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It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
Hi Tim Richards fans, as I can see you are as pleased about this book as I am I've started a blog on the improvisation tasks in Improvising Blues Piano and I invite you to join in! http://improvisingpiano.blogspot.com/
You know, I first hear about Tim Richards here at Piano World, and I reluctantly started exploring his many many GREAT blues and jazz books. AND . . . his "Improvising Blues Piano" became a huge blessing "especially" to my male students. Here's just one of the jazz songs from his "Jazz" series. He ENCOURAGES improvising. Which is part of a huge undertaking. But I can only say Thank you to Tim Richards for the many great riffs and ideas he put in these books. Again, these books were a GOD send for my students. . . and for me!
Just a note, that I used a series of other books, but these pieces from Tim Richards "blues" and "jazz" really had the sound that made it real.
So I will be forever grateful to Tim Richards and the work that HE put into these books. Sincerely! Words just can't express how much these books have made a difference. What can I add, . . . Maybe just this video. Called "Funky-Two Five" this is from Tim's Exploring JAZZ Piano! Volumn 1.
Hi Diane...Thanks for posting....and I thank Tim Richards for the 3 paino tutors.... Improvising Blue Piano ...Exploring Jazz Piano #1....Exploring Jazz Piano #2..these are great referance books to learn Blues and Jazz ...its is up the student, how far one needs to progress... there are all levels of learning material...Any body wanting to purchase these books should shop around,there can be large differance in price...Doug
Hi everyone! Just found this forum. Very cool. I've been working with IBP for 2-3 years now and it's absolutely fantastic. I've probably played 10% of it, but it just keeps being rewarding. I only clued in a month or two back that it came with a CD and that listening to the CD might help me with the phrasing instead of trying to tap out all those syncopations and tied notes!
I looked on the Amazon site for the Jazz piano vol 1 and it did not say that it comes with a CD. It says that vol 2 comes with one.
Did anyone order the book from Amazon and did it come with the CD?
I have both "Exploring Jazz Piano Volume 1 & 2" and each volume comes with it's own CD! Each book (with it's own CD) cost me a total of $100 total for both books! CD came with each Volume!
Hi... Tim Richards IBS students...St Louis Blues P.200....#61....I just love this piece ... the chord progression has a great feel to it ..played in the Tango rhythm swings it along..... I also play this on 8 string lap steel tuned to C6.....Doug
Haven't posted in here for a while. I'm learning St Louis Blues at the moment. Great piece, I like the arrangement in the book because the three sections all have distinct feels to them and it makes it interesting to listen to and improvise over.
As a side note I'm currently studying on a short course at Leeds College of Music led by Tim Richards, there's a beginner to intermediate course and an intermediate to advanced course which is the one I'm taking. Its actually the last class this week (only 4 weeks long).
If anybody gets the chance to study with Tim I would really recommend it. He's made me more aware of what I'm playing and has picked me up on a few bad habits. It also given me the push I needed to finally finish off the IBP book nearly two years after I first started it.
I just need to find time to start looking at Exploring Jazz Piano 1 now and start the whole cycle again!
Hi pbluesman...Hi ...Its great that you are enjoying your TRB...St Louis Blues..I agree with you,the arrangement is very good ....Must be great that you have attended Tims short course...its a bit far for me to get there..sometimes it doesn't take much to get back on the course you were pursueing...blues and boogie doesn't have to be reppetious...just need a goal to achive...I would rather play 5 pieces well than 100 badly
I've been working with Improvising Blues Piano for two years now and I'm fairly enthusiastic about it. It's motivated me beyond my own expectations and I've even started a blog on it: http://improvisingpiano.blogspot.de/
Its aim is to carry out one improvisation for every song in the book, just as Tim Richards always suggests in the 'Assignments' boxes. At the moment, I'm still looking for people eager to join me in my quest. Don't hesitate to contact me, I'm no piano-superpower!
It looks like this thread came to an end, but i'm glad I found it. I read through it start to finish.
I picked up IBP about two months ago, still working on Chapter One. I'm trying to be able to play all pieces well before moving on to the next chapter. I'm trying to go through this in a disciplined way. I don't really want to be a blues player, but a jazz player, and I know there is much benefit starting with this book including theory and application of blues piano. I know it definitely will lead into many advantages when I move on to jazz piano book 2.
I had taught myself to play Thompson's classical through year four...sheet reading mainly. that was in my twenties, now I'm 47.
I took jazz lessons for about 1 year, and learned a bunch of theory. learned how to play from lead sheets, basic closed and open position chords, tritone sub. but didn't learn improvisation, blues, or how to use extensions.
I'm frustrated because I feel so far away from being able to develop the playing that I'd like to do. I don't expect to be a master. But I would like to be able to play standards competently, with some improve, and with jazz voicings and extensions that make it sound great.
IBP is a great book so far. The theory is all a refresher for me so far. But it's the LH and RH patterns that are new. I don't want to be a boogie woogie pianist, but appreciate the rhythms.
I am currently unemployed, been out of work for a year. I just got a piano donated to me and picked up these two books (IBP and EJP).
If there's anyone who gets this post, I'd be curious how the book ended up benefiting you. Did anyone make it through cover to cover? Does this pathway really get you far down the road to playing competently?
Or is it better to go the route of PlayWithWillie.com or something like that?
My problem is that I don't want to take shortcuts, nor do I want to be a serious student. I'm a hobbyist. I want to be able to play competently, and I just don't want to waste my time on a path that doesn't lead me towards where I want to go.
I wish I could afford a teacher again. but I'm hoping this book helps me build the competence to play in a non-embarrassing way. Perhaps even one day having the chops to walk up to an open piano in a restaurant or hospital and play pleasingly for those around me. Maybe a restaurant player. Who knows.
So I'd love to hear from anyone who may still be around. Maybe rejuvenate this thread and study of IBP and EJP.
PS. I know from years of practice one can get better at things. I'm an oil painter, that's what I practice. you can check out my paintings, robertbrittonjr.blogspot.com but I'm not exactly where I want to be as an artist.
I also believe God has given us certain talents and it's up to us to apply regimented practice and pursuit to develop those gifts. So for me, Painting and PIano are two gifts i'm so grateful for, but my piano skills are really a ways off from where I want to be.
Excellent book ,I'had it for years still come back to it time from time although now I play mostly jazz, it does give you lot of info to start with and once you get the left hand going ,life gets exciting.
Did you progress start to finish through the book? Any recommendations on how best to use it?
I think it's a pretty good book so far, and there's some interesting patterns and knowledge in there. But much of the stuff, I'll never really apply at all like Shuffle, Boogie Woogie for example. Yes, they are cool tunes and patterns to learn.
But like I said above, I'm trying to get from where I am now...probably past beginner but at intermediate, up to being proficient in playing Jazz standards.
I do like the book's emphasis on improvisation right from the beginning.
But I'm not sure I've ever encountered anyone who went through the book and it's benefits. seems like it's got some useful stuff in it though.
I wonder what the main stream Jazz learning resources are in terms of hands on or self-instruction books for learning jazz?
I'll probably take a peak at the EJB I bought along with this one. Tim seems to suggest to first learn the IBP before moving onward to EJB.
I'm also debating sites like PlayWithWillie.com for learning jazz.
Thoughts? How do you approach your learning of jazz? Recommendations?
I take method books as an extra info on certain subject I wanna learn ,in this case it was piano blues. I found there a lot of interestion stuff that I used and use but also other that I don't,but it's good to by familiar with them. I went through book completly but excercises I did't like I didn't do ,also I did a lot of research outside and lots of other excercises which are not in the book. Blues piano is a wast subject and IPB to me was a great introduction to that world . Don't know much about EJP as I went with Mark Levin's jazz piano book afterwards.
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