Quick Jazz Progression & Melody Run-Through

I just wanted to try to remember an old song but share the process with you. Once in on your internal jukebox, you can identify the melody in any key numerically or by finding its pattern through the major scale (this one is very easy) and then the chords which are usually quite predictable (these ones are also very easy!) Just get used to drilling this 6251 up a fourth malarkey and you'll be fine!

This Theme goes from C major and works through the cycle of 4ths. Each video, apart from the intro, is around 7 minutes long and contains the same structure: scale construction, general shape, patterns, emotional connections, then moves to discovering your

This Theme goes from C major and works through the cycle of 4ths. Each video, apart from the intro, is around 7 minutes long and contains the same structure: scale construction, general shape, patterns, emotional connections, then moves to discovering your natural fingering with both hands over 1 and 2 octaves, then 'jabbing' the scale to really enforce its shape.

When I was about 6, I learnt this song for fun, not really touching a piano again for almost a decade. It came to me that the left hand accompaniment can be used as a great background to so many

When I was about 6, I learnt this song for fun, not really touching a piano again for almost a decade. It came to me that the left hand accompaniment can be used as a great background to so many right hand benefits: major scales, improvising, chord types, inversions, endurance, precision... so here is the result! It doesn't need timestamps since I just throw out many examples quite quickly.

Everybody is on a different musical path but we all need to master the major scales and spend time getting those fingers flexed and accurate at the piano. Here are some videos, updated when necessary, which apply to everybody starting out at the piano. Chromatics, basic chords and precision.

I found a bunch of chords in my notebook and didn't remember what they were for... then it hit me! Ah yes, I wanted to make a video a few years ago on how you can get into composing (or at

I found a bunch of chords in my notebook and didn't remember what they were for... then it hit me! Ah yes, I wanted to make a video a few years ago on how you can get into composing (or at least have a bit of fun with random chords and melodies) so in this video, I revive that crumpled piece of paper and do another example live, to reinforce the method: 6-10 random notes. Don't think about keys or diatonic stuff. Then give a random chord type to them just for some chord practice. You can use that result as the basis for a composition or improvisation. Then/or, divide the notes into groups of 2 or 3 and find any random chords which contain at least 1 or 2 of the notes of the group. You'll get some very nice sounds as a result! Just have fun, really.\n

I have so many videos that it's difficult to find your way through them. I've collected some which I recommend to beginners, no matter your path. We all need major scale mastery, to know at least a few chord

I have so many videos that it's difficult to find your way through them. I've collected some which I recommend to beginners, no matter your path. We all need major scale mastery, to know at least a few chord types and progression and to keep those fingers flexible and hands independent. Enjoy this selection just for you.

You need to spend time on left hand techniques, away from repertoire, since they appear in all repertoire. Use these ideas as you wish, at your own tempos, with your own chord types and in all keys. Make sure you play

You need to spend time on left hand techniques, away from repertoire, since they appear in all repertoire. Use these ideas as you wish, at your own tempos, with your own chord types and in all keys. Make sure you play them in time and try with eyes closed for enhanced precision. The right hand video will come next but for now, use the major scale in the right hand, or improvise, to get some dual-hand practice in.

Your mastery of chords is very important to me and I've made a lot of videos to help you with it: games, different keys, extensions, inversions. Do your best to spend a lot of time of chord mastery once your major scales are mastered.

The 13th and #9 voicings share the same notes because of the tri-tone difference between their owner keys. C13 is Bb, E and A... the same notes as Gb#9... C and Gb are a tritone apart. If you descend chromatically with

The 13th and #9 voicings share the same notes because of the tri-tone difference between their owner keys. C13 is Bb, E and A... the same notes as Gb#9... C and Gb are a tritone apart. If you descend chromatically with the shape which makes these chords, you can cover a 6251 progression. You can also alternate between 1 and 4 in blues. Very important jazz theory you need to practise!

It's all well and good playing music which has been composed by other people and it's very important indeed to spend time on technical exercises, especially personalising them... but not enough piano students discover their inspirational source and start to write

It's all well and good playing music which has been composed by other people and it's very important indeed to spend time on technical exercises, especially personalising them... but not enough piano students discover their inspirational source and start to write down what they hear inside. Enjoy these videos in which I share my own method(s) and give you some steps on discovering your own.

Assuming you've enjoyed and played around on your own what I discussed in part 1 so that you can experience the different feeling part 2 will give you, for which you will remove all restrictions and either play a bunch of

Assuming you've enjoyed and played around on your own what I discussed in part 1 so that you can experience the different feeling part 2 will give you, for which you will remove all restrictions and either play a bunch of random notes and put chords to them (by trial and error!) or find a few chords and put a melody to them. I demonstrate both in this video. The key signature and time signature come naturally, as happened here. An enjoyable exercise indeed!

In addition to the official Water Pianism Podcast Collection available in my online store, I occasionally post free podcasts when the topic doesn't require me to play a lot yet is too much to write in a short article. Listen on the go, use your internal piano and spend some time on your mind with these episodes.

Instead of doing an single-song analysis, of which I have many, I thought it would be a nice change to do a podcast episode in which I show many jazz songs and how you would go about studying the lead sheet

Instead of doing an single-song analysis, of which I have many, I thought it would be a nice change to do a podcast episode in which I show many jazz songs and how you would go about studying the lead sheet to identify 251s and the like. I hope you don't mind the length of this video because it's audio with piano background but with the leadsheets on the screen which I recorded. Feel free to listen, however, without looking at the screen. If you'd like more audio videos like this, let me know!

Sometimes, I can't find a suitable Theme so the videos go in here. Quite miscellaneous but still a useful mix of theoretical and philosophical discussion and demonstration!

Usually, I never encourage learners to cheat their way to knowledge but in this case, I can make an exception. You have to do whatever it takes to memorise and internalise the 4ths because they're behind almost every chord progression and

Usually, I never encourage learners to cheat their way to knowledge but in this case, I can make an exception. You have to do whatever it takes to memorise and internalise the 4ths because they're behind almost every chord progression and help you understand where key signatures come from. This cheat-sheet gives you two 'halves' to learn, the second half being the cycle of 5ths backwards, which continues in fourth intervals! Drill, drill, drill! Once you know it, you know it. Sorry the camera moves a bit - I think my headphone cable was knocking on the tripod. Shall be more careful next time!

I've made a few videos which fall under this title. They're more 'hold my hand' in nature than other videos but I always encourage personalisation anyway!

Instead of doing an single-song analysis, of which I have many, I thought it would be a nice change to do a podcast episode in which I show many jazz songs and how you would go about studying the lead sheet

Instead of doing an single-song analysis, of which I have many, I thought it would be a nice change to do a podcast episode in which I show many jazz songs and how you would go about studying the lead sheet to identify 251s and the like. I hope you don't mind the length of this video because it's audio with piano background but with the leadsheets on the screen which I recorded. Feel free to listen, however, without looking at the screen. If you'd like more audio videos like this, let me know!

The most famous of my Themes, do enjoy it but be sure to see newer videos because many, many comments helped me over the years to refine content, philosophies, presentation style and recording quality.

**PLEASE READ** - Welcome! I apologise for the lower quality of this video - things improve with later videos. I do hope you will consider this video a doorway to my channel and not get caught up in only

**PLEASE READ** - Welcome! I apologise for the lower quality of this video - things improve with later videos. I do hope you will consider this video a doorway to my channel and not get caught up in only older videos. I upload 1-2 times/week and I fear many new subscribers are stuck in the past or with only this playlist..

Many people like jazz but can't improvise because they freeze. I've made many, many videos to help unfreeze you, no matter your level and experience, so that you can discover how You naturally improvise without getting too caught up in theory, or using it as a way to stop using it!

I came up with game ages ago and made a video on it but it's lost in the abyss that is YouTube so I thought I'd do it again for you. The basic idea is to choose how many notes will

I came up with game ages ago and made a video on it but it's lost in the abyss that is YouTube so I thought I'd do it again for you. The basic idea is to choose how many notes will be in your improvisation (10), what chords you'll use (the 2 5 1 in C) an how many notes will go with each chord (4, 4 2). You then choose random notes from the 12 notes of the chromatic scale (F B E C# Ab Bb G D E A) and then place them into the key of the chord they belong to with a note value (m3 6 2 M7 / b9 #9 1 5 / 3 6) and then personalise the results in terms of style, rhythm, etc. Doing these multiple times with the same chords or new chords is great for note value awareness and not getting stuck in improvisation ruts of 'only notes of the chord' or 'only chromatic' or worse: random notes! This adds a filter to the pool of notes. Enjoy!

You may have come to the realisation that your musical personality involves more complex chords, improvisation and blues. With all the aforementioned skills in place, you're well on your way to entering the world of jazz with minimal difficulties. Modal theory? Improvisational layers? Extended chords? 12 bar blues? Target notes? Listening recommendations?

The 13th and #9 voicings share the same notes because of the tri-tone difference between their owner keys. C13 is Bb, E and A... the same notes as Gb#9... C and Gb are a tritone apart. If you descend chromatically with

The 13th and #9 voicings share the same notes because of the tri-tone difference between their owner keys. C13 is Bb, E and A... the same notes as Gb#9... C and Gb are a tritone apart. If you descend chromatically with the shape which makes these chords, you can cover a 6251 progression. You can also alternate between 1 and 4 in blues. Very important jazz theory you need to practise!

Videos which have been published within recent weeks that you have probably missed because YouTube never notifies my subscribers. Be sure to have the notification bell selected to receiving all notifications because I upload 3-5 times/week and I'd hate for you to miss useful content!

Assuming you've enjoyed and played around on your own what I discussed in part 1 so that you can experience the different feeling part 2 will give you, for which you will remove all restrictions and either play a bunch of

Assuming you've enjoyed and played around on your own what I discussed in part 1 so that you can experience the different feeling part 2 will give you, for which you will remove all restrictions and either play a bunch of random notes and put chords to them (by trial and error!) or find a few chords and put a melody to them. I demonstrate both in this video. The key signature and time signature come naturally, as happened here. An enjoyable exercise indeed!

There are not enough people, of any level, composing piano music. I've taken it upon myself to make a few videos in which I both share how I compose my compositions and how you might go about creating your own. Listen

There are not enough people, of any level, composing piano music. I've taken it upon myself to make a few videos in which I both share how I compose my compositions and how you might go about creating your own. Listen to some of my own tutorials to see connections between melodies and chords/progressions and be encouraged to listen to your inspirational source and start playing what you hear. With a combination of major scale and chord mastery, your music will not be a dull collection of major triads and safe-note melodies!

I wrote quite a few compositions before I started this channel so I thought it was a useful name to it as my name and what I was doing! My compositions are available via the link below. I hope in this

I wrote quite a few compositions before I started this channel so I thought it was a useful name to it as my name and what I was doing! My compositions are available via the link below. I hope in this video to show you three ways to compose, as well as the main way I do it. More people need to compose even little songs because there's so much benefit in doing so. It's also a nice break from technical exercises and chord stuff! Feel free to share any results in the comments section!

People often ask for me to just play without teaching. Over the years, I have done that a few times but I really prefer to teach than perform. However, enjoy the few performance videos I have made in which I do not speak or teach.

Usually, I never encourage learners to cheat their way to knowledge but in this case, I can make an exception. You have to do whatever it takes to memorise and internalise the 4ths because they're behind almost every chord progression and

Usually, I never encourage learners to cheat their way to knowledge but in this case, I can make an exception. You have to do whatever it takes to memorise and internalise the 4ths because they're behind almost every chord progression and help you understand where key signatures come from. This cheat-sheet gives you two 'halves' to learn, the second half being the cycle of 5ths backwards, which continues in fourth intervals! Drill, drill, drill! Once you know it, you know it. Sorry the camera moves a bit - I think my headphone cable was knocking on the tripod. Shall be more careful next time!

There is a wide variety of pianist types who watch my content so in here are some favourites for everybody, whether you're into jazz or just complicated technical excises; you'll find those, and some surprises, in this Theme.

Need to master your major scales AND some chord types? You'll love this game. Not only can you reinforce the shapes, you can choose any chord type you'd like to work on and play it on each note of the major

Need to master your major scales AND some chord types? You'll love this game. Not only can you reinforce the shapes, you can choose any chord type you'd like to work on and play it on each note of the major scale, ascending and descending! You can play it as a block chord, open, arpeggio, rolling.. you could probably do it in other ways I didn't show in the video. Whatever you do, do this often until you can play most common chord types through every major scale's 7 notes.

We need to make playing the piano as fun as possible so instead of just doing technical exercises or playing repertoire, I like to challenge you via a game. Often you can personalise them but don't be fooled: it may

We need to make playing the piano as fun as possible so instead of just doing technical exercises or playing repertoire, I like to challenge you via a game. Often you can personalise them but don't be fooled: it may be a game but it's beneficially challenging! Could be chords, could be scales, could be hand or finger independence. I think you'll enjoy this mix!

Need to master your major scales AND some chord types? You'll love this game. Not only can you reinforce the shapes, you can choose any chord type you'd like to work on and play it on each note of the major

Need to master your major scales AND some chord types? You'll love this game. Not only can you reinforce the shapes, you can choose any chord type you'd like to work on and play it on each note of the major scale, ascending and descending! You can play it as a block chord, open, arpeggio, rolling.. you could probably do it in other ways I didn't show in the video. Whatever you do, do this often until you can play most common chord types through every major scale's 7 notes.

Jazz is about 'playing the changes' but how can you do that if you don't know how to memorise progressions? I have made many videos on mastering progressions away from the piano and thinking numerically. This requires major scale

Jazz is about 'playing the changes' but how can you do that if you don't know how to memorise progressions? I have made many videos on mastering progressions away from the piano and thinking numerically. This requires major scale mastery, something I mention in almost every video and have a specific playlist and collection of videos for which you can easily find on this website.

To get by with jazz repertoire, you need to know the 251s instantly in all 12 keys (just because a song is not often in C#, for example, doesn't mean you shouldn't learn its 251 because it still appears in 'floating

To get by with jazz repertoire, you need to know the 251s instantly in all 12 keys (just because a song is not often in C#, for example, doesn't mean you shouldn't learn its 251 because it still appears in 'floating 251's where the root is not the master key! Happens in every song. So follow along with me until you can do them at this speed. Good luck!

I receive many repertoire tutorial requests and I use them to teach some musical or pianistic element rather than spoon-feeding the notes. This is a very useful playlist not only because of the variety of tunes but the technical ideas and philosophies presented.

One of the first songs I ever learnt, Moonlight Serenade is a lovely Glenn Miller tune I play in F (but the original is in Eb if you go and listen). After a quick performance of both A and B sections,

One of the first songs I ever learnt, Moonlight Serenade is a lovely Glenn Miller tune I play in F (but the original is in Eb if you go and listen). After a quick performance of both A and B sections, I dive into the chord progression of section B and show how and why the chords sound nice, along with the melody. As with most jazz songs, melody notes often include chord extensions and this song is no different! I really hope you add this piece to your repertoire!

This Theme provides videos in their own Theme which have been recommended and which are not from my own video choices... however, happily made for my subscribers-in-need!

It's hard, I get it. Herein, learn the process of achieving total hand coordination in boogie-woogie. First, get the LH down so well that you can talk to someone or watch something while it's happening. This is removing all conscious interference.

It's hard, I get it. Herein, learn the process of achieving total hand coordination in boogie-woogie. First, get the LH down so well that you can talk to someone or watch something while it's happening. This is removing all conscious interference. Then, play one note or chord on only beat. Stay in one key first. Then add two. Then three. Try different LH patterns. Eventually, once you've mastered each stage, bit by bit, you'll be amazed how easily you can do it. Then you'll be ready to play the nicer riffs from video 2 and 3.

Repertoire is difficult to perform with pleasure if you can't tackle some technical requirements. Technical exercises are also good for patience and eyes-closed precision practice. Don't aim for speed, aim for consistency and endurance. I have many, many

Repertoire is difficult to perform with pleasure if you can't tackle some technical requirements. Technical exercises are also good for patience and eyes-closed precision practice. Don't aim for speed, aim for consistency and endurance. I have many, many videos under this theme and will continue to add many more. Be sure to sit in the same position and do the tendon stretches I often share.

There's only so much you can do with the hand on the piano: single notes, two notes (an interval), three or more notes (a chord), octaves and all of these either as a block or individually (think arpeggios and broken chords).

There's only so much you can do with the hand on the piano: single notes, two notes (an interval), three or more notes (a chord), octaves and all of these either as a block or individually (think arpeggios and broken chords). You would do well to do such exercises with at least major and minor triads, using octaves as much as possible and aiming for rapid finger alternation exercises. All these requirements are in real music so I hope you won't neglect them!

This Theme forces me to make 10-12 minute videos. The first 10 or so are in order, then they become a little more random but always involve knowledge you have already acquired from previous episodes. Enjoy internal philosophies, technical exercises, chord content and many other pianism concepts. They are based heavily on the Water Pianism philosophy.

You really need to spend more time doing one technical exercise to get the benefits of it. Consistency is also important. I don't want you to be playing lots of repertoire without making progress with dexterity, precision and fluency. Endurance is a very powerful way to develop these pianistic elements

I have selected a set of videos you may enjoy watching which have probably never been suggested to you by the YouTube algorithm. This is an ever-involving playlist so you'll never see the same video twice but feel free to add it to your Watchlist for later viewing!

I just wanted to try to remember an old song but share the process with you. Once in on your internal jukebox, you can identify the melody in any key numerically or by finding its pattern through the major scale

I just wanted to try to remember an old song but share the process with you. Once in on your internal jukebox, you can identify the melody in any key numerically or by finding its pattern through the major scale (this one is very easy) and then the chords which are usually quite predictable (these ones are also very easy!) Just get used to drilling this 6251 up a fourth malarkey and you'll be fine!

All these videos involve the foundational principles behind all my teachings. Water Pianism is the path to your own method, self-mastery and internal philosophy mastery. Spend as much of your time with these videos as possible because playing the

All these videos involve the foundational principles behind all my teachings. Water Pianism is the path to your own method, self-mastery and internal philosophy mastery. Spend as much of your time with these videos as possible because playing the piano is not at all about repertoire or technique, it's self-awareness, Own path and self-expression, most of this being achieved away from the piano than at it!

This video is more like a podcast but I do touch the piano sometimes, as well as demonstrate my physical finger stretches. The content of this episode is on encouraging you and showing you how to use your four internals: piano,

This video is more like a podcast but I do touch the piano sometimes, as well as demonstrate my physical finger stretches. The content of this episode is on encouraging you and showing you how to use your four internals: piano, jukebox, manuscript and metronome. If you can't do stuff in your mind, you have NO HOPE of being able to do it at the piano so please let this be a bit of a wisdom bomb with the genuine intention of wanting you to start making extraordinary progress once and for all... away from, then at, the piano.