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Archive for August, 2010

Jazz Piano Lessons – Tips to Help You Learn to Play Jazz on the Piano Fast

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In order to play Jazz piano you need to get a fundamental knowledge of piano theory. Some of this knowledge will consist of chord formation, rhythmic feel, and scales and modes.

All Jazz songs have a one of a kind chord progression in every piece. Your jazz piano lessons should focus on learning the different rhythms of a jazz piano.

Every jazz style is dependent on beat and has a unique rhythm. You should practice playing different rhythms in the bass line.

Your jazz piano lessons should emphasize weak beats which are also referred to as syncopating. You should know that in jazz music the second and fourth beats are emphasized by resting on the normally strong strong beats. In order to make a stronger syncopation you should rest on just the first half of the first and third beats.

Your lessons should also focus on a key element in the jazz feel and this is the swing rhythm. To accomplish this you need to play uneven eight notes.

Within a pair of eight notes you should play the first note longer than the second to make an uneven pattern. You shouldn’t hold all the notes for the exact same amount of time.

Your jazz piano lessons should practice jazz chord progressions. The basic progression is the twelve bar blues. The twelve bar blues includes progressions among the I, IV, and V chords.

In the key of C, the chords would be C (I), F (IV), and G (V). You should begin on the C and move between the C and F for various bars, adding a G chord until you get a pattern with twelve bars.

These are some of the things your jazz piano lessons should focus on. With the right lessons there is no reason you can’t learn how to play jazz piano songs.

By: Jenna Mae

How to Use the Dorian Mode in Jazz Improvisation

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The Dorian mode is very important in jazz and deserves attention. Let’s figure out how to make a Dorian scale. There are two ways to think about this: the first way is to remember that Dorian is the 2nd note of a major scale, so if we find out the first note then we know what key signature we are in. For example: I want a G Dorian scale. I know that G is the 2nd note of some major scale. Let’s go back and look at our major scale from the first part of the book. 12345678.

If I put the note G under the number 2 (remember that we are trying to find G Dorian, the 2nd mode) I can now find out who 1 is. You can think of this is algebra, solving for 1. I will go down a whole step from G and find myself on F. Remember that there is one whole step in between the 1st and 2nd notes of a major scale. I now know that F major is the key I’m using. F major has one flat. Now, I will start on G, and play from G to G using the Key of F maj. In other words, I am in the key of F.

The other way to form a Dorian scale is to compare the Dorian to a major scale. You can see that the difference is the 3rd and the 7th notes. In Dorian the B becomes B flat, and the F sharp becomes F natural. In both cases the 3rd and the 7th are lowered

Jazz Sheet Music

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Most jazz lovers or for that matter any music lover can never forget the name Louis Armstrong, or the famous ‘Satchmo.’ One of the most revered kinds of music styles in the world of jazz music is that of ‘Mr. Satchmo.’

Jazz music originated in 1920?s and continues to be popular not just in the United Stated but also in the whole world. Jazz sheet music is basically a blend of old African American music, with a little bit of a classical touch. Jazz music is a very soothing experience to ardent music lovers, not just of jazz, but also of classical music.

Music scores contain all kinds of styles and rock and roll music sequences. African Americans developed jazz music in the beginning of the 20th century in the United States in New Orleans. It was because of stars like Louis Armstrong that Jazz music became so popular and has such a great fan following in the world today.

Jazz sheet is no ordinary sheet music like other classical music sheets. This music sheet has many kinds of accidentals, rests and prolonged chords and so on. Jazz music sheets are quite complex in nature, as there can be variations for semitone changes for higher or lower pitches. Jazz sheet music is a combination of major, chromatic and diatonic scales. This music can also accommodate accidental bass pitches if any, with vocal parts as well. Jazz sheet music has many parts, and can sometimes produce non-harmony and non-melody music. Thus, a musician is always advised to select the right kind of players, instruments and voice pitches to produce harmony.

Jazz sheet music is indeed quite complex and difficult to read but indeed it is quite interesting and very melodious to play and listen to. Its popularity is at par with country music.

By: Kristy Annely