Author: Jan

Je suis cool.

Piano day (2h)

  • Jazz voicings
    • +7 to m9 (dominant to minor)
    • 7b9 to m7 (dominant to minor)
  • Imporvisation
    • Minor & major blues scale recap in all keys
  • Modal studies
    • Harmonising Lydian scale in all keys with shell voicings (7-3-5)
  • Left hand + reading
    • “Just One Of Those Things”
      • Stride pattern
      • Breaking down voicings used in the left hand (octave bass + shells)

Bass day (1h)

Didn’t do too much consistent practice (only quick improv and mode runs sessions) during the last couple of days, as I was busy doing some production and other work. But I did play piano a lot while recording so it definitely counts! 😆

  • Chord tones
    • Harmonising F Lydian scale with 7th chords in all 24 permutations (root inversion). Yeah, and it was just one key, one mode, and only root inversion… “What can you practice for 8 hours straight?!” is not a question anymore, lol!

Piano day (2h)

  • Improvisation + modes
    • I — II, I — III, I — IV, etc. transitions with shell voicings / voice leading
      • Ion, Aeol, Dor, Phryg in F
      • Lyd, Mixo in A
  • Jazz voicings
    • Fourthy modal voicings (D Dorian to Bb Dorian) — another killer exercise from Dan Haerle!
  • Left hand focus
    • Stride bass patterns: basic stride, tenths
  • Comping
    • Stride bass + Mixo scale over dominant progression (+ “Just One of Those Things” opening)

Observation

I literally can’t help but skip a couple of bass sessions in favour of piano as I’m onto some extremely interesting topics (left hand + modal studies) and I just don’t want to lose focus!

Piano day (2h)

  • Improvisation
    • Studies in D Dorian
      • ii — v — i in shells in LH
      • Improvisation with “blanket scale” (D Dorian)
      • Try all chord scales for each degree (Aeolian, Dorian, Phrygian and Hm4 for minor), i. e. E Aeol, E Dor, E Phryg and E Hm4 for E-,  A Aeol, A Dor, A Phryg and A Hm4 for A-, etc.
      • Try keeping same modal color over the whole progression (only Aeol / only Phryg / only Dor)
      • Try mixing with blanket scale (sounded weird but definitely playable)
      • Mix Hm4 with minor blues (only a few notes’ difference)
  • Jazz voicings
    • m7 → 7
    • 7 → maj7
    • 7 → m7
    • Fourthy modal voicings (D Dorian, G Dorian)

Observations

Mixing chord scales with key scale is definitely a wonderful framework for improvisation. I learned it from Rich Brown, as he was combining Aeolian and Phrygian over a minor chord to produce cool chromaticisms. It’s not always guaranteed to get great results, but it definitely helps a lot in terms of expanding your vocabulary. For example, I would’ve never thought of combing minor and harmonic minor mode 4 over a minor chord unless I forced myself to try it (which I did), and it actually sounded AWESOME! So yeah, Hm4 over Dorian ii chord — try it, folks.