I just learned that a new course in jazz piano is coming out today that is five hours long on four separate DVD’s. There are so few good jazz courses around that I’m delighted someone has finally filled that need. … Continue reading →
There are 3 exciting ways to create fresh chord sounds for your songs. Once you learn these 3 ways you’ll never be at a loss to know how to create great chord substitutions, and for the rest of your life … Continue reading →
For a musically minded person who is interested in testing the waters of piano lessons, but who is not quite sure if her commitment is all there, free online beginner keyboard lessons are a great way to quickly find out … Continue reading →
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to write a song especially for a special celebration, or to honor someone that you love? Some people seem to have a natural talent for writing songs. Perhaps you’ve always believed you aren’t … Continue reading →
For many years I used the tri-tone chord progression — in fact it was one of my favorite chord substituions — but I didn’t know what it was called. I thought of it as a way to “slide in” to … Continue reading →
If asked to name a piano piece that is near-perfect, one noted example comes to mind for many people. That piece is Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy. Clair de Lune, the third and most famous movement of Debussy’s Suite … Continue reading →
Chord substitutions is precisely what the name implies: the substitution of one chord for another during a chord progression. It’s a technique often found in jazz music (but other genres, as well) used to add a little extra pizzazz to … Continue reading →
I took piano lessons from the time I was 6 until about 13, but didn’t really get into music until I had a chance to play piano in the school combo my freshman year in high school. The piano player … Continue reading →
Figured bass is a type of notation that uses numbers to denote certain intervals or chords. It can be viewed as a sort of musical shorthand; only the bass note is shown on the staff, and the numbers written underneath … Continue reading →
We have all heard the terms “mambo”, “samba”, “bossa nova”, “beguine”, “rhumba”, and so on, but it’s easy to get confused — especially for those of us who don’t come from that tradition. Mambo is a Cuban genre of music … Continue reading →
