you have to have a piano to do this
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level2.pdf
© Toby Koenigsberg 2015
Toby’s Piano Improvisation
by Toby Koenigsberg
Level 2 CDs included
Edition 2S
Chapter Page Song Title CD Track General Concepts
Improvisation Concepts
1 4 Cool Snowman 1 1 F position Copy Me: Cool Snowman 1 2
2 6 Clown 1 3 Play With Me 1 4
3 7 When the Saints Go March- ing In
1 5
Play With Me: When the Saints Go Marching In
1 6
4 8 Quack Quack 1 7 Play With Me: Quack Quack 1 8
5 9 Play With Me: Beautiful Rain 1 9 Beautiful Rain 1 10
6 10 Play With Me: Rock Collec- tion
1 11
Rock Collection 1 12 7 11 Play With Me: Jazzy - Head
Practice 1 13 head and solo
Jazzy 1 14 8 12 Skip to My Lou - Head
Practice 1 15
Skip to My Lou 1 16 9 13 Head Practice 1 17
Surprise Symphony 1 18 10 14 Head Practice 1 19
Sundaes on Sundays 1 20 11 15 Head Practice 1 21
Cool 1 22 12 16 Head Practice 1 23
Really Good Song 1 24 13 17 Head Practice 1 25 2nds
Concerto for Ludwig 1 26 14 18 Head Practice 1 27 arpeggios
Triad Song 1 28 15 19 Head Practice 1 29
Tree Fort 1 30 16 20 Head Practice 1 31
Stray Cat 1 32 Stray Cat - No Trading 1 33
17 21 Head Practice 1 34 comping Mary Had a Little Lamb 1 35
18 22 Head Practice 1 36
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page Song Title CD Track General Concepts
Improvisation Concepts
Gavotte 1 37 19 23 Head Practice 2 1 scale degrees
Brrrr! (5 Degrees) 2 2 20 24 Head Practice 2 3
Allegro Con Fuoco 2 4 21 25 Head Practice 2 5 3rds
This Old Man 2 6 22 26 Jobim’s Song 2 7 changing hand posi-
tions 23 27 Head Practice 2 8
Aura Lee 2 9 24 28 My First Lead Sheet 2 10 lead sheet reading 25 30 Head Practice 2 11
Largo 2 12 26 31 Head Practice 2 13
Bird’s Bebop 2 14 27 32 Head Practice 2 15
The Wizard 2 16 28 33 Head Practice 2 17
Twist 2 18 29 34 Head Practice 2 19
My New Home 2 20 30 35 Head Practice 2 21
Pumpkin Patch 2 22 31 36 Head Practice 2 23 dynamic symbols
Snow Day 2 24 32 37 Head Practice 2 25
Paint a Picture 2 26 33 38 Head Practice 2 27
Numbers and Letters 2 28 34 39 Head Practice 2 29 transposition
Numbers and Letters - Part II
2 30
35 40 Head Practice 2 31 Numbers and Letters - Part III
2 32
36 41 Head Practice 2 33 Jazz for Miles 2 34
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CHAPTER 1
F PENTASCALE and F POSITION
In this chapter and in the chapters that follow, you will be using F position. A picture like this shows you that your hands will be in F position, but you will only be playing some of its notes.
F pentascale is five notes that begin on F, including one black key. In F position both hands are on F pentascales. Try putting your hands in F position.
44
Cool Snowman
Play What I Play: Cool Snowman
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Teacher’s note: from this point forward, there are breaks before the improvisation begins, not just between turns. This will probably not confuse the student, but you may need to mention it.
CD 1 Track 1
CD 1 Track 2
5
Clown
CHAPTER 2
Play With Me
In this song, you play the exact same thing as Toby, but instead of playing it after he plays it, you play it at the same time that he plays it.
Toby plays the same thing over and over, say- ing “again” before each time. Join in, playing with him, when you are ready. Start the track over if it ends before you can play it.
Use only one note: middle C
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Teacher’s note: it is okay for the student to make a lot of mistakes before he or she has learned the Play With Me melody.
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CD 1 Track 3
CD 1 Track 4
6
CD 1 Track 3
CD 1 Track 4
Play With Me: When the Saints Go Marching In
Toby plays the same thing over and over again. Join in, playing with him, when you can.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but keep practicing until you’ve got it.
CHAPTER 3
This famous song was played by trumpet player Louis Armstrong, one of the first great jazz musicians. In the Jazz Age of the 1920s and the Swing Era of the 1930s, jazz was very popular.
When the Saints Go Marching In
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CD 1 Track 5
CD 1 Track 6
7
Play With Me: Quack Quack
Quack Quack
Be able to sing along with the kids at the beginning of this song before learning Play With Me: Quack Quack.
This is the same as what you sang in Quack Quack.
Once you have learned this song, play Quack Quack again and play along at the beginning instead of singing along at the beginning.
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CD 1 Track 7
CD 1 Track 8
8
CHAPTER 4
CD 1 Track 7
CD 1 Track 8
Play With Me: Beautiful Rain
In this chapter, learn the Play With Me first.
Beautiful Rain
Play With Me: Beautiful Rain is sung at the beginning of this song. Play along with the singers at the beginning, before you take turns improvising with Toby.
Teacher’s note: it may be helpful to remind the student that “Toby goes first” in the improvisation section.
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CD 1 Track 9
CD 1 Track 10
9
CHAPTER 5
Play With Me: Rock Collection
Rock Collection
Play With Me: Rock Collection is played on guitar at the beginning of this song. Play along with the guitar at the beginning, be- fore you take turns improvising with Toby.
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CD 1 Track 11
CD 1 Track 12
In this chapter, learn the Play With Me first.
10
CHAPTER 6
CD 1 Track 11
CD 1 Track 12
Jazzy
Use these notes for the head Use these notes for the solo
HEAD and SOLO
The beginning of the song, before the improvisation, is called the head. Use the Play With Me track to learn the head.
The part of the song when you and Toby improvise is called the solo section, or solo.
Teacher’s note: it may be helpful to remind the student that “Toby goes first” in the solo section.
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CD 1 Track 13 Play With Me: Jazzy - Head Practice
CD 1 Track 14 Jazzy
11
CHAPTER 7
Skip to My Lou
In the head of this song, you play the same thing two times in a row.
After the first time you play it, the singers sing:
SKIP, SKIP, SKIP TO MY LOU
After the second time you play it, the singers sing:
SKIP TO MY LOU MY DARLING
During the singing, stop playing (with both hands).
-Traditional m
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CD 1 Track 15 Skip to My Lou - Head Practice
CD 1 Track 16 Skip to My Lou
Use these notes for the head Use these notes for the solo
12
CHAPTER 8
The Surprise Symphony is a famous orchestral work by classical music composer Franz Joseph Haydn.
Improvisation on Haydn’s
Surprise Symphony
In the head of this song, you play the same thing two times in a row, just like in the last song.
After each time you play, instead of singers singing, an orchestra plays. Stop playing piano (with both hands) when the orchestra plays.
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CD 1 Track 17 Head Practice
CD 1 Track 18 Surprise Symphony
Use these notes for the head Use these notes for the solo
13
CHAPTER 9
Sundaes on Sundays
In the head of this song, you play something and then repeat it - you play it twice - just like in the last song.
Use four notes for the head of this song.
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55 55 11
Use these notes for the head Use these notes for the solo
CD 1 Track 19 Head Practice
CD 1 Track 20 Sundaes on Sundays
14
CHAPTER 10
Cool
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C position
Teacher’s notes: 1) If the student sounds too repetitious, encourage him or her not to play the same thing more than three times in a row 2) if the student has difficulty figuring out the head, ask him or her to identify the starting note first
MOTIVES
A motive is a short part of a melody that is repeated.
In the heads of the last few songs, you played a motive and then repeated it - you playeed it twice. In this head, you play a motive three times.
When you improvise, you make up motives. In your solo, try to repeat a motive - play the same thing two or three times in a row - like Toby does.
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CD 1 Track 21 Head Practice
CD 1 Track 22 Cool
Use these notes for the head (sometimes the head may use only
some of the right hand notes shown)
Use these notes for the solo
15
CHAPTER 11
Really Good Song m
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G position
2 23 3
CHORDS
A chord is a group of notes that are often played harmonically - at the same time.
A triad is a kind of chord. Now your left hand holds down a triad.
In this head you play a motive twice.
CD 1 Track 23 Head Practice
CD 1 Track 24 Really Good Song
Use these notes for the head Use these notes for the solo 16161616
CHAPTER 12
Concerto for Ludwig
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Use these notes and fingers for both the head and the solo
F position
Ludwig van Beethoven was a composer of the Classical and Romantic eras. He was a great improviser.
3
This head is almost all 2nds, and you use all of the notes of the pentascale.
(From now on, things you need to know about the head will be in a blue box. Remember that when starting a new chapter, always use the head practice track to learn the head first.)
HEAD CD 1 Track 25: Head Practice
(From now on, things you need to know about the solo will be in a green box. The green box is below the blue box, because you play the whole song - with the solo - after you have learned the head.)
CD 1 Track 26: Concerto for Ludwig
MORE ON STEPS - 2NDS
2nds means the same thing as steps. From one key to the next key of a pentascale is a 2nd. (In the F pentascale, that includes the black key.)
SOLO
17
CHAPTER 13
Triad Song
C position
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This head has a C triad arpeggio several times. (Even though you can now play all pentascale notes for heads, in some songs you will not do so.)
HEAD CD 1 Track 27: Head Practice
Play some C triad arpeggios, like Toby does. CD 1 Track 28: Triad Song
Teacher’s note: arpeggios shouldn’t be the only thing the student plays in his or her solo, but there should be some arpeggios.
BROKEN CHORDS and ARPEGGIOS
Though a chord is often played harmonically, it can also be played melodically - the notes can be played one at a time. This is called a broken chord.
An arpeggio is a kind of broken chord. When the notes of a chord are played from the bottom straight to the top, or from the top straight to the bottom, this is called an arpeggio.
5 3
SOLO
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CHAPTER 14
Tree Fort
G position
Teacher’s note: if the student has difficulty figuring out the head, ask him or her to identify the starting note first.
This head has G triad arpeggios in both orders - from bottom to top, and from top to bottom.
HEAD CD 1 Track 29: Head Practice
Play some arpeggios in both orders, like Toby does.
SOLO CD 1 Track 30: Tree Fort
Teacher’s note: throughout these books, or variety and interest, it can be very useful for the student to improvise in more than one octave. To do this, the student can move his or her right hand into any octaves he or she chooses on the top half of the piano, either between or during turns.
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1919
CHAPTER 15
Stray Cat
MORE ON REPEATS
F position
Now you use hand positions from memory. This song uses:
(If you need to be reminded of which notes to use for F position, see the picture on page 19. Memorize F position before going on to the next chapter.)
Teacher’s note: if the student has difficulty figuring out the head, ask him or her to identify the starting note first.
This head has a lot of repeats in it.
HEAD CD 1 Track 31: Head Practice
Play some repeats, like Toby does.
SOLO CD 1 Track 32: Stray Cat
Teacher’s note: track 33 is Stray Cat without taking turns - only the student improvises, not Toby. This is included as a possible recital piece. It is not neces- sary for the student to play track 33 unless it is to be performed in a recital.
CD 1 Track 33: Stray Cat - no trading
Teacher’s note: to memorize the hand positions, it may be helpful to point out that the last finger on the left end of each hand is on the chord root (“the name of the position”).
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CHAPTER 16
Mary Had a Little Lamb -Traditional
C position
(If you need a reminder about which notes and fingers to use for C position, see the picture on page 20. You should memorize C position before going on to the next chapter.)
This song uses:
You can comp twice during the head if you want to, instead of once. (Comping twice means playing the left hand chord twice.)
HEAD CD 1 Track 34: Head Practice
Comp twice during each of your turns, like Toby does.
SOLO CD 1 Track 35: Mary Had a Little Lamb
COMPING
Comping is what you have been doing with your left hand - holding it down for accompani- ment while your right hand plays.
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CHAPTER 17
Gavotte -Benjamin Carr
G position
(If you need a reminder about which notes and fingers to use for C position, see the picture on page 21. You should memorize G position before going on to the next chapter.)
This song uses:
Teacher’s notes: 1) the student should comp more than once at least some of the time from now on 2) if the student is not already doing so, suggest that he or she play the left and right hands at different times as well as together
You can comp three times during the head if you want to, like Toby does.
HEAD CD 1 Track 36: Head Practice
Comp two or more times during some of your turns, like Toby does.
SOLO CD 1 Track 37: Gavotte
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CHAPTER 18
Brrrr! (5 Degrees)
F position
This song uses:
The notes of a pentascale have numbers, called scale degrees. The first note is called 1, the second note 2, and so on up through 5. Below you see pictures of the scale degrees of a C pentascale and an F pentascale.
21 3 4 5 21 3 4 5
Teacher’s note: it may be helpful to clarify that scale degrees are not the same thing as finger numbers. One way of doing this is to have the student play a pentascale in the right hand, saying the numbers of the scale degrees out loud while playing each note, then doing the same with the left hand.
Which scale degree does this head begin on?
HEAD CD 2 Track 1: Head Practice Sometimes this
book will give you review suggestions.
REVIEW: play quarter notes, half notes, and whole notes.
SOLO CD 2 Track 2: Brrrr! (5 Degrees)
23
CHAPTER 19
The Symphony No. 9 in E Minor
“From the New World” -
Allegro Con Fuoco This piece is based on a theme from move-
ment four of the famous ”New World” symphony by Antonin Dvorak.
G position
This song uses:
Teacher’s note: when playing a song with no comping on the head, the student should have his or her left hand in position from the beginning of the song so it will be ready for the improvisation.
Do not comp during this head.
This head uses a lot of a certain scale degree - which one?
HEAD CD 2 Track 3: Head Practice
Comp during the solo even though you did not during the head.
SOLO CD 2 Track 4: Allegro Con Fuoco
Write the scale degrees above the G pentascale.
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CHAPTER 20
This Old Man -Traditional
C position
This song uses:
This head uses melodic thirds.
HEAD CD 2 Track 5: Head Practice
Play some melodic thirds, like Toby does.
SOLO CD 2 Track 6: This Old Man
MORE ON SKIPS - 3RDS
3rds means the same thing as skips. Skipping one key in a pentascale is a 3rd.
INTERVALS
An interval is the distance between two notes. 2nds and 3rds are intervals.
A melodic interval is two notes played one at a time. A harmonic interval is two notes played at the same time.
MORE ON TRIADS A triad is made up of two thirds together. It is also made up of scale degrees 1,3, and 5.
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CHAPTER 21
Jobim’s Song Antonio Carlos Jobim was a famous composer of
bossa nova music, a style of popular music from Brazil.
G position F position
TRADING
Trading is what it is called when you and Toby take turns improvising.
There is no head, so you start improvising from the beginning of the song.
HEAD
In this song you do not trade with Toby - you improvise by your- self.
The song has two hand positions instead of one. You go back and forth between G position and F position for the whole song. When it is time to change hand positions, there is a break and Toby says “change.”
SOLO CD 2 Track 7: Jobim’s Song
26
CHAPTER 22
REPEAT SIGNS
Repeat signs are symbols that tell you something happens more than once.
Aura Lee Rock musician Elvis Presley’s “Love Me Tender” is
based on this folk song.
G position C position
G positionFor the HEAD, use this hand position:
For the SOLO, use these hand positions:
In this song, the head is in G position. Do not comp during this head.
HEAD CD 2 Track 8: Head Practice
In this song, you do not trade with Toby.
The repeat signs next to the hand positions below tell you to repeat G and C positions over and over again. When it is time to change hand positions, there is a break and Toby says “change.”
SOLO CD 2 Track 9: Aura Lee
27
CHAPTER 23
ROOTS, CHORD SYMBOLS and LEAD SHEETS
The root of a chord is its lowest note. The lowest note of a C triad is C, so C is the root of a C triad. The lowest note of an F triad is F, so F is the root of an F triad. What note is the root of a G triad?
A chord symbol is a symbol in written music that tells you what chord to play. An easy chord symbol for a triad is just its root.
(chord symbol for C triad) (chord symbol for F triad)
(In this book, chord symbols tell you which hand positions to use.)
A lead sheet is a kind of written music that uses chord symbols.
A lead sheet is an ordinary, five-line music staff.
The staff is divided into measures.
Each measure has four slashes in it. Each slash is a beat.
The chord symbols, or hand positions, are shown with a single letter above the measures where they change. Lead sheets often use repeat signs.
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CHAPTER 24
TIME SIGNATURE
The time signature tells you how long a beat is, and how many beats are in a measure.
The bottom number is the length of the beats. A 4 on the bottom means that the beats are quarter notes. The top number is the number of beats in a measure. This time signature tells you that there are four quar- ter note beats in each measure.
CLEFF SIGN
Cleff signs are used in notated music. We do not need them since you are not reading notes in this book, but lead sheets usually have them anyway. We will use the treble cleff sign.
Teacher’s note: ask the student 1) Which hand positions do you use in this song? 2) How many measures does each hand position last for?
Lead sheets also have time signatures and cleff signs.
There is no head in this song.
HEAD
Do not trade with Toby in this song.
SOLO CD 2 Track 10: My First Lead Sheet
My First Lead Sheet An example of a lead sheet with time signature and cleff sign is in the song below.
29
The Symphony No. 9 in E Minor “From the New World” -
Largo
IMPORTANT TEACHER’S NOTE: for many songs in this book (and the books which follow), the chord symbols indicate the student’s hand positions, not necessarily the chords on the record- ing. Sometimes the chords on the recording are different than the written chord symbols. The student does not need to understand this - he or she needs only to use the correct hand positions.
Some lead sheets show the head at the top and the solo below, where the word “solo” is.
(The head does not have slashes. If you know how to notate music, you may write the notes of the head in the lead sheet after you have learned it.)
HEAD CD 2 Track 11: Head Practice Do not trade with
Toby.
How many measures does each chord symbol last for?
SOLO CD 2 Track 12: Largo
30
CHAPTER 25
Bird’s Bebop Charlie Parker (nicknamed Bird) was a famous saxophonist who played a style of jazz called bebop.
There is a saxophonist playing in the background on this head.
Teacher’s note: even though Toby goes first when the hand positions change, the student should get his or her hands in the new position right away.
In this head, you play a motive twice, but the second time it has a different rhythm.
HEAD CD 2 Track 13: Head Practice
Toby says whose turn it is when it is time to trade, and he also says “change” when it is time to change chords.
SOLO CD 2 Track 14: Bird’s Bebop
31
CHAPTER 26
The Wizard
Do not comp during this head.
In this head, you play a motive four times. The rhythm is different the fourth time.
HEAD CD 2 Track 15: Head Practice
Instead of Toby saying whose turn it is and when to change chords, the breaks tell you.
SOLO CD 2 Track 16: The Wizard
32
CHAPTER 27
o l
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Twist
In this head you play a motive three times. Then, the fourth time, play the motive but make up a different rhythm. (If you cannot think of a different rhythm, just improvise.)
HEAD CD 2 Track 17: Head Practice
In this song, each of the turns lasts for 8 measures. This is called trading 8’s. (In this song, the solo section between the repeats is 8 measures long, so each turn lasts for one repeat.)
SOLO CD 2 Track 18: Twist
This means play the solo section four times (x means “times”).
This means each turn is 8 measures long.
33
CHAPTER 28
My New Home
Teacher’s note: it may be helpful to the student to write “my turn” and “Toby’s turn” on the lead sheet where the turns change.
HEAD CD 2 Track 19: Head Practice
You and Toby trade 4’s. Breaks tell you when the chords change, and they also tell you when to change whose turn it is.
SOLO CD 2 Track 20: My New Home
&44 G
.. ’ ’ ’ ’ G
[S\o\l\o\,\ ≥\T\\r\a\≥d\e\ 4's]
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
’ ’ ’ ’ C
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
..’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ 34
CHAPTER 29
Teacher’s note: though the books will remind the student to match Toby’s timings from time to time, it will be helpful for you to regularly reinforce this as well. In jazz and popular music genres such as pop, rock, and country, rhythmic integrity is very important.
Pumpkin Patch
After you’ve learned the notes of the head, keep playing the head practice track to make sure you are playing each one at exactly the same time as Toby - not a little early or a little late. Listen carefully to make sure that you are together with Toby on every note. (You will do this on all head practice tracks from now on.)
HEAD CD 2 Track 21: Head Practice
REVIEW: play some accents.
SOLO CD 2 Track 22: Pumpkin Patch
&44 G
.. ’ ’ ’ ’ G
[S\o\l\o\,\ \≥T\\r\a\d\e\ \\8\\'s]
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
..’ ’ ’ ’ F
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ 4x
35
CHAPTER 30
Snow Day
You do not comp on this head. Instead, if you want, your left hand can play same thing as your right hand, using the same pentascale (the one the left hand is already on in this hand position). This is called doubling. On songs without head comping, you may always double the melody like this, if you want to.
HEAD CD 2 Track 23: Head Practice
REVIEW: play repeats, steps, skips and leaps.
SOLO CD 2 Track 24: Snow Day
DON’T COMP
ol This dynamic symbol stands for , which means “soft” - so play quietly.
DYNAMICS and DYNAMIC SYMBOLS
Dynamic symbols tell you the dynamics of music - how loud or soft it is.
&44 C
p
.. ’ ’ ’ ’ C
[S\o\l\o\,\ ≥\T\\r\a\≥d\e\ 4's]
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
’ ’ ’ ’ G
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
..’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ 36
CHAPTER 31
Paint a Picture
REVIEW: remember to play the notes at exactly the same time as Toby.
HEAD CD 2 Track 25: Head Practice
When the lead sheed does not say to trade, there is no trading - you solo for the whole solo section yourself.
SOLO CD 2 Track 26: Paint a Picture
ol This dynamic symbol stands for forte, which means “loud” - so play loudly.
&44 C
f
.. ’ ’ ’ ’ C
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
..’ ’ ’ ’ F
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ 4x
37
CHAPTER 32
ol This dynamic symbol stands for mezzo forte, which means “medium loud.”
Numbers and Letters
Teacher’s note: an optional activity from here forward is for the student to work on sight-reading lead sheets. To practice this, have him or her play through the whole song once, before learning the head, with only comping, trying to get to each chord right on time and not late. Also (this is important): encourage the student to thoroughly memorize the hand positions.
REVIEW: play the notes at exactly the same time as Toby.
HEAD CD 2 Track 27: Head Practice REVIEW: 3rds
SOLO CD 2 Track 28: Numbers and Letters
38
CHAPTER 33
Numbers and Letters - Part II
TRANSPOSITION
When the scale degrees are the same but the hand position is different it is called transposition. (For example, if you play 5-2-2-3 in C position, you transpose it by playing 5-2-2-3 in a different position.)
This head is the head of the last song transposed to G position.
HEAD CD 2 Track 29: Head Practice
REVIEW: comp more than once during some of your turns.
SOLO CD 2 Track 30: Numbers and Letters - Part II
39
CHAPTER 34
ol This dynamic symbol stands for mezzo piano, which means “medium soft.”
Numbers and Letters - Part III
This head is the head of the last two songs, but in two different hand positions.
HEAD CD 2 Track 31: Head Practice
&44 F
P C
.. ’ ’ ’ ’ F
[S\o\l≥\o, Tr≥a≥de 4's]
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
’ ’ ’ ’ C
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
..’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
REVIEW: accents
SOLO CD 2 Track 32: Numbers and Letters - Part III
40
CHAPTER 35
Jazz for Miles
This song is in a style of jazz called hard bop, a popular kind of jazz from the 1950s. A famous musician in the hard bop era was trumpet player Miles Davis.
This head uses triads.
There are accents in this head. After you’ve learned the notes, keep playing the head practice track to make sure you are accenting the same notes as Toby, and playing the accents at the same volume as Toby - not louder and not softer. (You will do this on all heads with accents from now on. Always listen carefully to figure out whether or not the head has accents.)
HEAD CD 2 Track 33: Head Practice
REVIEW: arpeggios going up and down
SOLO CD 2 Track 34: Jazz for Miles
41
CHAPTER 36
42
NOTES
43
NOTES
44
NOTES
45
NOTES
46
NOTES
47
NOTES
NOTES
48
NOTES
49
NOTES
50
Toby’s Piano Improvisation A basic method for the study of improvisation, composition, ear training, theory, and styles of music including jazz, blues, pop, rock, and latin. • Compatible with all traditional piano methods (or no traditional piano method) • Takes only about 5 minutes of lesson time • Teacher needs no prior training • Easily and enjoyably teaches musicianship (theory, ear training, etc.) • Adult students can use without a teacher • Fun for students helps create and maintain a deep love of piano playing
Upon completion, the student will be prepared for success in music. • Enhanced and accelerated musicianship (theory, ear training, etc.) • Able to read lead sheets and play jazz • Ready to pursue intermediate jazz study if desired (a curriculum for further study is included at the end of Level 5) • Ready to continue composing and to pursue songwriting
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B b7
Play 10 Choruses
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œb œ œ œ ˙ B b7
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E b7
œ œ œ ˙ œb œ œ œ ˙ B b7
Œ œ œ œ œ œn œ
Dmin7 G 7
j œ .œ ˙
Cmin7 j œ .œ ˙ F 7
œb œ œ œ ˙ B b7
∑
By Toby Koenigsberg
©
Toby's Example Song
(At the end of the method, the student can play standard jazz repertoire.)
LEVEL 1 Introduction to improvisation and ear training Improvising with repeats, steps, skips, and leaps Improvising with basic rhythms (quarter notes, half notes, whole notes) C position, G position Accompanying with triads
LEVEL 2 F position 2nds and 3rds Arpeggios Dynamics Lead sheet reading Learning repertoire by ear Transposition
LEVEL 3 D position 4ths and 5ths Major and minor Articulations Dissonance, consonance, and resolution 8th notes and swing Composition
LEVEL 4 Key of Bb Chord inversions and voice leading Primary chords Roman numeral analysis Triplets Rhythmic ‘feel’ Major blues scales Preparation for diatonic scale improvisation
LEVEL 5 Learning chord progressions by ear Major and minor scales (three forms of minor) Circle of 5ths, relative keys Seventh chords Jazz voicings Dorian, mixolydian, and minor blues scales II-V-I progression Twelve-bar blues
© Toby Koenigsberg 2015
Toby’s Piano Improvisation
by Toby Koenigsberg
Level 2 CDs included
Edition 1S
© Toby Koenigsberg 2015
Toby’s Piano Improvisation
by Toby Koenigsberg
Edition 1S
Level 3 CDs included
© Toby Koenigsberg 2015
Toby’s Piano Improvisation
by Toby Koenigsberg
Edition 1S
Level 4 CDs included
© Toby Koenigsberg 2015
Toby’s Piano Improvisation
by Toby Koenigsberg
Edition 1S
Level 5 CDs included
Edition 1S© Toby Koenigsberg 2015
Toby’s Piano Improvisation
by Toby Koenigsberg
Level 2 CDs included
