Beginning Jazz Keyboard (book)

Anyone with basic keyboard skills (equivalent to Alfred's Basic Piano Library: Lesson Book 2) can dig right in and begin learning jazz right away. From the major scale and basic triad theory all the way through to 7th chords, pentatonic scales, and modulating chord progressions, this book covers it all and features a full etude or tune demonstrating every new concept introduced. Beginning Jazz Keyboard breaks the age-old tradition of dry and confusing jazz books to provide a step-by-step, enjoyable method for learning to play jazz. The companion DVD features video lessons and MP3 audio demonstrations of the examples in the book. Both the video and audio can be streamed online or downloaded as well. / Piano

The Crash Course: Keyboard is a tuition method designed to allow you to learn the Keyboard in just 8 weeks. This fast-track guide will help you develop technique and style on the Keyboard, taking you from novice to competent performer day-by-day. The included audio download features demonstrations of every exercise.Crash Course Keyboard requires a commitment to learning, but features daily lessons, end-of-week tests and demonstration audio to turn your dream of playing the Keyboard into reality in the shortest possible time. Using the book and audio download, you'll develop good Keyboard technique, learn to read notation and chord symbols and understand music theory. As you progress through the days and weeks, you'll begin to play tunes, bass lines and riffs, before improvising and eventually being able to play a range of styles, from blues and jazz to rock and reggae.The Crash Course series condenses many years of learning into an eight week schedule, allowing you to learn the most fundamental parts of the Keyboard in just two months. Each day of each week is logically structured so that you learn the basics through all the key concepts in the most ordered way possible. The accompanying audio download gives you instant online access to matching audio demonstrations of all the exercises, so that you can hear exactly how things should sound, before nailing it yourself.The author, David Mitchell, is an experienced music educator and musician, who has also included a helpful introductory section, where he details what to expect from the Crash Course Keyboard, as well as a brief note on the capabilities of the Keyboard, how to practise effectively and a quick guide to notation, ensuring that even absolute beginners can get started on the instrument with this course.If you are looking for a way to learn the Keyboard but feel like you're too busy during the day, or don't have the motivation to devote so much time to practising, Crash Course Keyboard is for you. By devoting a set amount of time per day to learning, you will progress quickly while the incentive to play will not decrease. In just two months, your playing could be up to a standard you're proud of. / Clavier

Based on popular songs and with easy-to-follow text and diagrams this excellent course assumes no prior knowledge of keyboards or music yet right from the beginning you will be playing arrangements which include a completerhythm section with full sounding chords bass and drums. You play 20 famous songs including 'Bright Eyes' 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina' 'I Left My Heart In San Francisco' and 'When I'm 64'. Instrumental effects include violins jazz organ trumpet and many others.

Noted jazz pianist, composer, recording artist and educator Andy LaVerne has drawn from his decades of experience playing with master musicians from Getz to Lovano to create this comprehensive compendium of contemporary moving voicings. Quartal, quintal, drop 2, dominant 7b9/diminished, triadic, whole tone and chromatic performance proven voicings pioneered by McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Andy himself are presented and fleshed out in all twelve keys. This book picks up where others leave off, enabling you to replace static chords with voicings that move melodically, dramatically, and gracefully over the entire range of the keyboard. Firmly rooted in contemporary jazz theory, the emphasis is on practical performance applications. Andy ties it all together with illustrations of comping choruses for five standard jazz tunes. Chords in Motion satisfies a long awaited need in actual comping situations, and shows you how to move chords through varying harmonic rhythms. FINALLY ? a book that gives you moving voicings, and sets them in motion in all twelve keys. Chords in Motion is a valuable resource for all keyboardists, arrangers, and instrumentalists. Activate, animate, and energize your comping with this encyclopedic volume. 156 pages, spiral bound for easy opening. Andy carries the flame of jazz piano tradition and just great music. He always inspires me. Chick Corea This is a great book! I am going to sit down and play through this!! I am always telling my non-piano playing students how important it is to work with (and internalize) the sounds that we live with all our lives as Jazz musicians. Coltrane spent years sitting at the piano and so should all of us!!! John Patitucci Berklee College of Music One thing about Andy?he is complete as can be and has been consistently so for years in both his teaching materials and playing. He is completely knowledgeable in such a way that when I play with him, I know he KNOWS!! Plus he is one of the smoothest and polished of players around. Great book?encyclopedic in content. Dave Liebman Founder, Artistic Director, International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ) I've played and recorded with Andy LaVerne many times over the years and in many different settings and he's always come up with the hippest, most interesting chords in the most musical way! His way of playing and looking at chords inspires me as a drummer and his rhythm section partner to play things that are in turn inspiring to the rest of the band. This book, helps musicians, understand, in a clear thoughtful presentation, how to go about getting this together. Billy Drummond Jazz Drummer, Educator, Juilliard, NYU Chords in Motion is an outstanding and comprehensive guide by Andy LaVerne, whose encyclopedic knowledge, decades of experience and brilliance as a performer and educator make this an invaluable handbook of modern jazz piano harmony. Its user-friendly, intelligent design enables musicians to expand their harmonic palette and potentially transform their playing, writing and arranging. Chords in Motion is an invaluable contribution to jazz musicians! Lynne Arriale Jazz Pianist, Composer, Educator, Associate Professor of Jazz Piano, Director of Small Ensembles, University of North Florida Chords in Motion is exactly the book I'd expect from Andy LaVerne. It's clear, openhearted and inspiring, as has been every conversation I've had with Andy over the years. Long a fan of his playing, I have enjoyed this look behind the curtain at how Andy LaVerne formulated his signature style. One other thing -- any pianist, no matter his/her approach, will gain insight into what will surely be new and exciting musical directions. Pete Malinverni Jazz Pianist, Educator, Director of Jazz Studies, SUNY Purchase College Conservatory of Music What a great resource for expanding the harmonic palette! Chords in Motion is a must have for the aspiring young jazz pianist as well as the seasoned veteran. Another winner from Andy! Paul Schmeling Jazz Pianist, Educator, Chair Emeritus, Piano Department, Berklee College of Music In Chords in Motion, I recognize chords and sounds that have inspired me to compose and play: harmony from the music of Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner. This book is well organized, and from the beginning gets you playing. Each chord structure is explained and developed. There is plenty to practice. I especially like the exercises using contrary motion, arpeggiation

While it's one thing plugging in a Keyboard and playing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star it's quite another discovering all the possibilities of harmony chords and counterpoint. The key to being a successful Keyboard pro is versatility. Basic Keyboard Workout offers you a pocket-sized guide packed to capacity with everything the modern working Keyboard-player needs to play and understand to get the best from their instrument.Beginning with the questions of posture and simple playing techniques this book then becomes a full theory guide that takes you into the worlds of harmony scales chords and rhythms. The tutorials include lessons on: Starting toread musicBasic rhythms and time valuesMajor and minor diatonic harmonyInversions and intervalsPlaying and recognising music by earTechnical skills such as voicings pedalling and developing your dexterityA further series of chapters dives deeper into advanced harmony with unusual and exotic chords and Jazz-influenced progressions all explained in clear and simple English. You will then find a full and detailed guide to your equipment including how to set up correctly using and abusing MIDI how to work with samplers and sequencers and much more besides.Soon you will be armed with the tools to become a formidable Keyboard player with the knowledge to succeed in any musical situation!

common chord sequences, which in turn, will help you to play literally thousands of songs. Click on Contents for more details. Only basic piano technique and basic music-reading skills are needed. You'll want a CD player with headphones at your keyboard—a portable player will do the job!

Rebeca Mauleón-Santana, author of the critically-acclaimed Salsa Guidebook for Piano and Ensemble and co-editor of The Latin Real Book, creates the ultimate resource for the aspiring as well as the seasoned Afro-Caribbean pianist with her newest book, 101 Montunos. Tracing over one hundred years of development, Mauleón explores the range and variety of the piano's role in popular Afro-Caribbean music, from its early beginnings to the latest in contemporary styles. 101 Montunos is a journey through dozens of styles which form the basis of modern-day Salsa and Latin Jazz, from the Cuban danzón and songo to the Puerto Rican bomba and Dominican merengue. This guide gives detailed examples of the most popular rhythms in Afro-Caribbean music, and includes recorded performances on CDs by the author herself. With a bi-lingual (English/Spanish) text, 101 Montunos gives the reader a glimpse into the intricate and syncopated world of Latin piano-playing, featuring well over one hundred montuno patterns and variations-most including bass lines-as well as several solo fragments by some of the most renowned pianists in the field. This book and two CD package is a must for any pianist or keyboardist wishing to explore the detailed history and technique of this marvelous art form.

If you can play piano but want to learn how to improvise in blues rock and jazz styles this step-by-step method will teach you how. Improvisation is a skill that can be learned but success depends on starting with musical tasks that are easy to achieve and understand and that is the starting point of this book. It's suitable for both piano and electronic keyboard and has easy-to-follow instructions that will get you improvising right from the beginning. The companion CD features examples of the pieces and can be heard with or without the piano part.