My Music Journey

I’m not going to go big with goals for this year. I’ve decided to focus on one significant goal, and that is to play all songs in my repetoir with correct rhythmic timing. I will do this iReal Pro as a backing track.  Further to work on the following short term tasks. So… For the Xmas break: --> incorporate iRealPro into every practice session. Play entire repetior piece accurately with iReal backing tracks. --> Listen to the tracks and use the visual or just audio to keep in time (with or without playing along!) Current status of three new songs: Softly As In Morning: --> I have developed an Intro - notate it so that i can perfect it so that it works well for bring in the melody Out Of Nowhere: --> I’ve developed a LH bass line using arpeggios (1353 sequence) work on locking it in with the 2 & 4 metronome groove  - as an exercise play RH chords without the LH bass line whilst carefully listening to the melody. - Develop an outro using 251 structure. For this s...

 S’WONDERFUL https://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-0/swonderful.htm Out of Nowhere https://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-0/outofnowhere.htm# East of the Sun https://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-1/eastofthesun.htm

 Bit the bullet…Got myself a drum kit. Won’t the neighbours be pleased. 

Ear Training - transcriptions: --> New song to transcribe: Chet Baker, I Fall in Love too Easily --> use a Notation program to transcribe the melody --> one 7th chord - let it ring out for 30 seconds or so until all sound dies - thinking of the notes in the chord as the scale degrees 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th - play the note you want to pin point before playing the full chord --> try to sing the notes to help hear them Satin Doll: --> comping: thinking of the melody to inspire  - doo da! Long short - just to help with swing - listen to Duke Ellington's versions to hear the melody phrased really well. Bossa Nova Comping: --> Develop habit of counting in before all pieces. --> work on counting all the beats. 1&2&3&4&. Blue Bossa: --> Make sure to to allow myself the proper time needed between melodic phrases. --> This week's focus: Be able to play the LH and RH bossa comping (no melody) WITH the metronome!! Remember to not rush and sit with ...

  For those of you who have been following my thread, it will come as no surprise that I struggle endlessly with rhythmic timing.   The previous few weeks I have been using a setting called 'Voice Counting' on my metronome. The metronome is called Pro Metronome (free download on iPad) and voice counting is an option to replace the traditional clicks.  Its been a game changer for me. The other change I have made is, when learning a new piece of music, or returning to an old piece, I place Rhythm first. Before touching the piano, I clap out the rhythm  whilst at the same time count out loud every syllable of 1&2&3&4&.  If you are like me and struggle with rhythm, give it a try. .. its working for me.   Going to celebrate with a weekend of sailing.

Major focus this month: Rhythm and Timing.  Bossa Nova Comping: --> before playing this, in fact every piece, develop the habit of counting in . This will set the tempo and set me up for a strong groove. - record myself doing this to see if i can hear the tempo stay steady or if i tend to speed up/slow down! It Could Happen To You Chet Solo:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSkHz5trdhc -> using this piece to develop a focus timing and fingering and an intro to scat singing. -    play along with the recording when timing and fingering is down. --> Settings - Play Back Speed - 0.75 -    sing along with Chet too without playing! This is a great solo to get in my head and this will ultimately help my rhythm. Blue Bossa: Focussing on the beat 1 of the melody - RH only --> play along with Ireal! --> turn drums up in preference to the click. This helps lock in the groove. Next time:  - Try thinking or singing the melody while doing the bossa c...

Bossa Nova Comping: --> Set your own tempo and count yourself in before you start playing  - record yourself doing this to see if you can hear the tempo stay steady or if you tend to speed up/slow down! Counting in might set you up for a strong groove! It Could Happen To You Chet Solo:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSkHz5trdhc -> up to bar 8 - no need to go further for now! Just focussing on timing and fingering - play along with the recording if you can! --> Settings - Play Back Speed - 0.75 - sing along with Chet too without playing! This is a great solo to get in your head and this will ultimately help your rhythm. First 4 Bars: **Gmaj7 - Abdim7 - Am7 - Bbdim7 Check out iReal chords. Blue Bossa: **Swap metronome practise for Ireal this week! Practise might look like: - putting on Ireal for 10 choruses (or just a very long time!) - playing through each exercise twice   1. LH bossa rhythm with melody 2. LH chords with melody 3. separate hands with Ireal Pro 4...

 

 2023 Term 1 Week 10 A good last lesson for the Term. Here's what we discussed today: Potential Face-To-Face Lessons in holiday break: --> Bit excited to do a face to face lesson next week. 2 5 1 including maj 9's ! --> Try this in the key of C maj and G maj this week - use the Dbmaj one in Blue Bossa as an alternative and closely listen to the difference the chord changes make. Ear Training: --> This week more challenging as I couldn’t identify the specific song. So had to work it out one note at a time. - listen to it many many times to get it in your ears and under your fingers!  Albatross : --> spent a good deal of time working on pedalling so the chords won’t sound muddy - technique is to lift the foot as the fingers go down, think fingers down foot up. It’s a stabbing motion - happy with the result. Focus now on getting it faster over time but take my time building this up —> in the left hand accent the 1.  Corcovado:  --> Getting th...

Here's what we discussed today: 2 5 1 including maj 9's ! --> Try this in the key of C maj and G maj this week - use those scale degrees to help you translate the voicings - use the Dbmaj one in Blue Bossa Ear Training: --> dropbox folder  https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/0jijk0n5ueam15ra4jbn8/h?dl=0&rlkey=a5m6un5q91xsdmrnetasw2537 - try number 2 ! This one is very challenging Albatross : --> pedalling -follow attached chart with mark up of some pedalling - allowing the pedal to cary the sound of the chords without sounding muddy --> Practise the LH separately with metronome at 60 BPM. - low notes on strong beats of the bar 1 2 3 4 - accenting the low notes may also help with a strong rhythm - thinking about the triplet feeling (12 3 12 3 - long short long short) Corcovado:  --> First chord - change to Am6 (this is more commonly played than D7) --> use the LH comping rhythm with Ireal and try to make it all the way through the piece ♩♩𝄾 ♩. Honeysuckle Rose...

  2023 Term 1 Week 8 Here's what we discussed today: Ear Training: --> I'll do another one this week Honeysuckle Rose: Weeks objective was to --> learn the B section if you want - ear training? At this lesson I played thru entire Honeysuckle Rose melody, learned by ear from a version of Muscore. I cheated a little, looking at the chart to learn the B section.  We discussed using 6th chords and how they are used a lot in Trad Jazz. The chart I am using has lots of chords, we determined to limit the number of chords played to one per bar in most instances until I get more comfortable with playing them all. Think about timing in terms of counting, this song lends itself to playing swing because of where the strong notes are placed. Eg Bars 1 to 3, play as; 1  &  2  &  3 .  4 S  w  S  w  S .    S= Strong w = weak. Play rootless chords for Gm9 FABbD                   ...

  Here's what we discussed today: Ear Training: --> I'll do another one this week Honeysuckle Rose: --> learn the B section if you want - ear training? Softly As In A Morning Sunrise: --> new tune! Have a play through this, this week Blue Bossa:  --> Ireal Pro - backing track! Keep working on this --> you've got the melody pretty confident with the LH chords - now start counting especially the rests in between the melodic phrases --> Bossa comping rhythm :  1 2  3  +  4 + - try to work on the  RH    1 2  3  +  with a metronome at 90 BPM Corcovado: next time --> First chord - change to Am6 (this is more commonly played than D7) --> keep working on reading that lead sheet to familiarise yourself with the melody - say the chord names out loud to clock the movement of the chords as the melody passes --> play the LH chords separately with Ireal - keep listening to the song on Spotify/YouTube to get the mel...

Here's what we discussed today: Ear Training: --> first thing next lesson! Lauren will send a sound file for me to listen to and nominate the notes and chords by ear. Blue Bossa:  --> Ireal Pro - backing track! - listening along with the track playing --> have a look at the Blue Bossa Comping with voicings - attached --> keep playing along with my track and try hands separately - LH think about just counting 4/4 in each bar while listening - semibreves BEFORE the comping rhythm - RH following along with my melody --> Bossa comping rhythm :  1 2  3  +  4 + Corcovado: --> First chord - change to Am6 (this is more commonly played than D7) --> keep working on reading that lead sheet to familiarise yourself with the melody - say the chord names out loud to clock the movement of the chords as the melody passes --> play the LH chords separately with Ireal - keep listening to the song on Spotify/YouTube to get the melody in your head 2 5 1 includ...

 My budget solution to learning drum rhythms.

Here's what we discussed today: Blue Bossa:  - sounding great! Keep speeding it up!  - listen to the recording that I sent - try to play along with me! 1.  Turnaround at the end: LH: ii V I - Dhalfdim G7 Cm7 RH: off beat chords "1 and" 2. LH 1-bar comping rhythm  --> two crotchets and a dotted crotchet  " 1 2  3  and  4 and" --> do this all the way through the lead sheet with NO RH (with a backing track when you're confident) 3.  Working on reading the lead sheet while you play the melody with either my backing track or the Ireal track --> this is to strengthen ear training and muscle memory! Corcovado: --> great work! Chords are sounding really nice :) --> learn the chords really well and add the comping rhythm and Ireal backing track when ready 80BPM --> might be a good place to start Ear Training: - next week! --> we'll keep doing Chet! 2 5 1 including maj 9's ! --> don't forget to do this! LH practice!

 Hi Allison, here are two images. The first, to answer your question; is maj 251 with maj 9’s rootless voicing . The second I thought might interest you also, it shows where I am using anticipation . Well to be more exact, there I have been shown to use anticipation. . 1. Rootless Voicing.  Used to: create a fuller more enjoyable sound.  Where can it be used?: anywhere you see a 251 How it’s made:  You will notice this 251 is bar 9 thru 11 of Blue Bossa. Ebm9 is made by playing in the right hand, Ebm7 without the root, then adding the 9th on top. Which in this case is f. It sounds great. It sounds even better when you play the root in the left hand, particularly when it is played well to the left of the keyboard. Even two octaves. Ab13 is chosen because there is only one note to change, the Db is dropped one semitone to the C.  Db maj9 is made the same way as the Eb min. Drop the root and play the 9th on top. I will play these voicing in a Bossa Nova Comping pa...

 Summary. Excellent lesson, we covered a lot.  a. Anticipation . We used Blue Bossa for this exercise. See the marked up chart.  Blue Bossa.pdf  Playing the new chord before the 1 in that bar. Ie play it on the 4& of the preceding bar.  Formal Definition. Anticipation is essentially a chord tone that comes early. b . Rootless voicing using 9ths  untitled 2 - Full Score.pdf  Use this in Blue Bossa Bars, 9 thru 11. Sounds very nice. c.  Lesson Notes. Blue Bossa:  - sounding great! Keep speeding it up!  - listen to the recording that I sent - try to play along with me! https://www.dropbox.com/s/ixr7v4cvy67qh5u/Blue%20Bossa.m4a?dl=0 attached is the anticipated chords that line up with the melody Corcovado: -->  https://open.spotify.com/track/5nU7dvOfzYs9QVVL7YVNPE?si=4ca28e2beea4499e - listen to this to get the melody sounding good ______________________________________ --> Bossa Nova Comping rhythm #1: - (from your PDF bookl...