Volume 1 introduces the intermediate pianist to the basic chord-types used in jazz, from major and minor triads to seventh and ninth chords. Other topics include: Chord/scale relationships, modes, broken chord and scale patterns, pentatonic and blues scales, walking bass lines, Latin rhythms and bass lines, the diatonic cycle, secondary dominants, II V I sequences, horizontal and vertical improvisation, tritone substitution, two-handed voicings, rootless voicings, technical exercises and fingering, accompaniment styles, ear-training, discography (suggested listening). 28 pieces by the author appear alongside special arrangements of well-known jazz standards, including: Autumn Leaves * Fly Me to the Moon * In a Sentimental Mood * Mannenberg * On Green Dolphin St (Part 1) * Ornithology * Song for My Father * Straight No Chaser * Take the A Train. Also included are transcribed solos by Thelonious Monk and Horace Silver, an invaluable source of authentic jazz techniques.
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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best book on learning to improvise,
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This review is from: Exploring Jazz Piano - Volume 1 (The Schott Pop Styles Series) (Paperback)
I've bought several books on improvising jazz piano and this is by far the best. It's a heavy, well bound book (my binding has not come apart), which could explain it's $40 list price tag. The book itself is worth $40, even if it was looseleaf!I agree with the previous reviewer that Richards quickly covers basic chord theory, but that's what convinced me to try this book. Since I've been studying jazz theory (trying to learn to improvise) and have a fair level of knowledge, I didn't want another book that introduced chords and basic ii V7 I progressions. There's some excellent books on jazz theory out there - try Bert Ligon's books for the most thorough, and challenging, course on theory. I wanted a book that would teach me how to sound like my favorite jazz pianists. To improvise jazz, you need a thorough command of chord voicings and progressions, and then an ability to improvise scale patterns against a strong left hand rhythm. Many books give examples of those components, but only give a few basic exercises and vague verbal instructions on how to apply them to a song. I have the knowledge needed and I can play great sounding chords and progressions, but I have not been able to play a respectable improvisation and haven't been able to find any real guidance up until now. What makes this book different--and excellent--are the numerous exercises that show you how to apply the techniques presented in the lessons. Richards' book gives several etudes and exercises in each chapter to help you develop those skills. He offers excellent improvising suggestions and examples for each etude, and shows how to apply them. In addition, he provides 4 or 5 authentic jazz tunes in each chapter - from standards to bebop and all styles - and, again, offers detailed examples and suggestions to apply the techniques presented. In addition, the tunes and drills present various left-hand styles with an emphasis on latin styles. If you can play piano at a late beginner or early intermediate level, and have a basic knowledge of chords, then you'll get a lot out of this book. If you're an experienced player and know chords thoroughly, this book - and the Volume 2 book - will help you improve and give you excellent training in improvising. I first bought volume 2 thinking that volume 1 would be too basic for me. But after working with vol. 2 for a week, I decided to buy vol. 1 after all. I know all the theory in volume 1, but the exercises and drills provide so much excellent instruction in playing left hand rhythms or basic chord voicings against a right hand improvisation, that I don't feel that I'm wasting my time with elementary concepts. The cd that comes with it provides an opportunity to play along with his band. However, the tempos are fast. If you have a keyboard or piano with built in rhythms, you'll be in better shape. You'd definitely want a metronome if you don't have built in backgrounds, so that you can practice slowly and work up to the finished speed. Band in a Box is a great software program that provides some excellent backgrounds to practice with. Tim Richards is the best teacher - and on top of that a great jazz pianist. He and I are going to be tight for a long time.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Whoever Your Are, You'd Probably Benefit From This Book,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Exploring Jazz Piano - Volume 1 (The Schott Pop Styles Series) (Paperback)
This book assumes you're at least an intermediate pianist, but it also assumes you may have had only standard, sightreading classical music piano lessons. It initially goes over how to swing eighth notes, build chord triads, and so forth, but pretty quickly gets into playing music based on pentatonic scales, playing walking bass lines, using fake books, working with 7th and 9th chords, and much more. In other words, you aren't learning to sightread jazz music, you're learning to be a jazz musician. There are also some jazz standards in here to learn, but not just that--Tim Richards explains how they were created, how to solo over them, and how to improvise, and then on the CD he not only plays the music so you can hear what he's showing, but also you can get just the drum and bass part so you can sort of play with a jazz combo by yourself. Volume 2 builds on this volume, but also be aware of "Improvising Blues Piano," because this book (volume 1) builds on that book, and you might be best off starting with that book.My only complaint, but it's not enough to ding the book a star in this review, is that the binding came unglued on one side almost immediately.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent - highly recommended,
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This review is from: Exploring Jazz Piano - Volume 1 (The Schott Pop Styles Series) (Paperback)
I would recommend this book to anyone who has advanced beyond the beginner stage and is interested in an introduction to Jazz piano. Each chapter is well organized with a specific theme such as minor triads, seventh chords etc, then goes on to show examples of how to use them, what scale to use when soloing and gives exercises to lead you to try different ideas when soloing. The author does a very good job of showing how to create solos which work over a particular chord sequence by putting the right notes under your fingertips then encouraging experimentation with different ways of arranging those notes into a coherent idea. Rather than try to cover every possible subject in Jazz in a single book this book explores a number of basic concepts in depth, which I think is a better approach.
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