The left hand of the 'A' section

Tom Seals
Tom Seals

Lesson time: (5min 31sec)

Tom Seals teaches the left-hand part of the 'A' section - a chromatic line you can play as single notes or in octaves - to sit under the right-hand melody.

Course preview

This lesson is part of the course Learn Swing Standards on Piano with Tom Seals
Watch a preview of the full course below.

Lesson transcript:

Music Lesson: A Section Left Hand

So we've got the right hand of the A section. Now let's have a look at the left hand.

In a minute, we're going to add some extra chromatics in the right hand, which will make sense with the left hand. So at the moment, it might sound a little disjointed, but bear with me. We'll get there; it'll sound great.

Right Hand Melody

  • The right hand melody starts on the 1:
    A, 2, A, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1.

  • Each bar of four can be broken up as:
    1, 2, 2, 3, 4.
    Or split into:
    1 and 2 and 3 and 4.

The melody starts on the 1:
1, A, 2, A, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1.
Ba ba doo da da da.

Left Hand Rhythm

The left hand is going to come in with the rhythm like this:

  • C, D, E flat, and E.

Breakdown

  1. The first sequence:
    C, D, E flat, E.

  2. The second sequence goes down:
    C, B, B flat, A.
    Just chromatics all the way down.

You could start doing it with just one note at a time, or you can put it into octaves. Here's how:

  • I like to do my little finger on C and my thumb on C, playing both at the same time:
    Ba da da da da da da da da da da da.

That's the first part of the A section.

Practice Together

Let's try that again:
1, A, 2, A, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1.

Now again:
1, A, 2A, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1.

Then we're going to go to a D and walk up to the G:
D, E, F, F sharp, G.

From the top, we have:

  • The last line:
    "Don't get around much anymore."

I'll put the right hand and the left hand together to show you how it goes. We end on both on a C.

Play Together

I'll play the left hand, you play the right hand in the most simple form of the A section.

Starting with Right Hand:

Are you ready? Start on:
E, E, D, C, G, F, E.
You play the right hand, don't forget you're in on one:
1 and 2. 1, 2, 3, 4, 1.
"Mr. Saturday dance."
Da lo da da da da da da da da.

Now again.

Left Hand Versus Right Hand

Great!

Now I'll play the right hand, you play the left hand. Ready?
1, A, 2, A. 1, 2, 3, 4, 1.
D up to the G.
Great! Again:
D up to the G. D, E, F, F sharp, G.

Okay, now both together!

About the instructor

Tom Seals
Tom Seals

The mantle of UK Piano Man has long been held by Elton John, Jools Holland and Jamie Cullum. Over the past five decades no one else has come remotely close - until now! Fresh from his sell-out "Let The Good Times Roll" tour, Tom Seals - "quite possibly the future of jazz and blues" - has the world at his fingertips. His virtuoso soloing, excellent improvisation skills and distinctive voice have led top industry figures to hail him as the UK's finest boogie woogie and blues pianist and vocalist. Still in his mid-twenties, Seals has already played sold-out shows across the globe, including London's legendary Ronnie Scott's, a stunning performance at Birdland Jazz Club on Broadway in New York, and work alongside Jools Holland. Notable appearances include: Cheltenham Jazz Festival's 'Gregory Porter & Friends' Jools Holland's 'Boogie Woogie & Blues Spectacular' Birdland Jazz Club, New York City British Summer Time - Hyde Park Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club Gisburne Park Pop-Up Montreux Jazz Festival Cropredy Festival The Steinway Two Pianos Festival Glastonbury Newark Showground "Drive-In" Blenheim Palace In his course, Tom throws open the secrets behind his playing - showing you how to swing standards at the piano, build authentic boogie woogie and blues lines, and find the freedom to improvise, so you can become the ultimate Piano Man yourself. You can read Tom's full biography at www.tomseals.co.uk. read more

What's included?

23 lessons (1h 39m)
Advanced video features
Mobile, tablet & desktop
100% satisfaction guarantee
View course info