intermediate

Bebop heads can really help with your technique. Play them very very slow and speed them up.

Me talking about this tune and how I study it and play it! 

BTW - I lost 1,000 dollars. This is no Tune of the month for this tune! 

Ok, there's a lot here. Check it out. Some choruses are easier than others. So grab what works for you. 

I put in the chords for the first chorus. You do the same for the rest. Here are things you should do. 

In the tracks below are: 

I always try and play a version of the tune I'm doing a lesson on. My 2024 version of Israel is here.

Here's a lesson on Israel. I know I've put up lessons in the past. Well I didn't think of until I started doing the lessons. 

Maybe I cover some of the same stuff. However....

In this version I'm attaching a pdf of my arrangement of the head as well as some simple etudes based on the first few bars of the tune! 

I always try and put up a version of the tune I'm doing a lesson on! It helps ME! 

I think I'll keep playing it and record another version in a few days.

Look for the lesson on Israel if I forget to put the link below. 

You can like in the the Vbooks>Lessons and technique>Tune of the month>Israel

Here's the lesson.

1. See attached file
2. You learn it. Better if you memorize it. Know each chord you are playing. I.E. if in the 3rd bar of the tune you see Eb G Bb and D, that is NOT and Ebmaj7 chord. It's a Cmin9 chord. Get it? Look at the changes if you need to.
3. You play it on the piano, using your left hand to play the bass notes for each chord. If the chords are in an open position and you can't play them with your right hand, then try taking the bottom note up an octave and if that doesn't work, try taking the top note down an octave. 
4. Write in all the chords.

Check out this video. I hope all this makes sense to you guys and that you can start using some of these ideas. Any questions post them here! If a couple people wanted a class on it, I would gladly do it. Let's say minimum 3 people post here that they want a lesson on this and I'll do it. We will set up a zoom time.

Click here for the etude and play along tracks

I made a cool play along and made a sort of etude. It's a chance for you guys to play over 2 simple chords and play some 4 mallet stuff and some lines. I will make a video and talk about the etude very soon. 

But play this, learn this. Play along with me, and then use this stuff on your own. I use neighbor tones, bridges between whole steps. I.E. D Db C. If this was over a Dmin7 the important notes would be D and C and the bridge between them would be Db. Get it????

Can you play this? With a metronome, make it swing and play the rhythyms? Go as slow as you want to!!!! But once you get it down, work on the speed. Also, IMHO, don't use it as a reading exercise. Memorize it. Can you play it in another key? 

I'll give a free lesson to anyone who can play it (memorized) in another key. And you'll have to play it at the lesson as well! :-)

I'm just talking about the tune, I'm getting Sentimental Over You. Talking about how I would practice it and how I would approach it. 

I played two solos with hi hat. One fast and one slow, they will follow with the transcription! Check back!