Thank you for 500k!!! TIMESTAMPS: Level 1 Explanation: 2:32 Level 1 Example: 3:23 Level 2 Explanation: 4:08 Level 2 Example: 4:59 Level 3 Explanation: 5:41 Level 3 Example: 8:54

Level 0: Normie Level 1: Jazz head Level 2: Jazz solo Level 3: Free jazz Level 4: Memes

Charles: "Just be willing to sound bad" slaps hands on keys 6:36 Me: That was a kind of a juicy chord though

I call that last one, “Mister Rogers Watches Snow Fall on the Neighborhood As It Slowly Becomes Rain”

Level one: no book Level two: real book Level three: forgot real book

Congratulations on half a million followers, huge milestone. Can’t wait for that face reveal.

Thank you for reiterating the fact that improvisation takes skill and isn't easy. People used to ask me to improvise as a beginner and I was like 😳

His “free improv” really spoke to me. I loved it

You forgot about cursed level 4: nontraditional instrument use. Bang the side of that keyboard. Scream intermittently.

Is there sheet music for this?

For a million subscribers you should release a full album, including maybe a couple of collabs or just simply songs you would like us to listen to. or say thank you a million times in every key

I could listen to him play for hours! It's like those 'chill' or 'study' hour long video's.

When you said 'even if you're not subscribed, I still appreciate every one of you', I was expecting the 'if you're not, you should sub right now...' but it never came. I respect you very much Charles. Congrats. Edit: God dammit right when I unpaused the video you said that. But I still respect you.

that level 3 improv was like a beautiful conversation. as soon as charles hit the notes, the notes sung back to him, to which charles then responded--and the cycle continued.

The holidays are still bouncing around the mind @ 9:19, 10:13 "Here we are as in olden days" :)

Pianist Charles makes a drummer face when he improves.

I could listen to an entire album of that last piece. I didn't want it to end. Truly beautiful stuff, man.

Does this conflict with the 7 levels of jazz

never heard a youtuber say “thanks you even if you aren’t subscribed” shows the passion he has for this much respect💯

Man, level 3 thoooo, that melody was beautiful and reminded me of rain, especially the beginning

Me: Level 3 is absolutely gorgeous Also me: *it sounds like every Ear Training 4 student’s worst transcription nightmare* 🤯

Nobody: Children squeezing limes into their mouth: 6:52

10:40 that sounded soo beautiful it was absolutely amazing sand satisfying

The best way I can describe this: Level 0: You're buying a used house, someone has done all the work - you're just moving in Level 1: You're buying a kit house, you've got everything you need here to build a house, but you have to make it yourself Level 2: You're buying a house that has the foundation and the framing all done, but you need to put in the drywall, paint, (maybe the roof) before you can move in Level 3: You have a bare spot of land, and you need to build a house. You may see someone else's house and try to duplicate it, but you have no blueprints I think that's the best way I can describe it... I've focused a lot of my musical playing around Level 2 and 3, because frankly I like building things, but I have mad respect for people who can do Level 1 and make it sound like their interpretation aside from the original composer/artist

I thought this would be a skit, but... *I'm not disappointed*

Idk improvisation is just literally vibing. You vibe with the chords and melodies. And just. Idk. Vibe with it.

I’m calling it now: Charles is the Bill Nye but for music

As a classical pianist, I found this so helpful. Thank you so much for your insight and congrats on 500,000 subs!

Thank you, Charles, for your kindness to share your experience and knowledge with us. And congratulations on 500.000 subscribers! We all admire your skills.

I shared your Channel to many friends and they all loved it, so you deserve this. I think that you are a great pianist and would be a nice teacher, and i just love your stuff so big love on you. Kisses from France 🇫🇷❤️

wow. I don't know how many KZfaq clips I've watched trying to get the the core of what im trying to do as a musician in general, but that's it. What makes a successful impro?? structure? no structure? somewhere in between, depending on the moment? when are we free? when there is spontenaety? connection? discovery of something new? reiteration of predefined patterns? great to hear someone else is on a similar plot! Well done great video! keep the musings coming.

Yes! Please, do more videos like this! I really enjoy listening to your voice (especially when I am doing something else meanwhile) and ofc the beautiful music. You are very talented composer, comedian etc. Please, don't stop!

Dude I'm loving your longer form explanatory content. You, Neely, and a few others thrown in are helping me become a much better musician!

3:54 i'm going to screenshot this, put it in black and white and tell my kids this was erik satie

You are the most precious human. Your talent is incomprehensible to me but I love learning what you teach!! I took piano classes for like 10 years but was never even taught chords so anything past level 0 is way over my head. Brava, keep this content coming!

You kept me 100% engaged with your free improvisation. I was listening to every single note and I could hear a blend of contemporary classical, impressionism, jazz, modern/minimalism... the way you mix everything together and the transitions between the sections is truly creative.

your improv piece really took me somewhere. wonderful stuff. 🙂

A free piano tutor 🔥🔥

Those kind of videos are amazing! I find they are really inspiring for every music genre. Also i have never found somebody truly share their learning process, which is amazing to see this way. It' really amazing, thank you very much

I actually recently started doing the 'Level 3' improv (messing about) because I finally feel like I'm at a level where that kind of improv occasionally sounds nice. It's such a freeing thing to do and sometimes I even surprise myself with a few passages of chords that sound great together (even though I generally don't know why that is in terms of music theory). Anyway, thanks for another awesome video and a big congratulations for 500k - you really deserve it!

The song Charles uses in level 1 and 2 is called I Love You by Cole Porter for anyone who was wondering

I was expecting a sketch. I'm still very satisfied. I love seeing you actually show off your talent

Yo I love you you’re a great youtuber! You’re one of my favorites. You do funny things, silly things, serious things, educational and informative things, it’s great! I’m a pianist myself. I grew up learning classical music but I joined the jazz band at my school and I’m having a lot of difficulty learning how to play a new genre, one that’s so different from classical. I’m learning a lot from you and your videos help a lot, so thank you! 😊

Amazing!! I love all of the videos that you do. Congrats on 500K! All of the levels were amazing tbh...

1:31 Are we getting a facereveal at 1M subs?

I swear this guy is so talented

This was very informative please have more of these videos as well as the memes and skits in the future. You're very good at explaining things as well.

This is great, man. Keep making this kinda material. Wish you the best

I could tell that there was a couple moments in level 3 that you started thinking about what you’re playing, then towards the end you let go and let it steer you. Honestly I like Yanni’s interpretation of free improv as well(manifested in the “creative mode”), where he explains that the creative mode is like a butterfly that lands in your hand. If you grab it or reach for it, it disappears. You just have to let it land in your hand and go wherever it wants. The same applies to free-styling rap as well.

“Level zero is playing a song by reading sheet music” Me: doesn’t know how to read sheet music, so I’m in level -1...

As someone who is trying (and slightly struggling) to get back into playing Piano/Keyboard I really appreciate these videos

I really love the music that you make - and having you explain how you think and how you approach music is really the key to why I've started watching your videos :) So a HUGE "YES" to making more videos like this! :)

i have exam tomorrow nah whatever this is much useful than school dah

Wow, really good improvisation at level 3!

First video of yours I’ve stumbled upon and I love how genuine and reliable your video is!! Take my subscription sir

amazing video Charles, I honestly really love watching the less-comedic and more technical videos about the musicality, and ur improvs r just so nice to listen to ^ ^

Level 1&2: Yeah these are pretty nice and fun. Level 3: Ahh I see im going to cry now, I feel nothing but joy WHAT HOW?!

When level 1 is harder than your sheet music

Been with you since the van, ended by watching you grow.. You've come far and im so proud of you.

And of course you pick one of my fav jazz standards for the example! I love it.

When you not even have level 0 'cause you can't read sheet music the right way...

8:51 "allow it to pu- *ad break* -sh forward"

I love doing that! I usually play random, made up stuff when I have nothing in particular to play, but I've never thought about it so deeply. And I've never done it quite like you did. You made the whole thing an experiment, testing each individual key and seeing where the sound would lead. I've played and made up random-ish melodies off the top of my head, but not like that. I've never (yet) learned to read sheet music, so learning and playing by ear is basically all I got in most cases. So I suppose improvising plays a part in that in a way. I've just never thought about it. Anyway, that honestly truly inspired me. Thank you, Charles! I also loved what you were playing in the other clips. Could listen to it all day. I can jazz things up a bit, but I'm no where near your level. Just wanna say your amazing and love learning from you just as much as I love your crazy videos. Congrats for 500k!

That was beautiful. It was totally enhanced by the fact that I know you a little bit and you explained what you were doing. I really feel like I just witnessed a work of art being born. Magical.

I've been watching your videos for awhile now. I always found the skits hilarious, even if I didn't have a piano. I'm in choir, so I have musical background. I recently got a keyboard for my birthday and I was so excited! I only know how to play "Mary Had a Little Lamb", and I know it's going to be a long journey. Your videos will help to motivate me along the way. So happy to be one of your 500k Subscribers! You deserve them.

I love improvisation and i’ve been doing it all the time at home instead of reading sheet music(i hate reading lol so when i get to class, I kinda sometimes struggle) . You’re right, we learn the chords and stuff. I’m that one kid in class who knows how to improvise because for me it’s fun. But i’m also the last one to read sheet music, because it’s boring. hehe. I love composing ^_^ Somehow my improvisation is way more advanced than my current level of sheet music I play I love letting go. it’s the opposite for my friend who plays piano as well. she is really good at sheet reading and tries or wants to play correctly while improvising, (so she says she hates improvisation) but i’m sure she’ll get better at it sometime soon :) but I gotta practice sheet reading because I need to progress I still have a long way to go and learn with improvisation I guess we’re all different :D

I love it when you let yourself go into the music. Congrats on 500k! You never answered whether or not we could hang when I come to Colorado for my birthday... keep up the good work Charles!

you really restore my faith in music and people, man.. you are really a good man. THANK YOU.

The improve at one point reminded me of a Radiohead song, Daydreaming

Me: IS there sheet music for- (Charles kicks down my door) Charles: I'm gonna use this keyboard to give you a bad time. Me: Help

Congrats on 500k subs! It’s 1AM and I should be asleep since I have work in the morning, but that’s how much I enjoy your videos!

I’m a uni student going after an arts administration degree with a LOT of music studies mixed in. I’ll take maybe 45 minutes at a time in our music building on the performance grand after-hours, and doing nothing other than your “level 3” description with an audio recorder to reflect on it later and maybe pique some composition ideas when I need something new. Incredibly happy and inspired that it’s a part of your process sometimes too- I look up to this channel so much. Congrats on 500k, every bit was deserved!

12:04 the licc intensifies

This was a great explanation! I do a lot of improv for my church worship team and it’s really hard to explain to people how I play what I play when I improvise, it just happens😂

More of this! Your teaching is concise and coherent and you come across as so sympathetic and approachable for (well, everyone, but especially) significantly less advanced players. Either way, it’s of course understandable to not make more if it doesn’t drive sufficient engagement, just know that I appreciate them and you greatly :)

This video was super intriguing to me. My journey of learning how to play the piano kind of began with free improv. I could tell I had an ear for it and wrote myself “mini songs” that I could reproduce and then began learning how to play actual songs by ear. That progressed to learning how to read sheet music and so on and so forth. I haven’t really gone back to free improv since that time and this inspired me to try that out again. Thank you!

More. Yes. More topics. Just cover more topics, that’s what I want!

Can you make a Spotify playlist of just jazz music?!

love love LOVE this please do more of this so good!

Please do more like this!! Love these videos!

10:50 “ONE DAY MOOOOOOREEEE”

I think you might have forgot to link those guys!

Dude I love this videos! Continue to do them!

Just watching your final improvisation and I realised Jazz will be a lot more interesting to listen to now after you've helped me realise what you are hearing is what is going on in the mind of the player, at that very moment, and what comes out is almost equally as much a surprise to the player as it is to the listeners. I mean not including the standards, but even there to a lesser extent, but in Freestyle... if that's a thing. Thank you. K.T. in Switzerland

There were moments in your Level 3 improv where you took the harmony to the exact place it felt to me like it was yearning to go (and not just in predictable cadences) and other times when it totally diverged from my expectations in the best way. Very nice

Who doesn’t play the piano but loves his instruction video : ✋

I love these types of videos! It makes me want to expand out of my own level of music...keep up the good work!

The way you introduce music theory and vocabulary in a very simple and charismatic way is awesome! I applaud you for using your platform to show your music and teach in your way how people can appreciate and understand Music as an Art form better! As a musician I thank you so much!

Petition for Charles to make a full jazz album

Charles has finally come out of hibernation!!!

Congrats Charles on 500k! Now onto a million!🎹😍

i really like this. especially the 3rd level was really relaxing to listen to.

Well then, now you have to release an full piano improve album please, Internet demands it.

Your level 1 is my level 100.

Thank you!!! Absolutely keep it up with this kind of videos

First couple of videos I watched I didn’t notice how much of a solid musician you actually were. The last few I’ve seen I now see, you’ve got something man!

9:35 Renai Circulation is that you?!

"Improvisatory" is indeed a word.

Beautiful level 3, yes, follow your heart because in my view that's all it is about. It is like learning a new language, the heart has things to say so it will dare jump into the deep end of the pool, making mistakes but being true, using what it knows that eventually will bring new vocabulary, and increased level of fluency, fluency being infinite...

You are super good at explaining things simply. Loved the improv you did as well.