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irocku / April 13, 2020

IROCKU Piano Tip – Improvisation Exercise

This week’s IROCKU Piano Tip provides an exercise to learn how to separate your two hands so they can work independently, playing two different things at the same time. An essential ingredient of improvisation. This video begins with an exercise you can practice anywhere with each hand tapping independently on your lap. Not only is this a practical way to practice but it facilitates the learning process by focusing your attention on the rhythm. The video then takes this exercise to the piano based on a simple three-note New Orleans syncopated groove in the left hand. Over that groove we play a whole-note scale in the right hand, then we play the scale in half-notes in the right hand, than quarter-notes, then eighth-notes, and finally eighth-note triplets. Once you are able to smoothly …

irocku / April 6, 2020

Ellis Marsalis- His Musical Legacy Speaks for Itself

The great patriarch of jazz, Ellis Marsalis, died on April 1, 2020 from pneumonia brought on by the Corona Virus. His musical legacy speaks for itself. Learn how to play rock and blues piano from one of rock’s greatest. Chuck Leavell, legendary keyboardist for The Rolling Stones, The Allman Bros, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and more. Join Now and SAVE!!! …

irocku / April 6, 2020

IROCKU Piano Tip – Voice Leading

This week's IROCKU Piano Tip looks at using Voice Leading to smoothly connect your movements within chord progressions. In this video we show the value of knowing the different chord inversions and shapes in anticipating your movements and creating smooth transitions from chord to chord. As an example we use I, V, vi, IV chord progression commonly used in rock and pop. This is similar to the progression used in hundreds of pop and rock songs including "Beast of Burden" by the Rolling Stones, "All to Well" by Taylor Swift, "Let it Be" by the Beatles, "With or Without You" by U2, "No Woman No Cry" by Bob Marley, on and on... In our example we use the key of E; so the progression is E (I), B(V), C#m (vi), A (IV). Practice this progression, efficiently moving from chord to chord using the …

irocku / April 6, 2020

Featured Piano Lesson – “China Grove”

Why do some songs reach the pinnacle of rock greatness and soar into the stratosphere to become classics? In the case of this week’s lesson, “China Grove” by the Doobie Brothers, it is the opening riff, an explosion of energy that hooks the listener from the first bar to the last. "China Grove" Piano Lesson “China Grove” is a four-to-the-floor rocker. Get your left hand working smoothly so you can cut loose and improvise using the blues scale with your right hand. Try focusing on dynamics; accent different notes to accentuate the rhythm. You’ll get to lay down some blues licks and work on eighth-note anticipated grooves. This lesson is all about playing classic rock piano. Click here for the lesson. Learn how to play rock and blues piano from one of rock’s greatest. Chuck …

irocku / April 1, 2020

IROCKU Piano Tip – Chord Suspensions

This week's IROCKU Piano Tip looks at coloring chords with notes outside of a chord's primary chord tones; in this video tip we look at adding the second(i.e. add 2), the fourth(i.e. add 4), and the sixth degrees of the associated scale. We show practice techniques moving from the Major Triad, to the Add 2, to the add 4, and back to the Major. Adding suspensions to major triads is a technique that introduces tension and release and is used throughout pop and rock piano playing to add additional texture to your playing. Levels: Intermediate-Advanced. IROCKU Piano Tips cover piano techniques and fundamentals, improvisation, rhythm and groove, progressions, rhythm patterns, piano accompaniment, music theory and riffs. Click here for more: IROCKU Piano Tips Learn how to play …

irocku / April 1, 2020

IROCKU Piano Tip – Breathing and Phrasing

This week's IROCKU Piano Tip covers techniques and ideas on how to improve your soloing through phrasing. The techniques discussed in this video include using your own breathing to create phrases-soloing while exhaling and taking a break while inhaling, much like a horn player or vocalist must do. We also cover include adding periods and commas to your phrasing in the form of staccato notes and elongated notes; adding dynamics by playing louder and softer, and adding excitement to your solos with bursts of energetic riffs. Levels: Intermediate-Advanced IROCKU Piano Tips cover piano techniques and fundamentals, improvisation, rhythm and groove, progressions, rhythm patterns, piano accompaniment, music theory and riffs. Click here for more: IROCKU Piano Tips Learn how to …

irocku / April 1, 2020

IROCKU Piano Tip – Using the Sustain Pedal

This week's IROCKU Piano Tip shows how to properly use the sustain pedal. In this video we show when it's appropriate to use the sustain pedal, when it's not appropriate to use it, and how to properly employ the pedal- pedaling on chord changes and avoiding the pedal when playing chromatically or while playing riffs and runs. We show techniques on how to sustain notes using finger techniques to minimize the use of the sustain pedal to get a cleaner sound. Levels: Intermediate-Advanced IROCKU Piano Tips cover piano techniques and fundamentals, improvisation, rhythm and groove, progressions, rhythm patterns, piano accompaniment, music theory and riffs. Click here for more: IROCKU Piano Tips Learn how to play rock and blues piano from one of rock’s greatest. Chuck Leavell, …

irocku / March 31, 2020

IROCKU Piano Tip – Improvisation Techniques

This week's IROCKU Piano Tip covers techniques and ideas on how to improvise over a simple chord progression. The techniques discussed in this video include shifting finger patterns within a mode, intervals and octaves, using your thumb and your pinky as your home base to add color to a phrase, and the 'call and response' approach to improvisation. Levels: Intermediate-Advanced. IROCKU Piano Tips cover piano techniques and fundamentals, improvisation, rhythm and groove, progressions, rhythm patterns, piano accompaniment, music theory and riffs. Click here for more: IROCKU Piano Tips Learn how to play rock and blues piano from one of rock’s greatest. Chuck Leavell, legendary keyboardist for The Rolling Stones, The Allman Bros, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and more. Join …

irocku / March 20, 2020

IROCKU Featured Lesson- “Tipitina” by Professor Longhair

This week's lesson is one of New Orlean's most iconic songs, "Tipitina” by Professor Longhair. "Tipitina" piano lesson “Tipitina” is a simple 8-bar blues progression but it highlights three elements that uniquely define New Orleans piano style. The left-hand pattern uses a traditional syncopated blues, boogie woogie New Orleans bass line while the right hand melody is a repeated pattern based on the New Orleans piano flourish that we commonly hear in Dr. John, Fats Domino, and Huey Piano Smith’s melodies. The New Orleans style is rounded out with a turn-around and ending that is distinctly different than the go to turn-around that every blues performer plays. Our Lesson addresses all three of these New Orleans piano elements with the Improvisation driving home the New Orleans …

irocku / March 11, 2020

Allman Brothers (aka “The Brothers”) Madison Square Garden 3/10/20

"The Brothers" tribute concert to honor 50 years of Allman Brothers music was a true homage to the band's history. For those of us who had the pleasure of joining the band members before the show, the most asked question was "who are going to be the special guests". There were no special guests. And none were needed. With guitarists Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks out in front; Allman Brothers original member Jaimoe on drums along with Marc Quinones of Widespread Panic and Duane Trucks; Oteil Burbridge on bass; and with pre-Allman band member Reese Wynans on organ and Chuck Leavell on keys, the only person who could have added any more talent to the lineup would have been Dickey Betts. Given the unease and fear of the corona virus, the "The Brothers" played to a sold-out Madison …

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