Jazz Piano Skills

Dr. Bob Lawrence

Jazz Piano Skills is a weekly educational podcast for pianists who want to understand jazz harmony, develop improvisation skills, and become more confident jazz musicians. Hosted by Dr. Bob Lawrence, jazz pianist, music educator, and Director of The Dallas School of Music, each episode explores the essential skills of jazz piano through a structured, practical approach to learning. Each month focuses on a jazz standard through four areas of study: Harmonic Analysis — Understand chord progressions, harmonic function, and the musical relationships that shape jazz standards.Melodic Analysis — Explore melodic phrases, musical motifs, rhythmic relationships, and the construction of memorable jazz melodies.Improvisation Development — Learn to improvise through practical exercises, melodic vocabulary, and a systematic understanding of jazz harmony.Solo Piano Development — Develop the skills needed to interpret jazz standards and create your own solo piano arrangements.Whether you're beginning your jazz piano journey or refining your existing skills, Jazz Piano Skills provides a consistent educational process designed to help you understand the music you play. Discover, learn, and play with Jazz Piano Skills. Explore Independent and Guided Study memberships at JazzPianoSkills.com.

  1. 4d ago

    Sunny, Solo Piano

    Discover how to create an expressive solo jazz piano performance of Bobby Hebb's Sunny with Dr. Bob Lawrence of Jazz Piano Skills. In this solo piano development lesson, Dr. Lawrence explores Stage One of his seven-stage approach: harmony and melody played rubato. Learn how simple chord voicings, selective melody harmonization, keyboard register, timing, and musical space shape a complete performance. Through three lead sheet interpretations and a final solo piano demonstration, discover why beautiful music depends less on the number of skills you possess and more on the musical decisions you make. Discover • Learn • Play Support the show

    Sunny, Solo Piano

  2. Oct 21

    Sunny, Improvisation

    Sunny — Jazz Piano Improvisation Development. When does a jazz pianist become creative? Is it after mastering all twelve major scales, learning countless arpeggios, memorizing hundreds of jazz licks, or developing complete technical command of the instrument? Or can creativity begin with something much simpler? In this Jazz Piano Skills episode, Dr. Bob Lawrence continues the study of Bobby Hebb's Sunny by exploring a practical approach to jazz piano improvisation. Podcast Packets Illustrations Lead Sheets Play Alongs Forums Jazz Piano Skills Community The central concept is remarkably simple: One third. One measure. One melodic idea. Dr. Lawrence demonstrates why improvisation is not simply the reproduction of memorized musical vocabulary. Improvisation is the ability to make independent musical decisions. By limiting melodic possibilities, establishing rhythmic frameworks, and intentionally incorporating silence, students begin developing the creative skills necessary for meaningful jazz improvisation. What You'll Discover Why creativity must be practiced intentionallyHow improvisation develops through independent musical decisionsWhy limitations can stimulate musical creativityHow a single third provides meaningful melodic possibilitiesWhy rhythmic organization should precede melodic note selectionHow twelve rhythmic frameworks support improvisation developmentHow scale motion, arpeggio motion, and chromatic tension create melodic varietyHow to develop melodic ideas within the thirds A–C, C–E, and E–GWhy musical silence is essential to improvisationHow to practice the Rest and Assess approachWhy preparation and spontaneity are complementary musical skillsHow to develop original improvisational vocabularyWhy creative skills transfer from one jazz standard to anotherWhen Does a Musician Become Creative? Many developing musicians believe they must accumulate an enormous amount of musical information before beginning to improvise. They study scales, arpeggios, chords, voicings, patterns, and jazz licks in preparation for eventually becoming creative. Dr. Lawrence challenges this assumption. Musical knowledge and physical command are essential, but possessing musical information does not automatically develop the ability to use that information creatively. Creativity requires making musical decisions. A student who repeatedly reproduces predetermined patterns develops the ability to execute those patterns. A student who learns to change starting notes, alter melodic direction, introduce tension, select destinations, and organize rhythm develops the ability to create. Both skills are important. However, personal musical expression requires practicing personal musical decisions. If you want to become creative, you must practice creativity. Creativity Through Limitations Improvisation is often associated with complete musical freedom. But unlimited possibilities do not necessarily produce meaningful musical ideas. Eighty-eight piano keys, twelve pitch classes, and countless rhythmic combinations can create an overwhelming number of choices. Dr. Lawrence explains why deliberately reducing those choices can stimulate creativity. Rather than beginning with the entire keyboard, students begin with one third. Rather than exploring unlimited rhythmic possibilities, students begin with one measure of rhythm. These limitations create a manageable musical environment in which students can focus on making meaningful decisions. The objective is not to restrict creativity permanently. It is to develop the creative ability that eventually makes greater musical freedom possible. One Third. One Measure. One Melodic Idea. The primary improvisational exercise begins with a single musical interval. A third provides two structural notes along with possibilities for passing tones and chromatic decoration. Within this small collection of pitches, students can explore several musical decisions: Which note should begin the phrase?Should the melody ascend or descend?Should a passing tone be introduced?Would chromatic tension enhance the idea?Should a note be repeated?Where should the melodic idea arrive?Each decision changes the musical result. By combining these melodic possibilities with a predetermined rhythmic framework, students begin creating original musical ideas. The goal is not to reproduce someone else's improvisational vocabulary. It is to discover and develop their own. Rhythm First: Establishing When to Play One of the distinctive features of this lesson is the decision to begin with rhythm. Before selecting melodic notes, students establish a one-measure rhythmic framework. This determines when musical events will occur. The student then makes independent decisions about which notes will occupy those rhythmic positions. Dr. Lawrence explains why this separation is educationally valuable. When rhythm is already established, students can concentrate more fully on melodic decisions. They can explore different starting notes, melodic directions, passing tones, and chromatic possibilities without simultaneously having to invent a new rhythmic structure. First establish when to play. Then decide what to play. Twelve Rhythmic Frameworks The practical lesson introduces twelve rhythmic frameworks designed to support improvisational development. These frameworks are not twelve memorized jazz licks. They provide rhythmic environments within which students create their own melodic ideas. A single rhythmic framework can support numerous melodic possibilities. Students can change their starting notes, direction, destinations, and use of chromatic tension while maintaining the same rhythmic structure. This approach develops the ability to make independent musical decisions within an organized framework. Developing Melodic Ideas Within Thirds Building upon the previous week's melodic analysis of Sunny, Dr. Lawrence returns to the musical possibilities contained within the interval of a third. The lesson focuses on three specific relationships: A–C C–E E–G These thirds provide manageable melodic environments for exploring improvisational vocabulary. Students discover how scale motion, arpeggio motion, and chromatic decoration can create different melodic ideas within each interval. The lesson begins with the A minor seventh harmonic sound, the opening chord of Sunny. Dr. Lawrence explains how the same creative approach can be extended to the other chords found within the tune. The objective is to develop a transferable improvisational process rather than memorize a collection of predetermined phrases. Scale Motion, Arpeggio Motion, and Chromatic Tension A single third contains several important melodic possibilities. Scale Motion: Explore stepwise movement between notes and discover how passing tones connect melodic destinations. Arpeggio Motion: Use the structural notes of the interval to create melodic movement through harmonic relationships. Chromatic Tension: Introduce chromatic decoration to create additional color, interest, and musical expression. These possibilities demonstrate why a limited amount of musical material can produce substantial creative variety. The objective is to recognize available musical choices and develop the ability to select among them intentionally. Rest and Assess: The Importance of Musical Silence One of the most important concepts introduced in this episode is Rest and Assess. Many developing improvisers feel compelled to fill every available moment with notes. Dr. Lawrence challenges this tendency by emphasizing that music consists of both sound and silence. After creating a melodic idea, students intentionally stop playing. During that silence, they remain engaged with musical time while considering several important questions: What did I just play?What did I like about that musical idea?What might I change?Should I repeat the idea?Should I reverse its direction?Should I select a different destination?What musical idea might come next?Silence provides an opportunity to breathe, listen, evaluate, and prepare. It is not an interruption of the creative process. Silence is part of the creative process. Musical Time Continues During Silence Rest and Assess requires more than simply stopping. Students must continue feeling musical time while they are not playing. This develops rhythmic awareness and the ability to reenter the musical conversation intentionally. Dr. Lawrence explains why silence does not eliminate musical responsibility. Instead, it creates an opportunity for active listening and creative preparation. The pianist remains musically engaged even when no notes are being pl Support the show

    Sunny, Improvisation

  3. Oct 14

    Sunny, Melodic Analysis

    In this episode, Dr. Bob Lawrence explores Sunny melodic analysis by examining how Bobby Hebb created one of popular music's most recognizable melodies using just five notes of the A minor pentatonic scale. Discover how scale fragments, arpeggio motion, ascending and descending movement, and rhythmic organization give this timeless melody its musical identity. Dr. Bob demonstrates why understanding melodic relationships is more important than simply memorizing notes. Using Sunny as our musical laboratory, we explore the importance of thirds, melodic phrases, target notes, ear training, and the relationship between harmony and melody. For Jazz Piano Skills members, the episode continues at the piano with practical applications using melodic lead sheets, fingerings, block and shell voicings, and backing tracks. The lesson includes performances of Sunny as a ballad, bossa, and swing. Podcast Packets Illustrations Lead Sheets Play Alongs Forums Jazz Piano Skills Community Summary Dr. Bob Lawrence examines the melodic construction of Bobby Hebb's Sunny, demonstrating how five notes from the A minor pentatonic scale create a recognizable melody. The lesson explores scale and arpeggio fragments, the importance of thirds, melodic motion, rhythmic organization, phrasing, target notes, and harmonizing melodies with block and shell voicings. Keywords Jazz piano, Sunny melodic analysis, Bobby Hebb, A minor pentatonic scale, melodic analysis, jazz standards, scale fragments, arpeggio motion, melodic phrasing, target notes, ear training, jazz piano education Key Topics Melodic analysis of Bobby Hebb's SunnyThe A minor pentatonic scaleScale motion and arpeggio motionThe importance of thirds in melodic constructionAscending and descending melodic movementMelodic phrases and target notesLearning melodies by earJazz piano fingering developmentHarmonizing melodies with block and shell voicingsPerforming Sunny as a ballad, bossa, and swingDeveloping transferable melodic skillsEpisode Highlights How five pentatonic notes create an enduring melodyWhy scale and arpeggio fragments are essential to melodic understandingHow thirds connect scales, arpeggios, and harmonyRecognizing the four melodic phrases within Sunny's 16-measure formDeveloping ear training through melodic transcriptionIdentifying musical destinations through target notesCombining melody with traditional block and shell voicingsExploring three interpretations: ballad at 60 BPM, bossa at 110 BPM, and swing at 140 BPMEducational Takeaway Understanding melody requires more than recognizing individual notes. By learning to hear musical movement, identify scale and arpeggio fragments, recognize melodic destinations, and understand rhythmic organization, jazz pianists develop the musical awareness necessary for expressive performance and creative improvisation. Discover • Learn • Play Support the show

    Sunny, Melodic Analysis

  4. Oct 7

    Sunny, Harmonic Analysis

    Why has Bobby Hebb's Sunny remained such an attractive composition for jazz musicians? At first glance, the tune appears remarkably simple. Its harmonic structure is relatively straightforward, and its melody is built primarily from a single pentatonic pattern. Yet musicians from many different musical traditions have continued interpreting and reinterpreting Sunny for decades. What makes this seemingly simple composition so compelling? In this Jazz Piano Skills episode, Dr. Bob Lawrence begins a four-week exploration of Sunny by examining its harmonic architecture. The lesson explores musical form, chord changes, harmonic function, common harmonic motion, and practical jazz piano voicings. Along the way, Dr. Lawrence discusses musical vocabulary, imitation, personal expression, and the importance of developing harmonic understanding before exploring melodic improvisation. Podcast Packets Illustrations Lead Sheets Play Alongs Forums Jazz Piano Skills Community What You'll Discover Why Sunny provides an excellent setting for studying jazz piano harmonyHow musical simplicity creates opportunities for creativity and personal expressionWhy jazz musicians should develop command of musical vocabulary rather than simply collect more patternsHow to identify the key and musical form of a jazz standardHow to recognize unique chord changes within a compositionHow to determine harmonic function and recognize musical relationshipsWhy common harmonic motion is essential to understanding chord progressionsHow tension, resolution, and chromaticism influence harmonic movementThe difference between harmonic analysis and chord-scale analysisHow to develop traditional block voicings and inversionsHow to apply traditional and contemporary shell voicingsHow two-handed voicings support harmonic understanding and performanceWhy Study Sunny? Sunny occupies an interesting place in the jazz repertoire. Although it is not traditionally associated with the Great American Songbook, it has been performed and recorded by jazz musicians for decades. Dr. Lawrence explains why its simplicity may be one of its greatest musical strengths. A composition with relatively uncomplicated harmonic and melodic material provides space for interpretation. Musicians can explore rhythm, harmony, melodic development, improvisation, interaction, and personal expression without being overwhelmed by the composition itself. Rather than restricting creativity, musical simplicity can encourage it. The lesson establishes Sunny as a musical laboratory for developing transferable jazz piano skills. Bobby Hebb and the Story Behind Sunny Dr. Lawrence also introduces the composer behind this enduring song. Born in Nashville in 1938, Bobby Hebb grew up in a musical family and began performing professionally as a child. His musical experiences crossed stylistic boundaries, including country music, rhythm and blues, soul, jazz, and popular music. The episode discusses the difficult personal circumstances surrounding the period in which Hebb developed Sunny, including the loss of his brother Harold shortly after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Dr. Lawrence notes that the relationship between these events and the composition's creation is often simplified in popular accounts. Released as a major hit in 1966, Sunny eventually became a composition embraced by musicians across numerous musical traditions. Its enduring popularity provides an excellent example of how a relatively simple musical idea can inspire generations of creative interpretations. Jazz Is a Language: What Should We Imitate? Jazz education frequently encourages students to listen to, study, transcribe, and imitate great musicians. Dr. Lawrence supports these activities but raises an important educational question: What exactly should students imitate? The notes? The rhythms? The articulation? The melodic phrases? The harmonic relationships? The musical vocabulary? The lesson explores the difference between acquiring musical vocabulary and simply memorizing another musician's performance. Just as spoken language requires an understanding of words, patterns, and grammatical relationships, jazz improvisation requires command of musical sounds and structures. Students must learn to hear musical ideas, recognize them, physically reproduce them, and apply them in different musical situations. The objective is not merely to repeat what another musician has already played. It is to develop the ability to communicate original musical ideas using familiar vocabulary. Imitate, Assimilate, Innovate Dr. Lawrence explores the educational progression of imitation, assimilation, and innovation. Imitation: Study musical examples and acquire vocabulary through listening and physical practice. Assimilation: Develop understanding and command of musical patterns, relationships, and processes. Innovation: Apply familiar musical materials creatively to make independent musical decisions. The lesson emphasizes that musical independence does not require an endless collection of new patterns. Instead, students should develop greater command of the musical vocabulary they already possess. A familiar musical idea can be transformed through rhythm, direction, harmonic placement, ornamentation, simplification, and combination with other ideas. This process turns memorized vocabulary into practical musical expression. The Seven Musical Facts Before beginning the harmonic analysis, Dr. Lawrence revisits the Seven Musical Facts that provide a consistent foundation for Jazz Piano Skills. Music is the production of sound and silence.Sound is produced harmonically and melodically.Harmonic sounds are chords or voicings.Melodic sounds are arpeggios and scales.Harmony and melody have motion.Musical motion can be decorated with tension or chromaticism.Rhythm brings musical movement to life.For the harmonic analysis of Sunny, particular attention is given to harmonic sounds, musical motion, and chromatic tension. These principles help students recognize that understanding harmony requires more than identifying chord symbols. Understanding Harmonic Movement A central theme of the lesson is the difference between chord identification and harmonic understanding. Recognizing the name of a chord is important, but it does not fully explain how that chord functions within a progression. Dr. Lawrence encourages students to ask: What is this chord doing?Where did it come from?Where is it going?What harmonic function does it serve?How does it relate to the surrounding chords?Where does the progression create tension?Where does that tension resolve?These questions direct attention toward the musical relationships that connect chords. Dr. Lawrence summarizes this approach with an important educational principle: See changes, think function. See function, think changes. The objective is to recognize harmonic relationships that can be applied to other jazz standards and musical situations. Harmonic Analysis vs. Chord-Scale Analysis The episode includes an important question from listener David Mitchell of Denver, Colorado. David asks why Dr. Lawrence emphasizes harmonic movement rather than immediately identifying scales associated with each chord. Dr. Lawrence explains that harmonic analysis and chord-scale analysis address different musical questions. Harmonic Analysis: Where are we? What is the key? What is the form? How are the chords related? What functions do they serve? Where is the harmony moving? Chord-Scale Analysis: What melodic resources are available within a particular harmonic environment? Which scales, chord tones, and tensions can be used to develop melodic ideas? Both areas are important. However, Dr. Lawrence emphasizes that students benefit from understanding the harmonic environment before attempting to create melodies within it. The educational sequence is straightforward: Understand the harmony first. Then explore the melodic possibilities. The Five-Step Harmonic Analysis Process Dr. Lawrence introduces a systematic five-step approach to analyzing Sunny. Step 1 — Identify the Key and Form Determine the musical key and understand how the composition is organized. This establishes the overall musical landscape before examining individual chords. Step 2 — Identify the Unique Chord Changes Recognize the individual chord types appearing throughout the composition. Rather than treating every measure as unrelated information, determine the harmonic vocabulary contained within the tune. Step 3 — Determine Harmonic Function Identify the musical function of each chord and its relationship to th Support the show

    Sunny, Harmonic Analysis

  5. Sep 30

    Our Love Is Here to Stay, Solo Piano

    What is the ultimate purpose of jazz piano education? Is it to memorize sophisticated arrangements, reproduce great performances, and master increasingly complicated musical exercises? Or is it to develop the musical understanding and physical skills necessary to create music independently? In this Jazz Piano Skills episode, Dr. Bob Lawrence concludes the month-long study of George Gershwin's Our Love Is Here to Stay by exploring the art of solo jazz piano. Building upon previous lessons in harmonic analysis, melodic analysis, and improvisation development, Dr. Lawrence introduces the Seven Stages of Solo Piano Development. These seven stages provide a systematic approach to combining harmony, melody, rhythm, and improvisation into complete musical performances. The objective is not simply to learn another arrangement. The objective is to develop the skills necessary to create arrangements of your own. Podcast Packets Illustrations Lead Sheets Forums Jazz Piano Skills Community What You'll Discover Why musical independence is the ultimate objective of jazz educationHow harmony, melody, rhythm, and improvisation work together in solo pianoWhy memorizing arrangements is different from developing musicianshipHow the Seven Stages of Solo Piano Development organize musical growthWhy every stage represents a legitimate solo piano performanceHow to begin playing solo piano with simple harmony and melodyHow harmonizing a melody expands musical expressionHow to introduce rhythmic accompaniment and stride piano techniquesHow enhanced harmonic movement supports melodic interpretationHow improvisation develops an existing melodyWhy ensemble playing provides valuable preparation for solo pianoHow to develop independent musical decisions and a personal musical voiceThe Ultimate Purpose of Jazz Education Dr. Lawrence begins by examining an important educational question. What should students ultimately become capable of doing as a result of studying jazz piano? A student may spend years learning scales, chords, voicings, transcriptions, exercises, and complete arrangements. These activities can provide tremendous educational value. However, the ability to reproduce a particular musical performance does not automatically produce musical independence. What happens when the memorized arrangement is removed? Can the student recognize the underlying harmonic and melodic relationships? Can those musical relationships be applied to another jazz standard? Can the student create an original arrangement? Can the student make independent musical decisions? Dr. Lawrence emphasizes that great jazz education should develop the understanding and practical skills necessary to answer these questions confidently. The goal is not simply to provide students with musical answers. It is to help them develop processes for discovering answers of their own. From Musical Instruction to Musical Independence Teachers provide important guidance throughout the educational process. They introduce musical concepts, demonstrate techniques, explain relationships, and help students develop essential physical skills. However, Dr. Lawrence suggests that successful instruction should gradually transfer responsibility from teacher to student. Students begin recognizing their own musical challenges. They develop strategies for addressing those challenges. They discover familiar musical relationships in unfamiliar compositions. They learn to evaluate their own progress. Most importantly, they begin making musical decisions without continually waiting for someone else to provide the answer. This growing independence does not mean that students have finished learning. Instead, they have developed the ability to continue learning. The objective is not simply to learn music. It is to learn how to learn music. The Relationship Between Ensemble Playing and Solo Piano A featured listener question addresses the difficulty of transitioning from ensemble performance to solo piano. Dr. Lawrence explains that ensemble experience provides an important foundation for understanding solo piano. Within an ensemble, musicians share responsibility for the complete musical experience. The bassist establishes harmonic foundation and movement. The drummer provides rhythmic organization. The pianist and other instrumentalists contribute harmony, melody, and improvisation. Solo piano requires one musician to assume these responsibilities. In essence, the solo pianist must learn to recreate the musical relationships experienced within an ensemble. This is why Dr. Lawrence describes ensemble playing as the gateway to solo piano. Students without regular access to an ensemble can develop similar listening and coordination skills through backing tracks and other educational resources. The important objective is to experience how musical elements work together before attempting to coordinate those elements independently. The Seven Stages of Solo Piano Development Dr. Lawrence introduces seven progressive stages designed to develop the musical understanding and physical command necessary for solo piano performance. These stages are not seven separate arrangements to memorize. They are seven stages of musical development. Every stage represents a legitimate solo piano performance. As students progress, they expand their musical understanding, physical coordination, and expressive possibilities. Stage 1 — Harmony and Single-Note Melody (Rubato) The first stage combines harmony with a single-note melody played freely without a strict pulse. This is the simplest and most fundamental approach to solo piano. Students focus on coordinating the harmonic foundation with a clearly recognizable melody. The absence of a strict pulse allows the pianist to concentrate on musical relationships, phrasing, and expressive timing. Dr. Lawrence describes this as the purest form of solo piano. Stage 2 — Harmony and Harmonized Melody (Rubato) The second stage expands the musical texture by harmonizing the melody. The melody remains recognizable but gains additional harmonic richness. Students continue playing freely without a strict pulse while developing greater coordination between melody and harmony. The objective is to enrich the musical presentation without obscuring the melodic line. Stage 3 — Harmony and Melody in Time The third stage introduces a consistent rhythmic pulse. Dr. Lawrence describes this approach as strumming the changes. Students coordinate harmony and melody within a steady sense of time. This stage introduces the rhythmic responsibility required for more developed solo piano arrangements. Stage 4 — Harmony and Melody With Simple Stride The fourth stage introduces simple stride accompaniment. The left hand begins providing a stronger harmonic foundation and rhythmic movement. The right hand maintains responsibility for the melody. Students learn to coordinate these elements while ensuring that accompaniment supports rather than competes with the melodic line. Stage 5 — Harmony and Melody With Enhanced Stride The fifth stage expands the rhythmic and expressive possibilities of stride accompaniment. The left hand becomes more conversational and less predictable. Rhythmic movement becomes increasingly varied. Students develop greater independence between the hands while maintaining musical clarity. The objective is to create a more expressive accompaniment that interacts naturally with the melody. Stage 6 — Enhanced Harmonic Movement The sixth stage develops greater sophistication within the harmonic structure. Harmony becomes an increasingly active participant in the musical performance. Students explore harmonic movement, substitutions, tension, release, and other possibilities that support melodic expression. Rather than simply providing static chordal accompaniment, harmony begins contributing to the musical story. The melodic phrase remains the central organizing element. Stage 7 — Melodic Enhancement Through Improvisation The seventh stage introduces greater melodic freedom through improvisation. The original melody is not abandoned. Instead, it becomes the foundation for creative development. Students begin exploring additional melodic possibilities while applying the harmonic, rhythmic, and technical skills developed throughout the previous stages. Independent musical decisions become increasingly important. The result is a more personal and expressive solo piano interpretation. Every Stage Is a Complete Musical Performance One of the most important principles in this lesson is that students do not have to reach Stage 7 before they can consider themselves solo pianists. Stage 1 is solo piano. Stage 2 is solo piano. Every stage represents a complete and legitimate musical experience. What changes is the degree of musical complexity, technical coordination, and expressive freedom. This perspective al Support the show

    Our Love Is Here to Stay, Solo Piano

  6. Sep 23

    Our Love Is Here to Stay, Improvisation

    How do jazz pianists actually learn to improvise? Is improvisation the result of memorizing scales, modes, licks, transcriptions, and sophisticated melodic patterns? Or does meaningful improvisational ability develop through something more fundamental? In this Jazz Piano Skills episode, Dr. Bob Lawrence continues the study of George Gershwin's Our Love Is Here to Stay, turning attention toward improvisation development. Having explored the tune's harmonic and melodic architecture during the previous two lessons, Dr. Lawrence now demonstrates how musical understanding becomes creative musical expression. The central educational principle is straightforward: Creativity is spawned from limitation, not excess. Rather than overwhelming students with countless melodic possibilities, this lesson deliberately reduces improvisation to its most essential elements: harmonic understanding, ascending and descending arpeggio motion, and independent musical decision-making. Podcast Packets Illustrations Lead Sheets Play Alongs Forums Jazz Piano Skills Community What You'll Discover Why improvisation requires the ability to make musical decisionsHow limiting musical material can encourage creativityWhat jazz musicians can learn by studying transcriptionsWhy melodies reveal and express harmonic movementHow arpeggios and scales create fundamental melodic motionWhy melodic direction is essential to improvisational developmentHow to distinguish musical vocabulary from decorative techniquesWhy chord-tone fluency should precede complex chord-scale applicationsHow to practice G7 from four different chord-tone entry pointsHow to develop ascending and descending arpeggio movementHow to transform vertical harmonic shapes into horizontal melodic ideasHow to improvise through chord changes using simple musical limitationsCreativity Is Spawned From Limitation Jazz improvisation is frequently presented as an enormous collection of musical possibilities. Students encounter scales, modes, altered tensions, chromatic approaches, enclosures, transcriptions, and countless melodic patterns. Although these concepts are valuable, attempting to manage them simultaneously can make improvisation unnecessarily complicated. Dr. Lawrence proposes a different approach. Instead of expanding the number of available musical choices, deliberately reduce them. For example, a student might improvise using only chord tones. Within that limitation, meaningful musical decisions must still be made. Where should the melody begin? Should it move upward or downward? When should it change direction? How should the notes be organized rhythmically? When should a phrase begin or end? When should silence become part of the musical expression? These decisions are the foundation of creativity. By making the musical problem manageable, students create opportunities to practice making independent musical choices. Studying Transcriptions: Discover the Process Transcription is an essential part of jazz education. However, Dr. Lawrence encourages students to look beyond the notes played by great improvisers. The objective is not simply to memorize another musician's performance. Instead, students should investigate the musical processes that produced the performance. When studying musicians such as Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Chick Corea, and Keith Jarrett, students can examine several important questions: How does the musician approach major, minor, and dominant harmonic sounds?What types of melodic movement appear repeatedly?Where do melodic phrases begin and end?How are important chord tones approached?How does the musician use ascending and descending movement?Where does chromaticism appear?How does rhythm shape the melodic material?Although these musicians possess distinctive musical voices, their performances reveal recurring musical principles. Dr. Lawrence encourages students to study the product in order to discover the process. Once the process is understood, it can be simplified, practiced, and eventually used to create original musical ideas. Melody Flows From Harmony One of the central principles of Jazz Piano Skills is that melody flows from harmony. Harmony presents musical sound vertically through chords and voicings. Melody expresses that same sound horizontally through time. Understanding this relationship is essential to improvisation. When studying jazz solos, students repeatedly discover that melodic lines outline and express the underlying harmonic structure. The melodic movement itself is frequently built from two fundamental resources: Arpeggios: Chord tones organized into melodic movement. Scales: Scale tones organized into melodic movement. Both resources can move in ascending and descending directions. These fundamental movements provide the foundation for more sophisticated melodic development. Bake the Cake Before Decorating It Dr. Lawrence uses a memorable analogy to explain the importance of developing fundamental skills. You have to bake a cake before you decorate the cake. In jazz improvisation, chromatic approaches, enclosures, altered tensions, and other sophisticated techniques represent musical decoration. They can add tremendous interest to a melodic idea. However, they cannot replace the underlying musical structure. Before introducing chromatic approaches, students should develop command of chord tones. Before adding enclosures, students should become comfortable with the arpeggios being decorated. Before introducing altered tensions, students should understand the harmonic sounds against which those tensions are created. The educational priority is clear. Develop command of fundamental melodic movement before adding complexity. The Seven Musical Facts Dr. Lawrence revisits the Seven Musical Facts that provide the educational foundation for Jazz Piano Skills. Music is the production of sound and silence.Sound is produced harmonically and melodically.Harmonic sounds are chords or voicings.Melodic sounds are arpeggios and scales.Harmony and melody have motion.Musical movement can be decorated with tension or chromaticism.Rhythm brings musical movement to life.These principles become particularly important when examining improvisation. Melody is connected to harmony. Melodic sounds are created using arpeggios and scales. These melodic materials move upward and downward. Chromaticism can decorate that movement. Rhythm organizes the resulting musical expression. The lesson intentionally focuses on developing command of melodic movement before introducing decorative techniques. Chord-Scale Relationships and Improvisation The episode features a listener question from Dawn Schilling of Scottsdale, Arizona. Dawn explains that she has spent years studying chord-scale relationships and modes but continues to struggle with applying that knowledge when improvising. Dr. Lawrence acknowledges that understanding chord-scale relationships is valuable. Students benefit from knowing where chords originate, how they function within a key, and how scale tones relate to harmonic sounds. However, he emphasizes that theoretical knowledge must be supported by practical musical command. Before selecting a scale for G7, can the student comfortably play the notes of G7? Can the student move through those chord tones ascending and descending? Can the movement begin from the root, third, fifth, or seventh? Can these movements be performed without repeatedly stopping to calculate the notes? These questions reveal an important distinction between knowing musical information and developing practical musical ability. Dr. Lawrence encourages students to develop command of the harmonic sound itself before expanding their melodic possibilities. Developing the G7 Harmonic Sound The practical lesson begins with G7, the first chord in the version of Our Love Is Here to Stay being studied. Dr. Lawrence approaches the chord harmonically before developing melodic movement. The four essential chord tones are: Root: GThird: BFifth: DSeventh: FStudents explore the harmonic sound from four different entry points. Root Position: Begin with G and explore the chord structure. Third Position: Begin with B and explore the same harmonic sound. Fifth Position: Begin with D and develop the corresponding harmonic structure. Seventh Position: Begin with F and explore the sound from the seventh. The objective is to develop physical familiarity with the chord from multiple starting points. Students first learn to see and play the harmonic shapes before converting those shapes into melodic movement. Transforming Harmony Into Melody Once the G7 harmonic Support the show

    Our Love Is Here to Stay, Improvisation

  7. Sep 16

    Our Love Is Here to Stay, Melodic Analysis

    Is memorizing a melody the same as understanding it? And if you can reproduce a melody accurately, does that necessarily mean you have developed the musical skills required to learn another melody independently? In this Jazz Piano Skills episode, Dr. Bob Lawrence continues the month-long study of George Gershwin's Our Love Is Here to Stay by exploring its melodic architecture. Building upon the harmonic analysis from the previous lesson, Dr. Lawrence introduces a systematic approach to hearing, discovering, understanding, and performing the melody. The objective extends far beyond memorizing individual notes. Students learn to recognize the musical relationships that make melodies understandable, memorable, and transferable to other jazz standards. Podcast Packets Illustrations Lead Sheets Play Alongs Forums Jazz Piano Skills Community What You'll Discover How to learn a jazz standard melody through a systematic educational processWhy melodic understanding is more valuable than memorizing individual notesHow to develop ear training by discovering melodies at the pianoHow scales and arpeggios organize melodic movementHow to identify melodic phrases and important target notesHow to develop practical fingering and articulationHow melody relates to the underlying harmonic structureHow to harmonize a melody using traditional jazz piano voicingsWhy rhythm is essential to melodic expressionHow to perform the same melody in ballad, bossa, and swing settingsWhy imitation and understanding are complementary but different musical skillsHow to reconstruct a melody when memory failsIs Imitation the Same as Understanding? Dr. Lawrence continues a four-part educational discussion titled How Do We Actually Learn Jazz? This week's question examines the relationship between imitation and musical understanding. Listening to great jazz musicians, studying recordings, transcribing solos, and reproducing musical phrases are valuable educational experiences. However, reproducing a musical idea does not automatically demonstrate an understanding of the relationships that make the idea work. A student may successfully transcribe and memorize a phrase by Oscar Peterson, practice it in twelve keys, and perform it accurately. But can that student recognize the underlying musical relationships? Can the phrase be simplified, expanded, rhythmically altered, or adapted to a different harmonic environment? Can the student use those principles to create something original? Dr. Lawrence explains that imitation can provide an important doorway into understanding. The educational objective is to progress from imitation to analysis, understanding, manipulation, creation, and ultimately personal musical expression. The Eight-Step Melodic Analysis Process Jazz Piano Skills organizes melodic study around eight essential steps: Hear It: Listen carefully to the melody before attempting to reproduce it.Find It: Use your ear and musical understanding to discover the melody at the piano.Verify It: Confirm the notes and rhythmic relationships through careful analysis.Finger It: Develop practical fingerings that support articulation and musical fluency.Phrase It: Organize the melody into meaningful musical statements.Target It: Identify important destination notes within each melodic phrase.Harmonize It: Combine the melody with appropriate chord voicings.Perform It: Apply the completed musical understanding in different rhythmic environments.This process is not unique to Our Love Is Here to Stay. It provides a transferable approach that students can apply to other jazz standards and unfamiliar melodies. Understanding Melodic Architecture A written melody may initially appear to be a long sequence of unrelated notes. Dr. Lawrence explains that this perspective creates an unnecessary memorization challenge. Rather than treating each note as an isolated event, students learn to recognize familiar musical relationships. Melodies are constructed from recognizable materials, including scales, arpeggios, ascending and descending motion, chromatic decoration, and rhythmic organization. Identifying these relationships makes the melody conceptually more manageable. Instead of remembering dozens of disconnected notes, students begin recognizing smaller musical patterns that provide structure and direction. Melodic Motion and Target Notes Melodies are not simply collections of pitches. They move toward musical destinations. Dr. Lawrence demonstrates why students should examine how melodic phrases begin, develop, and resolve. Important questions include: Is the melody moving through a scale or outlining an arpeggio?Is the motion ascending or descending?Does the melody move diatonically or chromatically?Which notes serve as important melodic targets?How does the melody interact with the underlying harmony?How does rhythm influence the musical phrase?Answering these questions develops a deeper understanding of melodic organization and provides practical tools for learning new music. Memorization Versus Musical Understanding A featured listener question addresses the difficulty of remembering melodies over extended periods. A student may memorize a tune successfully, only to forget portions of the melody several weeks or months later. Dr. Lawrence explains that the problem may not be memory itself. It may be the way the melody was originally learned. Memorizing a sequence of individual notes requires retaining a large amount of disconnected information. Understanding the melody through phrases, scales, arpeggios, target notes, harmonic relationships, and rhythmic patterns provides multiple pathways for remembering and reconstructing the music. The objective is not necessarily to remember every note of every tune forever. It is to understand the melody well enough to reconstruct it when memory fails. Memorization remembers an answer. Musicianship provides a way to discover the answer again. The Relationship Between Harmony and Melody Jazz Piano Skills begins each monthly standard study with harmonic analysis for an important reason. Melody does not exist independently of harmony. The underlying chord changes establish a musical environment within which melodic movement takes place. Dr. Lawrence describes melody as the liquid representation of harmony's solid structure. Understanding the harmonic landscape makes it easier to recognize melodic direction, identify target notes, and interpret chromatic movement. Students discover that harmony and melody are not isolated subjects. They are interconnected musical relationships that become expressive through rhythm. The Seven Musical Facts Dr. Lawrence revisits the Seven Musical Facts that guide the Jazz Piano Skills educational approach. Music is the production of sound and silence.Sound is produced harmonically and melodically.Harmonic sound consists of chords and voicings.Melodic sound consists of arpeggios and scales.Harmony and melody have motion.Musical movement can be decorated with tension or chromaticism.Rhythm brings musical relationships to life.For melodic analysis, particular attention is given to scales, arpeggios, melodic motion, chromatic decoration, and rhythmic organization. These principles help students recognize musical relationships rather than memorize disconnected information. Seven Lead Sheets for Melodic Development The Jazz Piano Skills Podcast Packet includes seven lead sheets designed to support the melodic analysis process. Lead Sheet 1 — Hear It and Find It Develop ear training through a fill-in-the-blank approach to discovering the melody. Lead Sheet 2 — Verify It Check melodic discoveries and confirm the accuracy of the notes. Lead Sheet 3 — Finger It Develop practical fingerings that support articulation, phrasing, and physical fluency. Lead Sheet 4 — Phrase It Identify and organize the melody into meaningful musical phrases. Lead Sheet 5 — Target It Recognize important target notes that provide melodic direction and structure. Lead Sheets 6 and 7 — Harmonize It Combine the melody with previously studied block voicings and traditional and contemporary shell voicings. These materials connect melodic understanding with the harmonic skills developed during the previous week's lesson. Performing the Melody in Three Musical Settings After completing the melodic analysis process, Dr. Lawrence demonstrates how the same melody can be interpreted in three different rhythmic environments. Ballad: Explore expressive phrasing, melodic clarity, and a relaxed musical presentation. Bossa: Develop rhythmic organization and melodic expression within a La Support the show

    Our Love Is Here to Stay, Melodic Analysis

  8. Sep 9

    Our Love Is Here to Stay, Harmonic Analysis

    When learning a new jazz standard, should you begin by memorizing the chord changes or by understanding how the harmony works? In this Jazz Piano Skills episode, Dr. Bob Lawrence begins a four-week study of George and Ira Gershwin's Our Love Is Here to Stay with a comprehensive exploration of its harmonic architecture. The lesson examines the musical form, unique chord changes, harmonic function, common progressions, and practical jazz piano voicings that establish the foundation for melodic development, improvisation, and solo piano interpretation. More importantly, Dr. Lawrence explains why harmonic understanding involves much more than identifying chord symbols on a lead sheet. The objective is to recognize the musical relationships that connect chords, organize harmonic movement, and make unfamiliar jazz standards easier to understand. Podcast Packets Illustrations Lead Sheets Play Alongs Forums Jazz Piano Skills Community What You'll Discover How to identify the standard key and musical form of a jazz standardHow to recognize and organize unique chord changesWhy harmonic analysis is different from memorizing chord symbolsHow to identify harmonic function within chord progressionsHow to recognize common harmonic movement, including ii–V–I progressionsHow to develop the ability to translate chord changes into harmonic functionHow to recognize circle, diatonic, and chromatic harmonic motionHow to develop traditional block voicings and inversionsHow to apply traditional and contemporary shell voicingsHow to organize two-handed jazz piano voicingsWhy studying jazz masters should encourage musical understanding and creativityHow to develop transferable jazz piano skills through systematic tune studyHow Do We Actually Learn Jazz? Dr. Lawrence begins a four-part educational discussion addressing one of the most important questions in jazz education: How do musicians actually learn to play jazz? Traditional advice frequently encourages students to listen to great jazz musicians, transcribe solos, memorize phrases, study recordings, and practice musical ideas in different keys. These activities are valuable and remain essential components of jazz education. However, Dr. Lawrence challenges the assumption that learning jazz is primarily a process of collecting musical vocabulary from other musicians. Consider the distinctive musical voices of Oscar Peterson, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Bud Powell, and Herbie Hancock. These musicians worked with the same fundamental musical materials, yet developed remarkably different artistic identities. Their recordings demonstrate more than musical vocabulary. They reveal what is possible when harmonic understanding, physical command, rhythmic imagination, and creativity come together. The educational objective should not simply be to reproduce the musical decisions of others. It should also be to develop the ability to make musical decisions independently. Learning Chords Versus Understanding Harmony One of the central themes of this episode is the distinction between chord identification and harmonic understanding. A lead sheet may contain 32 measures of chord symbols. Students can attempt to memorize every chord individually, but that approach often creates an unnecessarily large amount of musical information. Harmonic analysis offers a more effective alternative. Instead of asking only what each chord is, students begin asking: Where is the chord going?What is its harmonic function?How does it relate to the surrounding chords?Is the progression moving through the circle of fifths?Is the harmony moving diatonically or chromatically?Have these harmonic relationships appeared in other jazz standards?Recognizing these relationships transforms a long sequence of chord symbols into a smaller collection of familiar musical patterns. The objective is to simplify the music conceptually before developing it physically. The Five-Step Harmonic Analysis Process Jazz Piano Skills organizes harmonic study around five essential objectives. 1. Identify the Standard Key and Form Establish the musical framework of the composition by identifying its key, number of measures, and formal organization. 2. Identify the Unique Chord Changes Determine how many distinct chords appear throughout the composition rather than treating every repeated chord symbol as new information. 3. Analyze Harmonic Function Understand how each chord operates within the harmonic environment. Develop the ability to recognize function from chord symbols and translate harmonic function back into actual chord changes. 4. Recognize Common Harmonic Movement Identify familiar progressions, including ii–V–I and other recurring harmonic patterns. These relationships appear throughout the jazz repertoire and provide valuable opportunities for developing transferable skills. 5. Develop Practical Jazz Piano Voicings Apply the harmonic understanding at the piano through traditional block voicings, inversions, shell voicings, and two-handed chord structures. This sequence connects conceptual understanding with physical development and musical expression. Understanding Harmonic Function Harmonic function explains how chords relate to one another within a musical progression. For example, a progression containing G minor 7, C7, and F major 7 can be understood as a ii–V–I relationship in F major. Rather than processing three isolated chord symbols, students learn to recognize a familiar harmonic movement. Dr. Lawrence emphasizes the importance of developing two complementary skills: See chord changes and recognize harmonic function. See harmonic function and recognize the corresponding chord changes. Developing both abilities strengthens harmonic fluency and prepares students to apply familiar musical relationships in different keys. Recognizing Common Harmonic Motion Jazz standards frequently contain recurring harmonic relationships. Identifying these relationships makes the music easier to understand, remember, and perform. Dr. Lawrence explores the importance of recognizing circle motion, diatonic motion, chromatic motion, and common progressions such as ii–V–I and I–IV–VII–III–VI. Rather than viewing harmony as a long collection of unrelated chords, students begin recognizing familiar patterns that appear throughout the jazz repertoire. These discoveries help reduce the apparent complexity of a tune and strengthen the ability to approach unfamiliar compositions. Developing Jazz Piano Voicings After establishing the harmonic structure of Our Love Is Here to Stay, the lesson moves from conceptual understanding to physical application. Several essential voicing approaches are explored. Traditional Block Voicings and Inversions Develop familiarity with fundamental chord structures and their inversions. Traditional Shell Voicings Explore simplified harmonic structures emphasizing essential chord tones. Contemporary Shell Voicings Expand harmonic possibilities through alternative chord structures and voicing relationships. Two-Handed Voicings Develop broader harmonic textures by distributing chord tones across both hands. These approaches allow students to express harmonic understanding physically while developing practical skills that transfer to other jazz standards. The Seven Musical Facts Dr. Lawrence revisits the Seven Musical Facts that establish the educational foundation of Jazz Piano Skills. Music is the production of sound and silence.Sound is produced harmonically and melodically.Harmonic sound consists of chords and voicings.Melodic sound consists of arpeggios and scales.Harmony and melody have motion.Musical movement can be decorated with tension or chromaticism.Rhythm brings musical relationships to life.For harmonic analysis, particular attention is given to chord structures and harmonic motion. Understanding how chords move and relate to one another helps students recognize familiar musical principles within unfamiliar compositions. The Gershwin Legacy Our Love Is Here to Stay, also known as Love Is Here to Stay, was written by George and Ira Gershwin for the 1938 motion picture The Goldwyn Follies. The composition holds a special place in the Gershwin catalog as the final song the brothers wrote together. Following George Gershwin's death in 1937, Ira completed additional work associated with the composition. The song later appeared in the 1951 motion picture An American in Paris, introducing the Gershwin music to another generation of listeners. Its enduring popularity has made it an important part of the Great American Songbook and jazz standard repertoire. Jazz Standards as Musical Laboratories Jazz Piano Skills approaches ea Support the show

    Our Love Is Here to Stay, Harmonic Analysis
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About

Jazz Piano Skills is a weekly educational podcast for pianists who want to understand jazz harmony, develop improvisation skills, and become more confident jazz musicians. Hosted by Dr. Bob Lawrence, jazz pianist, music educator, and Director of The Dallas School of Music, each episode explores the essential skills of jazz piano through a structured, practical approach to learning. Each month focuses on a jazz standard through four areas of study: Harmonic Analysis — Understand chord progressions, harmonic function, and the musical relationships that shape jazz standards.Melodic Analysis — Explore melodic phrases, musical motifs, rhythmic relationships, and the construction of memorable jazz melodies.Improvisation Development — Learn to improvise through practical exercises, melodic vocabulary, and a systematic understanding of jazz harmony.Solo Piano Development — Develop the skills needed to interpret jazz standards and create your own solo piano arrangements.Whether you're beginning your jazz piano journey or refining your existing skills, Jazz Piano Skills provides a consistent educational process designed to help you understand the music you play. Discover, learn, and play with Jazz Piano Skills. Explore Independent and Guided Study memberships at JazzPianoSkills.com.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Bob Lawrence
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    361
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Jazz Piano Skills
  • Show Website
    Jazz Piano Skills

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