# Looking for a complete online Jazz piano course



## HarmonyCore (Jul 15, 2020)

I am looking for a complete online Jazz piano course that covers all levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced) all in a giant course. I came across this one https://en.class101.net/products/parkturtle, but couldn't find any reviews for it and still not sure about it. Also, I checked Udemy and Coursera but they don't have a complete course method.

I'd love to hear from you indeed on this one.


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## Rory (Jul 15, 2020)

Berklee College of Music offers several jazz courses, including online. However, the courses are not inexpensive.


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## Sly (Jul 15, 2020)

Maybe have a look at Open Studio, they might have what you are looking for. All world class jazz musicians. https://www.openstudiojazz.com/


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## Rory (Jul 15, 2020)

Sly said:


> Maybe have a look at Open Studio, they might have what you are looking for. All world class jazz musicians. https://www.openstudiojazz.com/



Have you enrolled in this yourself? If so, what course(s) did you take and what do you think of it?


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## Sly (Jul 15, 2020)

No I haven't, I just follow their podcast and live shows. They were doing a pay what you want offer during COVID which might still be going. I know that piano is the main course series they do. Peter Martin, Adam Mannass and Geoffrey Keezer are the main guys for piano on there. I've learnt a lot just listening through their podcasts and youtube content. Unfortunately I don't have time to commit to lessons but would take their trumpet course if I did. Good luck and post the outcome of whichever route you decide to go 😎😀


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## HarmonyCore (Jul 17, 2020)

Sly said:


> Maybe have a look at Open Studio, they might have what you are looking for. All world class jazz musicians. https://www.openstudiojazz.com/



It looks good but not sure 100%. I think I will grab the 7-day trial with 29/mo plan as a start.


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## Arthur Lewis (Jul 17, 2020)

Learn Jazz Piano - An Introduction to Improvisation and Jazz Piano - Futurelearn


Get started with jazz piano by learning the basic concepts and preparing to play modern jazz piano in a group with this course from Goldsmiths University of London.




www.futurelearn.com









JazzPianoOnline.com







www.jazzpianoonline.com


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## Rory (Jul 17, 2020)

There’s a guy named Kent Hewitt who’s been teaching on YouTube for several years: https://www.youtube.com/c/KentHewittpiano88


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## gamma-ut (Jul 17, 2020)

There's pianowithwillie.com that covers all levels but it's not really structured as a single course more a pick and mix. I think he's trying to build course structures up as there is a lot of material there.

Personally, I quite like his approach which is unusual for me as I mostly dislike video courses. However, the converse could just as easily apply.


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## Sly (Jul 17, 2020)

HarmonyCore said:


> It looks good but not sure 100%. I think I will grab the 7-day trial with 29/mo plan as a start.


cool, I'll be interested to hear how it goes 😉


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## HarmonyCore (Jul 17, 2020)

Rory said:


> There’s a guy named Kent Hewitt who’s been teaching on YouTube for several years: https://www.youtube.com/c/KentHewittpiano88



Yes, he created a playlist for jazz beginners in order. I am giving this a try now.


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## Rory (Jul 17, 2020)

HarmonyCore said:


> Yes, he created a playlist for jazz beginners in order. I am giving this a try now.



It’s also worth checking out Hewitt’s web site: https://www.kenthewitt.com/

Hewitt isn’t flashy, but I think that he knows what he’s talking about and that he knows how to teach.


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## HarmonyCore (Jul 17, 2020)

Rory said:


> It’s also worth checking out Hewitt’s web site: https://www.kenthewitt.com/
> 
> Hewitt isn’t flashy, but I think that he knows what he’s talking about and that he knows how to teach.



I just finished part 1 in the series. I can say I liked his teaching method.


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## HarmonyCore (Jul 17, 2020)

Sly said:


> cool, I'll be interested to hear how it goes 😉



Ok, I watched a couple of a beginner level videos and I didn't like them. I checked Udemy's ultimate beginners course and felt comfortable with it after checking their sample videos. I bought it for $20 (80% discount). Watched the entire theory section and I am satisfied with the course so far. It's a 7.5 hrs course and that's what I like about long courses is to make sure filling in all the gaps while practicing. In addition to that, I checked Newjazz YT channel and man, the guy (Oliver Prehn) is a bus driver and a professional jazz player.

I think I am good to go with these nice jazz resources:

- Udemy Course
- Kent Hewitt's amazing YT channel
- NewJazz YT channel

I already have Mark Levine's jazz book but I will use it at the right time when I become more advanced 

EDIT: Just bought the complete jazz theory course too for $13. Sorry, the ultimate beginner course is for $14 not $20. 86% off


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## Sly (Jul 17, 2020)

HarmonyCore said:


> Ok, I watched a couple of a beginner level videos and I didn't like them. I checked Udemy's ultimate beginners course and felt comfortable with it after checking their sample videos. I bought it for $20 (80% discount). Watched the entire theory section and I am satisfied with the course so far. It's a 7.5 hrs course and that's what I like about long courses is to make sure filling in all the gaps while practicing. In addition to that, I checked Newjazz YT channel and man, the guy (Oliver Prehn) is a bus driver and a professional jazz player.
> 
> I think I am good to go with these nice jazz resources:
> 
> ...


Thanks for the update, I'll check out the resources you mentioned. Glad you found something that is helping you get where you want to be!! 😎


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## HarmonyCore (Jul 17, 2020)

Sly said:


> Thanks for the update, I'll check out the resources you mentioned. Glad you found something that is helping you get where you want to be!! 😎



My intention was to find a complete (all levels) jazz course all in one package but unfortunately it doesn't seem exist. So, I will study what I have right now then look for intermediate/advanced courses later.


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## Rory (Jul 17, 2020)

HarmonyCore said:


> I already have Mark Levine's jazz book but I will use it at the right time when I become more advanced



I don't know whether you're talking about Levine's Jazz Piano Book or his Jazz Theory Book. If the latter, maybe check out David Berkman's Jazz Harmony and Berklee's Book of Jazz Harmony before making a decision.

Thanks for the reference to NewJazz. I wasn't aware of the channel and have now subscribed.


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## Arthur Lewis (Jul 17, 2020)

Sorry I didn’t have time to go into it more this morning, but the FutureLearn link I posted above is a series of 4 free courses, going from Blues to “Advanced Jazz Piano”: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/jazz-piano-4


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## gyprock (Jul 17, 2020)

A big part of jazz piano is learning things by rote e.g. shell voicings, rootless A B voicings and ii V I progressions. Irrespective of which piano course you choose, you can start practicing placing these voicings under your fingers, spelling chords in your mind and recognizing ii V I structures in major and minor keys.

For example, if you see an Fm7 chord symbol you need to be able (without thinking) to find this on the keyboard and know that the minor 3rd is Ab and the minor 7th is Eb. Again, I need to emphasize that this has to be immediate i.e. as easy as reading this text or touch typing or any other intuitive activity. You have to know this for fluently for m7, maj7 and dom7 chords (and their basic extension e.g. 9th and 13ths). After that, you can start looking at altered dominant structures, fourth voicings and upper structure triads.

When you see a melody note in a real book chart, you will also immediately need to know what its relationship with the underlying harmony is e.g. the note D against an Am7 chord is a 4th. But this D could also be the 9th of a Cmaj7 chord or the b7th of an Em7 chord.

Once I learned the above, I was able to sail through any realbook chart, understand the construction of any voicing, play (and understand) any melody note against chord (with confidence).

So, in summary, this is the memory portion of the grammar of jazz. To this you then add dexterity practice, learning tunes, learning to create phrases, listening, performing etc. But, if you do the memory work (which can take a few months), suddenly everything falls into place. The latter is also applicable to any instrument, to composing, to analysis and any other musical activity. An Ab will always be the b3rd of an Fm7 chord irrespective of where you live, what instrument you play or when you were born.


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## HarmonyCore (Jul 18, 2020)

@gyprock thanks  I am still a beginner in Jazz and I am still learning these techniques.

However, I am currently working on the following:

1) Practicing these chords in all 3 inversions in the 12 keys: Maj7, min7, 7, min7b5 (or half dim), min7bb5 (or full dim), sus4, sus2. (1 key in 1 week/all inversions/improvise on them) will add the 9, 11, and 13 later to avoid confusion. 

2) Practicing the major modes in all 12 keys.
3) Practicing the harmonic minor modes in all 12 keys.

Oh boy !! that's a lot of work to do  but I like it.


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## HarmonyCore (Jul 18, 2020)

Rory said:


> I don't know whether you're talking about Levine's Jazz Piano Book or his Jazz Theory Book. If the latter, maybe check out David Berkman's Jazz Harmony and Berklee's Book of Jazz Harmony before making a decision.
> 
> Thanks for the reference to NewJazz. I wasn't aware of the channel and have now subscribed.



The theory book but like I said I am not touching this book now because it is very advanced. I don't think it's a good idea to read about Jazz harmony now. I just wanna learn the basics first


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## HarmonyCore (Jul 18, 2020)

You guys ROCK !! I learn a lot from VI-control. Really, I mean it.


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## Arthur Lewis (Jul 18, 2020)

Quick note: the full diminished 7th doesn’t have a double-flatted 5th. It has the same diminished 5th as the m7b5 (or half-diminished chord), but the 7th is diminished (half a step lower than the minor 7th). So it’s generally just called a dim7 chord.


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## HarmonyCore (Jul 18, 2020)

Arthur Lewis said:


> Quick note: the full diminished 7th doesn’t have a double-flatted 5th. It has the same diminished 5th as the m7b5 (or half-diminished chord), but the 7th is diminished (half a step lower than the minor 7th). So it’s generally just called a dim7 chord.



Yes sorry, I meant bb7. I saw it somewhere written 1 b3 b5 bb7


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## osterdamus (Dec 7, 2021)

HarmonyCore said:


> Ok, I watched a couple of a beginner level videos and I didn't like them. I checked Udemy's ultimate beginners course and felt comfortable with it after checking their sample videos. I bought it for $20 (80% discount). Watched the entire theory section and I am satisfied with the course so far. It's a 7.5 hrs course and that's what I like about long courses is to make sure filling in all the gaps while practicing. In addition to that, I checked Newjazz YT channel and man, the guy (Oliver Prehn) is a bus driver and a professional jazz player.
> 
> I think I am good to go with these nice jazz resources:
> 
> ...


Curious to know how you've fared in your jazz exploration? I'm slowly venturing out as well and I have linked up Kent Hewitt's beginner playlist. How was the Udemy course for you? Any other course findings after?


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