learn jazz piano

This is a major for me. I play classical and have only just come to the realisation that jazz can be learned and is not a case of “you either have it or you don’t”.

I’ve bought a fake book and I’m getting to grips with adding notes to seventh chords. I can’t wait till I can start working with scales!

I want to be a versatile pianist, accompanist, chamber musician, repetiteur and be in a band! I want to know everything there is to know about piano!!

Working on Aziza’s “Vagif’s Prelude”.
It’s eargasmic:)

In light of the previous comment given to me, I feel bad about doing this, but…

After unpacking, I can’t seem to find my power supply or pedal for my keyboard. This seems as good a sign as any that it’s time to give more love to my neglected guitar. So I’m switching over for a little while to my “learn jazz guitar” goal. Even though piano is my true love, I miss my guitar a lot and I know she misses me.

Reviewing my original list of things to do:

1. Become fluent in block chords/upper structures (upper structures are completely my style—I fell in love as soon as I learned about them)

2. Handle changes better when thinking about scales (almost everything derived from melodic minor still isn’t 2nd nature to me)

3. Memorize tunes at a level where I can transpose at will.

I’ve worked on all these tasks at least a little bit. I’m going to now go back to #1 and try my hand at block chords. They intimidate me a little, but my piano book provides some step-by-step exercises. I’m starting with drop-2 chords for maj6/min6 over all keys.

I’ve done enough of this—my scale knowledge is much better now, and I’m sick of them!! I need a new drill. Any suggestions?

Still doing this exercise, and I think I’m getting better. Scales are becoming more automatic. But I don’t know if it’s really improving my solos! I guess time will tell.

I must be slow, but 1 tune per day seems to be enough for this exercise. Let’s try this for the next couple of weeks.

Well, I think the biggest problem was that “stardust” was a bit too tricky for me to try and transpose and think about scales at the same time. So let’s scale back the operation. I’ll make sure I run through scales for 2 tunes from the fake book every day.

It’s not that I couldn’t do it if I put the time in on it, but I’ve kinda lost interest. The fact is, I have far too much that I want to get better at and since I already have some proficiency at classical piano, I’d rather just stick to that for the time being. I’d like to feel good at something again.

I really want to work on jazz guitar.. if I reach my guitar goals, I will come back to jazz piano…