These Foolish Things, Improvisation

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Welcome to jazz pm skills. I'm Dr. Bob Lawrence. It's time to discover, learn and play, jazz piano. Hard to believe. Right here we are week three of our three week exploration of the jazz standard, these foolish things. Week one, two weeks ago, we looked, we looked at the harmonic foundation of the tune right, followed by last week's dissecting of the melody to be followed up today with a challenging look at various ways to use these foolish things for developing our improvisational skills. Now, what's great about our three tier approach harmony, Melody improvisation, to study in tunes is that it quickly reveals and I mean quickly reveals our strengths and weaknesses regarding various essential jazz piano skills. And how important is that? Right? How important is it that we know our strengths and weaknesses? Well, the the bottom line is that there's no way to improve our plane without having an accurate understanding assessment of our plane, the last couple of weeks podcast episodes. And today's lesson do exactly that. Right? They they give us a no bars hold report card, if you will, of where we stand with our ability to play critical jazz piano skills. Now I've made a point on several occasions, to to mention that there is a sequential order to learn how to play jazz piano, no doubt about it, there is a sequential order, which really sent it really shouldn't be a surprise, right? After all, I cannot think of any high level skill that you can successfully develop without having a strategic plan, a sequential plan. And I can confidently guarantee you that a scattershot approach, or what I like to call a YouTube approach to trying to learn how to play jazz piano will only cause frustration, confusion, and ultimately, ultimately, you given up in the raising of the white flag. So my goal from day one with jazz piano skills has been to not only introduce you to the essential jazz piano skills discover, but to also provide you with a way to successfully study the skills learn and a process for developing a physical command of the skills play. I've also mentioned several times since the start of the new year that if you have been a faithful jazz piano skills listener for the past four plus years, you have become intimately familiar with the jazz panel skills needed to begin tune study. I also mentioned that if you haven't been grinding along with us over the past four years, no worries, no big deal. This is a great time to jump on board and begin developing. Begin enhancing your jazz panel skills. attune study we are going to be doing every month, we'll help you sift through and prioritize the last four years of podcast episodes so so that you can begin maximizing your jazz piano skills right now immediately. So if you're a jazz piano skills veteran, or a jazz piano skills, rookie makes no difference. You're in the right place at the right time to begin a jazz piano journey that will have a profound impact on your understanding of music, and of course, on your jazz piano playing as well. So today, you are going to discover an improvisation approach for these foolish things. You are going to learn improvisational zones, patterns, motifs, and more for these foolish things. And you're going to play ascending descending patterns and motifs through the changes of these foolish things along with common tones and neighboring zones. So as I've always liked to say regardless of where you are in your jazz journey, a beginner intermediate player, an advanced player or even if you consider yourself a seasoned and experienced professional, you're gonna find this jazz panel skills podcast lesson, exploring these foolish things to be very beneficial. But before we get started before we dig in, I want to as I always do welcome first time listeners to jazz piano skills. If you're new to jazz piano skills if you're new to jazz piano skills podcast, I want to personally invite you to become a jazz piano skills member. Your membership grants you access to the premium content for this podcast episode and every weekly podcast episode. premium content will help you thoroughly and correctly discover, learn and play the jazz standard that we are currently exploring, and so much more. For example, as a jazz piano skills member, you can access the past current and future educational weekly podcast packets. These are the illustrations the lead sheets in the play along the backing tracks right that I have designed and developed to help you to get the most out of each weekly jazz panel skills podcast episode, you have access to a self paced and sequential jazz piano curriculum, right loaded with comprehensive courses containing educational talks, interactive learning media, there's video demonstrations in all 12 keys of the jazz panel skill being explored and so much more. You know, it's funny just those two right the educational weekly podcast and the sequential jazz panel curriculum and all the courses well worth the membership. But there's more you you also have a reserved seat in my online weekly masterclass, which is held every Thursday evening. Now, if you can't attend, no problem master classes are recorded. And you can watch the video and rewatch the video of the class whenever and as often as you wish. You also as a jazz panel skills member have access to an online interactive Fakebook containing must know jazz standards, all of them with excellent chord changes, chord scale relationships mapped out harmonic function analysis, listening suggestions and historical insights. As a jazz panel skills member, you can hang out with old friends make some new jazz piano friends in the online private jazz piano skills community, which hosts a variety of engaging forums. And finally, as a jazz panel skills member, you have unlimited, private, personal and professional educational support, whenever and as often as you need it. All of these amazing privileges are waiting for you wanting to help you discover, learn and play jazz piano. So check it all out at jazz piano skills.com. And of course, become a member to enjoy premium podcast content, as well, as well as all the other privileges that I've just mentioned. Of course, if you get to the website and poking around a little bit, you have some questions, do not hesitate to contact me. I am happy to spend some time with you answer any questions that you may have, and help you in any way that I can. Okay, so on to the question of the week. This week's question comes from Mary Fossen. Living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mary writes, is it better to practice with a metronome backing track or neither? I have always struggled with determining the best approach to practicing various skills, like scales and arpeggios. And if I am, to be completely honest, if I am 100% honest with you. I'm not even sure if I'm using the metronome or backing tracks correctly. Please help and help us in all caps. So, Mary, I love your question and your honesty. I'll let you in a little secret. Most people, most people don't know how to use a metronome or backing tracks either. Right? They just do not use them correctly. So don't feel bad. I guarantee you you are not alone. Okay, so metronomes and backing tracks are timekeepers. They both do the same thing. They help us develop our internal sense of time. They help us accurately assess how good we are at establishing and maintaining time when performing. That's what they do. They help us determine our ability to track time when playing right, a constant awareness of count one. Why is it so important? Why is time so important? Well, quite simply, because music is played in time. It's a performing art that requires time. Time to a musician is like Canvas to an artist, an artist can't paint without a canvas. Musicians can't play without time.

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So time is necessary. Therefore, we must make a conscious effort to continually daily, I would add, to practice time that continual effort conscious effort to practice time. And how do we practice time? Well, we do so with the help of a metronome and, or backing tracks. Right backing tracks, right, really, there. It's a musical metronome. That's what backing tracks are. So your question of which is better to practice with a metronome or, or backing tracks? The answer is simply both, right? It's not an either or proposition. Now, my teaching experience, over the years has shown me that people do not have a problem turning on a metronome or backing track. In other words, physically operating the tool is not the problem. The problem is that once they turn on a metronome, all the clicks end up sounding the same, even when there's a little chime that is sounded on count one. So the problem is not operational. In other words, the the problem is a reactive void. In other words, no internal response to the audible presence of time thinking that's what a metronome and backing tracks do they make audible time, right, so reactive void? And what reaction what response should we want to experience? When we turn on the metronome or the backing track? The answer is the immediate identification of count one. Bottom line, there is no need to worry about counts two, three, and four if you have no idea where count one is. So regardless of the tool, you are using a metronome or backing tracks marry, make sure that you are consciously aware of and tracking count one. And once you begin locking in on count one, you have no problem properly using the metronome or backing tracks. Right, you'll enjoy both. So you can stop struggling with which tool is best to use because quite honestly, the like I just mentioned they do the same thing. If you want a musical setting, then fire up your backing tracks. If you want to remove audio distractions like drums, guitars, horns, bass, etc. and hone in on developing a specific aspect of your technique set in time, I would suggest grabbing your metronome. If you're struggling with locating count one, begin practicing, playing count one, only. Strike count one with a chord on the piano. I hand clap, rhythm sticks, a knife on the kitchen table. Whatever. Right? The stronger your count one, the easier it will be for you to properly utilize the metronome and backing tracks. And in fact, once you begin nailing count one, the metronome and backing tracks will become a source of joy when practicing instead, instead of a cause of struggle. Okay, so embrace both Mary. And I hope this answer helps. And as always, if if more clarification is needed, by all means, reach out, do not hesitate. I'm happy to expound explore this question further with you and help you in any way that I can. Okay,

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let's discover, learn and play jazz piano right. Let's discover, learn and play these foolish things. Let's do a little improvisation. Two weeks ago, I presented my outline for studying and learning any tune? And again, as I've mentioned several times the genre makes no difference right jazz rock pop, country folk r&b Makes no difference. Now here's a quick refresh. All right, number one we listen. Number two, determine form. Number three, learn chord changes, voicings, number four, learn melody, and treatments. And number five, explore improvisation. This is what we do every month. With every new tune that we tackle. We listen, determine form, learn chord changes and voicings, or melody and treatments, explore improvisation approaches. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. So two weeks ago, we focused on gaining harmonic familiarity in command of these foolish things. So we listened. We determined the form we explored, the chord changes harmonic function and voicings. Last week, we focused on an in depth a lot of analysis of these foolish things. So we turned our attention to guide tones and phrases, target notes, interpretation fingerings. Our goal has been and will always be right with our study, with our analysis of attune to keep things really clean, really tidy, really organized with our approach. Again, whether it's a scale study or tune study, it makes no difference. Our conceptual understanding of all that we do musically must be structured must be simple, so that we can replicate it over and over and over again, y'all can attest to the fact that I have said it many times, many times over the past four years. In fact, they say at every episode, if your conceptual understanding of music, or any musical skill is is not structured and simple. It is unorganized and confusing that if it's unorganized and confusing conceptually upstairs, then you have no shot at executing in your hands downstairs on the piano. Therefore, we keep our tune study, organized, structured, simple, and replicatable. So the educational agenda for today is as follows. Number one, we are going to begin part three, to discover, learn and play these foolish things and improvisation approach. Number two, we are going to listen to a definitive recording of these foolish things. Number three, we will discover the importance of simple math, three plus four plus five. Number four, we will discuss zones patterns and motifs. What are they? How are they different? And why are they important for developing improvisation skills. Number five, we will unveil two patterns you must absolutely and unequivocally have a command of conceptually and physically if you ever hope to develop improvisation skills. Number six, we will explore how to turn patterns into motifs that are idiomatic to jazz. Number seven, we will discover learn and play patterns through the changes of these foolish things. Number eight, we will discover learn and play motifs through the changes of these foolish things. Number nine, we're going to look at common tones today as well. And we're going to look at neighboring zones. And number 10 We will be playing all demonstrations today at a very, very comfy ballad tempo of 60. Wow, we have a ton to do today. So if you are a jazz panel skills member which can take few minutes minutes right now and hit that pause button, download and print your podcast packets, your illustrations, your leash sheets, your play alongs. Again, your membership grants you access to the premium content for every weekly podcast episode, which includes all of the educational podcast packets, and I mentioned that every week that you should have these podcast packets in your hands when listening to this episode. And of course, you should have them sitting on your piano when practicing. So if you are listening to this podcast on any of the popular podcast directories such as Apple or Google Spotify, I don't there's a million of them right I Heart Radio Amazon Pandora, then go directly to jazz panel skills podcast.com That's jazz piano skills podcast.com And you will find the active download links for each podcast packet in the show notes. Or if you're into convenience, you can log into your jazz piano skills account and from your dashboard. Navigate to this episode will where you will find one convenient link to download all three podcast packets in one convenient bundle. Okay, so now that you have your podcast packets in front of you, I want you to grab your lead sheets and you should have six lead sheets Six of them. lead sheet one provides you with root position arpeggios for the chord changes of these foolish things. Okay, that's lead sheet one or skill one. Now lead sheet two, skill two, provides you with root position scales, right. In other words, the chord scale relationships that exist within these foolish things. Scale three, lead sheet three provides you with us ascending patterns and motifs focus focusing on various targets and tension notes for these foolish things. Okay, that's lead sheet three, lead sheet four, right scale four provides you with these ascending patterns and motifs. Again, focusing on various target and tension notes for these foolish things. lead sheet five lead sheet five is a is a new lead sheet in your packet this week, it is focusing on the common tones, common tones through each of the chord changes found in these foolish things. And we'll talk more about that when we get to lead sheet sic five, and lead sheet six, lead sheet six provide you with an outline of common or I should say not neighboring, neighboring zones for each of the chord changes found within these foolish things. So we have six lead sheets in your packet. We're going to walk through each of these today and discuss them in a course in the master class Thursday evening, we will even dive deeper into each of these lead sheets. So no question about it some invaluable tools to help you discover, learn and play. So let's get after this, right? What is the very first thing that we do when studying and learning to tune? We do it every month. We do it every week, right? We're going to do it again today. Because you should always be doing it always. And I stress it every week listening, listening, listening and listening to various renditions of a tune is not only the first thing that you should do, but I I always say I think it's the most important step of all. Again, I can't imagine attempting to learn a tune before spending time with it. Just listening, becoming familiar with it, absorbing it. Right now I typically as you know, I typically listen to vocal renditions first, right, followed by instrumentalist, and then followed by pianist, right bottom line, I listen. And that's what we're going to do right now before going any further. Two weeks ago, we listened to the great Johnny Hartman, give us a beautiful vocal rendition of these foolish things. Last week, we checked out Scott Hamilton and his tenor saxophone I always love Mr. Hamilton and his plane. And what a great rendition he provided for us of these foolish things. Today, we turn our attention to pianist, one of my favorite pianist of all time, Mr. Bill Evans. Now, this is a recording from an album called some other time, the last session from the Black Forest. Okay. And this recording was on earth, right? I think back in like 2016. And, and it was originally or initially recorded in 1968 in Germany, but not released until 2016. Right? It's like 50 years later. It's remarkable. And it features Eddie Gomez on bass, and a very young Jack Dasia. Net that you probably are familiar with, as the drummer for Keith Jarrett. So here we have Bill Evans, Eddie Gomez, Jack deja net, given his a beautiful rendition of these foolish things. So sit back, relax, as always grab a cup of coffee or your favorite beverage.

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And check this out. It's beautiful. Here we go.

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Wow. I'm speechless. That's just not fair. It's just not fair. How gorgeous is that? Bill Evans, Eddie Gomez, Jack deja net these foolish things. So now that certainly inspires us so let's let's dive in and make some progress here today with these foolish things. So grab lead sheet one skill one, lead sheet one skill one, these foolish things. As you can see, on this lead sheet, I have just simply notated ascending. Thank you for listening to jazz piano skills. The remaining premium content of this episode is available to jazz piano skills members at jazz piano skills podcast.com Visit jazz piano skills.com To learn more about membership privileges, and become a jazz piano skills member. Thank you.