05/07/2016

ImprovisationPracticeTipsPart1of2CocktailPianoLessons

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26Comments

February14,2016

Improvisationpracticegoeshandinhandwiththestudyofjazzmusic.Thinkofitthiswaywhen
Beethovenwrotemusicforhisorchestratoplay,hewrotedowneverynote,everyrhythm,every
dynamicfluctuation,everydetailforhismusicianstoplay.ButwhenDukeEllingtonorCountBasie
wrotemusicfortheirbands,theyleftmanyofthedetailstotheindividualplayers.Wholesections
wereimprovisedcollectivelybythebandorleftopenforsoloists.Andthissortofimprovisation
becamesynonymouswiththejazzlanguage.Nowimprovisationpracticeissomethingthatistaught
atalmosteverymusicuniversity.Andinthisarticle,weregoingtoshowyousomeimprovisation
practicetipswhicharemeanttohelpyougetstartedwithimprovisation.Theseexercisesaremeant
forbeginnerimprovisers,buttheyarealsogreatpracticeforalljazzplayers.

ImprovisationPracticeTip#1:Learnthe
ChordTones
Inanutshell,improvisationisallaboutplayingnotesthatcorrespondtoagivenchord.Sowhenjazz
playerslookatapieceofmusicandareaskedtoimprovise,theyarereallylookingatthechord
symbolsandthinkingofthenoteswhichcorrespondtothatchord.Andtherearecertainnotesthat
areveryimportanttoknowforagivenchordthechordtones.Thechordtonesaretheindividual
noteswhichspellthechord.Forexample:

Inordertoimproviseyouneedtobeabletoquicklyidentifythechordtones,andpracticetip#1will
haveyoumemorizingthechordtonesquickly.Letstakethechordstothefirst4measuresofFly
MetotheMoon.Ataslowtempo,playtheroot,3rd,5th,and7thofeachchord.(Yourlefthandcan
playtherootsofthechordsortheactualchords).

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05/07/2016

ImprovisationPracticeTipsPart1of2CocktailPianoLessons

Practicedoingthisthroughtheentiresonguntilyoureabletoplayfrombeginningtoend,intime,
throughallofthechordswithnomistakes.

ImprovisationPracticeTip#2:Advanced
ChordTonePractice
Nowthatyouveworkedthroughasongplayingroot,3rd,5th,7ththroughallofthechords,practice
changingtheorderofthechordtones.Forexample,tryplaying3rd,7th,5th,root.

Next,practiceplayingthroughthefollowinginversions:
1.7th,5th,3rd,root
2.root,7th,3rd,5th
3.5th,root,3rd,7th
4.3rd,5th,root,7th
5.3rd,root,7th,5th.
Rememberthatthegoalistobeabletoplaythroughanentiretuneintime,correctlyidentifyingthe
chordtonesintheproperorder.

ImprovisationPracticeTip#3:FourNote
Patterns
Forthispracticetipweregoingtousefournotestheroot(or1st),2nd,3rd,and5thofeach
chord.Formajoranddominantchordsthiswillbetheroot,major2nd,major3rd,andperfect5th.
Forminorchordsthiswillbetheroot,major2nd,minor3rd,andperfect5th.

Onceyouveplayedthroughtheaboveexercise,practicevariouspermutationsof1,2,3,5over
eachchord.Forexample,tryplaying:
1.1,3,2,5
2.1,5,3,2
3.5,3,2,1
4.3,2,5,1
5.2,3,5,1.
Onceyouvemasteredtheseexercises,checkoutPart2ofthisarticlewhichpresentsmore
advancedpracticeexercises.

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05/07/2016

ImprovisationPracticeTipsPart1of2CocktailPianoLessons

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26Comments

WaleFalolu

Com m ents

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March22,2016

Reply

Thispresentationwassosimpletocomprehend.Ifyoucontinuetoteachuslikethis,we
wouldhavebeenreplicatedwithsomuchofuinus.Kindlyprovidethesearticlesinpdffor
download.Pleaseeee.Amonbendedknees
Youareblessed

PaulWilkieGoopio

March22,2016

Reply

March22,2016

Reply

March22,2016

Reply

HiWillie,
Thankyouverymuchfortheimprovisationinformation.
Iwillpracticethisexercise.

claricemouro
HiWillie,goodlesson,
thankyouforthis,
ambraces,
Clarice

DominiqueRobert
DearWillie,

Iadmireyourperseveranceatteachingyoualwaysseemtocomeupwithnewwaysto
helpusout.
Idoappreciateitverymuch.
Thishasgottobethepassionofyourlife!
Thankyou,Dominique

Ric

March22,2016

Reply

ThisisjustthekindofstuffthatIwillincorporateintomypractice.IknowWilliepreaches
thatyouhavetohavethisknowledgeinbothhandsleftforbaselinesandrightfor
improvisation.Icanreallystarttoseetheimportanceofallofthistheoryknowledgetobe
abletocallonitattherightmomentbecauseinthetimeyouthinkaboutwhatyouneedto
dothemomentispassed.GuessIbettergetbacktopracticing.

Chris

March22,2016

Reply

http://cocktailpianolessons.com/improvisationpracticetipspart1of2/?utm_campaign=blogarticles&utm_medium=email&utm_source=emailautomated&u 3/6

05/07/2016

ImprovisationPracticeTipsPart1of2CocktailPianoLessons
Hi,
HowdoyougettoPart2?
Thanks!

kanderson

March23,2016

Reply

Part2ishere:http://cocktailpianolessons.com/improvisationpracticetipspart2of
2/

RonGuarascio

March22,2016

Reply

March23,2016

Reply

GreatarticleWillie,asalways,simplifiedandinteresting.

Patricia
HIWillie

IhavebeenpractisingtheDay1&2improvisation,andhavejusttakenalookatthis
unfortunatelyIamcluelessastowhattheroot,3rd,5th,and7thmeans.Iwouldalsoliketo
knowwhatthenumbersontehimprovisationsheetmeanse.g.3,5,7etc.pleasecanyou
help.
Otherthanthat,enjoyingthelessons
Regards
P

Ric

March25,2016

Reply

IfyouareastudentofWilliesyoucanlookupthelessonondiatonicchords.That
answersthequestionthatyouraise.IfyoutakeaCmajorkeytherootisC,the2nd
isD,thethirdisE,thefourthisF,thefifthisG,thesixthisA,theseventhisBand
thenbacktotheroot.Ifyouknowscaledegreesthenyoucanreferto(ortranspose
to)anyofthe12keys.Knowingthatshorthandwillgreatlyincreaseyour
understandingofkeys.

Art

March23,2016

Reply

Goodtohearfromyouagainwiththesesimplebutusefultips.Youliketoshareyour
musicalknowledgeanddoitwell.ImustconfessthatIalsoliketosharemymusical
knowledgeinnovationsthatasanadvancedplayerIhavediscoveredoveralifetimeof
musicalexplorations.Thingslikehowtoexercisewithoutakeyboardaerobicand
anaerobictrainingsessionsdifferentpracticetechniquesforincreasing(a)onesfingers
strengthand(b)workingonspeedandothersuseofPranayamaexercisestostimulate
bonegrowthoftheweakerfingers,etc.
Idbegladtosharemyexperienceswithyouifyoudontfinditpresumptuousofastudent
toprovideinputstohisteacherandif,fromthelittleIsaid,youdbeinterestedinreading
aboutsomeofthetopicsImentioned.
Alwayapleasuretolearnmorewithyourcourses.
Best,
Art

GeoffCoope

March23,2016

Reply

Thanksforallthefreestuff,itsgreatthatyougivesuchvaluableinformationforfree.Ireally
enjoyalltheHangwithWillielessons.Iwouldliketobecomeafullmemberofyoursite,but
unfortunately,duetomypersonalfinancialsituation,Icantaffordit.HoweverIdobuy
coursesandlessonsfromtimetotimewhenIcan.Ihaveenjoyedthemall,andthanksto
you,myplayingisimprovingallthetime.

RobertFisher

March23,2016

Reply

Hi,Willie,Greatinformation.Welllaidoutforeasypractice.SometimesIthinkthese
smallerpiecesofinfoareeasiertoworkwith:lessclutteranddistraction.eg.Thisisthe
pieceIhavetolearntoday,nothingelsetotimewaste.Youreallyareamastermusician
andteacher.Welldone.

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05/07/2016

ImprovisationPracticeTipsPart1of2CocktailPianoLessons
Susie

March23,2016

Reply

excellent,thankyouforsharingallofyoursecretswithus,Ijustlovethepianolessons,
youretheGreatest.

Thomas

March23,2016

Reply

HiWillieandeveryone!
Willie,howwouldyouplayAmazingGraceusingpolychords?

lew

March23,2016

Reply

March24,2016

Reply

goodstuff

Patrick

Hey,Thisisareallygroovyexercise.PLEASEgivemesomemore.

FranciaNava

March24,2016

Reply

Hiwillie,thanksforshearingallyourexperincewithus,thisisanicestuffformeasIlove
jazzandcocktailmusic.Imgoingtopracticetomakeprogress.Ifoloowasposibleallthe
Hangwithwillieandotherwebinarsyoudotheseareexelentlessons,Iappreciatethemso
much.Ialsoreadyourarticlesandgetthetips.Goodblessyouwillie.

Corazon

March24,2016

Reply

March24,2016

Reply

GREATTIPS!!!

ArnfiArnfinHaavik
Ilikeyourimprovisationtipsandfindithelpful.

HoweverWouldliketoknowwhichofthe5alternativesyoulistundertip2andtip3areyou
favoritesoIcouldconcentrateonthosefirst

FiduFernandes

March24,2016

Reply

HiWilliealwaysapleasuretolearnmorewithyou.Thanksforallthefreestuff.

Mike

March25,2016

Reply

March26,2016

Reply

HiWillie,
thanksforthiscoolguide.

JohnMacMillan

ManythanksforyourgenerosityinsharingyourskillsandknowledgeWillie.
Iloveyourstuffandyourstyleofteaching.Iama72yearoldlivinginVietnamandjust
startingoutonpiano.Igetsomuchenjoymentfromyourlessons.

PeteHeveron

March30,2016

Reply

Thanksforthegreatlesson,Ihaveseenthistypeofinfobeforebutyoupresentitinan
organized,easytofollowformat.ThisiswhyIamaloyalfollowerofyourlessons.

deborahcamuti

April4,2016

Reply

April5,2016

Reply

Greatlessonwillie!

DonnaPatterson

Thanksforthebasics.Thefoundationissoimportanttobuildon.Wenewbiesthankyou.

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