Boogie Your Way To Dexterity

Boogie Woogie patterns are not only fun, but a great way to develop finger (and, in the case of organists, foot) dexterity. Here are some patterns to practice, based on the 12 bar blues form.

The first patterns are for the right hand alone. Next, there is a variety of left hand Boogie bass lines. Finally, there are two examples of organ pedal patterns. For the last pattern, get your right foot off the volume pedal and play the upper notes in each eighth-note grouping!

All patterns can be played together, so get your musician friends to join in... or create a duet with yourself by taping one set and playing along with the recording using a new set of patterns the second time around.

 Boogie Your Way To Dexterity

By Bonita Luciotti

Right Hand Pattern #1

 4/4 time, play 3 notes in a triplet:

C/C, D, E, E, F, G, G, F, E, E, D, C // C, D, E, E, F, G, G, F, E, E, D, C // repeat

4/4 time play 3 eighth notes as a triplet:

F/F, G, A, A, Bb, C // repeat // C/C, D, E, E, F, G, G, F, E, E, D, C // repeat

G/G, A, B, B, C, D, D, C, B, B, A, G // F/F, G, A, A, Bb, C, C, Bb, A, A, G, F

C/C, D, E, E, F, G,G, F, E, E, D, C // repeat // repeat // C, rest, C, rest //

Right Hand Pattern #2

C/E, F, G, G, A, Bb, Bb, A, G, G, F, E // repeat // repeat //

F/A, Bb, C, C, D, Eb, Eb, D, C, C, Bb, A // repeat // C/E, F, G, G, A, Bb, Bb, A, G, G, F, E //

repeat // G/B, C, D, D, E, F, F, E, D, D, C, B // F/A, Bb, C, C, D, Eb, Eb, D, C, C, Bb, A

C/E, F, G, G, A, Bb, Bb, A, G, G, F, E // repeat // repeat // E, rest, E, rest //

Left Hand Pattern #1

/CG,  /CG, Eb, E,  /CG,  /CG, Eb, E // repeat // repeat // repeat //

/FC, /FC, Ab, A, /FC, /FC, Ab, A // /FC, /FC, Ab, A, /FC, Ab, A //

/CG, /CG, Eb, E, CG, CG, Eb, E / repeat / /GD, /GD, Bb, B, GD, GD, Bb, B //

/FC, /FC, Ab, A, /FC, /FC, Ab, A // /CG, /CG, Eb, E, /CG, CG, Eb, E // repeat //

/CG, /CG, Eb, E, /CG, /CG, Eb, E, /CG, rest, /CG, rest //

Left Hand Pattern #2 (done in jazz eighths)

Use the octaves on the downbeat of each measure and then on & 4 &

1  &  2  &  3   &  4   &

C, C, E, F, F#, G, G, G // repeat // repeat // repeat //

F, F, A, Bb, B, C, C, C // repeat // C, C, E, F, F#, G, G, G // repeat // G, G, B, C, C#, D, D, D // 

F, F, A, Bb, B, C, C, C // C, C, E, F, F#, G, G, G // repeat // repeat // C, rest, C, rest //

Left Hand Pattern #3 (done in "jazz eighths')

C, C, E, E, G, G, A, A // Bb, Bb, A, A, G, G, E, E // C, C, E, E, G, G, A, A //

Bb, Bb, A, A, G, G, E, E // F, F, A, A, C, C, D, D // Eb, Eb, D, D, C, C, A, A //

C, C, E, E, G, G, A, A, // Bb, Bb, A, A, G, G, E, E // g, G, B, B, D, D, B, B //

F, F, A, A, C, C, A, A // C, C, E, E, G, G, A, A, // Bb, Bb, A, A, G, G, E, E // 

C, C, E, E, G, G, A, A // C, rest /CC, rest //

Spinet Pedals

C, E, G, A // Bb, A, G, E // C, E, G, A // Bb, A, G, E

F, A, C, A // repeat // C, E, G, A, // Bb, A, G, E // G, B, G, G //

F, A, F, F // C, E, G, A // Bb, A, G, E // C, E, G, A // C, rest, C, rest //

Console Pedals (done in "jazz eighths")

C, C, E, C, G, C, A, C // Bb, C, A, C, G, C, E, C // C, C, E, C, G, C, A, C //

Bb, C, A, C, G, C, E, C // F, F, A, F, C, F, D, F // Eb, F, D, F, C, F, A, F //

C, C, E, C, G, C, A, C // Bb, C, A, C, G, C, E, C // G, G, B, G, D, G, E, G // F, F, A, F, C, F, D, F //

C, C, E, C, G, C, A, C // Bb, C, A, C, G, C, E, C // C, C, E, C, G, C, A, C // C, rest, C, rest //

Resources for you:

Hanon 1 - Finger Exercises

Pitch Ear Training Software 

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 "The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Blues Piano Links

I love to "Boogie with the Blues!"
Here I am going to a Biker Rally. I love hearing the blues, especially Daryl Mansfield playing his blues harp!
My Grandson looks mighty fine on a Harley!

I would say my #1 choice to learn the blues on dvd would be Willie Myette's Blues n' Boogie. See and hear for yourself just a few of his videos and then read his message below. I hope you enjoy a few of these great blues piano sites and YouTube videos!
* Blues n' Boogie

http://www.playbluespiano.com/index1.php


* Online Blues Piano Lessons

http://www.playpianotoday.com/blues/index.html

* Blues Scales for the Piano

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/1161_piano-blues-scales.htm
* Blues Jazz Piano Techniques

http://www.bluesjazzpiano.com/
* Ragtime Blues

http://www.doctorjazz.co.uk/
* Beginner Blues for Piano

http://www.8notes.com/school/lessons/piano/beginner_blues/default.asp
* Play Blues Piano

http://www.learn-piano.org/play-blues-piano.html
* Blues Improvisation

http://www.musilosophy.com
* Learn To Play Blues Piano

http://www.freepianolesson.com/links/learntoplaypiano.html
* New Orleans Blues Piano

Learn Blues Piano! Love Blues Piano? So Do I. With My Program, You'll Be Playing Blues That Amazes Even You. "I Can Prove It." Up till now learning how to play the Blues like a real pro took hours of "hunting and pecking" at the piano to get the right combination of notes. Maybe you have looked over the shoulder of a pianist by the bar or listened to recordings till they wore out just trying to replicate that incredible Blues piano sound! You know the sound I am talking about. I mean that "meaty", "fat" Blues sound that hits you in your soul. It's the sound of a Pro and you know it when you hear it. If you're like most people, you sit there in awe marveling at their command of the instrument and ability to captivate an audience with just three simple chords. But, you know better. You know that it is not just three chords that they are playing. (You know because you can already play those chords, but not like that!) Are you like me? A Quick story... When I was a beginner, there was pianist who I hung around with. Now, Damien knew all of those cool Blues licks. But, when I asked him to show them to me, he would play something really fast and say "Did you get that?" Of course I didn't! But, he wouldn't slow it down and I had to walk away with the "scraps" that I could pick up. I read books and listened to CDs, but I wanted to get into this Blues piano sound fast. Years later, I now know that Blues sound. I eventually learned by a lot of time, practice and patience! However, I've made it easier for you to learn how to play drop down, no holds barred, kickin' Blues piano without reading a lick of music. It's time to take your Blues playing to the "Pro" Level. JazzPianoLessons.com has been teaching thousands pianists (just like you) how to take their playing to the next level. This is what I like to call the "Pro" level. No matter where your current level of playing is at, I'm going to show you techniques that you simply will not find anywhere else. You'll learn, step-by-step, techniques like turnarounds, endings, grace notes and neighbor chords for a Gospel sound. I'm also going to teach you styles like Boogie Woogie, New Orleans, Shuffles, Choo Choo Cha Boogie and more. Now, I'm not talking about boring lessons here. I hate those lessons where you need to do this, then this, then this (I'm sure you know the ones I'm talking about) only to find out that you are still not playing after a month! I want you to be able to apply these techniques the day you start, so I've designed my lessons to be easy to get into right away. I'm going to teach you so many tricks, you will be igniting those keys! -Willie Learn more about the Blues Piano Package.

http://www.LadyDpiano.com

Learn Blues Piano

I love the Blues! When I first started learning how to play the Blues, this is what I found out:
C Blues scale and G Blues scale share similar notes:
C Blues scale: C-Eb-F-F#-G-Bb-C
G Blues scale: G-Bb-C-C#-D-F-G
The A Blues scale also works really nice. Those notes are: A-C-D-D#-E-G-A
Common notes: C-G-Bb Now, the other notes in the G Blues scale: C#-D-F are "pretty good" tensions on the chords of the Blues.
There are many different ways for fingering Blues Scales. I will show fingering I use and a lot of professional musicians: 1 (C) 2 (D#) 3 (F) 4 (F#) 1 (G) 2 (A#) 3 (C) and I'm going to explain why. When your 5th finger is on C (2nd C) you can't continue to walk up.When 3rd finger is on C you can go down but you can go up as well. Also I don't think the fingering of D# F F# is comfortable enough for a maximum speed of the riffs and licks.
Here's a good website for understanding the Blues,Jazz and Latin Styles
http://www.playpianotoday.com/blues/index.html
I know that the Blues Scale has 6 notes:
C Eb F F# G Bb C
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 ( use thumb if going up an octave)
And a good vid I found for Blues Scales:

But the guy who has helped me to play the Blues is Willie Myette! I have purchased his Blues n' Boogie dvds and have learned so much with what to do with my l.h. and how to play cool riffs in my r.h. Willie is a great teacher. I highly recommend this resource. Get yours today!

Learn Blues Piano! Love Blues Piano? So Do I. With My Program, You'll Be Playing Blues That Amazes Even You. "I Can Prove It." Up till now learning how to play the Blues like a real pro took hours of "hunting and pecking" at the piano to get the right combination of notes. Maybe you have looked over the shoulder of a pianist by the bar or listened to recordings till they wore out just trying to replicate that incredible Blues piano sound! You know the sound I am talking about. I mean that "meaty", "fat" Blues sound that hits you in your soul. It's the sound of a Pro and you know it when you hear it. If you're like most people, you sit there in awe marveling at their command of the instrument and ability to captivate an audience with just three simple chords. But, you know better. You know that it is not just three chords that they are playing. (You know because you can already play those chords, but not like that!) Are you like me? A Quick story... When I was a beginner, there was pianist who I hung around with. Now, Damien knew all of those cool Blues licks. But, when I asked him to show them to me, he would play something really fast and say "Did you get that?" Of course I didn't! But, he wouldn't slow it down and I had to walk away with the "scraps" that I could pick up. I read books and listened to CDs, but I wanted to get into this Blues piano sound fast. Years later, I now know that Blues sound. I eventually learned by a lot of time, practice and patience! However, I've made it easier for you to learn how to play drop down, no holds barred, kickin' Blues piano without reading a lick of music. It's time to take your Blues playing to the "Pro" Level. JazzPianoLessons.com has been teaching thousands pianists (just like you) how to take their playing to the next level. This is what I like to call the "Pro" level. No matter where your current level of playing is at, I'm going to show you techniques that you simply will not find anywhere else. You'll learn, step-by-step, techniques like turnarounds, endings, grace notes and neighbor chords for a Gospel sound. I'm also going to teach you styles like Boogie Woogie, New Orleans, Shuffles, Choo Choo Cha Boogie and more. Now, I'm not talking about boring lessons here. I hate those lessons where you need to do this, then this, then this (I'm sure you know the ones I'm talking about) only to find out that you are still not playing after a month! I want you to be able to apply these techniques the day you start, so I've designed my lessons to be easy to get into right away. I'm going to teach you so many tricks, you will be igniting those keys! -Willie Learn more about the Blues Piano Package.

http://www.LadyDpiano.com