Mailbag 📪 : Do I Need Perfect Pitch to Play Jazz Piano?

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Jeremy answers a question from a subscriber: "Are you at a disadvantage as a jazz pianist if you don’t have absolute pitch? Can you function on a high level without it?" He talks a bit about Grace Kelly's "tapping" method of transcribing.
Do you have a question for Jeremy? Let him (me) know in the video comments section.

[@yannytheman]

Reminds me of the inspiring Bill Evans quote “I always like people who have developed long and hard, particularly through introspection and a lot of dedication. I think that what they arrive at is usually...deeper and more beautiful...than the person who seems to have that ability and fluidity from the beginning. I say this because it's a good message to give to young talents who feel as I used to. You hear musicians playing with great fluidity and complete conception early on, and you don't have that ability. I didn't. I had to know what I was doing. And ultimately it turned out that these people weren't able to carry their thing very far. I found myself being more attracted to artists who have developed through the years and become better and deeper musicians. I believe in things that are developed through hard work.”

[@raidkyu]

Great approach! Tapping is something similar i picked up from Aimee Nolte called "point and sing"...super helpful!
Thanks for the video

[@tomsiegel9759]

I would love to have more ideas for really basic ear training exercises to incorporate in my practice. Like where to start if I suck. That would be great. Transcribing is always recommended, but I feel like there are things I could be doing to support my ability (and current lack thereof) to transcribe solos.

[@HS-fk6hb]

just out of curiosity do you have perfect pitch jeremy?

[@chieflief]

I think I remember Jeremy mentioning in a previous video that yes, indeed he does.

[@micahslobcrud5958]

I can understand the advantage of the tapping idea. One develops an intuitive idea of just how far any tone is from what you just played or tapped. Same idea on sax. The fluency presumably (hopefully) comes with lots of work.

[@BlackBigCrow]

Do you have any advice on incorporating comping into improvisation? I'm able to comp quite freely when it is my sole focus, as well as improvise freely if I'm just holding the chord down in my left hand. However my improvisation get's quite stiff when even just adding a pattern like the charleston, let alone comping on feel.

[@diplamatikjuan3595]

I'd been intensely jealous of pianists with perfect pitch for my entire life - it was like they were doing a magic trick that I couldn't comprehend. I've mellowed out a bit in my later years.... It would still be lovely to have been blessed with it though...

[@jonasaras]

In Gary Burton’s case, having perfect pitch, and then losing it due to health issues, was the cause of the end of his career.

[@mr.schmitt8196]

Jeremy, could you do a video about piano learning frustration? Because damn, isn't that the case sometimes. Or most of the times.

[@chrisbigred1]

That sounds like a great exercise that I am going to try out ASAP. ❤

[@Debangshuification]

How to get a proper ear training when i don't have jazz teachers in my city?

[@JeremySiskind]

Teachers aren’t necessary! Learn from recordings, those are what every jazz musician has learned from throughout history. Apps also really help!

[@Mike-rw2nh]

Hi, there are a number of free apps available. Functional ear trainer is a particularly good starting point. If you are looking for paid instruction, then Use Your Ear is a fantastic online resource. However you choose to learn Relative Pitch, please be gentle with yourself. Sometimes it can feel like your progress is measured in geological time. It’s kinda like learning a language, but 30 minutes a day will have the average person playing by ear fluently in 3-4 years. Once you have it embedded it can be very difficult to switch it off. “Background” music is impossible to ignore. There are no shortcuts, but trust me, anyone can develop weapons-grade relative pitch and it cannot be switched off once you’ve learned it. I hope this helps.

[@micahslobcrud5958]

@@Mike-rw2nh And then I guess we'll realize how banal most background music is, eh? Aagh!

[@diplamatikjuan3595]

That Grace Kelly Tapping step is VERY interesting. Thanks

[@hanspeter5372]

Great motivating video! I would be interested in good apps for ear training if s.o has suggestions in the comments :)

[@BrendaBoykin-qz5dj]

Thank you, Jeremy, for this inspiring and immediately useful lesson. Right stuff,right time. Bravo,Maestro.⭐🌹🔥🌹⭐