This is the single most important video on the topic online, period. This totally explains what makes one competent at the craft.

Mastering the basics is the key to excellence. There are no shortcuts to greatness. Thanks for this!

This is one of the best videos I’ve seen in terms of knowing where I’m at as a musician. As you said, it takes years to progress. I’ve played organ and keys for 20 years, and I see myself in multiple categories except novice and advanced. Thanks again for this video! The video encouraged AND challenged me all at the same time!

Great breakdown, Sean. Everyone wants to blaze on the keys but nobody wants to put in the work. I’m motivated to get better myself!

This has to be one of the most informative tutorial on the process of playing piano by ear, EVER...

This was the much needed outline that I had been waiting on for years. Indeed no house can be built strong with faulty foundations. Thanks for calling us back to work.

This is such an important video. I’ve toured the world for over a decade and have been so blessed in the industry…just to realize that functionally, I’m still at the beginner stage. It’s both humbling and encouraging. So looking forward to improving and excited about finally having a roadmap for not only where I’m going, but how to get there. Thanks for this!

I regularly watch this video to track my progress. Thanks man for this

OMG im not even at beginner level and i play for a church.. i have a lot to learn.... sometimes i struggle playing songs and im desperate to get better... and i play by ear without and music theory at all,

Sean man thanks all I needed was a template and how to practice it. I’ve realized I’m not good as I think I am always good to have a humbling experience

Back in my days as a kid this man would have been a world renowned teacher.

One thing I love about this video is that Sean doesn't try to hide the time it takes to master something. Everywhere on every social platform, posts that go "Become a pro player in 8 weeks", or "Play like Chick Corea in 5 lessons" are the norm, and it's super frustrating as a beginner because it feels like you're doing something wrong

Well I thought I considered myself as an intermediate piano player but after seeing all this, I think I'm a begginer lol.. Btw I screamed when I heard that chord at 0:53 , also another thing @Sean You're a very well rounded musician to say the least , your ear is amazing & the fact you analyse these great musicians to such precise details makes you very unique, keep it up, your teaching is touching a lot of people 🙏

I have to share this link to everyone. It clearly outlines levels of development and a lot of people need this guidance. Thank you Mr Wilson. Representing from Accra, Ghana.(Africa)🇬🇭

Great way of letting people know that shortcuts are not an option. Thank you so much for the support. I`ve been trying to say this for years without being taken seriously. A 1-6-4-5 or A 2-5-1 is NOT AS easy AS IT looks when you haven`t gone through the basic stuff. I`m selftaught going twenty years now, and i`m not Even close to advanced.

The musicians at the beginning are playing Strasbourg/St. Denis for those wondering.

I just love you Sean Wilson!!!! You've been needed for over a decade!!! Thankful that you're one of the learned musicians helping to raise the bar for gospel musicians who first learned to play by ear!!! I'm trained classically, so I'm just grateful. You speak to both groups.

Yea I just started really getting into the piano 2 weeks ago and man. I had been looking for what I needed as a foundation to be able to play and grow as a piano player. Preciate it 💯

I used to consider myself intermediate…I’m now a fraud and a beginner😂. Very humbling and a little bit of a kick in the pants but definitely an important video to watch! I’m glad to know I have so much space to grow!

this is what im looking for. A guide on where to start. I've been playin at church for years and i struggle on how and where to start to practicing. now i can follow your guide.

Thank you for giving us a clear look at the levels!

Thank you so much Sean ! I am revolted now 😤 Thanks to you I'll not loose my time anymore ! God bless you

The Advanced Stage is where I want to be. Feeling stuck right now

I'm a Novice, not even a beginner that I claim to be 😭😂😂 This has really shown me my place. I need to work more. Well done, Sean ❤️

I love what you're doing and how you present it... Glad I came across your work! I'm a Trumpet player, but this will help me a lot!

Thanks for this video! I have been classicaly trained for more than 10 years and I always feel that I struggle a lot when I am trying to pick up new skills. I have been reluctant to actually practice the basics but your videos gave me the motivation to do so.

Man thank you so much for this video! I’ve been reaching in the dark trying to learn this stuff, seeking a tutorial like this for awhile. Legendary!

This is very humbling. I'll be honest. This wasn't the first response I put down. I had to read some of the other comments first before I responded. I thought I knew a lot because I can play by ear like Art Tatum or Oscar Peterson pieces, Bill Evans etc... But I never knew what I was playing because I've trained my ear not my eyes. So I'm gonna use this guide to get better. I will say that some of the most advanced artists past or present dont know most of this. So I'm not alone. I still believe I'm at an advanced level without having known a lot of this but this gives me a visual on what I need to work on so Thank you so much for this.🙏🏾

I love the video, it's absolutely great, BUT, just like hundreds of other learning videos on youtube of course you need to practice and they show you what to practice BUT no one shows you HOW to practice it. I feel that knowing how to practice is as important knowing what to practice. Once again I love you video and in no way am I being negative about.....

the 2-5-1 being most important in section 3, and then the demonstration that followed just busted my noggin wide open ...

Thanks mabrada ...was practising all the stages unknowingly with no direction ...bt now I hv ...I'll get the chart ...now

Wow! I needed to hear this. I have a lot of work to do. Im totally beginner level. Thanks for this video.

As a bass player, I am proud to be at LEAST a novice keyboard player, lol!!! But maybe I desire more, because I can't get enough of your videos!

Holy crap man... Your expertise and mastery of the craft allows you to break down each level succinctly, creating easy-to-digest and easy-to-understand milestones. This is much needed in piano pedagogy. Gospel piano is an entirely different realm to me, so maybe I'm unfamiliar if others have already paved the way and done this, but at the moment, I think this is revolutionary...

best gospel piano overview I've ever seen on youtube. I'm a casual player but if I ever want to put the time in to seriously improve I will be at your site! Good stuff bro! Had to stop the video at competent cuz way over my head lol

These are fantastic harmonic stages, but remember to keep it up to day with ryhtmic stages, and other tools you should also develop

this s th number one video i can surely recommend for someone who wanna learn to play piano. thank you Sir

Thank you! Subbed! I've been "playing" piano for 7 years, I can read music and play classical, pop, rock, jazz pieces but ... like a parrot. And I forget pieces if I don't keep playing them. I never got anyone to explain the "road" to playing and I think I'm still a complete novice after seeing your video but I have a way out :) .

Best video I’ve seen in ‘22 This would be my guide for a year; starting today You just earned a grateful sub! Blessings 🙏🏾

A lot of the comments here are close to home for me; Thinking I'm at a certain level but realizing It's wishful thinking. I've not even mastered beginner stuff in all keys and I've been at it for several years, trying to learn licks and harmonic movements from the jazz giants. I stepped away from it all about a year ago, partly due to being in college, but I also said to myself that I'm not going back until I'm ready to study this subject properly by filling in all the basic skills gaps and practicing things to a level of competency. What you're saying here reminds me of Kenny Werner's book 'Effortless Mastery', he really emphasizes knowing the simplest forms to their core, like you could play them in your sleep, before attempting intermediate/advanced ideas.

Really, I just would love to him Sean play...with out singers and choirs. Just Sean. When he demonstrates what others are doing...I always prefer his version of what they are doing. Some people have the tricks, but it's just noise to me. Sean touches the keys, and it speaks to me. He is a humble person who love lifting up others. An excellent teacher too. He is so giving.

Thanks for sharing so much of what you know. You're really catapult us by leaps and bounds 💪💯🎉

4 years later, so helpful ,

Wow I wish I could sign up. Just can't afford another monthly bill right now. Hopefully someday. His playing is amazing.

This is what I need...as an advanced level musician who is missing these skills mentioned at the beginning of this video I am NOT an advanced musician lol...I've played to long to be stuck...preciate you Sean

This video has been rent free in my head since I've seen seen it lol. It humbled me, but gave me a guideline to follow as a novice. Thank you!!

no one has the steps in order like this, No One.

Thank you for this! This is exactly what I was looking for

Thanks Sean, this is all i have wanted all my life. God bless you real good

I appreciate the detail of your explanations and the truth of what it really takes.

It gets very very difficult. One thing is to hear it and another is to see it. It's truly. . .not easy.

Seans not making eye contact in this one bc hes breaking hearts all over. Theres no way around practice/shedding. No secret

Great video Sean. Thank you for laying the foundation for success for us all. I appreciate it.

JESUS LOVES YOU MR. SEAN

BLESSING ONE。 God bless you !

This video changed my life

Awesome tour with a you blessed Big Bro, God bless you. Many of us needed this as it is to some, it's a foreign culture we love and trying to adapt to...so it's good to have a vessel of that culture explains you with directions...

Thank you. I really needed this information. It tells me where I am and where I need to be and how to get there. I love the way you teach. I don't know much, but it makes me feel patient enough to really try hard

Well said bro!!! Great video!

Very kewl stuff. Inspirational. Now if I could get a hotel room for two weeks...literally disappear from my circles. When is that gonna happen??!! 🇹🇹👍🏾

This is so dope! Thank you 🙏🏽 I also feel like we should be knowledgeable with rhythm (time signatures, tempos etc.)

I wish I had come across this when I started 5 months ago. But I’m not too late🙌

Thanks Sean. Awesome lesson. May you always be blessed.

Sean!!! This is really great 👍🏾 for real..

A short cut to this is picking 2 or 3 songs and learning it in all 12 keys. Once one can play 2 or 3 songs fluently in all keys, you are easily at an intermediate level. Once you understand the roadmap of every key and how the keys relate to each other, your ear opens up and playing becomes easier. Just learning 1 song in all keys is a really good start. But with 2 or 3 songs you will hit essentially all scale degrees. The blues runs, extended chords are all icing on the cake depending on your style.

Man this was very humbling. I’m somewhere between Competent, Intermediate and Some Advanced...is there an organ equivalent anywhere? That would be dope to find some of the intricacies of Organ!!! I’ll be joining soon...

King Sean man you a blessing

Beginning my journey again!!!! Thanks!

Thanks so much sir for unveiling to us what we actually had no idea about. However, I would like to know if you have tutorials on any of the levels you mentioned. If you have a series on that, it would be much appreciated to see you drop the link in the comment section for us. Thank you

Thank you so much for this man

Great video content! Really like the lessons here! :)

Great video-a very well organized practice structure

This was really helpful 😊

Love Hear and Play !

Thank u so much for this Sean!! Really appreciate what u do

This Channel is amazing, thanks from Brazil

Thank you bro 😊

This is great sir!

Very useful video! Bless you for what you do!

I absolutely love this video!

Who else comes back to this video always

19:14 u done tore it up bro... love the vid tho opened my eyes to some stuff I gotta brush up on

Im reminded that im still on novice level. thanks for this lol

Just the video I needed. any of the lessons on YoutUbe jump from novice to competent. Easy to get frusrated./ Thx for clearing this up

Amazing video 🙌🏾

Great video bro!! Love it

Your breakdown are impressive💕

Thank you so much ! Your willingness to share has been a blessing to me. If possible could you please do videos breaking down: My Joy ( Alvin Slaughter , Holy Spirit rain down.? God bless you

what kontakt patch or vst do you think Jesus is using? I like that lead! Btw I'm very grateful for your videos Sean!! God bless you, you are such an inspiration to me

Going back to basics 🙆

Good looking out B!

A lot of this is applicable to bass players, but if you can somehow down the road include bass guitar - that would be awesome

I like this. Thanks!

Tjoo I'm learning a lot here thanks mr

Hi Sean you never mentioned which stage someone should practice minor triads and minor scales as well. 😱🤔🙄 Anyway thanks🙏 for the lesson it's great.

Is there a course on how to learn these things or is this just the roadmap and we need to go find and learn it?

This is a GOLD!!!!!!

this is great, thank you!

came here from sarah paikk!!

So informational💯✊🏾.