Moon River For Beginners
Welcome to our beginner’s course on how to read lead sheets. In this lesson we focus on the A section of the jazz standard “Moon River”.
This course is tailored for those new to jazz piano, particularly those transitioning from a classical background. Unlike classical music, jazz lead sheets typically feature only a treble clef. This format emphasizes melody and chord symbols, granting musicians creative freedom in voicing and arrangement.
Layout & Format Of The Lead Sheet
In this course, we start by exploring the layout and format of lead sheets. You’ll learn how to interpret the melody and harmony, beginning with the first eight bars of “Moon River”.
Triads, 7th Chords, & Spread Voicings
You’ll learn to play basic triads and understand their role in jazz harmony. We’ll discuss the key and scale of “Moon River”, highlighting how most chords are derived from the C major scale. This foundational knowledge is crucial for understanding the structure and progression of jazz pieces.
We delve into the basics of seventh chords, an essential component in jazz, and how they differ from classical chord voicings. We then introduce the concept of three-note spread voicings, a pivotal skill in playing from lead sheets.
The “3 Hand Approach”
This approach focuses on playing the root in our left hand, the melody in our right hand, and the third and seventh of the chord somewhere in between. This lesson will guide you through various voicing options, helping you develop an intuitive understanding of chord structures.
Practice Tips
-
Before diving into more complex seventh chords, ensure you're comfortable with basic triads. Practice playing the triads for each chord in the song.
-
Once you're comfortable with triads, start introducing seventh chords. Understand how they add depth and richness to the music. Practice these chords separately before integrating them into the song.
-
Spend time learning to interpret the chord symbols on the lead sheet. Knowing what each symbol represents is crucial for playing jazz piano effectively.
-
Work on the three-note spread voicings technique. Begin by isolating the root, third, and seventh of each chord. Experiment with different voicing options and listen to how they change the sound.
-
Try to memorize small sections of "Moon River," such as the first eight bars. This will not only improve your memory but also help you understand the song's structure.
-
Listen to various versions of "Moon River" by different artists. Notice how each pianist interprets the melody and harmony, and try to incorporate elements that you like into your playing.
keithpowell says
Hi Hayden where do I find the next section(B) for Moon River beginner Is it in the intermediate section of the course or am I expected to work it out for myself from the lead sheet. Thank you keith
Hayden says
Hi Keith 👋
I just added this new beginner lesson on “Moon River” and I have recorded 3 more lessons which will be added shortly. They are currently being edited by our video editor. The additional 3 lessons cover the B Section, the C Section, and finally a lesson which touches upon chord extensions which is the next course you will study in our beginner jazz piano courses.
We have already covered this tune quite extensively on the site, please see these links:
Moon River Harmonic Analysis: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/moon-river-harmonic-analysis/
Moon River Intermediate/Advanced Tutorial: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/moon-river-tutorial/
Moon River Live Seminar: https://www.pianogroove.com/live-seminars/moon-river-jazz-standard-workshop/
However, these lessons cover more advanced theory and arranging techniques.
A few students requested beginner-focused lessons on this tune which is why I have revisited the tune from a beginner-standpoint.
The 3 remaining beginner lessons will be added to the foundations course this week.
I will reply to your comment here as soon as they are published. In the interim, do check out the above links and depending on your level they may be a good fit for you.
Talk soon, Hayden
Keith says
Hi Hayden look forward to the next 3 lessons .Although I can see the next sections on intermediate level I am not ready yet Thank you Keith
Hayden says
Got it, thanks for the feedback Keith.
I will ensure the 3 lessons are added this week.
Talk soon, Hayden
Hayden says
Hi Keith 👋
The next 2 lessons have been added which cover the B and C sections of the tune.
I have also moved these lessons into a dedicated course: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/lead-sheets-for-beginners/
The next module will be added shortly where we start to apply chord extensions (9ths, 11ths, and 13ths) and also explore ways to develop our left hand with lower bass notes.
Enjoy the lessons!
Cheers, Hayden
Keith says
Hi Hayden just what I was looking for Great help Thank you Keith 👍
mizzentopwm says
Hi Hayden As is Keith, I’m looking forward to the next 3 lessons of Moon River. Bill
Hayden says
Hi Bill 👋
Lessons 2 and 3 have been added.
You can find them on this new course page: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/lead-sheets-for-beginners/
These 3 lessons cover all 4 sections of the tune with simple spread voicings.
Keep an eye on the course page as the next module will be added shortly where we introduce chord extensions and some other early-intermediate arranging techniques.
Talk soon, Hayden
suslnpls says
Hi Hayden How do I incidate the lessons I have already completed? :I guess I dont know how to do this since I cannot tell.
Also what do you recommend for recording myself play ing the piano? The easiest please as I am not a tecky?
Hayden says
Hi Suzanne,
Apologies for the late reply here.
For tracking your progress and marking lessons as complete, please see this video which explains how the lesson tracking works:
https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/how-to-track-your-progress/
For recording yourself playing, it depends on what you are using. Do you have an electric keyboard or an acoustic piano?
If you have an electric keyboard, i would recommend connecting it to your laptop via a MIDI cable. This is the same cable that connect a printer to a laptop for example.
Please let me know what your setup is… see my questions below, and I will send you some recommendations:
Do you have an electric keyboard, if so, what brand/model?
What laptop or computer do you use? (brand ie. Apple, Windows etc…)
You can also post this in the community area here: https://community.pianogroove.com/c/software/14 – and perhaps some of our other students can give you their recommendations too.
If you’d like to reply here that’s fine too :–)
Talk soon, Hayden
Pete says
Ref ; Moon river beginner. Hi. Love the lessons. Question, when should I move on to the next section ? when I have memorised section one or when I have included any embelishments . I suppose I’m asking how far do I go in each section and how good should I be before moving on , I have got down the basic root, 7th 3rd and melody of (section A ) but is this enough before I move on. Pete
Hayden says
Hi Pete 👋
I’m glad you are enjoying the lessons!
Yes you are definitely ready to move onto the next lesson once you can play the R-3-7 voicings.
The embellishments can take time to learn and play perfectly (technique wise) and so don’t let this get in the way of progressing onto the next lessons.
Also, in each new lesson we recap and build upon the concepts of the previous lesson so you will be working on the same embellishments as you progress onto the next lessons in the course.
I have been playing this tune for many years and I’m still discovering new melodic embellishments to add every time I play it, and so this is an ongoing process.
Let me know if you have any other questions, and enjoy the lessons!
Talk soon, Hayden
ps. The next tune “Fly Me To The Moon” will be added to this course shortly which is another great jazz standard for beginner jazz studies.
Pascal says
Hi Hayden,
First, thank you for your site and courses that are just great ! I have started the course “Reading lead sheets for beginners” and I try to get familiar with the intellectual approach :
– Read the chord and the 1st beat melody note
– Identifiy the Root, the 3rd and the 7th of that chord
– Play the root LH
– Play the melody note RH
– Place the 3rd and 7th (trying to spread the 4 note as regularily as possible)
I also tried to define a formula based on the chord and the melody note (it is so tempting !) but, as you say in the video, it seems that there are too many possible scenarios… so I gave up !
I wonder though, if there is a strategy for fingering the melody. By default, I go for pinky on the first beat melody note (adapting it if needed) but I am not sure that this is a correct approach… In fact, I am seeking a kind of rule to help memorize faster…
Do you have any advice on this ?
Thank you again and have a wonderful sunday ! Pascal
Hayden says
Hi Pascal,
The intellectual approach/bullet points that you outline are exactly the right way to go about this. Continue doing this everyday and you will make rapid progress.
The more that you follow this process, the more natural and instinctive it becomes until you don’t have to think about it any more and when you see the chord symbol and melody note, your hands will naturally gravitate towards certain shapes and hand positions.
To answer your question with the melody note, again it can depend on many factors but generally the top note of the harmony should be played with the pinky and then we have the rest of our fingers at our disposal to voice the chord (chord tones 3 and 7) and also other notes such as chord extensions and chord alterations which you will learn in the upcoming courses.
Playing the melody with the pinky isn’t always the case, for example, take a look at “Autumn Leaves” which is another one of the new Novice lessons: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/autumn-leaves-for-beginners/ (see chapter 2 where we isolate the melody) and you will see that I start the melody with right hand my thumb but this is because the melody is an ascending motif and when we hit the first chord which is C-7, I want my pinky finger to be on the note “Eb” so that the rest of my fingers and thumb are free to create the chord voicing underneath.
So the short answer is that it very much depends on what is happening in the song, and in particular, the contours, direction, and jumps, in the melody
My main advice is to play and learn as many jazz standards as you can. There is no better way to learn how to do this, than from doing it. Start by copying my demonstrations and you will slowly build the confidence to do it without my direction. That’s exactly how I learnt – by copying and emulating my first jazz teacher’s demonstrations.
I recommend to study all of the Novice jazz standard lessons simultaneously, perhaps just 15 minutes on each tune per day (depending on how much time you have to practice), and in a matter of weeks you will feel much more confident with the process of spread voicings and how to finger the melody.
The more jazz standards that you learn, the easier this process becomes.
I am working on the next Novice course which will cover the key of Eb and the tunes “Misty” and “Tenderly” – that will be added to the site in the coming weeks.
In the interim stick with the other 4 Novice jazz standards and perhaps dip into the Beginner X-mas songs course which is also in our Novice section.
I hope that helps Pascal – please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Talk soon,
Hayden
Pascal says
Hayden,
A warm “Thank you !” for taking the time to bring such a comprehensive, precise and instrutive answer to my post !
Moon river is a great choice for a novice course : the piece is short, not too difficult and really nice to listen to (and to play !) ! I am also glad to hear that you plan to add new lessons of that kind to this novice course ! And, of course, delighted that “Misty” is one of them ! 😉
May I dare another question ?
One of the greatest difficulties I always face while working on a piece is its memorization. Improving one’s theoretical knowledge definitely helps but, still, I often find it difficult. So I wonder if it would be worth learning by heart the whole chord progression… I mean learning it from the lead sheet, away from the piano… It certainly is a great exercise for the brain but is that a good “investment” when it comes to playing a piece ?
Thank you again, Hayden and have a great day !
Pascal
Hayden says
Hi Pascal,
Great question!
Yes learning and memorising lead sheets is very important.
This does happen naturally after playing these tunes for many years, but I recommend to actually try to memorise the chords and melody so that you are not reliant on the lead sheet.
This will allow you to play more freely, and also better immerse yourself in the music, the chord voicings, the fills etc…
This song follows an A-B-A-C form, and so bars 1-8 and bars 17-24 are identical. Both identical melody and identical harmony. That makes the memorisation process much easier to start with, as we know that almost 50% of the tune uses the exact same chords and harmony.
There are some other things you can do that will speed up your memorisation process:
(1) When playing songs try to visualise the form as ‘rows of 4 bricks’. I show graphics in this lesson which illustrate my visualisation process, and I explain how I think of song forms: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/common-jazz-forms/
(2) Listen to lots of versions of this song. Create a playlist for each jazz standard that you are working on and listen to the songs as often as possible. If I really like a specific version, I might listen to it 10s or even 100s of times. Here is a playlist I created for Moon River: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1hAQwuZhDA0QNsY7QwpYSk?si=e10a9a6b5b614eb4 (if you have Spotify you can save this playlist to your account, reorder the songs, add songs, delete songs etc…) I have only included versions of Moon River in the key of C Major in this playlist so it will be easier for you to play along with the recordings.
(3) When you listen to the songs in your playlist, try to visualise where the musician is in the form. Tying into point (1) you can try to visualise where the musician is in the form in terms of sections and bars, visualise and ‘hear’ as he/she passes into each different 8 bar section etc… you can even try to say the chords to yourself as you are listening to the music.
(4) Next,try to copy the melodic phrasing and ornamentation of your favourite version(s) of the song. Each and every recording/musician will phrase the melody differently. Listening to lots of versions is the best way to permanently remember the melody. When you try to emulate/copy a melody, you will have to listen to the song many times, usually repeating/looping a section as you play along with it, and so this is related to point (2).
(5) Just like preparing for a test or exam, take a blank piece of paper and quiz yourself. Draw the sections of the form of Moon River … there are 8 boxes or ‘bricks’ for the A Section, then the 8 Bar B Section, the 2nd A Section (8 bars) and the C section (14 bars). Try to write the chords into the boxes. Keep doing this until you can write all of the chords into the boxes.
As I mention at the start, the more we play these songs, we naturally memorise them, but the above tips will help to speed up this process for you.
Good luck and have fun with this!
Cheers, Hayden
Pascal says
Hi Hayden, Thank you ! This is a long answer full of great advices ! I do appreciate ! I decided to work on to levels :
. an “easy” one that consists in playing simply : . RH : the melody . LH : the shells : 1-3-7, 1-5-7, 1-5-10, 1-7-10, etc. depending on the first “real” melody note found under a chord. For instance, if the first “real” melody note found under the chord CMaj7 is G, then I woul play 1-3-7 or 1-7-10 LH, if it is E, then I would play 1-5-7, etc. To me, this way of harmonizing and playing the melody gives a pretty nice result…
. a more sophisticated one : the one that you show in the course and that introduce chord extensions…
So, just to let you know that I’m having fun with that wonderful tune and with your lessons about it ! Have a nice day ! Pascal