Jazz Piano for Beginners: Play “All Of You” with Rootless Chords. TutorialJazz pianists often use rootless voicings to create a more open and modern sound. These voicings allow for greater flexibility in the left hand, while the right hand can play the melody or improvisation. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to play “All Of You” using rootless voicings, and how to apply the same techniques to any other jazz standard.

What you’ll learn in this tutorial

First, we’ll start with Abm6 chord. Instead of playing the root (Ab), we’ll replace it with the 9th of the chord (Bb). This creates a more modern and open sound. We’ll then show you 4 inversions of this voicing, and explain how to choose the right inversion based on the melody and low interval limit.

Next, we’ll move to the Ebmaj7 chord (measure 2). Again, we’ll replace the root (Eb) with the 9th of the chord (F). We’ll demonstrate how staying close to the previous chord creates a nice voice-leading, and how each voice in the voicing creates smooth lines.

Moving on to the Fm7b5 chord, we won’t use any substitutions. Instead, we’ll use the 4 notes in the chord. However, since the melody note is really low, the voicing will look like a 3-note voicing.

The Bb7b9 chord is a dominant chord that can be voiced in many different ways. We’ll replace the root (Bb) with the 9th of the chord (B natural), and the 5th (F) with the 13th (Gb). However, we need to be careful and use the correct tensions. Since the 13th is rarely shown in the chord symbol, we’ll assume it’s flat. We’ll demonstrate how to use the b9 and #9 interchangeably, and how to choose the right voicing based on the melody.

In the Abm7 chord in measure 7, we’ll replace the root (Ab) with the 9th of the chord (Bb). However, since the melody is already playing the B natural, we don’t need it in our voicing. We’ll show you how to omit the Bb to avoid obscuring the melody.

In the Db7 chord, we’ll use the two substitutions for dominant chords, 9 for root and 13 for 5. However, we won’t follow the voice-leading rule, and we’ll explain why. We’ll also demonstrate how to use tensions, and how to avoid placing them at the bottom of the voicing.

Finally, we’ll tackle the Gm7 chord, which is a tricky one. We’ll explain why using the 9th for the root doesn’t work, and why using the b9 from the key of Eb doesn’t work either. Instead, we’ll replace the 5th (D) with the 11th (C), creating a 7sus sound that works well for a iii chord.

Throughout the tutorial, we’ll also explain how to apply these techniques to any other jazz standard. We recommend checking out the “Essential Jazz Piano Voicings” course offered by mDecks. This course is designed to help jazz musicians of all levels to master essential jazz voicings. The course includes detailed tutorials, exercises, and practice sessions on rootless and root voicings, including the most common substitutions for dominant and minor chords. Students will also learn how to voice-lead and create smooth chord progressions, and how to apply these techniques to any jazz standard. The course comes with interactive tools and a comprehensive PDF book, providing a complete and thorough learning experience.

How Royalties Work for Producers, Songwriters, Artists, Labels; Release Strategy (Ari Q&A Part 5)This week Ari answers more of your questions! If you’d like to submit to our next round of questions, please sign up to our email list.

How to Release an Album in 2023 (live from 🎤 SXSW by Ari Herstand).
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27 Jobs in the Music Industry other than Recording ArtistI have been constantly amazed by just how many professions there are in the New Music Business other than merely recording artist and performing musician. Here are 27 jobs in the music industry.

How to Release an Album in 2023 (Live from SXSW)Releasing music today is vastly different from releasing music even just 5 years ago. It's no longer about release week. It's now about release year. There are extremely important steps to take before *and after* the release of each single and album to make sure you have the biggest effect.

UPSAHL on Pop Songwriting Sessions and the Economics of TouringUPSAHL has ignited a groundswell of fan adoration and tastemaker praise by way of numerous indie alternative gems. “Can You Hear Me Now” achieved a palpable viral buzz followed by the widely praised single “Drugs,” which has been used in nearly two million TikTok videos, reaching #6 on the Viral Chart and the #1 Sound on the Trends Chart.

Mastering 7sus4 Chords like Bill Evans – “I Do It For Your Love” Intro – Jazz Piano TranscriptionOne of the most iconic piano intros in the history of jazz is Bill Evans’ intro in “I Do It For Your Love” from his album Affinity. The chords he plays in this intro are so unique and captivating that they leave listeners wondering where they came from and how to create something similar. In this video, we will dive deep into the concept of 7sus4 chords, specifically as Bill Evans used them in this intro, and learn how to create voicings like his.

Before we begin, let’s briefly discuss what a 7sus4 chord is. A 7sus4 chord is a dominant 7th chord with the third replaced by the fourth. For example, a D7sus4 chord would consist of the notes D, G, A, and C. The chord symbol can be written as D7sus4 or D7sus.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the chords Bill Evans played in his intro. The chord progression is a simple D7sus4, to Eb7sus4, to E7sus4.

To play the first chord, a run-of-the-mill D7sus4 voicing can be used.

However, to achieve the unique sound of Bill Evans’ voicing, the chord needs to be extended as much as possible.

To extend the chord, we stack thirds starting on the top note of the basic D7sus4 voicing. This gives us the notes D, G, A, C, E, G, B, D, and F#. The next note, A, is already in the voicing, so we don’t need to add it again. Notice that the third (F#) appears above the fourth (G) as a tension, rather than below it as in an add11 chord.

On his right hand, Bill Evans plays a Bm triad. He also drops the ninth (E) down an octave, making it a second.

To make this voicing easier to remember, it can be thought of as two upper structures: an add9 on the bVII and a minor triad on the 13th (or the 6th). Using this perspective, a D7sus4 can be voiced as Bm over Cadd9 over D. To achieve the final voicing, two Cadd9 chords can be stacked, with the highest and lowest notes removed. The resulting voicing is a D7sus4 with the 9, the 13th, and tension 3.

To play Bill Evans’ intro in “I Do It For Your Love,” simply start on a D7sus4 and move it up chromatically, creating the following sequence: D7sus4, Eb7sus4, E7sus4. The voicings for the latter two chords can be created using the same principles we used for the D7sus4.

By understanding and mastering 7sus4 chords like Bill Evans, you can add a unique and captivating sound to your playing. Practice these voicings and experiment with them in different chord progressions to fully understand their sound and potential.

If you are interested in more music resources like this, visit the mDecks Theory Journal on mDecks.com and gain access to their expanding library of music books, apps, piano arrangements, improvisation tips, and songwriting strategies.

How To Book House Concerts With Side Door (Review)Not only are house concerts fun to play, they can be quite lucrative. Side Door looks to bridge the gap between artist and host.

Madison McFerrin Stays “Fiercely Independent” With Her Nontraditional TeamThis week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari is joined by the completely independent and incomparable neo-soul artist and producer, Madison McFerrin (recorded live at the Labelcoin x Roland House at SXSW last week).

SXSW Is Worth It (If You Know How To Work It)I just got back from SXSW and true to SX form, I’m in need of some serious recovery. 

This was my 8th year in a row at the festival (save for the two years during the pandemic that it didn’t happen) and, as always, it was a blast. An exhausting blast. But a blast no less. And it flew by too fast. 

Bring more life to your mixes with dynamic panning.
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The Ultimate Guide to Pentatonic Voicings for Jazz Pianists: An Interactive CourseIntroduction

Pentatonic voicings are a valuable tool for jazz pianists and arrangers, as demonstrated by masters such as McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, and Herbie Hancock. They provide a fresh perspective on voicings and can add depth and interest to your playing.

In this interactive PDF course, Pentatonic Voicings by mDecks Music, you’ll learn how to build and practice these essential voicings, and add them to your playing arsenal. With step-by-step video lessons and exercises accompanied by backing tracks, you’ll gain the skills and confidence to incorporate these versatile voicings into your own playing.

What are Pentatonic Voicings?

Traditionally, we think of chords as being built by stacking thirds or fourths. While this is a tried and true method for building voicings, there’s another way to think about it. By using the minor pentatonic scale as a source scale and building voicings by skips, we can create a new type of voicing, known as pentatonic voicings.

These voicings are unique and can add a fresh sound to your playing. By using pentatonic voicings, you’ll be able to create a new palette of sounds that you can draw from when playing jazz standards.

How to Use this Book

Pentatonic Voicings by mDecks Music is an interactive PDF course that contains video lessons and exercises with backing tracks. You can access all of the material from within the PDF. To view related videos, simply click on the QR codes provided.

Start by watching the introductory videos where you’ll learn the theory behind pentatonic voicings, why they are useful, and how to approach them in this course.

Demo Lesson from the Pentatonic Voicings course

How the course is organized

Substructure Studies

In this section, you’ll learn the building blocks of pentatonic voicings. You’ll learn how to transform voicings and create exercises to help you internalize the concept. From quartals and 3rds to inversions of triads and more.

Minor Pentatonic Voicings

Next, you’ll dive into minor pentatonic voicings. You’ll learn how to build them and how to play them in various keys. You’ll also learn exercises to help you practice these voicings.

Voicings Transformation Exercise

Learn how to transform voicings to create new sounds. Voicing transformations will show you a path to new pentatonic scales, which are explored further later in the course.

Mixolydian Exercise

Here, you’ll learn how to build voicings using the mixolydian scale. This is the “McCoy Tyner Sound”.

Demo Lesson from the Pentatonic Voicings course

Other Pentatonic Source Scales

In this section, you’ll learn how to build voicings using other pentatonic scales, which are transformations of the minor pentatonic, such as: the Minor Pentatonic b1, the Minor Pentatonic b5 and the Minor Pentatonic #1

Diminished Voicings

The pentatonic scale and its transformations do not offer a good set of voicings for diminished chords. In this section, you’ll learn how to build diminished voicings that match the style of the pentatonic voicings.

Cadences

The book also includes a section on cadences, which are an essential part of any jazz musician’s vocabulary. Cadences are the musical phrases that signal the end of a section or the end of a tune. In this section, you’ll learn how to use pentatonic voicings to create effective cadences that will add depth and interest to your playing.

Upper Structures & Top-note Charts

One of the most powerful techniques used by jazz musicians is the concept of upper structures. This is a way of creating complex and interesting harmonies by layering one chord on top of another. In this section, you’ll learn how to use pentatonic voicings as upper structures, and how to read the top-note charts that will help you quickly find and play these voicings in any key.

Piano Arrangements

The book also includes several piano arrangements of classic jazz tunes, including “Here’s That Rainy Day,” “When I Fall in Love,” and “I’ll Remember Clifford.” These arrangements are designed to showcase the pentatonic voicings you’ve learned throughout the course, and will help you integrate them into your playing in a practical way.

Comping Etude

Finally, the book concludes with a comping etude that will allow you to practice all of the techniques you’ve learned in a musical context. The etude features a simple chord progression, and will give you the opportunity to experiment with different pentatonic voicings and explore their musical possibilities.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a comprehensive guide to pentatonic voicings, this book/course from mDecks Music is an excellent resource. With detailed explanations, clear demonstrations, and practical exercises, you’ll learn how to build and use these voicings in a variety of musical contexts. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced jazz musician, this course will help you take your playing to the next level. So why wait? Visit mDecks.com and start exploring the world of pentatonic voicings today!

7-Step Exercise to Improve Your Bebop Skills: Learning Charlie Parker’s “Confirmation”Are you a jazz musician looking to improve your improvisation skills and develop your bebop techniques? If so, learning Charlie Parker’s “Confirmation” is a great place to start. In this blog post, we’ll take you through a 7-step exercise that will help you achieve these goals.

We’ve created an entire video with slow and fast versions of each step so you can play along. We’ve also included two backing tracks (slow & fast) for you to practice. The complete PDF is available on the mDecks Music Youtube Channel on their “Exclusive Access” membership tab. They have amazing content with hundreds of lessons like this one. You can join here: Join mDecks “Exclusive Access”

Charlie Parker’s Confirmation 7-Step Exercise explained step-by-step

Let’s take a look at the 7-step exercise outlined in the video:

Step 1 and 2 involve playing the broken chords up in root position and inversions, respectively, focusing on target notes. These exercises help you gain a solid understanding of the chord structure of the tune, which is essential for improvisation.

Step 1: Broken chords up in root position Begin by playing the basic chords of the tune in root position, but instead of playing them all at once, play them one note at a time. This is known as playing broken chords.

Step 2: Broken chord up in inversions (think of target notes) Next, play the broken chords in inversions, and focus on hitting target notes as you play each chord.

Step 3 and 4 help you build speed and agility by playing the broken chords in ascending and descending order. These exercises help you gain dexterity in your fingers and become more comfortable moving around the chords.

Step 3: Up then down Play the broken chords in ascending order, then descend back down the chords in the same order.

Step 4: Down then up Now, do the opposite of step 3. Descend the chords, and then ascend back up in the same order.

Step 5 is all about playing the notes in an angular and broken pattern, focusing on key target notes. This step helps you break away from the strict chord structure and adds an interesting element to your playing.

Step 6 is where you add chromaticism to your playing. You’ll approach the first note of the chord from one half-step below, giving your playing a more sophisticated sound.

Step 7 is the most advanced step, where you add enclosures to your playing. By trapping a note with notes above and below before resolving to the target note, you’ll create a more complex sound. You’ll also learn how to anticipate the enclosure by adding both diatonic and chromatic notes.

Once you’ve completed all seven steps, it’s time to practice “free play,” where you can take the skills you’ve learned and improvise over the tune in your unique way.

By following this 7-step exercise, you’ll improve your bebop skills and get closer to the sound of Charlie Parker. This exercise is an excellent way to develop your jazz musicianship and improvisation skills, and is a fundamental part of any jazz education. So grab your instrument and start practicing!

If you’re looking for a great book with a collection of bebop lines in all keys, backing tracks and a more advanced approach, check out Bebop Lines You Should Know.

This book is an essential guide for anyone who wants to master bebop improvisation. It covers everything from basic to advanced concepts like Chromatic Approaches, Enclosures, Scale Combinations, Lick Transformations, and Beat Targeting.The book also includes a collection of bebop lines from legendary artists like Bud Powell, Kenny Barron, Wynton Kelly, and Bill Evans, along with play-along backing tracks, video lessons, and a Mapping Tonal Harmony Pro XML file with progressions from the bebop lines.

Sync and licensing explained by the agents.
#MusicBusiness #Synchronization #Licensing #Music #Authors #Musicians

Explaining Sync Licensing From the AgentsEstablished in 2002, Blue Buddha Entertainment is a boutique music licensing firm.