Major Arpeggio Treatments

Welcome to jazz piano skills. I'm Dr. Bob Lawrence. It's time to discover, learn and play jazz piano. Wow, here we go again, right, another week. Another lesson. You know, with that being said, I want to take a second right here right now, at the beginning of this podcast episode to make sure I stress to you and to all jazz panel skill listeners that these weekly jazz piano lessons are not and I repeat are not intended for you to master in a week. I say this because quite often most students, and the odds are that this includes you as well have the impression that when studying music, or when receiving a weekly lesson, that the word weekly means complete or master the content in one week? Well, I want to make sure that I am perfectly clear here and use as few words as possible to refute such thinking. In fact, I'm going to use just one word impossible. The jazz piano skills that we explore each week our skills, quite honestly, you will continue to study and practice for the rest of your life. Now, this reality should not in any way be depressing, in fact, just the opposite. It's extremely important to know. And obviously I think you do know, otherwise you wouldn't be listening to this podcast. But the study of music, especially jazz, is a discipline whose content is conceptually and physically challenging. And it possesses endless, creative possibilities. This is why we are all drawn to jazz and can't get enough of it. It's intellectually challenging, creatively stimulating, artistically rewarding, and simply so much fun to play all of this to say, relax and enjoy the journey. Or as my kids would would would say, chillax. Which I guess is a combination of chill and relax. So, you know, if you want to be hip, use chillax. Stop worrying about trying to learn everything. In a week. It's not gonna happen. Especially the jazz piano skills we discover, learn and play every week, and especially the various melodic treatments we've been tackling the past two weeks, and are about to tackle again today. Before we get started, I want to personally invite everyone who is not currently a jazz piano skills member to join the family. If you're listening to the jazz piano skills podcast through Apple I Heart Radio, Spotify, Google Pandora, or any of the other number of popular podcast directories, take a second visit jazz piano skills.com and become a member. Once you become a member, you will have immediate access to the various educational podcast guides that I develop for each podcast episode. These guides the illustrations the lead sheets the play alongs are designed and developed to help you get the most out of the podcast lesson. They will expedite and maximize your musical growth conceptually, orally and of course, physically. 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The jazz piano skills materials will with out a doubt profoundly change your understanding of and approach to the study and practicing of jazz piano. I guarantee it, head on over to jazz piano skills.com check it out. last two weeks, we have looked at various melodic treatments and apply them to a minor arpeggio the C minor arpeggio followed by a dominant arpeggio last week, the F dominant and today we're going to apply the same five melodic treatments to a major arpeggio, B flat major. We explored the various ways that jazz pianists throughout history have traditionally harmonized orchestrated melodies, their melodic treatments, if you will. And the five treatments that we have been studying are one, the single note treatment that I associate with bud Powell or to the unison line treatment. Oscar Peterson number three, right hand octave with an added fifth treatment. Red garland number four, the locked hands treatment, George sharing. And number five, the fourth the structure, treatment, Herbie Hancock. Now, last week I mentioned that some of you may be thinking that this information, these jazz piano skills, these treatments, a lot of treatments are beyond your current level. And of course, I quickly displayed my heartfelt empathy and compassion with powerful and emotionally moving words of encouragement for you. You remember what I said? Let me remind you I said so what? Right? Too bad so sad. basically get over it. The reality is no jazz piano skill is beyond your attention. No jazz piano skill is beyond your study. And there is no better time than the present. Isn't to be introduced to new, and yes, maybe even advanced jazz piano skills. I also stressed last week that you want, you actually want your jazz piano knowledge to be way out in front of your physical ability. Always. In other words, you want to know way more than you can play. And remember by doing so, you create a dangling carrot that you are trying to grab that you are chasing through your study, and practicing. It is your advanced head knowledge that will be motivating you to consistently practice. Bottom line without having an understanding of the various components that make up the big picture of the art of playing jazz piano, you are left with simply a very vague and out of focus reality, which does the opposite of motivating you to practice instead of vagueness, or out of focus picture of reality. Only discourages you. And guess what? It eventually leads you to giving up all of this to say and I said it again last week, always take any and all opportunities to immerse yourself in the exploration of jazz piano skills beyond your current knowledge base and skill level. This is always a prerequisite to getting better. So don't run away from perceived advanced jazz piano skills. Instead, always run towards them. This is how you are going to get better. Okay, it's time to discover, learn and play major arpeggio treatments. Today you're going to discover five major arpeggio treatments, you're going to learn how to construct major arpeggio treatments, and you are going to play the major arpeggio treatments used by many of the jazz greats. Again, bud Powell, Oscar Peterson, red Garland, George Sherry, Herbie Hancock, you will be in good company, no doubt about it. So again, regardless of where you are, in your jazz journey, a beginner intermediate player and advanced player or even an experienced professional, you will find this jazz piano skills podcast lesson exploring major arpeggio treatments to be very beneficial. Treatment number one, the single note, right pretty straightforward. We're going to take our B flat major seven and play it as an arpeggio, the B flat major seven sound and we're going to play it as an arpeggio. So we're going to start with our B flat. And we're going to ascend through the third through the fifth to the seventh, our destination is the seventh. And what you're going to hear me do here when I demonstrate this is you're going to hear me take this single note approach, ascending and descending. I'm going to begin as I did the last two weeks, I'm going to begin with a half note, interpretation of the arpeggio. I'm going to play through that one time I'm going to ascend and once I get to the top, I'm going to rest for measure and assess right. I'm going to assess what I just played. I'm going to assess the good the bad the ugly, right? How How well did I play the arpeggio? How well did I articulate it? Did I sound like a jazz pianist? Did I rush was I out in front of the beat was I've too far behind the beat, right? So many things to assess. Not just did I play the right notes right, there's more to it than just playing the right notes. So I'm going to play half note interpretation first one time, followed by the arpeggio using quarter notes. Again, resting at the top resting at the bottom to assess followed by the arpeggio being played as eighth notes. Again, resting at the top or resting at the bottom for assessment purposes, and then I'll follow up with a little improvisation using the single note treatment and using only the notes of the arpeggio. Only the B flat, the D, the F, and the A. Alright, I'm not going to be using any approach notes, have step approachment enclosures, not going to use outside harmony, anything, I'm just going to use the straight arpeggio for notes, B flat, D, F, N, a. So I want to bring the ensemble in, and I want to use the single note approachment on the B flat major sound using the B flat major seven arpeggio, the root, the third, the fifth, and the seventh. So let's listen to this. And then we'll talk about it. Okay, so here we go. Let's check it out. Very nice. Now, I want to stress when I played it through first time as half note, only one time. And then I played the arpeggio as quarter notes one time. And then I played the arpeggio as eighth notes, one time, in reality, when I would be practicing, I would be doing each one of those, the half note, quarter note, the eighth notes several times, right, but for the sake of the podcast, so we don't have a three hour podcast here, I only went through one time as a demonstration, right? So don't bypass how important it is to spend time thinking through the single note approachment on any sound, whether it be the B flat major sound or any sound that you're practicing, right, take your time and thoroughly digest the sound using the single note approachment. Now in the educational guide that you can download the illustration guide, you'll see a diagram in there where I have the left hand where you can literally write out the voicing of choice that you want to use for your left hand. And then I have in your right hand notated the root, third, fifth and seventh with room for you to actually notate the notes write the B flat, D, F and a. And to do this, this is laid out for all 12 keys, right? So you can visually write it out and see what you are actually going to be playing very powerful learning tool. Okay, so that's in the illustration, illustration guide that you can do this. Now also, along with that the lead sheet guide has it illustrated on the musical staff, you know, just musical notation. And so you can have that in front of you as well. I have the notation for the right hand laid out for you in the right hand. Again, you would use the voicing of choice, you can use a traditional, you know kind of a block voicing or you can use a traditional shell three note shell or contemporary shell and your left hand when you play the single note treatment in your right hand. Okay, treatment number two, we are going to use the unison line or the Oscar Peterson treatment. So now we're going to play our B flat major arpeggio just like we did in Right hand, but now we are going to mirror that motion in our left hand an octave below. Right great sound. So both hands are going to play the arpeggio in unison. And again, I'm going to do this using half notes to begin, followed by quarter notes, followed by eighth notes one time for demonstration purposes, then I'll do a little improvisation using the unison line approach. And again, I'm just going to be using the four notes of the arpeggio, I am not going to be using any other notes outside of the arpeggio, any scale tones, or any non scale tones. Okay. So now let's listen to this treatment. Let's listen to this demonstration, we'll bring the ensemble in, and then we'll talk about it. Okay, here we got, let's check it out. Very nice. I am always, I'm always amazed at how adding the left hand mirroring the arpeggio with your left hand or the melodic line with your left hand. What a dramatic treatment, what a dramatic change to the sound of that arpeggio by using the unison treatment. It's fantastic. Now again, in the illustration guides that you can download for this, I have both the left hand diagram of both the left hand and the right hand with the root, third, fifth and seventh and room for you to actually physically write out the arpeggio for both hands, and have that in front of you all 12 keys when you're practicing. And likewise, on the music notation, it is laid out in the lead sheet guides, the musical notation is laid out for both hands written out for you. So you can see it that way as well. Again, using both the illustration guide and the lead sheet guide, having those in front of you when practicing in enormous value, no doubt about it. And of course, if you do not have access to play along tracks, the play along guide is there for you to be able to use the play along tracks that I am using while you're practicing at home. So make sure you use those as well. Okay, treatment number three octaves in the right hand with an added fifth between the octaves, the red garland approach. So now we're going to play our B flat major arpeggio. But we're going to play it with B flat played in octaves with the F or the fifth in the middle. Again gives us a really nice chime effect. Then we go to our third the DS played as octaves with the fifth in the middle, which would be the note a then our F as octaves with C in the middle and then our a our seventh Then the note E in the middle, not E flat, E, I know we're playing a B flat major scale. And some of you would be thinking Ionian mode, B flat, C, D, E flat. I'm actually thinking Lydian mode here. Okay? So I have a with E. So now my arpeggio sounds like this beautiful, beautiful sound. So okay, so let's bring the ensemble in. Let's listen to this. And again, I'm going to play the arpeggio first using half notes, then using quarter notes, then using eighth notes, and again, with rest on the top of the arpeggio and resting at the bottom of the arpeggio, in order to assess Okay, so let's bring the ensemble and let's listen to the octaves with the added fifth, the red garland treatment. Let's check it out and see what we think. Here we go. Very cool. What an awesome sound. What an awesome treatment, the octaves with the added fifth. Now in the illustration guide, I have these notated in a diagram again, where in the left hand you can notate place in there a voicing of choice in your left hand. And again, you can use kind of a traditional just block voicing if you'd like or a traditional shell three note shell or, or contemporary three note shell and your left hand while you play the octaves with added fifth in your right hand. Again in the illustration guide that you can download. You can see this diagrammed and you can notate make notes in there and notate all of the shapes so that you can have those sitting on the piano when you're practicing. Likewise, the lead sheet, a guide that you can download, I have the octaves with fifth in the middle notated and a special notation for that sharp four. That's between the octaves based on this on the seventh. That's notated and laid out for all 12 keys for you. So be sure to download the illustration guide and be sure to download the lead sheet guide. And of course, utilize the play along guide if you do not have play along tracks to practice with at home. Okay, let's take a look at treatment number four. Treatment number four locked hands, the classic George sharing sound. So now we're going to split our octave between our right hand and our left hand instead of like instead of playing it in one hand like we just did with the red garland with the octave with the added fifth. We're not going to split the octave between our two hands. So in our left hand, I'm going to have using my thumb, I'm going to play B flat in my right hand using my little finger, I'm going to play B flat and then B in between those B flats. I'm going to fill in with chord tones. So I'm going to have a d f And now let me play all five of those notes together. Nice. So again, B flats, split between the two hands, octave with D, F A, between them, then I go to my D, again played as an octave split between the two hands. In between, I have F, A and B flat. Nice. Now I moved to the fifth the F's an octave with A, B flat, and D, in between. And then finally, the seventh played as octave and an octave split between the two hands with B flat, D, and F, in between. Beautiful. Now here's what the arpeggio sounds like using the locked hand locked hands or George sharing approach. Really nice again. Beautiful. So now let's bring the ensemble in. And I'm going to utilize the exact same approach. Again, half notes, followed by quarter notes, followed by eighth notes, and then a little improvisation using locked hands, and only the four notes of the arpeggio. Okay, so let's bring the ensemble in. Let's take a listen to the locked hands treatment and see what we think. Here we go. Check it out. How cool is that treatment? Wow. Awesome. Again, in the illustration guide that you can download, I have the illustration laid out where you can diagram the left hand and then also fill in and diagram the right hand as well. So you can think through all of this in all 12 keys before heading off to the piano and begin practicing the locked hands on in the lead sheet guide. Again that you can download I have the lock hands laid out the arpeggio, the major arpeggio, right and left hand laid out in all 12 keys again that you can have sitting on the piano. So these visual aids these visual guides will be very beneficial as you are studying and practicing these melodic treatments. And again, the play along tracks I can't say enough you can utilize those download and use those as well to help you place these treatments into a musical context so that you can actually hear them in a musical setting. And you can begin developing your time and your feel while you're at the same time digesting and learning the treatment itself. Smart practice varies Mark practice. Okay, let's move on to our final treatment for today, the fifth treatment, the four fee structures, right. So now we're going to play our B flat major arpeggio. But we're going to have quite a bit going on here in both our hands, right, the first thing I want to mention is that we're going to have five notes that we're playing. And we're going to be playing two in the left and three in the right. Okay, the top note of the five will always be the melodic note. So it's going to be our B flat, D, F, and a, at the top of the shapes. So our B flat major arpeggio to start with B flat and the melody. Okay, so we're going to have our B flat up on top, I'm going to work from the bottom up. Now, in the left hand, I'm going to have a D, A G, and then in my right hand, a C, and an F, with my B flat up on top. So I get this really nice, great B flat sound major sound with B flat as the melody note. Now we're going to go to our third. So now the third D is on top. And from my left hand, my two notes in my left hand, I want to have a G and A C. And my right hand F, B flat, with my melody note D on top. So I get this. Beautiful. Now the melody note f up on top, in my left hand, I'm going to have a D, and my right hand, I'm going to have G and C with My Melody note F on top. So I get this. Awesome. And then my last note of the arpeggio, the A, it's going to be up on top to my left hand, I'm going to have a D, A G, in my right hand, I'm going to have a C and an F, with my a or My Melody note resting on top. So I get this. Beautiful. Now, if you notice those intervals are primarily what fourths, so therefore that's why we call this treatment, the fourth the structures, right? So now this arpeggio, this B flat major arpeggio using this treatment is going to sound like this. Beautiful. Let's do that again. What a sound. What a wonderful sound. So now let's bring the ensemble and let's place this sound into a musical context. That's why play along tracks are really important. Let's place this sound into a musical context. Let's, let's listen to it. Let's see what we think. And then we'll talk about it. Okay, let's check it out. Here we go. Cool, right? Wow, all these treatments are cool, right? Even the single note treatment is cool. And even the single note treatment actually becomes even cooler, when you can utilize other treatments, these other treatments around it, right? So the illustration guide when you download it, okay, I have the left hand laid out for you and the right hand laid out for you using numerical notation, right, your job will be to fill in the graphic, the illustration with the notes. And so I had these diagrams laid out and all 12 keys, and you need to take the time to think through these, especially these 40 structures to think through these on paper, using these diagrams, do this first, right, then you can turn to the lead sheet guide. And I have all these shapes, the right hand, the left hand laid out for you in all 12 keys. And it's really powerful to see the shapes laid out on the musical staff. And I think you're gonna find them to be enormously beneficial to have those sitting on the piano. When you're trying to get these 40 structures under your fingers. It will keep you centered. And on on task, you know, because otherwise, a lot of times what happens is you're playing these shapes, and you'll look down and you'll go like what the heck what what am I actually playing. So these lead the lead sheet guides for these for these structures? Well, you'll find them to be really invaluable. Okay. And again, if you don't have play along tracks, use the play along tracks that you can play along guide that you can download and utilize and access as well. So do that, too. And you'll find that your musical growth, getting these treatments under your hands in your ears, and sorted out in your mind. Your musical growth will be expedited. Indeed for sure. As a jazz piano skills member, you if you ever need help, I am always one click away. 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You have access an open invitation to this Thursday evening master class every week. And you can get your answers questions to your answers to your questions. Taking care of face to face, I'm happy to help you there right. So so many ways for you to get help. And again, as I always mentioned, my entire goal here is to provide you with the very best jazz piano lessons, the very best jazz piano educational resources and materials and the very best jazz piano support that's available anywhere today. Well, I hope you have found this jazz piano skills podcast lesson, exploring major arpeggio treatments to be very insightful and beneficial of course. But don't forget, if you're a jazz piano skills member I just mentioned I will see you online Thursday evening at the jazz panel skills master class 8pm Central time to discuss this podcast episode lesson in greater detail and to answer any questions that you may have about major arpeggio treatments or any questions You have regarding the study of jazz piano in general. And as a jazz piano skills member, be sure to use the educational podcast guides for this lesson, and the jazz piano skills courses as well. And likewise, make sure you are an active participant in the jazz piano skills forums and private Facebook group, get involved and make some new jazz piano friends. As always, you can reach me by phone at 972-380-8050 extension 211 by email, Dr. Lawrence at jazz piano skills calm that's Dr. Lawrence at jazz piano skills.com or by the speakpipe widget that I just mentioned, that's found on the jazz piano skills website in the educational podcast guides and the jazz panel skills courses. So many ways to get help. So that's it for now. And until next week, enjoy the journey. And most of all, have fun as you discover, learn and play jazz piano