Left Hand run-ups, right-hand ideas
With
Tim RichardsTim continues to explain left-hand run ups and adds right-hand ideas
What's in the course
17 lessons (0h 34m) · 1 free
Lesson transcript
C Jam Blues Lesson: Right Hand Ideas and Chord Approaches
Did you notice those run-ups that we did in C Jam Blues?
- The run-up from C to F
- The run-up from C to G
We also use that run-up in the turnaround. So play along with that for a bit.
Improvisation Suggestions
You could even use that as a backing track for your own improvisations in the right hand. However, you also want to be able to play some right-hand ideas with this walking bass line. Let me show you some new ideas now.
Right Hand Technique
- In the right hand, we'll play the same shape as we did when playing chords (first inversion).
- But we'll play it an octave higher and play the notes singly, more melodically.
Here's a simple two-bar phrase just using those notes.
- When we go to F: Move the shape and change the E to an F.
- When we go to G: Move the whole shape down to first inversion G, then change to F.
This covers the first half of the tune.
New Phrase for the Second Half
The second half introduces a new phrase that approaches the third of the chord from below.
- The D and D sharp are approach tones to the third, which is the main note we're aiming for.
- You'll go down as follows: C, then chromatically upwards, finishing back on this C6 first inversion.
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
Critically acclaimed jazz pianist and composer Tim Richards is one of Britain’s most experienced jazz educators, teaching piano privately for over 30 years, as well as at Morley College, Goldsmiths College, the University of Surrey, Premises Studios and other venues in the UK and abroad. He has produced numerous titles for Schott Music, including the best-selling two-volume Exploring Jazz Piano, Blues, Boogie & Gospel Collection and the acclaimed Improvising Blues Piano. He is also co-author, with John Crawford, of Exploring Latin Piano and Brazilian Piano Collection.
More recently Schott have published Jazz, Latin & Modern Collection (15 pieces for solo piano), comprising Tim Richards originals alongside pieces by Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk, and the two volume set Beginning Jazz Piano (now a two-part MusicGurus course).
“The real joy of Tim’s music… is that it is both hugely educational but also such great fun to play. Anyone with the slightest interest in learning to play or teach jazz piano should really acquire a set of Tim’s books.” PianoDao
As a performer Tim has been a presence on the UK jazz scene since the 1980s, also playing the blues with UK and US legends such as Otis Grand, Earl Green, Dana Gillespie, Larry Garner, Joe Louis Walker and Mojo Buford. He has released over a dozen albums as a leader (featuring many of London’s best jazz musicians including Pete King, Gilad Atzmon, Tony Kofi, Jason Yarde, Seb Rochford, Ed Jones, Dick Pearce and many others), and toured all over Europe with line-ups ranging from duo to nine-piece. His latest recording, the album ‘Telegraph Hill’ by the six-piece Hextet, was described in The Observer as "A true joy from beginning to end".
More info can be found on his website www.timrichards.ndo.co.uk
