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Learning Giant Steps For The Jazz Pianist
17 students

Learning Giant Steps For The Jazz Pianist

Play and Improvise on Giant Steps
Created byMartan Mann
Last updated 6/2019
English

What you'll learn

  • Develop an approach to learning and improvising on the John Coltrane tune, Giant Steps.
  • How to flow through the Giant Steps changes.
  • How to develop Giant Steps by playing slowly.
  • How to solo on Giant Steps.

Course content

5 sections • 5 lectures • 40m total length

  • Introduction10:01

    Step-by-Step

    Step #1: Basic Understanding of Giant Steps

    Let’s take a look at Giant Steps. The tune is 16 bars. All of the principle chord relationships are based on the major third. In the original key, there are only three principle chords: B, G, Eb. Look down the first row and notice the keys: B, G, Eb and B. Also look down from the third measure: Eb, B, G and Eb (See Example 1). This is great for understanding the basic structure Giant Steps, but not helpful in creating a method to play it.

    Step #2: Make a Practice Chart for Giant Steps.

    The Practice Chart should contain the melody, bass note, chord changes, comping chords, and scales for each chord. You can also include any helpful analysis.

    I suggest that you use a music notation app. For a freeapplication, go to Finalemusic and download Notepad http://www.finalemusic.com/products/finale-notepad/.

    • Bassline

    • Closed position chords and inversions

    • Melody

    • Chord names

    • Scales for every chord

    • Analysis

    Step #3: Practice in chord flows.

    For “Flow #1”, say: “B, D, G, Bb, Eb” over and over until the chords are completely in the subconscious. Then For “Flow #2”, say: “G, Bb, Eb, F#, B” over and over. Then for “Flow #3”, say: “Eb, G, B, Eb” over and over (When you play this flow, you will play the II V before each chord). Just to mention: notice that flows #1 and #2 are descending major thirds and flow #3 is ascending major thirds. (The return to the top of the tune on measure 16 is descending.)

    Step #4: Practice flows with bass and melody.

    Just play through GS with a single note in the bass and a single note in the melody. This helps to establish the basic melody and form of the tune in your subconscious.

    Step #5: Practice scales for each chord.
    Take a look at each of the scales for all the chords in Giant Steps. Make sure you can play the scales fluently.

    Step #6: Practice flows with closed position left hand chords.

    Play each of the flows using the closed position chords in the left hand, in all inversions through the tune. Then, play the closed position chords in all inversions through the entire tune.

Requirements

  • Have a good general knowledge of jazz harmony.
  • General ability to play the piano.

Description

Giant Steps by John Coltrane has always been considered as a difficult tune for jazz pianists to understand, learn and play. Of course, adding to the complexity is that the tune is usually played very fast. I think, what we really need is a simple, step-by-step approach to studying this tune . . . then developing the tune into our subconscious. Once this tune is totally subconscious, we should be able to freely improvise on it.

This lesson on Learning Giant Steps contains four videos, downloadable PDFs, graphics of examples, and text. Video #4 contains backup tracks for your practice. You can practice soloing over Giant Steps in different styles and tempos. Have fun learning Giant Steps.

The best way to study jazz improvisation is to develop music as a language.  It is the subconscious which plays the music.  You have to learn each step-by-step exercise completely and automatically.  You learn to play beyond thought and thinking.  Think how you speak your language(s).  You speak without thinking of the language.  The same is true for music.  The bottom line is to have a blast playing music.

I give you an organized step-by-step approach to playing jazz improvisation.  The key here is that the steps are step . . . by . . . step.  You have to learn each step completely.  Once that is done, improvisation is easy.

This course analyzes Giant Steps in "flows".  The flows are learned completely.  I then suggest that you start playing slowly and musically.  This is a melodic approach to playing Giant Steps.

Playing Giant Steps should not sound like endless licks and scales.  I believe that it should be musical.  In order for it to be musical, the improvisation should "tell a story".  It should be emotional.  It should be interesting.

Start today.  You will love it!


Who this course is for:

  • Intermediate Jazz Students.
  • Advanced Jazz Students

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