Preparing Students for Jazz Band

With jazz expert Bradley Sowash, learn how to interpret and voice chord symbols, accompany improvisers, work within a rhythm section, and understand stock jazz band styles

How does a pianist move from being a soloist to playing in a big band ensemble? Jazz expert Bradley Sowash has written this 9-lesson course with the goal of teaching you how to nail these important skills. In this course, you will learn important topics such as interpreting and voicing chord symbols, accompanying improvisers, working within a rhythm section and understanding stock jazz band styles.

Course outline

  1. Lesson 1: Chords
  2. Lesson 2: 7th Chords
  3. Lesson 3: Practising Chords on Paper
  4. Lesson 4: Practising Chords on Your Instrument
  5. Lesson 5: Jazz Band Styles
  6. Lesson 6: Swing Comping
  7. Lesson 7: Improvisation
  8. Lesson 8: Jazz Scales
  9. Lesson 9: Jazz Rhythms

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Preparing Students for Jazz Band was created by

Bradley Sowash

Renowned Jazz Educator, Pianist, Composer and Author of That’s Jazz and Creative Chords

Bradley Sowash has been a driving force behind creativity in piano teaching for many years, having introduced the world to the eye-ear revolution. “I want others to experience all the fun I have improvising at the piano. That is why I enjoy helping fellow pianists rediscover their latent creativity.” Bradley constantly teaches piano improvisation through his his books, blogs, workshops, webinars, and online group pop/jazz piano lessons through his site bradleysowash.com.

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Course Overview

How does a pianist move from being a soloist to playing in a big band ensemble? Jazz expert Bradley Sowash would like to teach you how. Before writing this course, he asked band directors, "What are helpful skill for piano teachers to know about preparing students to play in middle and high school jazz bands?". Here were their answers:
  1. "How to read chord symbols as opposed to notated music."
  2. "What type of rhythm or groove to give those chord symbols."
Taking this on board, Bradley has written this course with the goal of teaching you how to nail these important skills. Throughout the 9 video lessons, you will learn about the following important topics:
  • Interpreting and voicing chord symbols
  • Accompanying improvisers
  • Working within a rhythm section
  • Understanding stock jazz band styles

Downloads

Click here to download the course workbook  

About the Author

Bradley Sowash has been one of our TopMusic Expert Teachers for many years. He teaches online jazz classes and has published several piano method books. Learn more Bradley over at his website.

HOW TO BEGIN

Are you ready to get started? Just click the Enrol in course button below to activate your course. Then click Start Course to begin learning. If you’re on our app, click the Start Course button to enrol in the course and then Start Course again to begin the first lesson.

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  • You’re welcome to complete a course as many times as you wish. If the course enrol button says completed, start it again by clicking the first lesson in the Course Content list at the bottom of this course homepage.

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