Jazz Articles
Jazz Piano Improvisation: The 12 Step Method
Ready to improve your jazz improvisation skills for the piano? This step by step article will help. Jazz is such an amazing art form. Unlike classical music where the notes are the same each time, in jazz, each performance of a tune is unique to the performer doing it! At the highest levels each time you…
Read MoreJazz Advice – How To Achieve Laser Focus In The Practice Room
All right, today I want to talk about some important jazz advice for practicing. This is something that will make or break you as you go through your piano learning journey. This one concept is critical. What you do on a daily basis, your habits, and what you choose to practice at the piano, will…
Read More3 Best Jazz Albums To Study – Advice For Students
In today’s video I’m going to tell you about 3 of the best jazz albums that changed my musical life. These best jazz albums are my 3 recommendations for students who want to begin learning jazz from recordings. All 3 of these recordings completely changed my life as a player. I learned a ton from…
Read MoreEmotional Chords: How To Tell Stories With Chords
Are you looking for emotional chords? Would you like to tell a story every time you play? Would you like your listeners to feel like they’ve been on an incredible journey every time you sit down at your instrument? Well this article and video should help. We talk all the time about jazz theory on…
Read MoreEasy Jazz Chord Progression Trick
Ready to learn a simple jazz chord progression trick you can apply to any type of music? Well, one of the most popular chord progressions you’ll find in most styles of music is a I chord going to a IV chord. (Free video below) Since this is used all over the place in music it’s always…
Read More2 5 1 Mastery – Super Jazz Theory Shortcuts
Today you’re going to dive into some awesome 2 5 1 jazz theory shortcuts! Does learning useful shortcuts to the most common chord progression in jazz interest you? If so, you’re in the right place. 2 5 1 is the most common chord progression in jazz. We’re going to dive deep into the pattern behind…
Read MoreZero To Jazz Piano Hero Program Thank You Video
Hi! Just wanted to take a quick second and say thank you to everyone who’s already ordered the Zero To Jazz Piano Hero Program so far. I’m incredibly humbled and honored by the response thus far. It’s truly been amazing. While my team and I were packaging the orders I thought I’d create a little video…
Read More2 Essential Syncopation Tricks
Want to learn some awesome syncopation moves that you can use to add energy and excitement to your arrangements? Cool! (video below) You can use move #1 to make your left chord hand patterns much more exciting. You can move #2 to add energy to a bland & boring melody. Both of these rhythms are must have moves…
Read MoreHow To Organize Your Chord Practice
Are you searching for an easy way to organize your chord practice? You’ve come to the right place. In this lesson you’ll find a free sample from my beginner jazz piano course, “The Zero To Jazz Piano Hero Program” (Free sample video tutorial below) Update: The Zero To Jazz Piano Hero Program has been released! You can…
Read MorePlaying Piano Chords With Both Hands: Free Tutorial
Time to have fun playing piano chords with both hands! (Free video lesson below) In today’s new video you’ll learn 3 easy ways of playing 2 handed piano chords. Every pianist needs to know these. Lets get started learning! Why A Free Playing Piano Chords With Both Hands Tutorial? I’ve filmed this free video below to…
Read MoreFly Me To The Moon Piano Tutorial
Ready to learn how 2 jazz masters would play the Fly Me to the Moon piano chord progression? Well you’re in the right spot my friend! (free video lesson below) In today’s fun new video you’re going to learn how jazz masters Bud Powell and Bill Evans would play the first 8 bars of the tune.…
Read MoreMajor 7th Chord Tutorial: Play Like The Pop Legends
Want to learn an easy formula for the major 7th chord? Want to learn how Elton John, Bruno Mars, The Beatles, & John Legend use this chord to create magic in some of their biggest hits? You’ve come to the right place! (free video lesson below) Today’s fun new video will teach you the building blocks…
Read MoreHow To Improvise With Symmetrical Scales
Symmetrical Scales: As an art form has seen countless permutations. Starting with simple blues melodies in the early 1900s; incorporating chromaticism and arpeggios with the rise of bebop led by Charlie Parker in the 1940s. Taking a dive into the modal era pioneered by Miles Davis in the 50s and 60s; through even more experimentation…
Read MorePiano Transposition Secrets Masterclass
Do you want to skyrocket your piano transposition skills? ==>Click here to register for this masterclass Alright, so over the years we’ve talked about a lot of different strategies to really take advantage and maximize your practice time right… We all only have 24 hours in the day. So, when we can find ways to shortcut…
Read MoreAnnouncing A Brand New Piano Lessons Online Website
Hey there! We’ve got a major announcement today. I’m so excited to release this video. So, over the years we’ve had a ton of requests from students who’ve asked us if we could create some different styles of music in our tutorials. I’ve heard things like, “We love the jazz tutorials but can you also teach…
Read MoreSlash Chords Simplified : Video Tutorial
What are slash chords? Have you ever run into a chord chart or lead sheet that shows 2 notes with a slash in between them? It would have looked something like this F/A or B/D# ? These are known as slash chords! Ever wondered how to play them? Today’s quick and fun lesson teaches you…
Read MorePentatonic Scale Piano Made Easy
Would you like to learn more about pentatonic scale piano techniques? Well, you’ve come to the right place! In today’s free video lesson you will quickly learn how to incorporate pentatonic scales into your improvisation skill set. After watching this video your music will sound that much more beautiful. So, be prepared to capture your…
Read MoreHow To Practice Piano – Use Your Time Tips
Do you want to learn more about how to practice piano? Today I want to talk about one of the biggest piano practice mistakes that I see jazz piano students make. Many people desperately want to sound better and have more fun at the piano. Yet, when it comes to piano practice, they don’t use their…
Read MoreBeautiful Blues Piano Chords
It’s time to learn some beautiful blues piano chords, moves, and tricks. You can use the moves in today’s video to magically reinvent a basic 12 bar blues chord progression or any simple chord progression. They’re powerful! Ready to get started learning? Special Blues DVD Sample Tutorial In this video Blues Hall Of Fame pianist, Bruce Katz shows you a technique…
Read MoreJazz Harmony: How To Learn Chords More Quickly
Got a great email question from Joe about how to make learning jazz harmony and jazz chords easier. “Hey Steve, Love your playing man! Ok, so I’ve played mostly rock in my life but I’ve always been a sucker for those jazzy chords. It’s time to finally up my chord game. I don’t have a million hours a…
Read MorePiano Practice: A Weird Trick You Can Use To Get More Practice In
Are you struggling to find time for your piano practice? Do you wish you could find a way to motivate yourself to practice piano more than you do now? Well, in the video below I share with you a cool technique that I just learned that will help you do just that! This technique will…
Read MoreLearn Piano: The 7 Most Popular Lessons on FJL in 2015
It’s that special time of year again! Welcome to the 3rd annual list of the 7 most popular free piano lessons of the year. This year was quite a special one. We saw record growth in so many ways: What We’ve Been Up To In 2015 I started this site in 2012. I started by throwing…
Read MoreChristmas Songs For Piano – How Maya Angelou Inspired Me
When you play piano as much as I do, you have to do lots of weird things to stay musically inspired. Sometimes I’ll spend the day listening to Oscar Peterson albums, practice christmas songs for piano, or I’ll learn a new Herbie Hancock chord. Sometimes I’ll just analyze a great composition, or I’ll step away from the piano…
Read MoreWhat Kobe Bryant Taught Me About Becoming A Great Jazz Musician
If you haven’t heard yet, the legendary basketball player Kobe Bryant just announced his retirement. He was one of the all time greats. His talent mixed with his insane work ethic truly made him world class. He’d shoot hundreds of jump shots per day Lift weights Study game film Meditate Sit in ice baths Stretch And get…
Read More4 Piano Improvisation Shapes You Need To Know
Are you struggling with you piano improvisation? Do you find yourself quickly running out of ideas when your soloing? In this free piano improvisation video lesson, I’m going to teach you how to start using a cool improvisation technique called ‘vertical playing’. This chordal based approach to improv will add all kinds of new possibilities into your soloing.…
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