Jazz Piano: 3 Basics of Improvisation

Learn how to play jazz piano. Discover how to add another note to your left-handed voicings and tackle the 2-5-1 progression—one of the most important progressions in jazz.

Introduction

• Welcome

1. Adding Extensions to Guide Tones

• Adding your first extension to guide tones
• “Falling Grace”

2. 9th Chords

• Integrating 9th chords
• Practicing 9th chords

3. The 2-5-1 Progression

• One of the most important progressions: 2-5-1

4. Essential Jazz Scales: 3

• Essential jazz scales: The E minor bop scale
• Essential jazz scales: The D major 7 bop scale
• Sneak previews: Expanding your melodic horizons

5. Practicing Scales and Playing over the 2-5-1

• Practicing the new bop scales: Using approach patterns
• Practicing over your first 2-5-1
• Offsetting your approach patterns

6. Essential Jazz Scales: 4

• Essential jazz scales: D minor, G7, and C major bop scales
• Practicing D minor, G7, C major bop scales

7. Melodic Devices

• Arpeggiated triads as a melodic device
• Using all the tools on extended 2-5-1, part 1
• Using all the tools on extended 2-5-1, part 2