Elegant Stride Piano Course Overview
Welcome to this course introduction lesson where we explore the beautiful jazz standard "Body and Soul". In this tutorial, we focus on the A section of the tune, breaking down basic jazz piano 7th chords before advancing into chord extensions, chord alterations, and stride left hand techniques .
Whether you’re new to jazz or looking to refine your technique, this lesson provides valuable insights into interpreting and arranging jazz standards.
7th Chords & Spread Voicings
We begin by isolating the 7th chords in the left hand; an essential foundation for understanding lead sheet harmony. By understanding how to voice these chords and spread the notes between both hands, you’ll be able to create fuller, richer sounds in your jazz piano arrangements. We start with simple root position chords (root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th), but in jazz, we rarely use this form exclusively.
Rather than keeping all chord tones in one hand, we distribute them between both hands. This approach not only helps support the melody but also creates a more balanced sound.
Stride Left Hand Technique
One of the standout techniques in this lesson is the introduction of the stride left hand. Stride piano involves alternating between a bass note and a chord, creating a rhythmic drive that propels the music forward. This style is especially effective in slower ballads like "Body and Soul," where the left hand can move between bass notes and full chords, while the right hand plays the melody or fills.
Chord Substitutions and Reharmonization
Towards the end of the A section, we delve into reharmonization techniques. This includes using tritone substitutions to add harmonic variety. For instance, substituting a dominant chord a tritone away from the original adds an unexpected but harmonically pleasing twist.
Lesson Downloads
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Elegant Stride Course Notation Sample File Type: pdf
Related Lessons
In our final lesson on 'Body and Soul' we play through the entire tune with insights on voicings, modulations, and pe...
In this lesson, we shift our focus to the B section - also referred to as 'the bridge - which introduces two signific...
In this lesson we create a beginner arrangement of the jazz piano classic “Body & Soul” using just roots, 3rds, a...
Practice Tips
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Start Simple: Begin with root position 7th chords to familiarize yourself with the structure of the song before adding complexity.
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Visualize Voice Leading: Focus on how the 7ths resolve to the 3rds in 2-5-1 progressions to ensure smooth transitions.
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Experiment with Extensions: Once you’re comfortable with basic voicings, add chord extensions and chord alteration for more color and depth.
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Stride Piano: Alternating between bass notes and chords with your left hand to create a stride technique into your playing.
- Incorporate Reharmonizations: Use tritone substitutions to create new harmonic possibilities within the structure of the tune.
Hi Hayden,
I’m really enjoying this course and I’m getting so much out of it. Can you please give me a few names of other jazz ballads that I can practice applying these same techniques to? I’m still discovering songs from this genre and so I don’t know too many yet.
Thank you,
Rachel
Hi Rachel,
I’m glad you’re enjoying the course – this is also one of my favourite tunes to play.
Yes I have 2 other courses which follow a similar style (left hand stride) and perhaps you haven’t seen these yet:
“Nearness Of You” Ballad Fills & Runs
pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/ballad-voicings-fills-improv/ – this course and the style and techniques used is certainly the most similar – so check this course out first.
“Misty” – Cocktail Piano improvisation
pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/cocktail-improvisation-for-beginners/ – we also look at octave melody, stride left hand, and similar arrangement principles and devices.
Those are dedicated jazz standard courses which just focus on one tune similar to this course.
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In terms of other songs which we arrange in a similar ‘stride piano’ style I would suggest these jazz standard tutorials:
Embraceable You
pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/embraceable-you-tutorial/
Stardust
pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/stardust-tutorial/
Unforgettable
pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/unforgettable-tutorial/
As Time Goes By:
pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/as-time-goes-by-tutorial/
Laura:
pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/laura-jazz-piano-tutorial/
I hope that helps Rachel – let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Best,
Hayden
Hi Hayden,
That does help a lot, thank you. What I meant at the time is songs from a fake book/real book. But this works very well too because I can get those out of the real book too I believe or a different fake book. Knowing me, I will take those courses too.
I’m currently taking the Nearness of you Course and creating a nice arrangement of it from your great tips!
Loving your platform and learning so much!
Thank you,
Rachel