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Hi... Tim Richards IBS students...just shows this thread hasn't come to an end...it will continue as long as people put in..I have other interests lately but will get back to playing blues and boogie....so it is importent that other people interested in this thread post every now and again no matter how trivial the piece you are learning or playing....there is enough learning in the IBS to keep any one busy for years.......
Hello folks, I just ordered this and Metaphors For Musicians because so many people here are raving about them. I am mainly interested in composing my own music (classical), and improvising (jazz). I hear this book is a good starting point for the latter. Am I correct in this assumption?
I also have Levine's "The Jazz Piano Book", which is great, but I'm finding that the lack of a structured approach in it isn't getting me very far. Maybe saving it for later is the best idea?
Good idea regarding the Levine book. For as brilliant as most folks regard it, I totally agree it lacks a structured approach for me. Tim Richards book is more to my liking and opening my mind and ears.
Hello folks, I just ordered this and Metaphors For Musicians because so many people here are raving about them. I am mainly interested in composing my own music (classical), and improvising (jazz). I hear this book is a good starting point for the latter. Am I correct in this assumption?
Yes, it is.
I'm finding it more difficult than I expected, to make the transition from IBP to "Exploring Jazz Piano". It's learning a new language, all over again. But knowing the IBP material certainly helps.
Going into "Exploring Jazz Piano" from a straight "Here's the music, play the piece" background (or a pure "ear-based" background) would be _real_ culture shock.
. Charles --------------------------- PX-350 / Roland Gaia / Pianoteq
I finally got the book in the mail and I am damned relieved that it came with the cd since I ordered a used copy! Just had time for beginner's blues today, but I had a glance through the rest of the book and it seems like it will be an amazing help towards improvisation and attaining a good ear. I'm really looking forward to working through it.
I had a few pages out of the blues book I've been doing and they're so good I've ordered the Blues and Jazz books, hopefully I'll get them by the end of next week. I'll post some updates in this thread as I work through them if all goes to plan. I've also found some excellent video lessons by Tim himself on youtube with not many views. They're excellently explained and are a great advertisement for the books if anyone's interested.
I got my books! I had a good listen to the Exploring Jazz Piano CD at work today and am very excited to get stuck in. I love the structure of these books.
Here's my take of the first song from Improvising Blues Piano. I'll post more to the thread as I work through them.
Hi everyone, I picked this up a couple of weeks ago based on the reviews I've read here and elsewhere. I got a midi controller for Christmas (haven't touched a piano since I was a kid and I'm late 40s now) and this is the first book I've purchased after following along with some Youtube lessons. I'm already a few lessons in and progressing noticeably.
So, thanks for all the information in this thread!
It is indeed a wonderful book. I am 32, and started playing a few months ago (had a few lessons when I was around six, but that doesn't count).
If you are looking to learn blues/jazz, I would highly recommend playing the first-chapter exercises in all keys. They are probably the most important as far as foundation goes. And make sure you are doing the improvisations as well.
I would also suggest augmenting this with other books if you want a well-rounded practice. I am using Jazz Keyboard Harmony by Phil DeGreg and Connecting Chords With Linear Harmony by Bert Ligon. I also have Levine's Jazz Piano book, although I only use it for reference.
Combining these books, I am finding that I'm advancing pretty fast towards my goal of playing jazz and improvisation.
Nice to see some action here! I'm working on Blue Third Blues, the third song.
It has a very easy LH pattern and simple melody, but my brain just melted when I tried to do any sort of improvisation and keep the bass line going. It's definitely improved over the last few days though, I think I'll move on soon.
I've also been able to tick off the first song of the Exploring Jazz Piano Book, and even did one of the assignments of the first song; transcribing the solo off the CD. It was actually pretty easy - and it's the first transcription I've ever done.
Nice! I was thinking about jumping into the jazz book. I am on the 2nd chapter of the blues one, but I am also studying other jazz books so I feel like it wouldn't be getting ahead of myself to work from both.
Do you find the jazz book too advanced since you are still at the beginning of the blues book?
Well I'm only at the very start of both but the jazz book doesn't appear to be much more complex than the blues one. The whole first chapter is major triad work and the whole second chapter is minor triad work if I remember right. If anything at the moment the jazz one is easier because it's left hand is just block chords while the blues has left hand patterns that you have to get your head around a bit.
I had a look at the other books you mentioned on amazon and I'd imagine there's a fair bit of overlap with those books and the exploring jazz one. That being said it's beautifully structured and presented and has a wealth of content just like the blues one, so I'd definitely recommend anyone to pick it up.
I take it you aren't getting formal lessons Auditor?
Interesting. I was originally going to pick up TR's jazz books, but based on recommendations I've read here and elsewhere I decided to start with his blues book. I'm currently working on On-Off Boogie (p. 37) and polishing up Five-Finger Blues (p. 31). I figure that's not bad progress for me.
I may stick with just the blues book for now, then add his (or another) jazz book to the mix a bit later. There is a Youtuber called Pianogroove whose lessons I really like too.
I really need to get myself a proper piano too -- 49 keys aren't enough!
I take it you aren't getting formal lessons Auditor?
Nope, totally self-teaching. I am actually jobless at the moment, so I have a lot of time to practice, but no moolah for a teacher. Honestly, I think if anyone is motivated enough, they can self teach. I've made some big strides in just a few weeks with these books+my own ears. I think the main reason that a lot of people are adamant about a teacher is because they lack the motivation to DIY it. For classical it might be different, but for blues/jazz there are plenty of examples of self-taught pianists.
I've also been able to tick off the first song of the Exploring Jazz Piano Book, and even did one of the assignments of the first song; transcribing the solo off the CD. It was actually pretty easy - and it's the first transcription I've ever done.
Well done on the transcribing. Recalling my first effort, it was a game-changer. Do as much of it as you can. Even (especially!) the fragments which grab your attention.
Making some steady progress in the blues book, just did a video of Blueberry Hill. A bit stuck on the 3rd song in the jazz book - Calypso something. This may be the point where the books split off in difficulty a bit, as I think I'll be making steady progress in the blues book for quite a while yet. Some of the blues songs are a bit 'hard work' at the moment, as in I don't think they sound very good. That said, if I can't easily play them I know they've got some good things to teach me so I'm persevering through all the little assignments and playing suggestions for now.
One thing I recently remembered was that each piece in a chapter gets progressively harder, but each chapter starts off relatively easy. Richards suggests moving on to a new chapter once you are stuck on a tough song, and coming back to the tough ones in the latter part of the chapters later. I got to the song with the trill in the first chapter of the blues book and moved on to the next chapter. Doing the same with the jazz book.
He says that this is more in tune with the way real blues and jazz musicians learned to play. Instead of learning every single thing about triads, they would bounce around to 7th, 9th, diminished, etc. chords on easier pieces before tackling the harder tunes with the simpler chords. I think this is a genius way to teach, and will make you more well-rounded faster.
He says that this is more in tune with the way real blues and jazz musicians learned to play. Instead of learning every single thing about triads, they would bounce around to 7th, 9th, diminished, etc. chords on easier pieces before tackling the harder tunes with the simpler chords. I think this is a genius way to teach, and will make you more well-rounded faster.
Yeah I read that too. On the flip side it's nice to have some variety in difficulty. To play an easy piece in one day and then come up to one you have to work on for a couple of weeks. I've nearly got the Calypso playable (3rd song in Jazz book), I think it took me about a week. I think that's ok for me, if it takes a week each song. Any more than that and I might chose something else to focus on.
I just finished On-off boogie, the 9th song in the Blues book. I think there's 3 songs left to finish off chapter one.
I almost finished the first piece - Beginners Blues (melodic) I think p. 15. I did not achieved it in 1 week, to play this kind of fluently, and I was wondering if I should continue the same chapter or, skip to chapter 2, where he introduces another note (6th) to include in the walking bass line as in the melody. Maybe exercise 1 of chapter 2 is easier as the next exercise of chapter 1. Anyone experienced it?
Sorry, awsner is 2 posts above mine