First break

Music Lesson

Introduction to the Break

So let's look at the first break. Now, this is the point where the main vamp, the main groove stops. And we got this break in the dancing with a cool, cool kind of piano figure going on.

Recalling the Introduction

We've got this. Now hold yourself. We've got this, which again recalls the introduction. It's built on that C7 chord.

• You know, there's something about a seventh chord which kind of wants to do something.
• It wants to go somewhere.

So it's got this extra sort of energy compared to just a regular triad.

Transitioning to the Percussive Element

Now stop. Remember, there's that percussive thing coming in again. One thing that can be tricky when going into a percussive section like that is to actually play it in tempo.

• So try with the metronome, going from, you know, even just playing random things just to get that rhythm kind of locked in.
• You don't want to be speeding up or slowing down on those tremolo, tremolos.

Practicing the Roll

Now stop. He says. They got that little roll.

• I'm kind of, again, sliding off the B flat to the B.
• You might want to play it with individual fingers.

In the left hand, I'm playing it like that: then octaves.

Understanding the Chord Progression

Then we've got that chord followed by that again. This is quite a hard one to make out in the recording. I kind of heard a ninth in there.

• That's going down the kind of broken chord on a C dominant 7.
• And then this chord, maybe it hasn't got the D in it.
• Maybe it's just that, it does sound like that is the voicing.

Then this G sharp, which is sort of an augmented fifth, something you'll hear a lot in Romantic music, especially from the Romantic period, like Rachmaninoff and stuff like that.

So again, it just wants to go somewhere, like something wants to happen.

Conclusion: Transitioning to the Next Section

And it's a great chord for saying, "Now, boogie woogie." Then we're into the next section.