Stop memorizing tunes and learn the language!

[@RedErin]

Being just a casual learner of jazz piano, this really explains what I’ve been missing out on. I’ve loved delving into structure rather than just trying to “learn songs”. The more I have done this, the more I’m able to sit down and play what I want. This gives me a lot to think about when I’m unable to sit at the piano. For anyone passing through that thinks they’ve failed at piano as an adult, listen up. Keep going. That’s all you need to do. It takes some of us longer than others, sometimes it takes longer to search out your learning style and find the right teacher/classes. Most of the learning happens away from the piano, your brain takes all that input and rearranges it and when you get back to the piano after a short break (minutes, even days or weeks) things will snap into place more often than not. Try and play chords in your head, say note names out loud, picture your fingers on the keys - loads of work can be done away from the piano. Also while listening to music, mentally figure out notes and chords and sit down later and try and replicate some of those sounds even if it’s only one note to start with, this will build over time and help you be intuitive. Never stop, never quit.

[@paulr494]

When I look back, I thought I could “play a tune” but I didn’t “know”’it, couldn’t see how it related to other tunes that I also thought I knew, didn’t spot common progressions. I have plenty of work to do, but accepting the truth of developing fluency in Jazz Skills has allowed me to plug gaps and make sense of the knowledge and tunes I played. More progress in the last year than the previous 10!

[@JazzSkills]

Exactly! Playing a tune isn't the same as knowing a tune. I'm pleased to see you making progress on Jazz Skills. Keep up the good work!

[@adonisvowsen]

Amazing eye opener! This video brings to light what most of us aspiring jazz pianist are so ignorant of and dont even realize it! This video has caused me to rethink over my life and the TIME i wasted learning tunes with the wrong approach 🤦🏾‍♂️. Again this is perhaps the most important topic of discussion when it comes to the "LANGUAGE" THANK YOU SO MUCH SIR!

[@rebanelson607]

My sentiments exactly - well said!

[@JazzSkills]

It's great to know this made a difference and I hope that fluency will follow for you. All the best, Shan

[@gigspigs]

Been playing guitar for over 40 years. Always steered clear of jazz. This is the first lesson that actually made sense to me and taught me something quickly. Thank you.

[@kennyb1063]

Just a testimony. Shan is a very interesting teacher. I have being studying jazz piano on Jazz skill for several years and I learn many things all the time. I I can access when I want. There are webinars at least once a month and one can ask directly to the master there is also a jazz skill community where one can ask a question to the community and directly to shan. Take a trial you will see all the huge courses you can attend.

[@petersmith769]

Great lesson, I like the way you explain things. Usually the explanation goes into why it’s a 2 chord or a five chord and the tutor counts up the keyboard, so it’s too basic, not so here and there’s so much more alluded to.

[@JazzSkills]

Thank you Peter. I appreciate your kind comment and wish you good jazz!

[@MrHilight2012]

A wealth of knowledge, thank you! I'm a music educator and student, and as a former student of JazzSkills, I appreciate all you do.🙏🏽

[@rebanelson607]

Where have you been all my life?? NOW I realize why I've struggled to learn songs: I began by learning the notes when I should have mastered the chord progressions! Many thanks for this excellent tutorial!

[@JazzSkills]

At least you know what to focus on now and you can start making awesome improvements. I wish you well!

[@__-cr6fv]

Great little lesson! I've been trying to do just that on guitar for a bit and it has helped A LOT. As I become more familiar with the common cadences and their harmonic functions, the progressions become muscle memory units instead of the "alphabet soup" that is memorizing just a bunch of chords. While I continue to work on fluency in this, I am now trying to build the same muscle memory units in *improvising* over these cadences. All of this process sure makes me appreciate the greats!

[@alexdelliponti3629]

True and intelligent. Thank you

[@JazzSkills]

Thank you and I wish you good jazz.

[@chowturtlezpabus]

Mannnn it’s harder than I thought, gotta relearn everything now but I’m excited about it thanks man needed this so much

[@JazzSkills]

Working in a more linguistic way will make things a lot easier for you over time. Stay with it. You'll get there!

[@CatioChic3catsJazz]

I never tire of being reminded of the “language”. Think I will hit the SMART TUNES this morning and comp in 2 keys.😀

[@JazzSkills]

Sounds good! Let's get you to work :)

[@BrendaBoykin-qz5dj]

Thank you,JS⭐🌹⭐

[@JazzSkills]

Thank you too!

[@coreysmith4817]

😮 Masterpiece of a Video..Also could be consider for a Nobel Peace Prize 😅

[@doce7606]

well, i just learned 'taking a chance...' so there... dig your lessons

[@JazzSkills]

Awesome! I hope to hear you play it one day.

[@doce7606]

@@JazzSkills Hope and joy are brother and sister, cool man !

[@doce7606]

@@JazzSkills the deal is almost as primal as 'Amazing Grace' I'm working on a pedal version (dig A7/C or Dm/C) that helps me unlock new modern sounds... th BH b6 framework helps me know where the diminished passing notes come from... so ultra hip and it's 'churchin' me'

[@doce7606]

@@JazzSkills lol btw i'm a guitarist so your piano sh_t makes me work-hard to get close- and open-voicings that flow in a solo context... helps me understand what Joe Pass' book was getting at .... so cool

[@jaijeffcom]

I liked one particular point of focus, comping. I’m kind of all over the road with practicing a lot of ideas. Meanwhile, what I hate the most is playing out of time. I want to “keep going,” playing only what I’m able and correctly. I hate it when I flub and lose the time, pausing, turning the beat around, or rushing. I reflect on that and think, every time I play out of time I’m teaching myself to play out of time. I want more experiences of playing correctly in time. Now this video; if I dial it back to one specific goal of comping the tune and, as he said, in correct time every time, that targets my biggest weakness (I bet) of just being solid with the progressions and gives me an achievable objective. I have 10 tunes as a goal right now that embrace the predominant progressions. Well my square one ought to be, not memorizing all the melodies, but rather learning those progressions; lots of inversions and all keys. Move around the keyboard with all of them and in correct time! I feel inspired and encouraged with a sensible and achievable goal. Furthermore, it seems quite plausible that any subsequent goal will just be that much more achievable with that foundation. Welp, enough commenting. More practicing! Thank you.

[@JazzSkills]

You're talking a lot of sense here. I'm sure that refining your process like this will make a massive difference to your fluency. Keep up the good work!

[@jaijeffcom]

@@JazzSkills Dropped a basic swing drum into a track in Logic, recorded a walking bass line for one chorus of Autumn Leaves, recorded the tune in another track. Set it all as a repeat region. Voila! Daily comp practice. As soon as I find the MIDI transposition in Logic (easy, just didn't do it yet), I practice the turn-around progression in all keys. Mute the tune track and I even practice soloing. 9 tunes to go for my current curriculum. That's fun.

[@JustFiddler]

Matur suksma🎉

[@JazzSkills]

You are welcome! (I had to google that but I learned something) 🙂

[@triplesp-iam]

Jazzified!

[@michaelwilliamson248]

I have jazz friends that just say… “do the work”. It’s fair. I need to. I listened to this and thought all the chord progressions are very familiar. Then as you comped the chords I heard “only a paper moon” in my head. This chord knowledge is in there but I need to do the work to be able to say 2-5 251 3 6 25 etc etc

[@JazzSkills]

It will change everything for you my friend. Go for it!

[@Sean-rawlins]

0:42

[@Sean-rawlins]

1:12

[@robgrenville1432]

… just because the singer aaks us to. Really! 🥴🥴🥺