More lessons on Licks

[wccook2]

Willie,
As usual, your first Gospel lesson on "Amazing Grace" is "Amazing".
However, it would help a lot if you could extend the improvisation and fills section into full lessons with attached files. I love the licks, but it is a lot of work on my part to take it apart and write down the licks you are doing so that I can apply them to songs in other keys.

As you noted in "live" lessons yourself, the piano teacher assumes you can "hear" what to do and leaves it up to the student to work out what he hears.

That burden on the student may work if you are a gifted musician who can learn by "hearing". However, there are dedicated students like me that could really use the written licks as a less-frustrating starting point.
Bill

[salvatore1]

I agree with WCCOOK2. Willie you are a super teacher and opening a new harmonic world to many of us who have been trained classically. I think if you try to write down some of your licks on Amazing Grace song, and future ones, it will speed up the process for many of us who are already mature musicians, but try to come out the classical comfort zone.
Thanks
Sal

[thierryn]

I completely agree with Salvatore and wccook2.
It was a great experience to learn Amazing Grace. Nothing more to do with the melody with RH and chords with LF ;)
I've carefully followed the licks and technics you use for the few first measures. It sounds so great.
And then, it stops... I cannot go further on my own.
I know this is a long learning process but I'd definitely appreciate to get more "complete" midi files and explanations about the licks you're using during your improvisation so that we can benefit from them. It's a heavy job to try to get them during your playing.

By the way, I check the site everyday for new songs :p

Thierry

[wmyette]

Great points everyone.

I'm finishing a lesson (Summertime) for the JazzPianoLessons.com site and will get back to work after vacation on some new song for JazzGospelPiano.com.

I'll be sure to be more diligent in documenting the licks and providing MIDI files.

[dimwit]

Hello everyone!

Willie you are an excellent teacher and I think your structured approach to teaching an arrangement is fantastic and very helpful to me and by making the licks section just a little bit more structured will make the whole thing heavenly.

Maybe something along the lines of "5 essential licks" or something
where you present licks in written and/or midi form to where we can work on getting the fingerings down and then applying and mixing and matching them to each of the chords. That way we can start to build a vocabulary of ready made phrases that grows larger with each new arrangement you put up.

Anyways this is just a suggestion. I do enjoy your site as it is and I look forward to learning more.

[ministermike51]

Great points everyone.

I'm finishing a lesson (Summertime) for the JazzPianoLessons.com site and will get back to work after vacation on some new song for JazzGospelPiano.com.

I'll be sure to be more diligent in documenting the licks and providing MIDI files.

In The Sanctuary is a cool song and it just keeps on changing keys, so great practice. John P Kee has so many great black jazz soul gospel songs also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be62jBiBmQw

[ministermike51]

Does anyone happen to have the chords or lead sheet to "Alabaster Box" which is my favorite SUNG gospel solo. I need to learn how to accompany it. Hear it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ls8ZfeBmHA&NR=1

[ministermike51]

In The Sanctuary is a cool song and it just keeps on changing keys, so great practice. John P Kee has so many great black jazz soul gospel songs also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be62jBiBmQw

YES, "In the Sanctuary" is amazing and how about "Jesus is Real"?!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2stVuHvRAo0&feature=related