Next break

Music Lesson: Exploring New Breaks and Harmonies

And then we're into the next break. This one is slightly different and can be quite hard to do at tempo, so be sure to build up to it.

Tips for Flexibility

• Nice, flexible wrists: They've got to be loose.
• The looser you are, the less tension you create in your body.
• Your upper arm, forearms, and wrists should be as loose as possible.

Left Hand and Harmonies

I've transcribed this as just the left hand playing a seventh and then moving to the sixth, followed by the seventh with the right hand.

• There could be some slightly thicker harmonies in there.
• You could extend it as well.
  • For example, you could play something like this:
    • Very Pete Johnson.
  • Or you could extend it down through those harmonies.
  • You could even go up.

There are lots of options for you to explore. Remember, Pete Johnson chooses to stick with those variations.

Chorus Exploration

Now we're into this next part of the chorus, which is kind of cool.

• I like that last bit at the end where he repeats it on a different note of the bar.
• That's something you can play around with, too.

Trying 12 Bar

Let's try 12 Bar using that idea:

1, 2, 1, 2, 3.

You know, you could do something a little bit like that.

That was just what came out that time.

Cool Figure on Chord Five

And then he plays this really cool little figure on the chord five of this chorus.

• I think that's all really cool.
• It just sort of elaborates on that idea.
• Try using some descending thirds; you could play around with it and create something a little bit like that.