“Moon River” – Learning The B Section
Welcome to the 2nd lesson in our course on reading lead sheets for beginner jazz piano players. In this lesson, we delve into the second section of the beautiful jazz standard “Moon River”.
Overview of 3-Note Spread Voicings
We revisit the A Section to review 3-note spread voicing technique. We start by playing the roots of the chord in our left hand, the melody in our right hand, and focusing on the selection of the 3rds and 7ths somewhere in between.
Different voicing techniques are demonstrated and we highlight the creative freedom available to you as the arranger.
Voicing Techniques & Melody
We explore techniques for adding dynamism to our playing, such as playing the notes of the chord in unison versus adding subtle movement between the notes of the chord.
We then examine how the most appropriate chord voicing can often be determined by the melody. We use the repeating A-7 as an example.
Understanding 2-5 Progressions
We introduce the concept of the 2-5 progression and we examine where this common progression appears in the tune “Moon River”. We pay special attention to the 3rds and 7ths of chords to ensure smooth transitions in our 2-5 progressions.
In the next lesson we incorporate the C section and also discuss the form of the tune. You will learn why understanding the form is crucial for quick and effective memorisation of jazz standards.
Practice Tips
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Isolate challenging sections, particularly the quick 2-5 progressions on the second line of the B Section. Practice this section slowly and accurately to build proficiency.
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Practice counting the 3/4 time signature. This is particularly useful for establishing the correct rhythmic placement when there are 2 chord per measure.
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Listen to lots of recordings of "Moon River" to gain inspiration for how the melody can be phrased.
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Remember that the lead sheet is just a rough interpretation of the song and we have creative freedom to interpret and embellish the melody and to add our own personal touch.