How to teach yourself how to play Jazz music. DESPERATE!

[bon_bear]

Hey Peeps,
I've been wanting to learn how to play jazz music on the piano. Cept that i don't know how to start and I really want to join my school's jazz band...I haf no idea how everything works out (the notes/rhythm). But i really wanna know the basics. Are there anyone out there that could help?! Hope to hear from you all soon. Thx!
Elizabear 

[bernhard]

Start here:

Charles Beale - "Jazz Piano from Scratch" - ABRSM

But, really, a teacher can save you a lot of time.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[prometheus]

Start listening jazz two hours a day. Any jazz, piano, trombone, voice, sax, trumpet, clarinet, guitar, big band, etc etc.

[ted]

Bernhard is right. However, just any old teacher will not do for this. Most active jazz pianists cannot be bothered teaching and most classical teachers haven't a clue about jazz. The ideal person is a retired professional who wants to teach for a bit of pocket money and to pass on his knowledge. They are not common but if you look hard you will find one. He or she does not have to be qualified, but in the case of this type of music, ability to actually demonstate and play everything for the student is crucial. You will have to be a bit perceptive and avoid those ones who string pupils along doing a couple of chords a week though. A lot of these "modern" schools do this sort of thing and, in my opinion, are pretty unscrupulous. A friend of my wife "learned" from one of these for six months, couldn't play even one tune and didn't know what a seventh chord was.

 

[bon_bear]

Hey all. Thx for all your replies. Though, some of your response give me some more problems to think about...lol
Unfortunately, as a 14 years old
-that gives me financial problems
*buying books, taking lessons...(don't want my mom to interfere with this)
-i've no clue where all the professors are hiding... and how to actually find one and ask them to teach me...

I'm quite...lol...sorry about this...but i need something I could do/learn without hafing to u noe?...>< sorry peeps. Are there actually such things?
Elizabear

[rc]

Oh damn... I had a big reply for ya, then hit the wrong button and lost it. 

Just a minute...

[rc]

Ok...

I wish I knew something about jazz to help you out, I think it's great that you have the interest and desire to get into this music, but I know nothing about it (yet).

I don't think you should be so quick to discount books and a teacher. I got my first job at 14 (<14 was illegal, child labour), and that was all disposable income, as opposed to having to pay rent, insurance, groceries, etc... Meaning it was a lot of spending money. Even if you can't get your own income, it would be worth getting the help of your mom, as much as you might hate it. A teacher is the best way to go. Also, you could go to your public library to find books ($10/year for library card where I live).

To find a teacher: word of mouth. Spread the word that you're looking for a teacher. Somebody will know where to point you. Be willing to call up people you don't know in your search for a teacher. It's what I had to do. Slightly nervous, but it's what it takes.

Now I wonder, what do you mean when you say you have no idea how the notes/rhythm works? Do you know how to read music? Give us some background on your abilities, so we can help you better.

If I were in your shoes I would go straight to the jazzband teacher first thing Monday, tell your situation and what you want to do, and hear what the he has to say. If anybody knows what it takes to join the jazz band, it's the teacher. Even if you can't immediately join the band, the teacher will be able to point you n the right direction. This is also the best place to start looking for a private teacher.

Jazz is good stuff, and a lot of fun by what I've heard. I hope you can enjoy it, and I look forward to the day I get to dip my toes in those waters.

 

[bon_bear]

Thz rc...good idea...I should go to the library and ask my band teacher for "guidance"...My musical background eh? Hmm..let's say I'm just Jazz-stupid and I'm quite worthy (LOL sorry, couldn't think of another word) playing Classical music...Does that help or should I be  more exact? lol...Thx again.
Elizabear

[rc]

Thz rc...good idea...I should go to the library and ask my band teacher for "guidance"...My musical background eh? Hmm..let's say I'm just Jazz-stupid and I'm quite worthy (LOL sorry, couldn't think of another word) playing Classical music...Does that help or should I be  more exact? lol...Thx again.
Elizabear

...Worthy.

Well you've kinda sparked my interest in jazz again. I did a quick google search and found this; https://www.learnjazzpiano.com/. It's a pretty sloppy page, but seems worthy (lessons link is near the top right).

My teacher gave me a little piece by Stephen Chatman, who composes jazz with a classical perspective, called Sneaky. Cool tune, carefully notated, which would appeal to a classical background. I'm told all his music is like this, might be worth checking out.

I remember seeing a series of free jazz improv e-books on the net, Art of Improvisation (www.visual-jazz.com)... But it looks like they want money for it now

[clef]

"The national Keyboard Workshop's Jazz Keyboard method finaly... three comprehensive instruction books dedicated to revealing the secrets of Jazz keyboard from one of America's leasing comtempoary music schools.  All three books are loaded with Jazz pieces for you to practice, Easy-to-understand jazz theory lessons, Lessons on reading leed sheets, important jazz progretions accompanying and more

Beginning Jazz Keyboard

anyone with basic piano skills can dig right in and begin learning jazz right away.  Spanning from the major scale and basic triad thory all the way through 7th chords, pentatonic scales and modulating chord progressions, this book features a full etude or tune demonstrating every new concept introduced.  This book breaks the age-old tradition of dry, intimidating and confusing books, and provides an actual step by step and enjoyable method for learning to play in this style

Intermediate Jazz Keyboard

review of basics, continue with modes of major scale, chord extentions, changes using chromatic tones, chord substitution rhythm changes alterd dominant chords more,

Mastering Jazz keyboard

I cant be botherd to write about it i think you get the picture

Beginning Jazz Keyboard published by Alfred, and I agree that you should get a teacher they will be able to tell you if you are doing it correctly

[nightmarecinema]

Well I'll tell you, I don't play jazz much on the piano, but I play it a lot on the guitar. And if you want to learn it by yourself, with no help of a teacher or a book, it'll be difficult, but here's what you have to do:

- Buy and listen to jazz albums - Kind of Blue by Miles Davis is a pretty good place to start.

- Listen to jazz ALL THE TIME

- Transcribe the solos and all the piano and guitar parts

- Listen to jazz some more

- Figure out all the permutations of scales and which ones sound good over different chords, and essentially teach yourself music theory. (This is what Allan Holdsworth did, and I'd probably call him the best guitarist of all time)

- Listen to some more jazz

- Practice a lot

- Listen to some more jazz, and transcribe it some more

[arensky]

Hey Peeps,
I've been wanting to learn how to play jazz music on the piano. Cept that i don't know how to start and I really want to join my school's jazz band...I haf no idea how everything works out (the notes/rhythm). But i really wanna know the basics. Are there anyone out there that could help?! Hope to hear from you all soon. Thx!
Elizabear 

Hi bonbear, get this book, and work with it. It will get you ready for playing with a band. Th Beale book that Bernhard mentioned is excellent, but is more oriented towards solo playing I believe. BTW I am a Jazz pianist and have seen this book work for the uninitiated. It is designed for self teaching I think although it would be good for you to have a live person to help you;  I use it with my begining Jazz students, it's great. Maybe your band director can lend a hand, it's her/his job after all. But many band directors have no clue about how to help the pianists in their band, and don't care either. hopefully this is not the case. Anyway buy this "Jazz Keyboard Toolbox" by Bill Cuniliffe, it should work for you. And everything the other posters say is true, you have to listen to Jazz constantly until the rythyms get in you.... https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/pages.html?cart=3339881789696039&target=smp_detail.html%26sku%3DAP.19364&s=pages-www.google.com/search&e=/sheetmusic/detail/AP.19364.html&t=&k=&r=wwws-err5

Good luck and have fun!