A jazz piano lesson to help you learn the standard song “My Way,” famously sung by Frank Sinatra.
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Learning how to play tunes from a place of understanding 0:08
Gaining a broader perspective 0:34
My lessons with Billy Taylor 0:40
The Real Book, Volume 1, 6th Edition 0:53
On overview of “My Way” 1:08
Pop ballads of the late 1960s/ early 1970s 1:45
The song’s origins as a French pop song 2:10
Frank Sinatra’s career 3:30
Improvising on pop songs 3:45
To swing or not to swing? 3:58
A fresh perspective on playing pop ballads 4:54
Meeting the pop sensibility of the song halfway 5:23
Using jazz techniques effectively 5:35
Finding an approach to playing “My Way” on piano 6:09
A non-traditional musical form 6:37
A solo piano performance of “My Way” 7:37
Improvising a countermelody 7:42
Adding chords and arpeggios in the RH under the melody 8:13
A lighter texture 8:46
Improvising a melodic “tenor line” with the left hand 9:18
Using a LH cluster voicing to create a “floating” feeling 9:45
A slightly more rhythmic groove 9:54
Beginning the improvisation 10:40
A simple and lyrical melodic improvisation 10:50
Improvising with triplets 11:15
Mixing up the rhythms in the improvised line 11:33
Arpeggiating guitar-like voicings in the right hand 11:49
Bebop-like improv over a pop beat 12:15
Keith Jarrett-influenced pop-funk 12:55
Becoming lyrical again 13:30
A shimmering orchestral texture 13:37
LH melody under RH “flutes and harp” 13:45
Various RH countermelodies and fills 14:17
A funky light rock groove 14:51
A few jazz harmonies 15:19
Slowing down, leading into the ending 15:30
The final melodic phrase 15:40
Using triplets for the ending 15:53
A variety of emotions 16:13
Bringing a jazz sensibility to pop music 16:20
Playing “My Way” with vocalists 16:43
Perseverance! 16:54
Here are some more Free Jazz Piano Lessons for you at the KeyboardImprov website: keyboardimprov.com/free-begin...
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Enjoy the journey, and "let the music flow!"
Ron