicings and pentatonic scales into your playing. We focus especially on how to use quartals for left-hand chord voicings, use quartals in our solo and how to use a pentatonic scale to improvise over our quartal voicings. In part 2 we will be covering how to create more advanced licks out of pentatonics and quartals to use for improvisation.
Other Chapters in this Piano Lesson:
Introduction
Step 1 – 24 bar Minor Blues
Step 2 – Minor Chord Quartals
Step 3 – Constant 16th Notes Exercise Over Minor
Step 4 – Constant 16th Notes Exercise Over Sus
Step 5 – Constant 16th Notes Exercise Over Altered
Step 6 – Quartal 16ths Over Minor
Step 7 – Quartal 16ths Over Sus
Step 8 – Quartal 16ths Over Altered
This is where the “rubber meets the road.” It’s game time. In this session you will be playing along with the band…LIVE! Don’t worry, we will go slow and I’ll be there to guide you every step of the way. If you’ve worked through the “This Can’t Be Love” Piano Melody And Comping lesson, you’ll definitely want to put your skills to the test in this live band session.
Lesson Run Time: 76 minutes / Release Date: 09/18/2015
Other Chapters in this Piano Lesson:
01-Lead Sheet
02-Piano Arrangement
03-Piano Comping
04-Scales for Improvisation
This up-tempo Rogers/Hart jazz piano classic will get your toes tapping and is great for the intermediate or more advanced player. If you’ve gone through my Step-By-Step Standards series, then you’re ready for this lesson. Inside, you’ll learn rootless voicings along with comping techniques to get you ready for playing with the band!
Lesson Run Time: 128 minutes / Release Date: 04/03/2015
In this Live-to-Library lesson I tackle how to create an arrangement for the song The Nearness of You using my 4-step method to arrange standards. I also answered a bunch of questions from students since this was recorded as a Live lesson.
Other Chapters in this Piano Lesson:
Introduction
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3 Section 1
Questions on Step 3 Section 1
Step 3 Section 2
Questions on Step 3 Section 2
Step 3 Section 3
Questions on Step 3 Section 3
Step 3 Section 4
Questions on Step 3 Section 4
Step 4 Section 5
Questions on Step 4 Section 5
Step 4 Section 6
Step 4 Section 7
Questions on Section 6 and 7
Step 4 Section 8
Questions on Step 4 Section 8
Lesson Run Time: 54 minutes / Release Date: 06/12/2015
In this training session we will be covering how to create more advanced licks out of pentatonics and quartals to use for improvisation. This is a followup to our most recent Advanced Pentatonics & Quartals lesson.
Other Chapters in this Piano Lesson:
Step 1-Stepping and Skipping
Step 2-Missing Scale Tone
Step 3-Pentatonics and Arpeggios
Step 4-Pentatonics and Arpeggios
Lesson Run Time: 45 minutes / Release Date: 07/24/2015
Learn how to play this classic song from Miles Davis, “Kind of Blue” recording. Since this is a more advanced “like a pro” lesson, you’ll learn how to create chord substitutions that you can use to add more spice to the arrangement.
Other Chapters in this Piano Lesson:
Step 1 – Easier / Less Motion
Step 2 – Adding Motion and Substitutions
Step 3
Step 4 – Ending
Lesson Run Time: 82 minutes / Release Date: 01/05/2013
This Meter’s tune, This Is My Last Affair, is a great song to help round-out both organ players and pianists alike who want to play a bassline groove while improvising in the right hand. Some important scale techniques are discussed in this lesson which benefit both pianists and organists. This lesson is categorized under improvisation because of the valuable improvisation techniques covered in the second-half of the lesson.
Other Chapters in this Piano Lesson:
Introduction
Basslines pt 1
Basslines pt 2
Melody pt 1
Melody pt 2
Improv – Scales
Blues scale
Holds and Double Stops
Working licks – plus Ending
But I play piano!