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Jazz Piano Lessons DVD – Learn to Play in a Comfortable, Relaxed Environment

Posted by admin2 on August 17th, 2010 Comments Off



If you’ve decided to take instructions with a jazz piano lessons DVD to learn to play at home, it is important to take time before you get started to create a comfortable environment for learning. Taking this simple step will help you get started properly. If you’re like most people, you probably chose to take lessons in your home because it’s simply more comfortable and convenient than going to a classroom. Still, it’s important that you make a space to work in before you begin your lessons. No matter how great your house is, a private place dedicated to your efforts to learn music and focus on the lessons is key. You will, of course, need a piano. However, if it is not in a private location, you can use a separate area for learning and then move to the piano for the hands on practice sessions.

For your private practice space, choose a room that is as far from the really busy areas of your house as possible. Don’t select a kitchen corner for your lesson if you will be studying close to dinner time. The best option is to practice in the privacy of your own room, but a fairly quiet corner of the house in another room may work just as well for your home music lessons. Wherever you choose, you will need access to a computer or a TV and DVD player in order to watch the lesson while practicing. Lastly, your practice area must be comfortable for you to practice in.

You will have the most success with your music lessons if you are happy and comfortable in your practice space. You’ll find you can enjoy the jazz piano lessons DVD much more if you are relaxed, and spend your time practicing and focusing on the lesson. Your area should also have comfortable seating. This is important whether you are at the piano for hands on work or studying and watching the DVD. You should also try to keep your area clear and free of clutter. This way, you can really focus on the lesson in front of you and not be sidetracked by details and reminders of things outside of your practice session. You will soon find that the more you can leave your world behind during your practice sessions, the more you will crave the time you get to spend in your practice area. This will only enhance your motivation and ability to learn.

When creating your practice area, try to make it as light and airy as possible. If possible, during warmer weather, open a window so the fresh air can flow through as you study. The fresh breeze will help you stay alert and focused. If you live in an area that gets cold during the winter months, try lighting a scented candle or burning incense. After awhile, you will associate your practice sessions with the pleasant smells and look forward to the relaxing scent.

When you’re ready to learn to play the piano and choose an at-home program featuring jazz piano lessons DVD for instruction, you will love the benefits of having a practice space. Learning to play an instrument at home can often be a challenge, but it also offers real rewards when it’s done right. The best way to ensure success is to start out with the right mindset and be prepared for the challenges you meet along the way. When you create a learning environment that makes it easy to study by including things like comfortable seating, pleasant aromas, and other motivational tools, you simply learn faster and it is easier to stay motivated and keep on track with your lessons. It can be as easy to create this space as finding a comfortable chair to put near your computer or DVD player, lighting a scented candle, and going to the piano when it’s time for a little hands on practice.

Before too much time has passed, you’ll find yourself happily playing your favorite songs on the piano in the comfort of your own home!

By: James Hanna

Posted in Jazz Festivals

Jazz Piano Lessons – Learning Slow to Fast Jazz Beat

Posted by admin2 on August 10th, 2010 Comments Off



While countless of people would think that to play jazz music through the piano is something very difficult and complicated to do, it would be best to equip yourself with the appropriate methods of learning it. There are in fact, countless of various jazz piano lessons that you may access in the internet anytime which can enlighten you that learning about how to play jazz music through the piano is not difficult after all. Here are just a few of the so many things that you may want to know about taking piano lessons, specifically the lessons in jazz music:

• Practice Just Appropriately
Practice does not need to be very extensive. In fact, this is where a little sense of time management is called for. Manage your time wisely so that you may allot a regular time for practicing which does not necessarily have to be so long. Also, make it a point to incorporate some finger and hand exercises before your every practice so as to ensure dexterity of your hands as well as the flexibility of your fingers. In doing so, you will be assured that even though you constantly play each day, or you play long in your practice, your fingers and hands are prepared and therefore, will not complain about getting so tired playing the piano.

• Learning The Basics
You, as a beginner student in piano playing, should learn the basic things about performing using the piano. As instructors tell their students, the basics of piano playing are very essential in being able to play the piano effectively. But then your piano instructor in your jazz piano lessons can testify that such piano basics are even more so important in learning how to play jazz music through the piano.

• Basic And Advanced Lessons Continuum
While knowing the basics of learning the piano is very indispensable for a piano enthusiast to learn the instrument, the more so, they are needed when you get promoted to the more advanced piano level or grade. Knowing all the basics should also be matched well with the perfect pacing or tempo.

• What To Expect In The Lessons
First, expect that you will be taught the slow manner of playing jazz music through the piano. After which, your instructor will then let you get a feel of how a pianist would play jazz music using a much faster or quicker tempo. However, since to do would not be as easy as you think, it would be best to keep up to the pacing that you can only deliver. Then keep in mind that with constant practice, you will be able to catch the perfect tempo for a particular piece of jazz music.

• Last but not least, bear in mind that it is highly important for you to treat learning jazz piano lessons as something that is truly satisfying and worthwhile. That way, you will not feel any tinge of boredom from practicing each day. And what is more, you will surely get your money’s worth because of such determination, focus, dedication and interest you are showing.

By: Josephine S. Sewyerd

Posted in Jazz Festivals

Hearing the Song in Jazz Guitar – Memorizing Tunes

Posted by admin on December 25th, 2009 No Comments

If you’re serious about learning to play jazz guitar, you will need to memorize a few standard tunes. Many people already know this, and the first place they head to is to a fakebook. They’ll try to learn some tunes that way and wonder why their playing ends up being rigid.

We don’t want to say that a fakebook isn’t a great tool, but there are other ways to learn that we would like you, as the jazz guitar player, to open yourself to. For example, you can always learn some of your favorite tunes by listening to them over and over and then learning to play them during your jazz guitar lessons or practice time.

- Hear the song. One way to learn a tune for your gypsy jazz guitar is to listen to a tune over and over. Keep listening to it until it becomes so embedded in your mind and heart that you’ve memorized the tune even when it isn’t playing on a CD. Doing this will help you replay the song and harmonize it in different chords and transitions.

- Once you’ve got the tune memorized, find the tune on your fretboard. If it helps, you might also consider hooking up jazz guitar amps to help you hear and give it a more “real play” feel to your practice. Sing the tune and try to figure out the notes going back and forth until you’ve learned the tune. Don’t be concerned about playing it in the right key, just be concerned with learning the play the tune. Remember to add in learning the chord changes and you might also want to add in your own substitutions for the tune.

As you’re learning to play jazz guitar this way, you’re also learning to hear the song and replay it on your jazz guitar. If you stick to the music sheets, you might find that you’ll have a harder time feeling the music and putting some “soul” into it.

While your play might be technically correct, it will still lack the essence of the song. You decided to become a jazz guitar player because you somehow connected with the music, not because you wanted to be a technically great player.

If you learn how to hear a song and then recreate it, you’ll be taking yourself through an important learning activity that sets the foundation for your improvisations and solos down the line. You see, you’ll need to learn how to hear the music naturally before you begin doing improvisations.

Imagine how you’d feel if you were able to learn a new tune this way. You’d feel pretty motivated to stick with your jazz guitar learning and you might even be inspired to delve deeper into the art of playing jazz guitar.



By: Logan Young

Posted in Jazz Festivals
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