The full tutorial is at ruclips.net/video/UAQ0pko0n8I/видео.html - it’s only eight minutes long, but it goes into more depth, and also covers a version of the improvisation with five chords 🎹
As a classically trained pianist this must have been the best video for me in terms of learning how to improvise. Never knew how to start learning how to improv and this is such a comprehensible way to begin!
Really glad it helped! Yes, there’s a a funny kind of gulf between the classical mindset and the improvisatory mindset (in my head, not least; speaking for myself I almost see the piano as two different instruments when I’m in each of those “modes”) but getting into improv isn’t hard - it’s just about imposing limits on yourself to start with and then building things up from there. There’s loads of other stuff like this on my channel, so do have a look at that, and give me a shout if I can help!
Improvisation unfortunately stems from the inside. The inner ear. Tutorials like these are good, but they assume you already can hear and create melodies in your mind. Without that understanding first of all, these types of things will not help.
Really? Sounds very interesting. I'm pretty new but I can improvise quite well, but I come from a guitar background and I think playing guitar really helps with writing melodies and improvising (especially rock songs that contain lots of riffs and solos) I noticed that the piano makes it way easier to learn music-theory than the guitar, however playing classical songs still seems like a godly thing to do.
me too hehe, been taught classically with the emphasis being on reading sheet music, all those years didn't prepare me for improvising and chord families lol
@@wolfgangamadeusmozott6229 im not very sure. Jazz theory is very relative, because it was just the try of explaining and integrating Jazz in the already existing European tonal system. Dsus4/Eb is not wrong, it is a correct name for this collection of notes. But usually sus-chords are linking chords like secondary dominants, or tritone-subs and here are just 2 chords. And calling this chord a rootless F13 implies more of the harmonic relation, because F-major is the subdominant of the C-major scale and the harmonic functional notes are described.
With Otis video I startet Jazz improv. After almost a year I built on top of these two Chords and in January 25 I will have a performance on stage. This video is the root of of my improv and an absolutely amazing way to start improv. Thank you 😊😊
You’re welcome! Check out the full tutorial if you get a chance - it’s at ruclips.net/video/UAQ0pko0n8I/видео.html or you can find it pinned to the top of my channel page. It’s got a few extra bits and pieces (more chords etc) that you might like :)
underrated^^^^^^ i was just at a place with a public piano, all i can play is short little things cause i just dabble, i would’ve killed to know this sooner lolol
I WAS TUTORED WHEN I WAS SEVEN AND LATER TOOK FORMAL CLASSES BUT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND CHORD PROGRESSIONS WELL ENOUGH TO REALLY DEVELOP MY IMPROV SKILLS. THIS POST HAS OPENED A DOOR THAT WAS CLOSED FOR A MINUTE 😎😎
I think this video is a good example of beginner improvisation. When I would try to improvise something it would sound bland and repetitive, and I think that’s a good thing to realize. That’s something I noticed in this video. It’s simple and doesn’t overload your brain with too many notes, chords, key, whatever it is (mostly because it’s in the key of C, very simple) . It’s a good introduction to show people that “Hey! It might not sound pretty at first but if you can make it sound interesting, then you’re on a good path!
Wish I had found your channel about two years ago when I started playing keyboard. Looks like I will be spending quite a bit of time here going through videos and also hope to grab a copy of your book.
That’s good to hear, Mike! Quick question for you if you don’t mind - did you discover the channel through a RUclips Short like this one? I’m trying to decide whether to make more, so some insights are useful!
@ Now that *is* interesting - I’d been wondering if people were starting to find the Patreon independently of the RUclips channel. Thanks very much indeed for that little insight!
This is fantastic! What a great way to start your improv journey. Maybe in the future, you could also explain the beginner process of how to build chords your left hand play and why they work? Just saying “play this” doesn’t quite develop an understanding of why they were chosen.
Thanks very much indeed! You're absolutely right re: the understanding side of things: unfortunately RUclips still imposes a 1 minute limit on these vertical shorts, though, so it's a bit tricky to cram in all the stuff I'd like to say. There's far more "why" in my regular videos!
yeah its super easy to imporv badly. improv doesnt mean good. of course its "easy" to improv. to be great at improv is incredibly hard. to get to a place where people like listening to you is incredibly hard.
Easier said than done. When I improvise, I always think ahead to try and not go square. I'm constantly thinking about what chords to use, what rhythms and groups to use, what scales to use, etc. (And I'm a classical musician!)
So Cmaj7 followed by a Emaj7b5 which is sort of functioning as a V since it's a Gsus2b6 ... I guess? what other role could that Eb note have in the second chord
Bill, loved your video on improvisation. One question which has always puzzled me - how do you keep track of all the rhythms? There is the metronome (1) which is 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4. There is the left hand (2) which is once every 8 beats and finally there is the right hand (3) which might be 1+2 3+4 1 2 3+4+. That' 3 three very different rhythms to keep track of while you are deciding which notes to play. There must be a trick of some sort musicians use. Love to hear from you.
Hey Robert - sorry for the delay getting back to you! Really it comes down to automaticity: rather than consciously keeping track of those individual beats and rhythms, you train yourself to do some (or all) of them unconsciously or semi consciously. So, for example, the left hand here I don't really have to think about at all, because I've practised left hands like it so many times that I just have to decide what I do and my hands do the rest (which isn't to say I never make mistakes). I don't know if you drive a car, but it's kind of like that: if you're driving along and want to, for example, turn right, then you go through a whole bunch of very different actions simultaneously or in quick succession (brake, declutch and change gear if you're in a manual transmission, check your mirror, indicate, look out for pedestrians and other traffic, turn the wheel etc etc). You could no way do all those things if you had to think about them all, but you've practised and automated to such a degree that you don't have to think, so your brain is freed up for making the "big" decisions ("I'll turn right now"). Exactly the same principle is at work with this kind of piano playing. Does that make sense?
Yep, I'd say that's definitely a legitimate spelling of the second chord, Miguel. I tend to think of it as a rootless F13 because of its (apparently) subdominant kind of function, but it sounds the same either way 🤣
@@BillHilton …curious as to why some on here are naming the second chord cm6+9, when the 6th note of the c minor scale is clearly Ab… I see that the 9 is D, of course, and understand that much, but the cm6… well ..obviously lacking in musical knowledge, as well as being completely confused ..why 6….? Could it also be named cm7(b7), 3rd inversion…? Disregard… I think I got it, now…? A minor 6th is 8 semitones, and a major 6th is 9 semitones….? New at this ..forgot about intervals…. I was considering and counting notes comprising scales and chords…? Thanks!
You could label it a number of different ways. I'd say it was a rootless voicing of F13, but you could also say it was Am11b5. It's one of those chords that the chord symbol system struggles with!
@@johnslater8998 At least in the convention I use and was taught, the 6 in Cm6 refers to a major sixth. If I understand correctly it seems that you've added a sharp to account for the fact that the sixth note in the (natural) minor scale is an Ab, whereas in the chord we have an A natural, but as I understand it the numbers in chord symbols refer to absolute intervals which are assumed to be major unless an accidental suggests otherwise. In general I don't think you would ever really see a #6 in a chord symbol because this would ultimately be the same as a b7, so a "Cm#6" would just be the same as a Cm7. On that note, I would understand if this is confusing given the way that we deal with sevenths in the system, where just "7" indicates a flat seventh and "maj7" indicates a major seventh, but I think it makes a little more sense if you think of the seventh as being more integral to the quality and function of a chord than other extensions or alterations.
@@stephendonovan9084 Super informative reply, thank you! I totally get it. It doesn’t matter that there is no A natural in the key of C (natural) minor. The 6 only refers to the interval from the root, not the degree of the scale. Thanks again!
I must say that I'm impressed with your little trick. I love it!😘 However, I'd like to ask what's the name of the second chord? I know the first chord is a CMaj7. But I'm not sure about the second. Would be glad to have you enlighten me 🙇
It could either be a Cmin6 with a 9 on top or maybe a F79 with a 6 on top. It all depends on what the bass note is! Depending on how you look at it it could also be EbMaj7#11! There are so many options on what you could call it, but all that really matters is what it sounds like, not what you call it!
Well every chord has like thousands of ways to describe it, all depending on the context. Really, if the composer chose for it to be called that way, that cm7 chord could be considered something completely different
The full tutorial is at ruclips.net/video/UAQ0pko0n8I/видео.html - it’s only eight minutes long, but it goes into more depth, and also covers a version of the improvisation with five chords 🎹
The link https do not work for me
Tegw
👏👏👏👍😍
Could we have the name of this video please, for us phone users ? ;)
You really made my day! Thanks
Jean-paul
As a classically trained pianist this must have been the best video for me in terms of learning how to improvise. Never knew how to start learning how to improv and this is such a comprehensible way to begin!
Really glad it helped! Yes, there’s a a funny kind of gulf between the classical mindset and the improvisatory mindset (in my head, not least; speaking for myself I almost see the piano as two different instruments when I’m in each of those “modes”) but getting into improv isn’t hard - it’s just about imposing limits on yourself to start with and then building things up from there. There’s loads of other stuff like this on my channel, so do have a look at that, and give me a shout if I can help!
Fr, same situation here
Improvisation unfortunately stems from the inside. The inner ear. Tutorials like these are good, but they assume you already can hear and create melodies in your mind. Without that understanding first of all, these types of things will not help.
Really? Sounds very interesting. I'm pretty new but I can improvise quite well, but I come from a guitar background and I think playing guitar really helps with writing melodies and improvising (especially rock songs that contain lots of riffs and solos)
I noticed that the piano makes it way easier to learn music-theory than the guitar, however playing classical songs still seems like a godly thing to do.
me too hehe, been taught classically with the emphasis being on reading sheet music, all those years didn't prepare me for improvising and chord families lol
Learning the blues scale would definitely step this up a notch
Yes indeed!
@@BillHilton oh yeah. the major blues scale is amazing
Just started to learn the Piano some days ago.
But already impressed everyone thanks to you. Cheers :)
You're welcome, Alexej - that's great to hear, and good luck with your progress!
the method of only starting with one note and adding more as you go is rlly good advice, atleast for me bc i tend to overcomplicate things
Cmaj7 - F13 rootless
Why F13 and not Dsus4/Eb? I'm new to learning jazz theory so genuinely curious about the conventions
@@wolfgangamadeusmozott6229 im not very sure. Jazz theory is very relative, because it was just the try of explaining and integrating Jazz in the already existing European tonal system. Dsus4/Eb is not wrong, it is a correct name for this collection of notes. But usually sus-chords are linking chords like secondary dominants, or tritone-subs and here are just 2 chords. And calling this chord a rootless F13 implies more of the harmonic relation, because F-major is the subdominant of the C-major scale and the harmonic functional notes are described.
The second chord could be rootles C minor 6/9 or going.to the keyboard sees an E flat maj 7 half diminished or (flat 5 if you like)
@@georghennen911this was so helpful and informative bro thank u
@@wolfgangamadeusmozott6229 That could be Cm6(9) too?
With Otis video I startet Jazz improv. After almost a year I built on top of these two Chords and in January 25 I will have a performance on stage. This video is the root of of my improv and an absolutely amazing way to start improv. Thank you 😊😊
Wow! You have changed my life! Thank you so much! 🙏🙏
You’re welcome! Check out the full tutorial if you get a chance - it’s at ruclips.net/video/UAQ0pko0n8I/видео.html or you can find it pinned to the top of my channel page. It’s got a few extra bits and pieces (more chords etc) that you might like :)
@@BillHilton Thank you so much! 😁😁
урок рок н ролл на роялеruclips.net/video/Q2bDwO_WpEk/видео.html
underrated^^^^^^
i was just at a place with a public piano, all i can play is short little things cause i just dabble, i would’ve killed to know this sooner lolol
Thankyou! Hopefully it'll be useful for next time!
Best improvisation with 3 notes❤
Glad you think so - I hope you’ve managed to make some good sounds with it!
This is awesome! Also, I sarcastically love the idea of ‘learn this improvisation’ because the idea is it's improvised. Still really cool.
This is such a cool tip 🙏🏼
Thank you - glad it helped!
Finally!!!! That’s what I was looking for
I WAS TUTORED WHEN I WAS SEVEN
AND LATER TOOK FORMAL CLASSES BUT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND CHORD PROGRESSIONS WELL ENOUGH TO REALLY DEVELOP MY IMPROV SKILLS.
THIS POST HAS OPENED A DOOR THAT WAS CLOSED FOR A MINUTE 😎😎
Really glad to hear it, Gary!
I think this video is a good example of beginner improvisation.
When I would try to improvise something it would sound bland and repetitive, and I think that’s a good thing to realize. That’s something I noticed in this video. It’s simple and doesn’t overload your brain with too many notes, chords, key, whatever it is (mostly because it’s in the key of C, very simple) . It’s a good introduction to show people that “Hey! It might not sound pretty at first but if you can make it sound interesting, then you’re on a good path!
As a guitarist/wannabe jazz piano player, thank you so much!!
You're welcome, Alex!
I love jazz
Wish I had found your channel about two years ago when I started playing keyboard. Looks like I will be spending quite a bit of time here going through videos and also hope to grab a copy of your book.
That’s good to hear, Mike! Quick question for you if you don’t mind - did you discover the channel through a RUclips Short like this one? I’m trying to decide whether to make more, so some insights are useful!
@@BillHilton I came across your Patreon first and then went to RUclips to look at your channel.
@ Now that *is* interesting - I’d been wondering if people were starting to find the Patreon independently of the RUclips channel. Thanks very much indeed for that little insight!
CLUB PENGUIN PIZZA PLACE OST IS THAT YOU!!!!???? 😳😳😳
underrated comment
Agreed. Hearted it.
Omg tysm!!! 😊😊
I have played club penguin in so long bro
@@KyuubiNIG it was my n⁰ 1 childhood game how could i forget 😂😂😂 been a while that i dont play it yeah :(
I love the easy cording. It helps me add on to the groove easily.
Perfect 🤩
Wow its so god improv thanks very much👏🙏
The drum beat sounds like fly me too the moon
I...LOVE ITTT!
As self taught guitarist this is great 👍
Actually this was so cool!!!! Made it seem so simple!
Thank you!
Love the left hand comping.thats what I need
This is fantastic! What a great way to start your improv journey.
Maybe in the future, you could also explain the beginner process of how to build chords your left hand play and why they work? Just saying “play this” doesn’t quite develop an understanding of why they were chosen.
Thanks very much indeed! You're absolutely right re: the understanding side of things: unfortunately RUclips still imposes a 1 minute limit on these vertical shorts, though, so it's a bit tricky to cram in all the stuff I'd like to say. There's far more "why" in my regular videos!
My favorite way to progress is using half step/whole step resolutions
Left hand = CM7 - Cm6+9 (first inversion) right hand = improvisation on the C pentatonic scale
I love this short ...need more like this
Thank you! I'm tied up with long form stuff at the moment, but I'm planning more shorts for spring 2023!
Ok but imagine actually pulling this out in a jazz jam session. You’d never be allowed back there lol
@Andres cause it sounds like trash lmao
Why not?
@@julienvalley28too many butter notes
@@nilovankralingen1489what are those
@@hajdarmatajmanjola1555 ask miles davis
best jazz improv ive seen- :)
Thank you!
HAHAHA are you kidding me?
Bro come on now
урок рок н ролл на роялеruclips.net/video/Q2bDwO_WpEk/видео.html
?
Peaceful
thank you sir God bless you
You're welcome - God bless you too!
imma use this
Let me know how it goes!
fly me to the moon
...and let me play among the stars...
...let me see what spring is like, on a-Jupiter and Mars...
Absolutny majstersztyk! #januszbielecki
Couldn’t improvise till now thank you
You’re welcome - keep practising it and trying new stuff to build your skills!
wow... this is really easy to understand.. thank you!!
You're welcome!
I go to a drawing class and there are also jazz songs and this song is very close to the songs I hear in my drawing class and they are just so calm
This #short make me start love the jazz, thanks
Thanks Saulo!
Excellent 👍
Thank you, Rasesh - glad you liked it!
fantastic
Amazing I'll love to see more of this
Thank you! I've had a little break from making Shorts while I've been working on my latest book, but I've now got more in the production pipeline!
Thanks! This helped me write a song!
Bro tell us when you drop it
@@Jabberwocky39 that won’t be for a while! But here’s a link to a clip of it :) ruclips.net/video/yV60Ke4yhLs/видео.html
Was waiting to see if you were gonna hit that Lydian note lol. Love where you dropped that F natural tho 🙌✌️
Great 🎶
Thanks Deanna!
Jazz music is very fascinating
Very nice thank you
You’re welcome!
All of us somewhere soon thanks to this clip:
“Thank you very much I’ll be here all week 🎹🥁”
Fells like nostalgia game that i remember
El mejor video , sin tanto rollo y bastante claro, muchas gracias 🙌🏻
De nada! Glad you liked it!
Thank you
I like that
Is so good for you ❤
Hey it's sounds cool!
Improvisation is pretty easier than normal peoples think. Just come with chords, set up your accomp and just press any keys you like!
yeah its super easy to imporv badly. improv doesnt mean good. of course its "easy" to improv. to be great at improv is incredibly hard. to get to a place where people like listening to you is incredibly hard.
Easier said than done.
When I improvise, I always think ahead to try and not go square. I'm constantly thinking about what chords to use, what rhythms and groups to use, what scales to use, etc. (And I'm a classical musician!)
This might be my favorite piano tutorial. Gonna try it out soon
Thank you - let me know how you get on!
This is so jazzy 😊❤
nice man nice
way more helpful than any 30+min tutorials out there
Thank you!
Luv it❣️
Love it
Thank you, Michel!
This is awesome
That was really fun thanks a ton!
Glad you enjoyed it!
IT'S SAID :THOSE WHO CAN DO THE DAMN THING
AND THOSE WHO CAN'T TEACH
YOU PROVED THAT TO FALSE.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK🤩🤩
Thank you!
If you add a few blue scales in there on the right hand that’s another step up from the novice level
Yes indeed - good tip right there!
So Cmaj7 followed by a Emaj7b5 which is sort of functioning as a V since it's a Gsus2b6 ... I guess? what other role could that Eb note have in the second chord
You could also just consider it an F13!
its borrowing from C melodic minor- so, probably either what you suggested or F13, or Aø7
reminds me of frank sinatra’s “one note samba” in how it’s a good demonstration that simplicity can go a long way when executed correctly.
Absolutely!
One note samba is from Tom Jobim
aka Samba de uma nota só
Bill, loved your video on improvisation. One question which has always puzzled me - how do you keep track of all the rhythms? There is the metronome (1) which is 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4. There is the left hand (2) which is once every 8 beats and finally there is the right hand (3) which might be 1+2 3+4 1 2 3+4+. That' 3 three very different rhythms to keep track of while you are deciding which notes to play. There must be a trick of some sort musicians use. Love to hear from you.
Hey Robert - sorry for the delay getting back to you! Really it comes down to automaticity: rather than consciously keeping track of those individual beats and rhythms, you train yourself to do some (or all) of them unconsciously or semi consciously. So, for example, the left hand here I don't really have to think about at all, because I've practised left hands like it so many times that I just have to decide what I do and my hands do the rest (which isn't to say I never make mistakes). I don't know if you drive a car, but it's kind of like that: if you're driving along and want to, for example, turn right, then you go through a whole bunch of very different actions simultaneously or in quick succession (brake, declutch and change gear if you're in a manual transmission, check your mirror, indicate, look out for pedestrians and other traffic, turn the wheel etc etc). You could no way do all those things if you had to think about them all, but you've practised and automated to such a degree that you don't have to think, so your brain is freed up for making the "big" decisions ("I'll turn right now"). Exactly the same principle is at work with this kind of piano playing. Does that make sense?
@@BillHilton perfectly point.
I love jazz man! I'm subscribed! Ok?
Me too! Thanks very much indeed!
Thank you so much
thanks
You're welcome!
It would be cool to see the 2 hands have different colors on the schematic
Good point - the software lets me do that, so I might try in future tutorials!
Groovy 🎷🎷🎷🎷🎷🎷🎷
perfct
Thank you!
That's cool
Amazing sir
tks for tutorial
You’re welcome!
Thanks 😀
Thank you. You inspired me to create and share my improvisations on my channel.
CHRISTMAS TIIIME IS HEEEEEERE
so inspo bebop melodic lines you got
WOW
That natural C5 sounds jarringly dissonant to me
The second chord could be rootles C minor 6/9 or an Eb maj 7 half dim (flat 5). Nice chord
This is so gooodddd I can’t even
Thanks Nadeem - glad you like it!
Nice one!
Thanks m8
This helps
Cmaj7 - Cm6(9) I think
Yep, I'd say that's definitely a legitimate spelling of the second chord, Miguel. I tend to think of it as a rootless F13 because of its (apparently) subdominant kind of function, but it sounds the same either way 🤣
@@BillHilton
…curious as to why some on here are naming the second chord cm6+9, when the 6th note of the c minor scale is clearly Ab… I see that the 9 is D, of course, and understand that much, but the cm6… well ..obviously lacking in musical knowledge, as well as being completely confused ..why 6….? Could it also be named cm7(b7), 3rd inversion…?
Disregard… I think I got it, now…? A minor 6th is 8 semitones, and a major 6th is 9 semitones….? New at this ..forgot about intervals…. I was considering and counting notes comprising scales and chords…?
Thanks!
"Thank you for calling. Please wait as we connect you to one of our available agents." type music
I could become a billionaire writing that stuff 🧐
craaaaaazy!!!
Useful❤️
I see C chord first. But the éther? The name plz..
Regards,
GC
You could label it a number of different ways. I'd say it was a rootless voicing of F13, but you could also say it was Am11b5. It's one of those chords that the chord symbol system struggles with!
Lots of ways to think of it, I think F13 is a good option, could also help to think of it as a Cm6/9 a la All Blues.
@@stephendonovan9084 Thanks If it’s a rootless Cm, wouldn’t it be Cm#6 9 ?
@@johnslater8998 At least in the convention I use and was taught, the 6 in Cm6 refers to a major sixth. If I understand correctly it seems that you've added a sharp to account for the fact that the sixth note in the (natural) minor scale is an Ab, whereas in the chord we have an A natural, but as I understand it the numbers in chord symbols refer to absolute intervals which are assumed to be major unless an accidental suggests otherwise. In general I don't think you would ever really see a #6 in a chord symbol because this would ultimately be the same as a b7, so a "Cm#6" would just be the same as a Cm7.
On that note, I would understand if this is confusing given the way that we deal with sevenths in the system, where just "7" indicates a flat seventh and "maj7" indicates a major seventh, but I think it makes a little more sense if you think of the seventh as being more integral to the quality and function of a chord than other extensions or alterations.
@@stephendonovan9084 Super informative reply, thank you! I totally get it. It doesn’t matter that there is no A natural in the key of C (natural) minor. The 6 only refers to the interval from the root, not the degree of the scale. Thanks again!
Wish there was a tutorial like this for guitar
Top
I must say that I'm impressed with your little trick. I love it!😘
However, I'd like to ask what's the name of the second chord? I know the first chord is a CMaj7. But I'm not sure about the second.
Would be glad to have you enlighten me 🙇
It could either be a Cmin6 with a 9 on top or maybe a F79 with a 6 on top. It all depends on what the bass note is! Depending on how you look at it it could also be EbMaj7#11! There are so many options on what you could call it, but all that really matters is what it sounds like, not what you call it!
@@quinnrehkemper1213 thanks a lot for the enlightenment. Bless ya!🥳
Well every chord has like thousands of ways to describe it, all depending on the context. Really, if the composer chose for it to be called that way, that cm7 chord could be considered something completely different
Lot of fun too scat to that.
Cmaj7 -> Amin7b5sus4 with the b5 in the bass
Hey dark light motion, how'd you get to a level to where you can know chords like the second one so well? Do you play alot? Thanks!
@@jofoley8773 wqtching adam neely and fucking around with a keyboard.
You might call it „Amin7b5sus4“ but functionally it’s a subdominant rootless voicing of F13.