I saw George Shearing live "back in the day"...I was invited to his hotel room between sets and was struck by what a sincere gentleman he was...gifted and humble, gracious and present (in the moment)...and played those block chords with such ease and melodic fluidity...truly impressive...
Fmajor6 = D minor 7 but stable! It’s a monk and Barry trick to see the minor 7 chords as inversions of the major 6! Super cool arranging technique and way of thinking about the different relationships between minor and major :)
Just a few seconds after I was wondering to myself whether block chords need to stay in the diatonic notes, you literally change the video subject to that! What a cool cat!!
You explain - in a clear and detailed way - all that covers jazz theory and practice and make it available for the whole world. Indeed you are a real teacher. We'll never be thankful enough. Love always. ❤️
Thanks!!! This answers alot of questions I had about this block chord sound. I think your lead vocal voice is truly special. I've listened to it and tried to dissect it to find what it is that makes it so powerful without being powerful. I'm still trying to figure it out. It's probably something to do with who you are unto yourself. Something so real and natural that it's totally fresh and invigorating to most listeners. Whatever it is, you got it. Thanks for all you share to help us musicians. I sincerely appreciate it.:)
Very clear, I know plenty of theory but this explains a lot of that ‘older sound’ veryyyy simply which is fantastic! Reminds me of my grandpa’s style :) can’t wait to get home and practice
Thanks Amy! I've been looking for a good explanation that makes sense and provides a way to practice it. You nailed it for me! I'm soo excited to start working on these to put into some of my tunes. 👏👏 😎🎹🤘
The block chord style is a favourite of big band arrangers, who write nice thick five-note voicings for sax sections, etc. Another pianist who plays a lot of block chords is, naturally, Oscar Peterson. See his album with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (had to cut and paste that one!) called Great Connection.
Niiice and very well put vid Aimee :) One of my favorite examples of this style is "Take Me" by Casiopea - When the main piano melody starts.. another good beginner excersize I'd like to give my students is to implement block chords in "Don't sit under the Apple tree" (G. miller) using locked hands voicing. The phrase is short and repetitive enough to easily change keys with thus doing "work out" on all the keys in the same excersize while keeping it interesting.
Nice explanation. I think of the E as a no go zone when F is the melody note, exactly as you said. When the E is the melody note, G mn 6 (or E half diminished, an inversion) is what comes to me. You put in the Barry Harris teaser. Of course if you use Gmn 6, in conjunction with Fmaj6, you’re setting up those beautiful Barry Harris diminished harmonies.
I got into block chords when I was a kid, from being amazed by Django style guitarists playing chord melodies. And by Thelonious Monk. His faster stuff is surprisingly entertaining for a kid. Plus somehow it's easier to get both hands moving together when they're closer and both dealing with melody and harmony. Of course I never thought about it to this detail or thinking in quite this way. I noticed this video, but didn't have time, at the time. But I didn't forget!
But I don't always/often stay diatonic. That's fine. I used to be embarrassed about "filling in the in-between 3rds" because open voicings souned more "modern" and it wasn't fashionable at all to commit. I think it actually sounds better if it doesn't stay diatonic, and you let some tension ring out. I see you called moving out of key "potential problems" but it's actually potential freedoms, and you can blend old-timey with some newer accents and feelings. I think many many people can find some grace, by ear. It's not so hard, but my neighbors are grateful for my headphones while I explore.
I guess all the Barry Harris interest is making this idea more popular again... playing melodies and committing to specific harmonies, even if only for a moment. I mentioned headphones - electronic keyboards are great because of that. You can faff around for hours and nobody much will mind, so there isn't so much social pressure anymore to have to learn and practice in a classical style. I think that makes a difference in the sort of amateur musicians are in the world, and how you would approach teaching. This is a really good channel, and I also watch all of David Bennett's videos. I'll go on a gospel keyboard binge, electronic music producers. I've heard some amazing people that I never could have found in the past. I think that will shape music's evolution for the better. Have fun!
Love your explanation of block chords. Would love you to do an analysis of Norah Jones' playing. Triads in the left hand and octaves for the melody. Very elegant and sparse.
Block chords are a distinctive part of music. It makes, in my opinion, music seems a little more intimate. I don't know why I think about it. Other voicings, open voicings, seems more "acute" (angular) to me while block chords are more linear. I don't know if it makes sense but that is how I think about them. Call me an old timer. Ok, I'm 47, I am an old timer. Congrats, for one more amazing video.
Thanks for the great intro to block chords, Aimee. This particular type is known as "locked-hands" style. It was originated by Milt Buckner, and Nat King Cole was an early exponent of it. George Shearing is probably the most famous pianist to use it, since he built his early style around it, but he didn't invent it. Here's Milt Buckner: th-cam.com/video/_jET1br88y8/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Overjazz Here's Nat King Cole: th-cam.com/video/fBeBmRlN2Io/w-d-xo.html Ahmad Jamal and Red Garland used a different style of block chords, with comping chords in the left hand and octaves (usually with one or more notes in between) in the right hand.
I think I saw Barry Harris use just two chords to harmonise the major scale. In C it would be - "C6" which covers the one, three, five and six of the scale and then "D diminished" which covers the two, four and seventh with the added flat 6 note thrown in there - this gives a very smooth sound.
Normally I reserve Maj6 (or maybe a 6/9, if I’m feeling adventurous) chords in my playing for when I’m ending a melody or a whole piece. It’s restful but it doesn’t quite have the color of a Maj7
12:14 - yep, it rubs with the top voice, which is the melody note. No bueno. :) Why not going with an old timey sound once in a while? BTW, If my ears don't deceive me, Nelson Riddle used this George Shearing voicing in the violins (and of course the french horns playing counterpoint) when they play the melody during an instrumental passage in some of his wonderful arrangements and it sounds fantastic. Great insightful video as always!
Did you cross your 3 finger over your pinky on the way up on the 8th bar at 6:25? And if so please give us a fingering tutorial. I don't think I could get my hand to move like that without breaking something. Love your stuff
I've seen so much Barry Harris content lately, which is fine, but it sounds distinctively like Barry Harris. It's been done by the best and others risk sounding like a lesser imitation (I feel the same about McCoy Tyner). This is a nice alternative approach that puts the melody in a more prominent place than the technique. Nicely done!
@@barbiebeckford2988 Yeah, even though you're just playing 2 different chords (plus the 7 degree that is different), the inversions create very different positions and there's no obvious pattern. Each degree has to be learned and practiced, then you realise that they are just some options among many others, but if you want to start playing block chords you have to start somewhere.
I kind of learned how to play on block chords, and have had to learn more sparse and open style as I got older. A lot of my influences used a pop/rock variation of these chords, people like Freddie or the Supertramp boys.
Block chords have always intrigued me too. C maj6 as a block chord is of course C/E/G/A/higher C, but is there a musical symbol that tells you block chords are different from regular voicings?
Hi Aimee, can you teach Alice's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie for Thanksgiving? Also like Ripple by The Grateful Dead, and Rivers Of Babylon by Boney M. Thanks
Hi Aimee. I saw a lovely video a while ago of you singing You Are My Sunshine with your grandparents. I made a video about a month ago playing You Are My Sunshine with my parents, my sister, and a caregiver. Would love for you to check it out. Thanks
Aimee I like the video but i always found George Shearing a bit corny. Hope you get to Red Garland. Guitarist Joe Pass worked with Shearing briefly about 1965. Shearing would write out precise chord voicings for Joe to play on guitar, to complement his own. Joe said in an interview, he quit because of that. Later in Joe’s career, Oscar Peterson had the sense to let Joe voice his own chords!
I saw George Shearing live "back in the day"...I was invited to his hotel room between sets and was struck by what a sincere gentleman he was...gifted and humble, gracious and present (in the moment)...and played those block chords with such ease and melodic fluidity...truly impressive...
yall smash ?
Fmajor6 = D minor 7 but stable! It’s a monk and Barry trick to see the minor 7 chords as inversions of the major 6! Super cool arranging technique and way of thinking about the different relationships between minor and major :)
Oh of course! Thanks for that!
For years I've wanted to know how to play block chords. Thx Amy. Greetings from INDONESIA!!!!
Just a few seconds after I was wondering to myself whether block chords need to stay in the diatonic notes, you literally change the video subject to that! What a cool cat!!
awesome, thanks Aimee.................................
This is very very nice ❤clear explanation 🎉all Great
You explain - in a clear and detailed way - all that covers jazz theory and practice and make it available for the whole world. Indeed you are a real teacher. We'll never be thankful enough. Love always. ❤️
gorgeous chords !
Thanks!!!
This answers alot of questions I had about this block chord sound.
I think your lead vocal voice is truly special. I've listened to it and tried to dissect it to find what it is that makes it so powerful without being powerful. I'm still trying to figure it out. It's probably something to do with who you are unto yourself. Something so real and natural that it's totally fresh and invigorating to most listeners. Whatever it is, you got it. Thanks for all you share to help us musicians. I sincerely appreciate it.:)
really enlightening thanks
Maestro - I love that ya still
Make the tutorials. You look and sound amazing. Love ya! Can’t wait to see ya live soon.
Awesome Aimee! That was a good lesson.
Thank you. So much very useable information. So many pieces of the jigsaw fell in to place on this one; a sound I love.
this channel is just fantastic
Thank you for this. I’ve always wondered about this sound!
Very clear, I know plenty of theory but this explains a lot of that ‘older sound’ veryyyy simply which is fantastic! Reminds me of my grandpa’s style :) can’t wait to get home and practice
youre great aimee. this is valuable knowledge!
Great lesson!
Great video, Aimee. Thanks!
Excellent presentation, thank you !
Aimee you Rock!! You've inspired me in so many ways !
Great channel. You just explain stuff really well and have great skill. So thx
Great lesson thanks Aimee!
Amy, that was such a good video..!! The way you teach and perform a song; the video will never be too long..!
THANKYOUSOVERYMUCH!!!!
Such talent, you’re Amazing!
Thanks Aimee.❤
Thanks Amy! I've been looking for a good explanation that makes sense and provides a way to practice it. You nailed it for me! I'm soo excited to start working on these to put into some of my tunes. 👏👏 😎🎹🤘
Hi Aimee, thank you very much for this excellent tutorial 🥰
thanks, very good explanation, as organ player I use it sometimes, give nice harmonies, of course Shearing is for me the best reference👍
This was a handy video.
The block chord style is a favourite of big band arrangers, who write nice thick five-note voicings for sax sections, etc. Another pianist who plays a lot of block chords is, naturally, Oscar Peterson. See his album with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (had to cut and paste that one!) called Great Connection.
Thx for sharing 🙏
Wow!
Niiice and very well put vid Aimee :) One of my favorite examples of this style is "Take Me" by Casiopea - When the main piano melody starts.. another good beginner excersize I'd like to give my students is to implement block chords in "Don't sit under the Apple tree" (G. miller) using locked hands voicing. The phrase is short and repetitive enough to easily change keys with thus doing "work out" on all the keys in the same excersize while keeping it interesting.
Nice explanation. I think of the E as a no go zone when F is the melody note, exactly as you said. When the E is the melody note, G mn 6 (or E half diminished, an inversion) is what comes to me. You put in the Barry Harris teaser. Of course if you use Gmn 6, in conjunction with Fmaj6, you’re setting up those beautiful Barry Harris diminished harmonies.
Thanks!!!
Wonderful ❤
magnifica.
Sweet intro..
I got into block chords when I was a kid, from being amazed by Django style guitarists playing chord melodies. And by Thelonious Monk. His faster stuff is surprisingly entertaining for a kid. Plus somehow it's easier to get both hands moving together when they're closer and both dealing with melody and harmony.
Of course I never thought about it to this detail or thinking in quite this way. I noticed this video, but didn't have time, at the time. But I didn't forget!
But I don't always/often stay diatonic. That's fine. I used to be embarrassed about "filling in the in-between 3rds" because open voicings souned more "modern" and it wasn't fashionable at all to commit. I think it actually sounds better if it doesn't stay diatonic, and you let some tension ring out. I see you called moving out of key "potential problems" but it's actually potential freedoms, and you can blend old-timey with some newer accents and feelings. I think many many people can find some grace, by ear. It's not so hard, but my neighbors are grateful for my headphones while I explore.
I guess all the Barry Harris interest is making this idea more popular again... playing melodies and committing to specific harmonies, even if only for a moment. I mentioned headphones - electronic keyboards are great because of that. You can faff around for hours and nobody much will mind, so there isn't so much social pressure anymore to have to learn and practice in a classical style. I think that makes a difference in the sort of amateur musicians are in the world, and how you would approach teaching. This is a really good channel, and I also watch all of David Bennett's videos. I'll go on a gospel keyboard binge, electronic music producers. I've heard some amazing people that I never could have found in the past. I think that will shape music's evolution for the better. Have fun!
Love your explanation of block chords. Would love you to do an analysis of Norah Jones' playing. Triads in the left hand and octaves for the melody. Very elegant and sparse.
Block chords are a distinctive part of music. It makes, in my opinion, music seems a little more intimate. I don't know why I think about it. Other voicings, open voicings, seems more "acute" (angular) to me while block chords are more linear. I don't know if it makes sense but that is how I think about them. Call me an old timer. Ok, I'm 47, I am an old timer. Congrats, for one more amazing video.
Thanks for the great intro to block chords, Aimee. This particular type is known as "locked-hands" style. It was originated by Milt Buckner, and Nat King Cole was an early exponent of it. George Shearing is probably the most famous pianist to use it, since he built his early style around it, but he didn't invent it.
Here's Milt Buckner:
th-cam.com/video/_jET1br88y8/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Overjazz
Here's Nat King Cole:
th-cam.com/video/fBeBmRlN2Io/w-d-xo.html
Ahmad Jamal and Red Garland used a different style of block chords, with comping chords in the left hand and octaves (usually with one or more notes in between) in the right hand.
I should’ve mentioned that it’s called “locked hands” style. Can’t believe I forgot to say it. Thanks for your great comment!
I think I saw Barry Harris use just two chords to harmonise the major scale. In C it would be - "C6" which covers the one, three, five and six of the scale and then "D diminished" which covers the two, four and seventh with the added flat 6 note thrown in there - this gives a very smooth sound.
That’s right! I go into that in the next block chord video a little bit and in great detail in my Nebula exclusive video. I love Barry Harris!
Normally I reserve Maj6 (or maybe a 6/9, if I’m feeling adventurous) chords in my playing for when I’m ending a melody or a whole piece. It’s restful but it doesn’t quite have the color of a Maj7
Thank you, these are Laura Nyro’s MO.
12:14 - yep, it rubs with the top voice, which is the melody note. No bueno. :) Why not going with an old timey sound once in a while? BTW, If my ears don't deceive me, Nelson Riddle used this George Shearing voicing in the violins (and of course the french horns playing counterpoint) when they play the melody during an instrumental passage in some of his wonderful arrangements and it sounds fantastic. Great insightful video as always!
Did you cross your 3 finger over your pinky on the way up on the 8th bar at 6:25? And if so please give us a fingering tutorial. I don't think I could get my hand to move like that without breaking something. Love your stuff
Oh don’t copy that. Lol my mind was on what I was going to say next and not on what my fingers were doing 🤪
I've seen so much Barry Harris content lately, which is fine, but it sounds distinctively like Barry Harris. It's been done by the best and others risk sounding like a lesser imitation (I feel the same about McCoy Tyner). This is a nice alternative approach that puts the melody in a more prominent place than the technique. Nicely done!
My first music teacher taught what he learned from Chuck Wayne who worked with Shearing. I was disappointed when he could not do lessons any more.
Block chords seem the most effective when the pulse of the tune is fast🤔🤔🤔 Great lesson 👍
The final notes of She Loves You, a major six harmony 1-5-6 i think, on
the last “Yeah”😊
That’s right!
Whew this is harder than I think it should be!
Just reading was so much easier.
@@barbiebeckford2988 Yeah, even though you're just playing 2 different chords (plus the 7 degree that is different), the inversions create very different positions and there's no obvious pattern. Each degree has to be learned and practiced, then you realise that they are just some options among many others, but if you want to start playing block chords you have to start somewhere.
amoooooo
I kind of learned how to play on block chords, and have had to learn more sparse and open style as I got older. A lot of my influences used a pop/rock variation of these chords, people like Freddie or the Supertramp boys.
Block chords have always intrigued me too. C maj6 as a block chord is of course C/E/G/A/higher C, but is there a musical symbol that tells you block chords are different from regular voicings?
No. It’s just a flavor that you can add to your playing. No one would ever indicate it on a lead sheet. It’s all personal taste
Good
I learnt
What happened to the Dm7 and D7???
This is a bit advanced for me but I'm keeping in my files & will definitely try it out once I feel I can pull it off👍
Maybe check out my Jazz Piano - Where To Start video
Can the left hand note be different from the top note? Like a 7th, 6th or 9th interval?
Not in the traditional block chord style, but if you want to play in drop two style, yes! I have a video about that as well
Hi Aimee, can you teach Alice's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie for Thanksgiving? Also like Ripple by The Grateful Dead, and Rivers Of Babylon by Boney M. Thanks
How about Red Garland, Solo on Miles Davis, Album: Milestones ( 1959 ) track : Billy Boy.
Peace to all.
👍🏻
Teach a man to light a fire and you'll keep him warm for a day
Light the man on fire and you'll keep him warm for the rest of his life 😜
🙂
B I L L E V A N S
I know a musician who thinks that "Lullabye of Birdland" is overexposed... :)
Hi Aimee. I saw a lovely video a while ago of you singing You Are My Sunshine with your grandparents. I made a video about a month ago playing You Are My Sunshine with my parents, my sister, and a caregiver. Would love for you to check it out. Thanks
play some block chords, Red
Man he was really something
Aimee I like the video but i always found George Shearing a bit corny. Hope you get to Red Garland. Guitarist Joe Pass worked with Shearing briefly about 1965. Shearing would write out precise chord voicings for Joe to play on guitar, to complement his own. Joe said in an interview, he quit because of that. Later in Joe’s career, Oscar Peterson had the sense to let Joe voice his own chords!
Far too much waffle and deviation from the basic theme
“Block chords” alright Rudy? Block chords. MD