Playing off the beat
With
Tim RichardsTim Richards breaks down the off-beat montuno in his Latin tune Montuno for Monty, built on D minor, G minor and A, so you place every syncopated note accurately.
What's in the course
23 lessons (1h 23m) · 1 free
Lesson transcript
Montuno for Monty
The next tune, Montuno for Monty, I wrote as a sort of homage to Monty Alexander. Although Monty Alexander isn't from Cuba, he does play quite a lot of Latin music.
Understanding the Montuno
A montuno is a piano pattern associated with salsa and Cuban music. Generally, it is a repetitive figure that often involves playing off the beat as much as it does on the beat.
Harmonic Structure
Before we look at the montuno, let's discuss the harmonic structure of the piece:
- Chords Used:
- D minor (I)
- G minor (IV)
- A major (V)
The I and IV chords are both minor, while the V chord is a major triad. Alternatively, it could be a seventh chord or a dominant chord. For now, we will play it as a triad. These chords form the basis of the montuno.
Intro and Practice
The montuno goes like this in the intro:
"Now, it's really important to be 100% accurate with that. Probably good to practice it slowly and make sure that all the notes that are off the beat are played correctly off the beat."
Clapping the Rhythm
You could clap the rhythm if you like. I'm going to do that now with a metronome set at 100.
Count:
- Here we go:
- 1, 2 and 3 and 4 and
- 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
- 1, 2 and 3 and 4,
- 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
- 1, 1, 2 and 3 and four and
- 1 and 2 and 3 and four and.
Important Notes
- It's crucial to get the three quavers (three eighth notes) on the end and "four and one" in exactly the right place.
- The first three notes: 1, 2 and...
- Apart from those first three and the last three notes, everything must be played off the beat.
Tips for Playing Off the Beat
If you're not used to playing off the beat, use a foot tap or a metronome to help you identify where the downbeat is.
Make sure that all these off-beat notes are smack in the middle.
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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
