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Blues Lick #6: “Locked up”

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Another Free Blues Piano Lesson from Piano with Kent

Blues Study Lick #6, “Locked Up”

 

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Updated Feb. 4 2021.

This is a really exciting technique for what I like to call the “Big Blues” sound.  By “Big Blues,” I mean dramatic, exciting, full, like you might hear from a jazz big band.  This kind of lick also works great for building to a climax in your “blues story” (a good solo usually tells a story).
The name of this lick, “Locked Up,” ain’t necessarily because what you’re saying with your fingers might be a story about going to jail. In this video, “Locked up” actually refers to the core idea of the lesson, something called “locked rhythm.”

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How to Quickly Learn Any Scale on Any Instrument

You can learn any scale on any instrument based on HALF-STEPS and WHOLE-STEPS!

THE GIST:

Any scale, such as
Major or Minor, is defined by its own unique series of half-steps and whole steps. These intervals, half-step vs. whole step, are both measured in terms of a chosen pair of notes, and the musical parts they play in defining the overall sound of any particular scale.

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FREE Interactive Piano Chord Catalog of 108+ Piano Chords

A free picture-based piano chord book from ‘Piano With Kent’ | Chords 108 Series – Visual Supplement | Chord Catalog

UPDATE: You can now purchase a downloadable PDF version of this complete piano chord book HERE.

At bottom is a free interactive eBook which is an excellent reference for my Chords 108 series.***

***This book can also serve as a stand-alone reference, arranged alphabetically and by chord type.

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“Prelude in C” with Letter Note-Names | Piano Sheet Music | Original and Unabridged

J.S. Bach’s Prelude in C Major with letter-names added

Prelude in C,  written by J.S. Bach, from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book One.  Prelude in C is an extremely popular piece that will never lose its appeal to piano players and listeners alike.

This Bach piano sheet music has each note labeled with its musical letter-name, such as E, D#, A… Some markings (dynamics, etc.) have been omitted to make room for the added letters.

 

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How to Play Difficult Chords on Piano or Keyboards

FROM PIANO WITH KENT

FROM A STUDENT ON MY YouTube CHANNEL:

“Sometimes I can play the C7 Chord, lots of time I am hitting the G# because I have to move my hand higher on the keys to sound the chord. Any hints on fingering or practicing this? Thanks much!“

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Für Elise Sheet Music with Letter-Labeled Notes | PDF Download

Beethoven’s Für Elise Sheet Music with Letter-Note Names

Letter note-names on sheet music can be extremely helpful, sometimes almost indispensable, to people who have limited music-reading experience, and/or have no access to a teacher, and/or have limited mobility, or learning hindrances of any kind.

This approach works very well for amateur adult pianists, for example, who may have taken piano as a child, and who now want to play their favorite tunes and pieces, but who may have forgotten certain details about reading music.

Guaranteed professional accuracy: Formal piano sheet music notation, with letter-note name labels added to every note.

  • Original key!

  • Downloadable from virtually any web-connected device, such as smart phone, laptop, or tablet.

Continue reading Für Elise Sheet Music with Letter-Labeled Notes | PDF Download

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The Rule of ‘Three Times Right’ for Memorizing Any Task

How to memorize sheet music

How to memorize music with certainty?

Today, I want to share a very simple technique for being confident that you have memorized a section of music. This works for many similar things, such as an actor memorizing lines.

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Sheet Music: Lick #10 from “A Study in Blues Piano”

More Sheet Music for ‘A Study in Blues Piano’

Updated Jan. 1, 2021.

Here’s a downloadable PDF file of sheet music covering Blues Piano Lick #10, for optional use with my course “A Study in Blues Piano” (all on this site).

This sheet is part of a supplemental collection I’m putting together, in response to recent requests.

Cheers!

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How to Play “Piggyback” Arpeggios

Piano With Kent - Free Music and Piano Lessons | Sheet Music With Letters

How to Play ‘Piggyback’ Arpeggios on Piano

Updated: Dec. 31, 2020

Here’s a straightforward way to play impressive sounding arpeggios on your keyboard!

This sounds especially nice on piano when using the sustain pedal!

VIDEO LESSON

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Free Blues Piano Lessons: A Study in Blues Piano – Focusing on Twelve Licks

Welcome to A Study in Blues Piano!

Course Description

This is an in-depth study of twelve blues licks, with extensive left-hand support tips. Each lick/riff is explored in detail, including variations, fingering, playing tips, and supporting music theory.

More than just learning the notes by rote, you will get insight into the patterns, scales, chords and intervals involved, including how to transpose each lick.

As a result, each lick will be mastered as RAW MATERIAL for endless variations, with applications in many musical settings (genres).

Lick #10 of this group is actually more than a lick; rather, it gives you a complete two-handed 12-bar opening groove, including a left-hand pattern to support your licks throughout your soloing.

Sheet Music

Students can download and print optional sheet music for several of the licks. There’s also a sample solo piece with a 12-bar introduction, followed by a 12-bar piano solo that features licks from the class.

  • THIS COURSE IS FREE TO VISITORS WHEN VIEWED HERE ONLY.  HOWEVER, ALL ORIGINAL CONTENT ON PIANOWITHKENT.COM REMAINS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL, AUTHORIZED FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY, AND IS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR DISTRIBUTION, UNLESS EXPLICITLY AUTHORIZED, IN WRITING, BY KENT D. SMITH OF PIANOWITHKENT.COM.
  • Piano With Kent is a US Registered Trademark.
  • Thank you for your continued support of free education!

By Kent. D. Smith of Piano with Kent. (c) 2010. (c) 2021.  All rights reserved.

 

THE TWELVE LICK STUDIES

One

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