Shell Voicings - The Easiest Way

[@colleenbailey3713]

Hi Stijin. I have just stumbled across your Channel. I am in awe at your level of knowledge of jazz and high level of proficiency at all aspects of piano. Your transcriptions are so clear and uncomplicated- so lucky us to have the benefit of them for free. And I appreciate that you do not include a long and boring lecture at the start of each segment - your expertise speaks for itself! Thank you so much for all this.

[@ralph_costello]

Beautiful, perfect! You have been sent by the angels.

[@fabriziovincitorio9377]

your work is wonderful, the most precious gift possible...period

[@StijnWauters]

Thank you so much, Fabrizio!

[@km4hr]

Thanks for showing several examples. Often I find tutorials in which the main point only seems to work in the one example given. This is wonderful!

[@skimanization]

Wow, this is exactly what I have been looking for about how to write arrangements using Shells, thanks.

[@femiadebayo2819]

You’re the type of teacher I wished I had in all my years of stumbling at being self taught, thank you for time and effort you put into these videos

[@StijnWauters]

Thank you so much, Fami! Glad you like the tutorials!

[@ignaciojimenez7899]

the work you do with your video lessons is very helpful and the best on KZbin. Thank you very much and a cordial greeting from Badajoz Spain.

[@StijnWauters]

Thanks a lot, Ignacio! I’m so glad you like the tutorials!

[@DiegoValenciabajista]

Your videos are like master classes man!, super clear and on point, thank you so much!

[@strat1227]

You're a saint! always coming through with things to practice when I need it!

[@StijnWauters]

Thank you! Glad you find the tutorial useful!

[@raybrown6992]

This is again, absolutely brilliant. So kind of you Stijn !

[@odjobnibblelob3650]

Love the annotations with your posts. Helps a beginner like me a lot and brings the theory to life

[@StijnWauters]

Thanks a lot! Glad the annotations are helpful!

[@tinoperc]

Excelent!!!!!!! clear and simply. Thank you very much for your time...

[@marcoscruz7241]

Wonderful Job! Very helpful. You make things easier for us. Tanks a lot.

[@StijnWauters]

Thank you, Marcos!

[@thmb2fngrs]

Thank you Stijn for your beautiful piano playing and sharing this excellent teaching material

[@StijnWauters]

Thanks a lot! You’re very welcome!

[@catulayo1]

El mejor canal de jazz,gracias mil.

[@MyMusicEducation]

Even simple voicings can sound wonderful. Excellent video as usual.

[@StijnWauters]

Thank you! Glad you like the video!

[@barryo5158]

Excellent! Very well demonstrated. Thank you.

[@StijnWauters]

Thanks a lot!

[@kevingreen2694]

Hi Stijn, this is just what I needed! Keep up the good work, brother!

[@StijnWauters]

You’re very welcome, Kevin! Thanks for watching!

[@francescomanfredi]

Unbelievable lesson for us beginners and intermediate! Thanks 🙏

[@StijnWauters]

Thanks, Francesco! The approach in the video helped me a lot when I was learning standards for the first time.! Glad you liked it!

[@lluisrafalessole-classical5068]

Great tutorial

[@StijnWauters]

Thank you!

[@anamaeda8258]

So good!! can u do comping for blues

[@dannuttle9005]

So 1) a song I didn't know about that 2) is excellent and 3) I really want to play and 4) a fantastic arrangement to get started on. It's a day ending in -y in Stijn Wauters World. You will be in trouble with all the other songs I'm supposed to be working on!

[@StijnWauters]

:-) Thanks a lot, Dan!

[@nils8584]

Darn that dream feels so weird to me harmonically, can't seem to grasp it. Could you maybe do a wholde video on it? This is very helpful too though! Thanks man you're the MVP.

[@StijnWauters]

Thank you! Darn That Dream is a difficult tune indeed! I’ll try to make a tutorial on that..!

[@cosmikdebris4950]

The music is in the center here, as it should always be.

[@StijnWauters]

Thanks a lot! Appreciate it!

[@WS09]

Thank you! How to decide use 1 3 or 1 7 shape in each bar?

[@StijnWauters]

Actually you can decide for yourself! Just try both options, and usually there will be one option that sounds and feels better.. Very often the melody will determine whether to play 1-3 or 1-7. And sometimes both options are possible, and in that case you can choose the one that works best for you..!

[@WS09]

@@StijnWauters Thank you !

[@haikel527]

1000 thx you are the best.

[@StijnWauters]

Thank you!

[@aliceleer6561]

Wyśmienite ❤❤❤

[@maloneycraig]

This is great! On half diminished chords is there a rule of thumb to use to choose between voicing the 3rd or flat 5 if you do one or the other but not both?

[@StijnWauters]

Hi, there are no specific rules for the thumb. Usually I would play the guide tones with my thumbs, but that’s certainly not always the easiest possibility (depends on the melody and on the previous chord.). But to answer your question, on that specific Am7(b5) chord with the Eb in the melody, it’s quite difficult to play the 3rd in the RH (out of reach), so I choose to play the Eb instead. Normally the system as shown in the video would work on most chords, but sometimes you have to look for another solution.. Hope that answered your question..? :-)

[@jph7957]

@@StijnWauters The expression "rule of thumb" that Craig used means "a rough and useful principle", not "a rule *for the* thumb". :) I think Craig's question was more "Do you play the flat 5th instead of a 3rd or 7th to keep the flavour of the diminished interval?" Thanks again and again for your super helpful tutorials. I realise the amount of work you put in them and I'm very grateful for that, as are many others!

[@yumouwei2661]

Amazing video as always! One thing I want to know is, whenever there’s a long note in the melody, what do you do to fill in that gap?

[@StijnWauters]

Thank you! When you have a long note in the melody you can easily repeat the root or one of the guide tones to keep the time or to fill in the gap. Or you can repeat that melody note. There are no strict rules. You can even leave some space by not filling in the gap (for example with a bass player).. Hope that was of help..! :-)

[@oliviaedralin1436]

Where do you get or can buy the background music ? Is that an app?😊

[@nylophone5730]

Are these ok to play with a bass player even though you're using the root a lot? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. P.S. I love your channel

[@StijnWauters]

Sure, you can play them with a bass player. Most bebop pianists (including Barry Harris), and others like Horace Silver or Sonny Clark often use shells in the LH. Shouldn’t be a problem!

[@aliceleer6561]

how to practice holding one key with your thumb???😮

[@CasarrubiosJesus]

Just incredible amount of perfect ways for help us to advance with our lessons… Thnks so so much from Madrid Stijn. Any e mail to contact you? Jesús

[@jackwilloughby239]

Could you do a lesson along the lines of Benny Green playing "When Lights are Low?" kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIWcdaGQdqekpK8

[@StijnWauters]

Great rendition indeed! I’ll try to make a lesson on his approach

[@jackwilloughby239]

@@StijnWauters If I ever become anything of a Jazz pianist it will be largely due to your channel and these excellent lessons of yours. The only other channel that comes close is "en blanc et noir," which explores Baroque Improvisation. Thanks a million times over.