Piano improvisation

Erik Deutsch

186 videos

Intermediate

Become a pro at improvising on any jazz standard through this course!

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THE PROGRAM

Piano improvisation

Do you dream of improvising on any jazz standard, but don’t know how? In this online course, Erik Deutsch, a famous American pianist and composer who has collaborated with international music stars such as Norah Jones, The Chicks or Rosanne Cash, presents us with his method to improvise on any piece using a simple chord grid. You will learn the basics of improvisation through the review of major, minor and blues scales. Erik will show you how to improvise freely and easily from a basic accompaniment of chords in their fundamental form. Your course will then focus on modes, learning to play from a grid and working on phrasing in order to progressively energize and work on your improvisation. Finally, you’ll be able to improvise with him on your favorite jazz standards! Throughout the course, you will be able to practice and apply Erik’s advice using interactive playbacks.

LESSON PRESENTATION

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The main concepts taught

Major, minor, blues scale

Modes & phrases

Backing track

Rhythm

Jazz standards

The program proposed by Erik Deutsch

Using a straightforward method, Erik Deutsch will transform you into a virtuoso of piano improvisation.

Module 1: Major, minor and blues scales

Chapters

Notions
Introduction to the improvisation
  • Introduction
Free or open improvisation
  • Introduction
  • Exploring the piano sonically
  • Imitating Sounds from the world
  • Tell a Story
Improv with a major scale
  • The major scale
  • Questions and answers
  • Putting it all together
Improv with a minor scale
  • The minor scale
Using the blues scale
  • The blues scale
  • Improvising on 12 bar blues
  • Conclusion

Module 2 : Modes

Chapters

Notions
The modes
  •  Introduction
Exploring the different Minor Scales
  • Natural Minor vs. Dorian
  • Quick Review of Harmonic and Melodic Minor
Exploring Lyrical Improvisation
  • Using text to creat improvised melodies
Exploring other Major Scales
  • The Mixolydian Scale
  • The Lydian Scale
Improvising Between Tonalities
  • Connecting major scales with improvised melody
  • Connecting minor scales with improvised melody
  • Connecting major and minor scales with improvised melody
Improvising thru a II – V – I progression
  • The Progression
  • Improvising over two different II V I
Improvising thru an advanced Blues
  • The Progression
Structrued Free Improvisation
  • Improv with basic parameters
Conclusion
  • Félicitations

Module 3: Improvising on a standard

Chapters

Notions
Introduction to improvisation – part 3
  •  Introduction
Improvising over different feels
  • Swing feel
  • Latin feel
  • Funk/Soul
  • Open/Rubato
Improvising on a simple jazz standard
  • Introduction
  • Improvising on So What – Miles Davis
  • Improvising on Blue Bossa – Kenny Dorham
  • Improvising on Solar – Miles Davis
Improvising on “rhythm changes”
  • Improvising on Oleo – Sonny Rollins
Improvising on a ballad
  • Improvising on My Funny Valentine – Richard Rodgers / Lorenz Hart
Creating a free improvised
  • 3-minutes piece
Altered Dominant Scale Theory
  • The 2 Golden Rules
  • Building the scale
Improvising over diminished tonality
  • Fully diminished
  • Half diminished
Improvising on a modern standard
  • Using Patterns and Shapes
  • Improvising on Well you Needn’t – Thelonius Monk
  • Improvising on Naima – John Coltrane
  • Improvising on El Gaucho – Wayne Shorter
Congratulations
  • You did it !

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A word from your teacher

You don't have to be a virtuoso to enjoy this course, but a basic understanding of two-handed piano playing is preferable. If you are a complete novice, we recommend that you take one of our beginner piano classes to learn these basics.

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