Three Essential Ballad Styles for Jazz Pianists

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Jazz pianist Jeremy Siskind, author of the book, "Playing Solo Jazz Piano," shares three essential jazz ballad styles for solo pianists:
1) Stride Ballad
2) Repeated Quarter Note Ballad
3) Stop-Start Rubato Ballad

[@user-hs4to2uq4j]

Music to my ears

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks for listening!

[@Martian128]

More food for thought - thanks Jeremy!

[@mariostoumbas6531]

I asked my jazz piano teacher Charlie Banacos once, when I was studying with him in Boston, how to play better solo piano because I did not feel like I had it down well enough. Charlie responded to me by saying.. “Marios, solo piano hah….! Man that’s when you have to take care of business!” Well…. Jeremy takes care of business here! Thanks so much Jeremy for such valuable information, even for us professional musicians!

[@roolf1711]

This is the best solo piano education you’ll find on youtube… love your content man!

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks, Rolf! That makes me so happy to hear!!!

[@marinoscarpa895]

Absolutely true

[@janevonmaltzahn2667]

So great! Nobody ever analyzes these things for us "newbies" - they're all taken for granted by the experts and the learning process is mystical. NOT ANYMORE, .. THANKS TO YOU!! A HUGE HELP! P.S. Yes, I HAVE ALL YOUR BOOKS!

[@JeremySiskind]

I'm very grateful, Jane! Thanks so much for the nice comment...and enjoy!

[@pnojazz]

I just purchased a hard copy of your book! I desire to become a master of the Keith Jarrett style ballad with the often used quarter and eight notes. I can’t wait to dig in! Thank you!❤

[@JeremySiskind]

Awesome! I really hope you enjoy it!

[@jazztemple2]

And thank you for mentioning the ballad master, Mr. Jarrett.

[@JeremySiskind]

Oh, with pleasure. I’ve enjoyed Keith’s ballad playing immensely my entire career

[@AzizMorelli]

Great lesson, thanks

[@JoshWalshMusic]

Thanks for sharing this. I love the inner movement you add in your stride playing. Really fills in and smooths out the jumpiness that so many stride ballads suffer from. I’ll be studying this closely. Thanks Jeremy!

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks, Josh! Enjoy!

[@anastasiahulai5095]

Your sounds is giving me goosebumps 💔

[@JeremySiskind]

Aw, that's so nice, thank you Anastasia!

[@mfurman]

I love this lesson. This is exactly what is jazz for me. I still cannot understand why jazz has to be taught starting with, for instance, bebob or very strong swing. I think that is is easier for those who started with classical piano or mostly listen to Keith Jarrett to relate to ballad jazz. Thank you Jeremy. I really think (after some “research”) that you are the best jazz teacher.

[@JeremySiskind]

Great - I'm glad you liked it, Michael! I'm honored you think I'm the best...I'll settle for "not the worst" 😂

[@ThePianoMan1953]

I agree with you, Jeremy is such a great player. This is what jazz is to me too. I specifically love ballads. Jeremy has forgotten more about piano than I will ever learn. 😢

[@janevonmaltzahn2667]

I totally agree with you. Classical people find it easier to start with ballad style. WAY easier for us!

[@joesauvage1165]

Just wonderful! Deepest thanks Jeremy!

[@carson0119]

Bea-u-tiful! Thanks!

[@JeremySiskind]

My pleasure! Thanks for checking it out, Carson!

[@camuy4142]

Amazing!

[@JeremySiskind]

So glad you liked it! I just posted a new video about improvisation today that I hope you can check out.

[@Jamesursel1]

amazing content man you are the real deal!

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks, James! I'm so glad it's valuable for you!

[@anastasiagulai5782]

Love it🔥👍

[@ivanovich3able]

Very instructive and beautiful playing

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks, Ivan!

[@joesauvage1165]

Your book is also a work of art!

[@leehayton]

Really great video. Thanks

[@JeremySiskind]

Thank you, Lee! Happy practicing!

[@ericharding92]

Great presentation

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks much, Eric!

[@imalamboman12]

This is top stuff right here. Thanks Jeremy

[@JeremySiskind]

Thank you so much! I do my best!

[@StefanoCapassoMusic]

Fantastic!

[@JeremySiskind]

I'm glad you liked it, Stefano! Lots more videos to check out. :)

[@juliandavidsanchez9682]

Gracias eternamente ❤

[@FREIMUZIC]

Great video!

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks so much, Fremuzic!

[@richkeys1127]

Awesome! 😍

[@JeremySiskind]

Thank you, Rich!

[@francescomanfredi]

Please Jeremy go on with this kind of content, I just bought your book and I am amazed by it! It is very complete and well thought out. At then same time I need some examples as you are doing here to better understand all the concepts.

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks! Stay tuned - there will be more to come. Enjoy the book!

[@utubebleau]

Jeremy, thank you, thank you. So difficult for us amateurs to improve. Bought your book, my ballads are already better!

[@iandodds693]

I could really do with Schumann's Patent Hand stretcher.

[@JeremySiskind]

Hahah I get it. But you really don’t need big hands. You just need to be slick about rolling the 10ths real quick!

[@Wajdic]

Thank you, Jeremy, very good video and clear explanations. I love your book, it has great stuff, if you can do more of these videos for each chapter it will make it easier for us to work on these concepts... The suggested listening section in each chapter is very helpful as well. Sorry, but my music reading skills are holding me back :)

[@JeremySiskind]

Glad you’re enjoying the book! I’m working on making another video each week, so stay tuned. :)

[@dangfd551]

Thank you so much for turning me on to this beautiful song! I never hear skylark before your video, but your lesson and playing was so great I had to check it out! Do you have any recommendations for arrangements of the song to listen to? I listened to maybe 15 others since, and I still think your interpretation here is my favorite, you managed to bring out the best of the song, inspiring!

[@gabrielbarea]

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Tu-xh2xc]

very pro!!!!

[@trevorsmith8950]

Hey Jeremy, just bought your book. So impressed with your knowledge and ability to articulate what you're doing clearly. I have two degrees in music composition and played winds while getting them, but fell in love with piano performance along the way. Although I'm "good enough" to gig, I've always felt frustrated by a lack of fundamental technique and language when it comes to the jazz tradition. So excited to jump in with your material, I think it's exactly what I need. Appreciate you dude!

[@JeremySiskind]

Awesome! Thanks, Trevor. Great to know you!

[@alejandromedina2349]

Very nice and useful. I bought your book for solo piano but decided to wait while I develop a little more on jazz to have a better grasp of it

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks for checking out the book! You'll find a lot about playing ballads there!

[@matthewcyntje4393]

Excellent instruction Jeremy. But you are showing its also important to know the words to the melody, if possible, to improvise effectively

[@JeremySiskind]

Great! I’m happy to show that whether that was the main point or not!

[@Robert-ts2ef]

As entertaining and educational as it sounds, I am afraid at the moment it’s above my pay scale as I am not sufficiently adept at playing all the chords as I have always been a note reader as taught by my classical method teacher when I was young. Maybe a winter project for me to finally learn them. Thanks again.

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks! You might enjoy my Jazz Piano Fundamental books - they're designed to help transition folks without jazz experience to having a solid foundation for jazz.

[@richardsprince6980]

Hi, Jeremy, I love your approach, will be getting your book! Quick question: what’s your take on mixing styles within one interpretation? Or do you tend to stay in one of these styles throughout? I’m so happy I came across this video because this question has been on my mind lately .

[@JeremySiskind]

Often times, a ballad evolves or changes, or even goes into a non-ballad style like a stride or double-time feel. I often suggest students listen to Kenny Barron's version of "Skylark" from the "Maybeck Recital" hall album for a great example of a ballad that evolves every chorus.

[@nancyreeder8791]

Jeremy, Thank you for explaining how to play Jazz ballads. I have wanted to learn how to play them for many years, and your explanations are so clear and you make it easy to understand. I am a retired classical piano teacher who has always wanted to learn to play the old Jazz Ballad standards but am intimidated and after I am finished taking my composition class ( for fun), I would like to take some lessons from you. I don't know how to improv at all. Thanks again.

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks, Nancy! Hopefully I'll see you on Monday! :)

[@Tu-xh2xc]

very pro!!!

[@JeremySiskind]

Glad you liked it!

[@iliveforthevibez6216]

What is the name of the first song that you played ? Are these in your book ?

[@jazztemple2]

Mr. Siskind. Damn. Lovely sound to Skylark! VERY nice.

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks so much! It’s one of my favorite tunes.

[@oben_music]

Thank you for this lesson Jeremy and I’m looking forward to any more that you might share with us. I have the book and I enjoy it very much - it’s very informative and it touches on the subject which I really wanted to understand for a long time. You’ve done an amazing job in my opinion. Something that I’d like to ask you (maybe an idea for a future video) is: Do you have any tips/tricks on how to spot the techniques described in the book when listening to solo jazz piano performances? How did you learn to hear and spot them in your heroes’ playing? Was it mostly by transcribing or by playing these techniques yourself a lot until you really knew them inside out or a combination of these two or maybe something else entirely? Keep up the great work you do with your music and teaching.

[@JeremySiskind]

Wow, super interesting question, Benjamin! It's interesting for me because everything I came up with in the book was in response to something that I heard, so it's interesting for me to think about "reverse engineering" the process. I guess I'll take a different approach to answering the question and suggest that - in addition to working with the book - you sit and listen to some of your favorite albums, hit pause when you hear something interesting, and then try to imitate what the pianist is doing even if you can't figure out the exact notes or voicings. You can even keep a list of "tricks" to try applying to different tunes. It was interesting for me to come up with tracks and albums for suggested listening, because really sophisticated pianists never just simply do "one thing" for too long, but their music is always changing and developing. Still, I think it's best as a learner to try to learn these concepts really strictly and then practice mixing them. I hope that helps a bit. Thanks for your very nice comments!

[@oben_music]

​@@JeremySiskind , thank you very much. Your suggestion makes sense and I'll definitely try that.

[@carson0119]

Have you done any other videos on the "triplet" ballad feel? If not, would love to see more! I can't find any other great lessons on the topic!

[@JeremySiskind]

Ooh, you mean like a 12/8 ballad feel? Haven’t really thought about that but it’s a good point!

[@klaasmusicvideos2999]

Hello and thank you very much for the precious information. However, I wonder how you are getting this gorgeous sound in terms of pedaling. It sounds to me as if you are using the pedal, but how do you prevent it all bleeding into each other. Or is that sound achieveble without pedaling???

[@JeremySiskind]

Yep - I'm pretty careful with my pedaling. The biggest thing is to be aware, listen, change frequently, and don't always put the pedal all the way down. I did make one video about pedaling here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3rbiX1qgbWjos0

[@bethanylowe8773]

Wow those interpolations in the third style were incredible! Could listen all day long! (Also I keep getting distracted by how you look like Robert Webb the English comedian :) I appreciate the gentle humour in your videos too! )

[@JeremySiskind]

I’ve never heard of Robert Webb but looking him up now…he must be a handsome fellow!

[@JeremySiskind]

I see it a *little*

[@PlaybySoul]

Could you make a vdo about improvisation?

[@IN2music2]

9:21-10:21 😳🤯🔥🔥

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks for checking it out, J!

[@carson0119]

Are you using chord substitutions in the beginning "Stride Ballad" demonstration? Would you mind to share the chord progression for the first A section to help explain?

[@JeremySiskind]

I don't know about the details there, but I have a few videos on reharmonization including this one that I'd check out - kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZ7MpXampZWtmbM

[@sergei4517]

Dear Jeremy, your book is a huge source of information! I have 2 questions: 1. In the quarter notes styles ballads you develop here and in your book, as a pianist, would you say that in order to acquire this technique, we should practice it in tunes (as exercices)? Do the pianist who use it have it naturally or would you say they probably have worked it as exercices for it to become part of their language? 2. When you play the examples, it seems you add some additional chords between chords (for example around 10:00, apart of the tritone substitutions), would you call it reharmonizations? How would you advice us to work to get this fantastic ability to add chords on the fly as you do? Thanks

[@JeremySiskind]

Hi Serge! Regarding Question #1, I don't think anyone has anything naturally. I would definitely suggest practicing it in tunes!!! Regarding question #2, reharmonizing is a pretty essential part of the jazz piano tradition. It's a big subject - reharmonziations can totally transform a tune or just change it around the edges. There's a chapter on reharmonization in my book, and I have a video out with my favorite reharmonization games: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYLdnYpqh7qLf80.

[@sergei4517]

@@JeremySiskind Thanks a lot for your answer...I will jump to the reharmonization section in your excellent book!

[@eky]

2:23 slow Peterson-style stride

[@JeremySiskind]

That's the goal! I was very influenced by Oscar's recording of "Someone to Watch Over Me" (among many other tracks of his that I've checked out).

[@gustav1296]

Sound a lot like Kenny Barrons take on Skylark. Your playing is phenomenal!

[@majoriveira]

Thank you! How would this styles apply when accompanying a singer?

[@JeremySiskind]

Check out this video: Accompanying Vocalists - IN-TIME Ballads (ft. Lia Booth) kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJvPan2Xa8dsa7c

[@JeremySiskind]

And this video: Accompanying Vocalists - RUBATO Ballads kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2TLhml9qqh1pcU

[@majoriveira]

@@JeremySiskind Thank you so much

[@majoriveira]

@@JeremySiskind wonderful, Thank you!

[@adamdiaz3681]

Sir i loved the video but can u break it down a little bit more please. I really love the way u play so much.I love the song smoke gets in your eyes. You sound like johnny acosta

[@THECHARGEwithDennisMetzler]

This is such a great video. Amazing content. However, you should really use a high definition camera

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks! Maybe Santa will bring me one for christmas! 😂

[@ericharding92]

great sounding piano may i ask what it is?

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks! I’m a Yamaha artist, but this piano is a Mason & Hamlin.

[@ericharding92]

@@JeremySiskind You have a great touch which is a large part of it...

[@srigato]

excuse me mr Siskind but in your book there are transcriptions of what you are playng in the video ?

[@JeremySiskind]

Nope! The video came later. There are lots and lots of other similar musical examples notated in the book (like over 200).

[@srigato]

Well i have just buyed the book by Amazon Thanks

[@impeter3719]

wtb bigger hand

[@theoooms7277]

Made it to the end without a problem. here’s the proof; pineapple😜

[@JeremySiskind]

Haha, wrong video, but I'll take it!

[@marcopepe4046]

Your lessons are great! It's a pity that it's difficult to see what you play, so the video loses interest. A virtual keyboard would be perfect.

[@JeremySiskind]

Noted! I play on an actual piano, so you'll have to look elsewhere if a virtual keyboard is what you want. I hope you can enjoy the lessons anyway!

[@mariolopes4157]

Jeremy, do us a favor slow down and show us what you're doing on the piano. I like what I'm hearing, but slow down and show us figure for figure what your doing.

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks for the comments. I’m always trying to grow as an educator. remember - you can always use KZbin to slow videos down to .75 percent (or more)!

[@mariolopes4157]

Thanks for listening

[@iliveforthevibez6216]

What is the name of the first song that you played ? Are these in your book ?