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
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Before diving into more complex seventh chords, ensure you're comfortable with basic triads. Practice playing the triads for each chord in the song.
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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.
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Spend time learning to interpret the chord symbols on the lead sheet. Knowing what each symbol represents is crucial for playing jazz piano effectively.
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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.
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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.
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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 Hill 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 Hill says
Got it, thanks for the feedback Keith.
I will ensure the 3 lessons are added this week.
Talk soon, Hayden
Hayden Hill 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 Hill 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 Hill 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 Hill 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