Jazz Piano For Beginners || Tutorial #4: improvising over a chord progression

My book: billspianopages.com/billsbook

Previous tutorial: youtu.be/C2DKnBJO6Lk

Next tutorial: youtu.be/mH1J_hRgq8Y

Playlist link: goo.gl/FGcyI4

+++ Other piano tutorials mentioned in this one +++

All the basic piano chords in one epic tutorial: youtu.be/C1i-cFx7__M

How to work out the chords to a song on the piano: youtu.be/ilcfgQ3lZus

RowVid, YouTube slow motion tool: rowvid.com

In the fourth tutorial in my Jazz Piano for Beginners series we're starting to look at improvising over a chord progression - one of the fundamental skills of jazz piano. In this lesson we're looking at a simple, looped chord sequence in the key of C major which, importantly, includes a ii V I progression.

As well as covering some basic chord theory, I incorporate a number of different scales into the improvisation, including major, major pentatonic, blues and a little bit of Phrygian mode.

I also talk a little bit about piano licks or riffs. Licks are really useful and important in improvisation - they're distinctive little snippets of playing that fill a fixed bit of time or a defined harmony, and which you can drop into a jazz solo to create particular effects, get from one place on the piano keyboard to another, or just to give yourself time to think about what to do next.