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Mastering Odd Times
HomeCoursesMastering Odd Times
CoursePianoJazzIntermediatePart 2 of 2
Part ofPiano

Mastering Odd Times

Darius Brubeck

with

Darius Brubeck

$13/month

Unlocks this course + 5,000+ other lessons across every instrument.

Subscribe to Watch
Cancel anytime30-day refund

$13/month

Unlocks this course + 5,000+ other lessons across every instrument.

Subscribe to Watch
Cancel anytime30-day refund
Duration2h 10m
Modules12
LevelIntermediate
LanguageEnglish

Lesson Plan (2h 10m)

About this course

Darius Brubeck is a jazz pianist and educator, and son of the legendary Dave Brubeck, who popularised the use of odd-times in jazz. In this online course, Darius has partnered with University of Cape Town music professor Dr Mike Rossi to distill the challenges of playing in odd times and give you the tools and techniques to overcome them.

In this course, Darius and Mike teach you:

  • How to feel odd-times more naturally, covering 5/4 and 7/4 in detail with techniques that apply across all odd times and metres
  • How best to construct melodies and improvise in odd times
  • How to play the tunes Take Five, Unsquare Dance, and three others in odd times, including full performances, play-alongs, and PDF charts
  • How to practise odd-times, including access to etudes and exercises from Darius and Mike's book on Odd Times
  • The history and background behind the embrace of odd times by jazz musicians

When you reach a certain level in most musical fields, you are likely to be called upon to play in odd-times. It's a valuable skill but also a whole new canvas for experimentation in rhythm and groove, which can be really rewarding. Darius and Mike bring together a wealth of experience, and carefully curated resources, in a course that will have you feeling, not only comfortable, but excited by playing in odd-times, just like Dave Brubeck was when he started to experiment with odd times in the late 1950s!

Learn how to master odd-times and experiment with unusual metres.
 

Who it's for

  • Intermediate jazz pianists ready to step beyond 4/4
  • Returning players curious about rhythm and groove
  • Self-taught improvisers wanting to feel odd metres naturally

What you'll learn

  • Count and feel your way through 5/4 and 7/4
  • Improvise melodic lines that sit naturally in odd metres
  • Play Take Five and Unsquare Dance with confidence

What you'll need

  • An acoustic or digital piano with weighted keys
  • Comfort reading lead sheets and basic jazz harmony
  • A few minutes most days — regularity matters more than length

Explore the series · Jazz Harmony with Darius Brubeck

  1. Harmony 101 - getting to the 'good stuff' fast
    01
    Harmony 101 - getting to the 'good stuff' fast
  2. Mastering Odd Times
    02
    Mastering Odd Times
    You are here

Meet the Guru

Darius Brubeck

Meet the Guru

Darius Brubeck

Darius Brubeck is a noted jazz pianist and educator. He has released numerous albums as a leader, toured internationally with his own groups, and collaborated with his brothers on Brubecks Play Brubeck.

Darius has served as a Fulbright visiting professor in Romania and Turkey. He initiated the first degree course in jazz offered by an African university, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, where he taught until 2005.

Darius often collaborates with Mike Rossi, saxophonist and Professor of Music at the University of Cape Town. Mike's achievements include numerous recordings and international stage appearances as leader, soloist, and sideman with Tony Bennett, Dave Liebman, Winston Mankunku Ngozi, George Russell, Clark Terry and Alessio Menconi, among others.

With Darius as your guide, you'll get straight to the "good stuff". In Harmony 101 he demystifies jazz harmony so you can start putting it to use fast, and in Mastering Odd Times he breaks down how to play and improvise confidently in unusual time signatures.

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