Most Frequently Asked Question

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 Music, by its nature, is not a competitive endeavor. However, in our culture competition has become a defining factor in determining how high along the music ladder a performer or ensemble climbs. Whether the musician applies to a competition, auditions for an opening group, or performs with a combo in a contest, he or she is bound to get caught up in this ever-present quest to do better than other musicians. 

I have met serious college students whose pursuits were primarily focused on academics, with the exception of extra-curricular performances which kept their musical techniques sharp. Other musician friends had won competitions and that victory had provided them with opportunities to jam with some other great musicians.

Through piano competitions, many will say that winning the competition wasn't to shine the spotlight on themselves, but that it was more about opportunities and doors that winning could open.
After winning a music scholarship back in my high school days, I found for myself,the same perspective to be true that I have heard from so many others. Winning any type of music competition gives you an incredible opportunity to learn at the side of great master musicians.

I think with humility and maturity the attitude comes through about the fact that we are always learning so in that sense when we jam with other musicians, it's not that we feel like we're the leader of the band or group or worship team but that we're part of a collaborative effort.

In my experiences through the many years of playing the keys with many worship teams, I found the other musicians were many years ahead of me but I loved the experience of playing with other musicians because it helped me to grow musically.

I've been teaching piano to children and adults for over fifteen years now. My respect for teaching is based upon my belief that it is not necessarily the best players who make the best instructors, but that teaching itself is an art form which takes a deep understanding of how to translate the information one knows in an efficient and effective way.

To all my dear readers, I thank you for your many letters and notes. Although I can not  answer each and every one, I would say that the number one question I am asked is "Where can I get chord charts (for free) to Christian Contemporary Worship songs?" I really don't mind questions, so please, continue to ask away and I'll try to post answers to the best of my ability.

Here is a great reference that I use:
I Will Worship.com

When you arrive at this incredible site, type in the search box Chris Tomlin, for example, and then click artist.... watch how many chord charts will be listed... Eureka! You have found a gold mine from one of my favorite artists. Plus, another great thing is that some songs are listed in different keys which is always nice for those who are new at modulating.

Well, I hope you will return to this post and leave me a comment on your favorite artist and what chord chart you will be using for your personal piano practice and for sharing with your worship team practice... Happy Sunday!

Thanks for stopping by.
I hope you enjoy your stay at LadyD Piano.

Learn To Play Latin Jazz

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So many free resources on how to play latin jazz!

Chord Charts - Mike Prigodich
 http://www.mikeprigodich.com/chord-charts

Latin Sheet Music
http://www.latinsheetmusic.com/latinjazz.html

Free Jazz Sheet Music Links
http://www.freesheetmusic.net/Jazz1.html

 One of my favorite songs to play is the Girl from Ipanema. I enjoy Diana Krall's arrangement and so many others. Are you familiar with the song? I would love to hear from you on your experiences of practicing latin jazz.

Chords to Girl From Ipanema:

FMaj9 - FACEG

Gb7b5 - GbBbCE

F6 - FACD

G9 - GBDFA

Gm7 - GBbDF

C7 - CEGBb

FMaj7 - FACE

Gb7 - GbBbDbE

G13 - G/FACE

GbMaj7 - GbBbDbF

B7 - BEbGbA

Gbm9 - GbADbEAb

D9 - DGbACE

Eb9 - EbGBbDbF

Am7 - ACEG

D7 - DF#AC

G7 - GBDF

Gb9 - GbBbDbEAb

Latin Jazz Tutorials:

Latin Jazz Salsa Style Gospel Chords

  

http://GospelMusicians.com 

Piano man teaching on how to end Latin jazz style songs. Learn gospel chords jazz chords and so much more!!

Am-Dm-G-E-Am

 

 www.anointedmusicians.org
http://www.latinjazznet.com

Here's one more tutorial on Blue Bossa Latin Groove
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D63odAop0kg

And more piano tutorials:
http://www.drjassmusic.com/

Thanks for stopping by.
I hope you enjoy your stay at LadyD Piano.

Warmest Regards,
LadyD

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Teaching The Two-Sided Tritone

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Teaching piano lessons also includes understanding the tritone. Many keyboardists are comfortable with simple triads and seventh chords. Others find it difficult when it comes to more sophisticated, jazzy harmony in contemporary music. Where do these sounds come from and how can they be used? Here's a way to think about these sounds and a simple technique you can use to spruce up any harmony with them.


Let's begin with one of the most basic chord progressions in both pop and classical music: V7 - I. In the Key of F, this would represent a C7 chord moving to an F chord. Are you familiar with this progression? There is no question that it "works." Many people are not aware of why it "works." The answer is "voice-leading." The notes of the C7 chord move smoothly to the notes of the F chord.


The two notes in the C7 chord which form the interval of a tritone: Bb and E.


The tritone is a very jazzy but unstable interval, and in the C7 - F progression, it finds stability by moving outward - the Bb down to A (the third in the F chord), and the E up to F. This resolution is pleasing, and it gives the progression a strength and inevitability. (BbE to FA)


The same two notes, called by the names A# and E, occur in the F#7 chord, which is the V7 of B. Here, the notes of the tritone move inward to find their resolution in the notes of the B chord. 
(A#E to BD#)


The fact that our tritone interval can lead strongly in either direction makes possible the art of chord substitution; contemporary players often substitute the F# for C7 and vice versa. (These chords lie opposite each other on the "circle of fifths."


Musicians can make use of the two-sided tritone to add new flavors to old chord progressions. Suppose you were faced with the progression F#7 to B7. Remember, that interval of A# and E can move outward as well as inward. Here the base line moves from F# to B, but the tritone in the right hand acts as if we were playing C7 to F. We have purposely confused the harmonic movement, taking advantage  of the vagueness of the tritone. (F#/ A#E to B/ AF)


Try playing a whole circle of fifths, using this concept. If you keep in  mind the idea that each hand is capable of "voice-leading" in its own direction. the result can be refreshing and quite beautiful. To start off, here is a sample using C7 - F7 - Bb7 :
C/BbE to B/AEbF then Bb/AbDG

Piano Lessons - Learn Tritones Phatten Up Your Gospel Chords - GospelMusicians.com

On teaching piano lessons for intermediate and advanced players, I have found this great music dvd piano instruction on tritones.
 

All the best,

LadyD

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