This week’s IROCKU Piano Tip looks at Chord Extensions. Chord Extensions are the notes outside of a chord that you can use to enhance the chord. The video begins by adding the dominant 7th note to a chord, and then adds the 9th along with showing the different chord inversions. We explore the 9th by raising it up a half step to the sharp 9th and by lowering it a half step to the flat 9th to add harmonic tension and funky variations to your chords. The video then introduces these chord extensions into a 12 bar jazz/blues progression in C: I7- V7-I7-I7 IV7-IV7-I7-VI7 II7-V7-I7-I7 The video goes through the progression using just dominant 7th chords, then using 9th chords and then adds in sharp 9ths and flatted 9ths to add even more color. The video ends with an introduction …
IROCKU Piano Tips – Anticipating the Beat
This week’s IROCKU Piano Tip looks at a specific type of syncopation, namely, anticipating the first beat. We show how to anticipate the first chord or note of the next measure by playing it ahead of the downbeat. This helps drive the groove of the song forward. This exercise starts by locking in quarter notes to the beat of a metronome. We then play quarter notes but we don’t play on the first beat, only on beats 2, 3, and 4. For the next step of this exercise we play eighth notes, again not playing on the first beat. Then we play quarter notes in the left hand while playing eighth notes in the right hand and anticipate the chord changes by changing chords in the right hand on the ‘and’ of the fourth beat. 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and =>change to the next chord Finally we switch …
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IROCKU Featured Artist – Jake Sherman, Piano – “You’re A Dream”
Rock, pop, and jazz pianist, Jake Sherman, wrote IROCKU's first two lessons; "Little Martha" and "Ruby Tuesday". Two absolutely beautiful arrangements. To help get through the Corona Pandemic Jake recently put together a new album. It's mainly instrumental and it has some jazz and other genres. You can support Jake by visiting him on bandcamp at https://jakesherman.bandcamp.com/album/youre-a-dream Learn how to play rock and blues piano from one of rock’s greatest. Chuck Leavell, legendary keyboardist for The Rolling Stones, The Allman Bros, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and more. Join Now and SAVE!!! …
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