Add to EJ Playlist  Visit my website at http://www.lot2 learn.com for MIDI files, PDF notation files and backing backing trackfiles. A "Funky" Day, based on "A Foggy Day" on a funk tip. First, a few apologies. 1. Sorry for the delay between posts, too many projects, not enough time. 2. Sorry for the inferior quality of the video of my keyboard playing. I did this take when I was testing a webcam and I really wasn't planning to use it for a YT post but it was just too funky not too. 3. The chord symbols being displayed are generic and I tend not to play exactly as written. You can get the basic idea and figure the rest out. That's what learning is all about. Loung Lizard providing the Rhodes Sound. Midiculous.com for the midi keyz display. As always, thanks for your support. - Roger

Add to EJ Playlist  For a MIDI or PDF notation file of my playing on this video please visit my website at http://www.lot2 learn.com A big thanks to Bradley Thompson for his collaboration in producing the audio track to this video. Brad added his expert conga and Latin percussion playing. Thanks Brad! This is the second in a series of "practice inprovisations" . For this practice session, I take a simple 4 chord progression based in A Minor. You can think of this progression as a minor I-VI-II-V using a tri-tone substitution for the II chord. I start out using basic A Minor pentatonic and blues scales and then interject some chord tone outlines and "side-stepping" pentatonics usually a semi-tone away from the tonic. Rhythmic variations play an important part of any improvisation, and I try to demonstrate this here as well. I have added annotations to help you with your learning process. I hope you enjoy watching, listening and learning and always, thank you for your support. Regards, Roger Production Notes: I am using a Roland FP-4 keyboard with the stock Piano sound. A veryh slight amount of post-processing done with Ferox VST plug-in to give some added warmth. The on-screen keyboard from www.midiculous. com captured with Camtasia software. Video compositing and rendering done with Serif MoviePlus X6.

Add to EJ Playlist  This is different version of Green Dolphin - an alternate take to the one I posted last year.You can compare the two and see how I can play the same song only 5 minutes apart, yet play them quite differently. Yes, there are some similar lines, phrases and ideas, but they lead to different meanings. I have annotated this to help in the learning of some of these improvisational techniques. As always, thanks for your support and comments. Roger Technical notes: Roland FP-4 keyboard piano sound. Overhead video camera on tripod shot of FP-4 composited with MidiKeyz screen captures (via Camtasia) rendered using Serif MoviePlus X6. Thanks to Jamal at www.midiculous. com for the midi keyboard display.

Add to EJ Playlist  The MIDI file of my playing on this video as well as the backing track I used and a PDF Notation file of my solo are available on my web site at http://www.Lot2 Learn.com One of the exercises I enjoy, is to practice improvising over a set of chord changes that do not correspond to a particular song. This helps me accomplish two main goals: 1. It makes me create solo lines that connect the changes and tell a coherent story without having a melody to refer to. This tests my spontaneous composition and improvisational skills to create a melodically coherent and interesting set of connecting phrases. 2. This exercise also helps me practice the never-ending cycle of tension and resolve, which I feel is a crucial element in my approach to improvisation. I call this particular exercise "It Never Ends", because the chord progression seems to cycle on forever. I use this practice exercise with various tempos and styles (Bossa, swing, funk, etc.) with each style eliciting an entirely different improvisation. Production Notes: I am using a Roland FP-4 keyboard with the stock Piano sound. A mild amount of post-processing done with Ferox VST plug-in to give some added warmth. The on-screen keyboard from www.midiculous. com captured with Camtasia software. Video compositing and rendering done with Serif MoviePlus X3. As always, thanks for listening and for your continued support. -Roger

Add to EJ Playlist  The MIDI file of my solo as well as a PDF of the transcription and the backing track files I used on this video are all available on my website at http://www.Lot2 Learn.com Most of you know McCoy Tyner is one of my favorite musicians. I love the way his style is so immediately noticeable no matter what song he is playing. The energy that comes through his playing never ceases to amaze me. For this video I have created a simple compostion that is essentially a modal blues. The two main key centers ar D dorian and F dorian. I have tried to add annotations to help decipher some of the techniques used in the performance of this piece. A few hints and tips: 1. Know your pentatonic scales in all keys. Practice different patterns in the right hand using these scales and try moving in and out of different keys. 2. You can move in and out of different keys as long as you end up at the tonal center at key points or as I call them "landing zones". These typically will be the first beat of a 4 measure phrase. 3. 3rd inversion triads can be effective in the right hand when used in combination with stacked 4ths in the left. 4. Much of McCoy's improvisation is rhythm based - that's why he usually has dynamite drummers and very solid bass players. 5. Anticipate the upcoming chord in the LH by playing a line in the RH based on that upcoming chord in beat 3 or 4 of the preceding measure. A quick note to viewers who have been requesting Skype Piano lessons: they are now available! Send me a message for details. As always, thanks for your support. - Roger Technical notes: 1. A drum track was created first with Band-in-a-Box. I then recorded a bass track and added some additional percussion using the Roland FP-4. Video was composited in Serif MoviePlus with titling and rendering done in Camtasia Studio.

Add to EJ Playlist  This is one of the first jazz songs I ever learned and I am still trying to learn it! I decided to play only one solo chorus because I wanted to really focus on the melody -unfortunately, I lost my focus a couple of times. I have added a few annotations but most of this "lesson" is to learn the melody and practice it slowly. Then, when you've really got it together, take it up a notch and gradually increase until it feels comfortable. For the improvisation section, try and take only one chorus, but make that one chorus really count. Production Notes: I am using a Roland FP-4 keyboard with the stock Piano sound. A mild amount of post-processing done with Ferox VST plug-in to give some added warmth and then I put a touch of reverb just because I felt like it. The on-screen keyboard from www.midiculous. com captured with Camtasia software. Video compositing and rendering done with Serif MoviePlus X3. A special thanks to Benny Green for helping me with this one. As always, thanks for listening and for your continued support. -Roger

Add to EJ Playlist  The MIDI file of my piano solo, a PDF Notation File and the MP3 Backing Track I used for this video are all available on my website at: http://www.Lot2 learn.com When Jamal Hartwell from www.GospelMusic ians.com asked if I wanted to try out his new VST Neo-Soul Keys 3X using the Stage Electric Piano, I said "most definitley"! So I started messing around with both the Stage and Suitcase electric pianos in Neo-Soul Keys 3X and decided to do an "A/B" video comparison. If you watch the upper right corner of the video, you will notice the logo change from the Stage EP to the Suitcase EP to see which patch I am currently playing. Note: No additional post-processing was done to the audio of the keyboard. What you hear during my keyboard solo was all accomplished using the Neo-Soul Keys 3X VST. I recorded the MIDI file twice using the different patches each time and then cross-faded them to get the "A/B" comparison. The great thing about Neo-Soul Keys 3X, is the seemingly infinite "tweakability". I love being able to adjust the hardness and softness of the hammers, the tine noise...everyth ing you can think of is there. The Stage EP has huge character to it and reminds me of my old Rhodes Stage electric piano. The suitcase reminds me of the old style Fender Rhodes that Herbie made famous back in the 70's. The song I am playing is a song I wrote (and have posted previously on YouTube) called "The Funkifier". There is even a version of it on my CD. For this video I'm calling it "Neo-Soul Funkifier". Other versions of me playing "The Funkifier" can be found here: http://www.yout ube.com/watch?v =prIZ7zPP1JQ http://www.yout ube.com/watch?v =ZAfzRrp8zME http://www.yout ube.com/watch?v =g7PPBLh9bTM Production Notes: I am using a Roland FP-4 keyboard running through Reaper DAW to load-in the Neo-Soul Keys 3X VST. The on-screen keyboard is also a Jamal Hartwell product available from www.midiculous. com and I captured it on-screen with Camtasia software. Video compositing and rendering was done with Serif MoviePlus X3. As always, thanks for listening and for your continued support. -L2L

Add to EJ Playlist  Ceora, written in 1965 by the great trumpeter Lee Morgan, has a beautiful melody with a high degree of difficulty - as will attest by my occassional missed or added notes. ;-) The melody contains many great devices that can be incorporated into the solo and expanded on during the improvisation. I use many chord tone outlines in my solo as well as approach notes and enclosures. These are all common improvisational devices that I combine into phrases to "tell my story". If you want to see a recent video of me playing this song live with a quartet and taking a totally different type of solo (using a Fender Rhodes patch) you can view it here: https://vimeo.c om/46187970 Production Notes: I am using a Roland FP-4 keyboard with the stock Grand Piano sound. A mild amount of post-processing was done with the Ferox VST plug-in to give some added warmth. The on-screen keyboard from www.midiculous. com captured with Camtasia software. Video compositing and rendering done with Serif MoviePlus X3. As always, thanks for listening and for your continued support. -L2L

Add to EJ Playlist  This was a request from a subscriber who stated he was having trouble soloing on this song. This is a great song, even though it has been a bit mis-aligned by musicians - probably because it is played badly so often at wedding receptions and the like. The bridge is really beautiful and the logical chord progression makes this a terrific tune to solo over. I hope you can pick-up a few tips on soloing over the changes from this video. I didn't have my video camera hooked-up when I did this, so I included the scrolling notation instead. Thanks to www.Midiculous. com for the great midi keyboard on-screen display. As always, thanks for your support. -Roger

Add to EJ Playlist  The midi file of my piano solo, a PDF transcription file of my solo as well as the MP3 backing track file used in this video are all available on my website at http://www.Lot2 Learn.com My McCoy Tyner Style videos appear to be some of the most requested, as people want to see me utilize fourths voicings in my left hand and pentatonic scales in the right hand. I have tried to demonstrate those features in this video and have added annotations to help. I am sorry I cut-off the lower keys of the piano in this video however I am for the most part playing a fifth interval (root and fifth) in my left hand so it is not very difficult to decipher. As always, thank you for your comments and your support! - Roger

Add to EJ Playlist  This being one of the classic jazz standards, I thought I would post a more traditional version as opposed to the 7/4 versions I have already posted. Many times this is played as a latin to swing (the "A" parts played latin and the bridge played swing style) but I have kept this in a latin style throughout. I have tried to add a few annotations explaining parts of the improvisation. As always, thanks for listening! - Roger Tech Notes: Roland FP-4 keyboard piano sound run through a VST tube-amp simulator to slightly warm the tone. Overhead video camera on tripod shot of FP-4 composited with MidiKeyz screen captures (via Camtasia) rendered using Serif MoviePlus. Thanks to Jamal at www.midiculous. com for the midi keyboard display.

Add to EJ Playlist  It's no wonder this song won 3 Grammy awards in 2003. I hope you enjoy my rendition. Tech Notes: On-screen Midi keyboard display courtesy of www.MIDIculous. com Fender Rhodes Keyboard sound via Lounge Lizard VSTi. Thanks for listening! - Roger

Add to EJ Playlist  Recently, a subscriber requested that I post a video of me soloing over the chord changes to this classic by the great master Chick Corea and although I've heard this song a lot, I've never played it, so I figured it was about time. :-) In preparation for the video, I just started playing the song by ear (from memory) and didn't realize until I was all done recording the video that I'd done the song 1/2 step off from the original key. For this video, I have played only a very short part of the melody before diving right into the solo section. It is a very logical and straight-forwar d chord progression and soloing over the changes is fun. For my color palette I primarily mix chord tones with 1/2 diminished scales and pentatonics, peppered with a few "Chickisms". I've taken this at a pretty decent 250 BPM pace, which feels about right for this song. Tech Notes: On-screen Midi keyboard display courtesy of www.MIDIculous. com Fender Rhodes Keyboard sound via Lounge Lizard VSTi. Thanks for listening! - Roger

Add to EJ Playlist  The midi file of my piano solo, a PDF transcription file of my solo, and the bass and drum MP3 backing track file used in this video are all available on my website at http://www.Lot2 Learn.com Estate is one of my all-time favorite songs. I love almost every version I have heard. For my version, I take it at a medium tempo which allows me to really explore and have some fun with the changes. I have tried to annotate some of the techniques I used during my improvisation and hope you enjoy this video. Thanks to Jamal who provides the on-screen midi keyboard display found at www.midiculous. com. Tech Notes: Roland FP-4 Piano with a hint of Pianoteq Pro piano emulation software added. Screen Capture using Camtasia Pro Screen recorder Serif MoviePlus X3 used for video compositing. As always, thank you for your support. - L2L

Add to EJ Playlist  Yes, I miss those great posts by Volvoxburger. No, he did not mention to me if and when he is ever going to foray back into the world of posting videos, but I did have contact with him recently and with his permission I am posting a video featuring his playing. Volvoxburger, being the multi-instrumen talist that he is, plays all the parts in this video. The Wurlitzer electric piano part was recorded a few years ago during a Ninjam session. The drum track, using his new (and great sounding I must add) drum kit and a funky bass part was added just a few weeks ago. Trying to match up the various parts "after-the-fact " is no easy task, yet Rob's playing is still amazingly in the pocket as usual. Here my friends, is a Volvoxburger "fix". Enjoy!

Add to EJ Playlist  The MIDI file of my piano solo as well as the MP3 and MIDI backing track and a PDF notation file and PDF lead sheet are all available on my website at http://www.Lot2 Learn.com This is a composition I wrote over 25 years ago. A trio version is here: http://www.yout ube.com/watch?v =eQx637umWeg There is also a version on my CD "Going My Way?" I had a request to post this with the MIDIKeyz - so here is is. I would like to put lyrics to this someday. Thanks for listening. - Roger (Lot2Learn)

Add to EJ Playlist  In keeping with the holiday theme of my last view uploads, I have taken the liberty to interpret a traditional Christmas song in the style of one of my favorite pianists, the great McCoy Tyner. I hope you enjoy watching/listen ing to this rendition as this is one style of music I certainly enjoy playing. The chord changes I use are available as a free download on my website at http://www.Lot2 Learn.com (scroll down towards the bottom of the page) and the MIDI and PDF file of my solo along with the backing track used is available on my website as well. Technical Notes: MIDIKeyz software used for the on-screen MIDI keyboard www.Midikeyz.co m Thanks again to all! Roger

Add to EJ Playlist  I wrote this song last week and am dedicating it to all of my friends and fellow musicians here on YouTube. Your continued support in the form of comments and subscriptions is greatly appreciated. I am very grateful to be able to provide you with entertainment and share my knowledge, and am also grateful to you for providing me with an outlet for my creativity. All the best, Roger

Add to EJ Playlist  The backing track I used in this video is available for download on my website as is a MIDI file of my piano solo and a PDF notation file of the solo. The website is http://www.Lot2 Learn.com. This is such a fun Christmas song to play. I couldn't decide what style to do (swing, Latin, etc.) and decided to give it a Funk/Jazz Fusion type of feel. For me, the key to improvising on this song is to keep coming back to the melody. I really like the freedom to create intricate lines within the chord changes and then end up back within the melody. The display of the chord changes shows only the very basic changes. Often, I will play altered voicings or even play a dominant 7th instead of a Minor 7th. The keyboard used is a Roland FP-4 but the Rhodes sound is provided by the Lounge Lizard VST plugin. The midi keyboard display is from www.midikeyz.co m. Thanks for watching! - Roger

Add to EJ Playlist  The MIDI file of my piano solo as well as a PDF notation file of the solo along with the MP3 backing track I used in this video are all available on my website at http://www.Lot2 Learn.com I figured it was about time to get out the holiday music in preparation for the upcoming seasonal gigs. What better way to start than with this great Irving Berlin classic done in a medium tempo (160 BPM) swing. There are plenty of ideas for improvising in this video and I've tried to add a few annotations to help out. As always, I appreciate your continued viewing, subscribing and support. Regards, Roger Tech Notes: Roland FP-4 Keyboard used as a controller for Lounge Lizard VST plug-in to supply the Fender Rhodes sound. Midi Keyboard display courtesy of www.Midikeyz.co m.

Add to EJ Playlist  The year was 1974. The place was Boston, Massachusetts. A doorway on the north side of Boylston street led down a flight of stairs to a dimly lit room. As I sat about 10 feet away from a grand piano in the cramped quarters of The Jazz Workshop, the Kieth Jarrett Quartet began to play. Never before had I seen someone so connected to an instrument and play with such an incredible level of expressiveness. The impact of that evening has never left me. One of the songs played that evening is what inspired the piece I play in this video... my tribute to that evening. A short break from my annotated tutorials, for your listening pleasure. The piano sound I have used for this video is the wonderful Imperial Grand Piano from the Vienna Symphonic Library. There is a link on my website at http://www.Lot2 learn.com to their website, so be sure to check it out. Also available on my website is the backing track I used in making this video as well as a PDF notation file and a midi file of my piano solo. A technical note: my video camera ran out of juice just before the end of this video so I spliced in a section of video from a different take on a different day (hence it doesn't quite sync) but since it is only a few seconds it doesn't distract too much and is better than looking at a blank screen. :-) As always, thanks for your support. - Roger

Add to EJ Playlist  This was another "request" that I just couldn't turn down. Herbie Hancock has written so many great compositions. I love the way he mixes modal with II-V progressions and suspended chords to give the song that very unique "Herbie" sound. I did not put the chord changes in this video so if you need a copy I have put a link for you to download them free on my website. Just go to http://www.Lot2 Learn.com and scroll down to the listing for Dolphin Dance and you will see the link (chord changes only, no melody). 7notemode does a great solo piano version of this song, which was one of the very first posts of his I watched, and I've been hooked to his channel ever since! Rhodes piano sound courtesy of Lounge Lizard VST with a Roland FP-4 as the controller keyboard. MIDI keyboard display courtesy of Jamal (you're awesome man!) and can be found at www.midikeyz.co m. Thanks for watching! L2L

Add to EJ Playlist  This was a request that I just couldn't turn down. ;-) I love to play the blues, and a minor one just makes it that much more fun for me. I did this in a Latin style because it seems to groove nicely in that style for me. The notation track is fairly accurate thanks to some pointers from Jazz2511 and I've added a few annotations to give an insight into some of my improvisation. As always, thanks for listening! - Roger

Add to EJ Playlist  Taking a slight departure from my usual tutorial posts, this is just me having some fun playing over some rhythm-type changes. The other day I had my old Ensoniq TS-10 out to dust off some cobwebs and when I started playing to some modified rhythm changes using a B3 patch I decided to hit the "record" button on my audio/video set-up. What you see and hear is the result. :-) I've always loved the sound of the B3 as played by a great jazz organist. I've listened to most of the greats but I would say most of my time has been spent listening to the following: Charles Earland, Jimmy Smith, Barbara Dennerlein, Larry Goldings, Jack McDuff, Larry Young, Jimmy McGriff, Joey Defrancesco and Tony Monaco. I haven't had much of a chance to play a real B3, and I can't kick pedals or play a left hand bass like most of the "real" B3 players do, so this is about as close as I get. ;-) The Rhythm changes I play over are pretty standard except for going to the F-7 Bb7 EbMaj7 then G-7 C7 C#-7 F#-7 C-7 F7 in the bridge. It all happens pretty fast (255 bpm). I hope you enjoy listening - I had fun playing it. I may make the backing track and MIDI solo files available on my site at http://www.Lot2 Learn.com if there is interest. Peace. L2L

Add to EJ Playlist  This is from one of my favorite musical periods in jazz - the '60's. Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Tony Williams, George Coleman - on this CD (to be later replaced by the great Mr. Shorter). I've always loved 7 Steps to Heaven, but it is usually played so fast! I decided to slow it down here - 240 BPM is not really that slow, but compared to where this thing sits on the record - believe me, it's slow. I have added annotations in several spots - maybe you'll find a few of them helpful. As I create my solo, you'll notice I have certain "reference" notes I will use. One of theses is the B natural played for the G7 chord. This helps myself (and the listener) keep track of where I am and provide a reference point to allow me to musically wander and meander through the rest of the changes. By "framing" my solo with these reference notes, I can confidently step outside the tonal center of the moment. Maybe you will find some usefulness with this concept. I used the Fender Rhodes VST plug-in "Lounge Lizard" on this video. I also tried to get a clearer picture of the keyboard by tweaking some video processing settings in Camtasia Studio (thanks to Jazz2511). MidiKeyz MIDI display courtesy of www.Midikeyz.co m. As always, thanks for listening!!

Add to EJ Playlist  Another amazing composition from the pen of T. Monk. Each time I play this I learn something new. In fact, I had a hard time deciding which take to post (I d...

Add to EJ Playlist  I started to learn this song last week and was pleasantly surprised to see that Doug (Jazz2511) had posted a wonderful tutorial version on his channel. My ve...

Add to EJ Playlist  In honor of the full moon tonight (March 19, 2011) I thought I'd post "Old Devil Moon" by Burton Lane. It's such a great song with a wonderful melody and som...

Add to EJ Playlist  Most of you know that I am a HUGE fan of McCoy Tyner and have an affinity towards his style of playing. There is something about the energy in his music that...

Add to EJ Playlist  A MIDI file of my solo, PDF notation file of my solo, and MIDI and MP3 backing tracks are available on my website at http://www.Lot2 Learn.com. Previously, I ...