Bass Lines for Piano
This is an excellent exercise to help musicians develop bass lines for piano. It uses the Cycle of Fourths with comping and soloing. It’s not easy, but try it out!…
Category Archives: Grooves
Music Language
We have often been told that “music is the universal language”. Another way to look at this is to consider music as a direct language of emotion. It is an instant access into the subconscious of the listener. It is powerful! I’m not an expert on brain functions, but I’m fairly sure that the same […]…
Time is not a click.
Music is not about perfection. It is about feeling. Jazz, in particular is about groove. It is groove which gives jazz it’s identity, it’s purpose, it’s joy. You know groove when you hear it. You know what it feels like. The main issue is . . . how to develop a great groove in your […]…
Boogie Woogie Groove
In this lesson, we want to analyze a groove. I’m using the Boogie Woogie as an easy way to develop the groove. However, this lesson applies to all grooves. This is a fun lesson. Enjoy. Links: Section 13: Boogie Woogie Blues Style Boogie Woogie Twelve-bar Blues 13-1 Boogie Woogie Accompaniment 13-2 Boogie Woogie Groove 13-3 […]…
Pachelbel Canon with Groove
Martan explains how to develop four-part harmony and open voicings by playing the Pachelbel Canon with a Groove. This utilizes Band-in-a-box. It’s fun. Try it. Related files: Section 8: Pachelbel Canon Project Pachelbel Exercise Melody and Single Bass Note 8-1 Pachelbel Exercise Continuous Melody and Single Bass Note 8-2 Pachelbel Exercise Random Melody 8-3 Pachelbel […]…
Swing Groove Soloing through the Tune 16-7-8
Swing Groove Soloing through the Tune 16-7-8 Steps to play on a tune: Learn all the chords, modes and form of the tune. Think in rhythmic figures. Practice by playing one rhythmic figure through the entire tune. Start slowly. Analyze: “How many ways can I play from any chord (or tonality) to any other chord […]…
Swing Groove Comping w/Modes 16-7-7
Swing Groove Comping w/Modes 16-7-7 Studying the Modes for each chord in the “Jazz Swing Tune”: Take each chord in the “Jazz Swing Tune” and completely learn the scales which work with that chord. For instance: the first chord in the tune is an Em7(b5). You can use either the Locrian Mode (7-7) or the […]…
Swing Groove Continuous Melody Exercise 16-7-5
Swing Groove Continuous Melody Exercise 16-7-5 Developing the Continuous Melody Exercise playing through the “Jazz Swing Tune”: Play through the tune very slowly with Quarter Notes, Eighth Notes, Quarter-note Triplets and Eighth-note Triplets. Always think forward to the first beat of the next measure. Put the metronome on 2 & 4. …
Swing Groove Chord Inversions and Bass Lines 16-7-4
Swing Groove Chord Inversions and Bass Lines 16-7-4 Developing Bass Lines while playing Chord Inversions: Practice playing bass lines slowly through the tune while comping with the chord inversions (bouncing). Play bass lines faster with the metronome on 2 & 4 and comp with the chord inversions. (This will take awhile to master). …
Swing Groove Swing Groove Chord Inversions 16-7-3
Swing Groove Swing Groove Chord Inversions 16-7-3 Learning the “Jazz Swing Tune”: Make a chart. Include the chord changes, chord inversions and scale choices. Study each chord and it’s scale (modes). Play chords in inversions in both the right hand and left hand. Bounce around. (See example and video) …