Group 1
Anyone can improvise! When classical pianists hear the word "Improvisation," they often think of learning fancy jazz scales or studying the rule of the octave. But improvisation doesn't have to be intimidating! In this two-week intensive, pianist Jeremy Siskind will demonstrate how to improvise a twenty-four measure ABA tune without being a jazz or historical improv genius. Topics covered will include standard chord progressions, left-hand patterns, use of arpeggios, adding color using non-chord tones, and exercises for two-handed coordination.
Pianists of all levels are welcome.
More Detailed instructions coming soon!
- Sign-Up : April 12 - April 15
- Course Period: April 17 - May 1
- Class Size: max. 4 Groups á 10 Participants
- Optional check-In via Zoom: April 26th 1:30pm - 2:30pm PT
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85277587596?pwd=V1ZBN0ozZ2ZWQ1QraU5JR24yRXBNUT09
Assignment 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiDUR1esb70
For the assignment:
1) Learn the given chord progression in Eb major and C minor | I | IV | V7/V | V | V/IV | IV | V | I |
2) Create 4-6 contrasting left hand accompaniment patterns and practice them in both Eb major and C minor
3) Practice improvising limiting yourself to just the arpeggios (notes of the chords)
4) Ask "what if" questions to spark different improvisation ideas
Assignment 2
For the assignment:
1) Beautify your melody through lower chromatic neighbors, scale passages, and ornaments.
2) Think orchestrally - use more of the piano to create orchestral framing, including unisons, chorales, left-hand melodies, and upper-register passages.
3) Put it all together! Practice creating contrasting ABA improvisations, making sure to add transitions between the sections.
Zoom Meeting Checkin Video:
59 replies
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Hello folks looking forward to a couple of weeks of focus. I have started building familiarity with Eb and its relative minor including the inversions. It will be interesting where this two weeks will take us. 😀🎶🎶🎶
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Hi, classical pianist here harboring ambitions of blues and boogie woogie. While I know that's not exactly what's on tap, I look forward to seeing what I can harvest from the teaching.
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Hi, I’ve started learning jazz several times - usually with abysmal success. Jeremy has a way, though, to entice one to experiment with a playful freedom. I love how the room within which one has to play expands. I think I might actually learn this time round.
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Hi, another classical pianist that would love to be able to just sit at the piano without any sheet music and play 😅 So much to take in already in the first video, looking forward to the next two weeks - off now to practice the chord progression 😄
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Hi everyone, I'm working on learning by ear, relying less on sheet music, and being more creative. I like the structure that it sounds like this course will offer for exploring, and am looking forward to it!
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Hi everyone!
It's going to be a lot of fun working on this assignment!
(Chord progressions at:
2:05 Major key chord progression
3:12 In E flat major
4:29 In C major
5:50 Minor key chord progression
6:12 In C minor)
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Already a lot to chew on!
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Hi Everyone, I'm mainly a flutist, learning piano (4 years, classical and some jazz). On flute, I've played in ensembles and can improvise a chorus. On piano, I can voice chord changes fairly well but have trouble following a comping pattern and tend to play the chords as whole notes or half notes in the LH. I find it difficult to keep in measure in piano improv and need to work on playing chords in my RH in the head of a standard. So I basically want to make some headway in getting beyond the limitations outlined above. Looking forward to getting down to work on the first assignment.
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Hello Everybody. Perhaps I should not even mention it but I am not sure if I will be able to continue. I may just come back to it later.
I am a bit disappointed that there is no PDF file to download and we just need to make notes from the video. I also have to admit that I did not even know secondary dominants (I checked a few jazz books I have, including two Jeremy's books, and I could not find any reference apart from a short note in "Frequently Asked Questions").
I wish everybody a great learning experience.
Michael