Jazz Counterpoint.
I learned to play through changes and get a feel for swing by playing bass with the left hand and a melody or soloing in the right. When it comes to moving gear, a piano or keyboards suck. When it comes to sitting at your instrument and experimenting with what both hands are capable of doing together or independently, the piano rules! Solo Baby, no feedback - you're free.
At the time I really got going with this technique, I was heavily influenced by Miles Davis' famous quintet of the 60's. Miles had Herbie not comp most of the time and play linear solos like a horn. This intrigued me and validated the two line counterpoint between bass and melody - naked, clean, simply basic. I spent hours going through 2 - 5's and all kinds of progressions, also getting a feel going. I probably tried to emulate Ron and Herbie swinging together.
A later influence was a piano teacher out of Seattle, Jerry Gray. He had unique ways of thinking of the keyboard and new concepts for me to ponder. One very important concept is that of breathing. He played examples of a right hand phrase, then left hand comping, and alternating these back and forth. Many musical things are accomplished with this technique: the dialog between the hands is a conversation (one person speak at a time please!); both hands speak then breath, one of the reason voice and wind instruments speak to us is they have to stop to breath - ahh, thank you; the listener can focus on each phrase fully. Then, mix this up with the simultaneous two at once playing (counterpoint) and you have variety.
I learned to play through changes and get a feel for swing by playing bass with the left hand and a melody or soloing in the right. When it comes to moving gear, a piano or keyboards suck. When it comes to sitting at your instrument and experimenting with what both hands are capable of doing together or independently, the piano rules! Solo Baby, no feedback - you're free.
At the time I really got going with this technique, I was heavily influenced by Miles Davis' famous quintet of the 60's. Miles had Herbie not comp most of the time and play linear solos like a horn. This intrigued me and validated the two line counterpoint between bass and melody - naked, clean, simply basic. I spent hours going through 2 - 5's and all kinds of progressions, also getting a feel going. I probably tried to emulate Ron and Herbie swinging together.
A later influence was a piano teacher out of Seattle, Jerry Gray. He had unique ways of thinking of the keyboard and new concepts for me to ponder. One very important concept is that of breathing. He played examples of a right hand phrase, then left hand comping, and alternating these back and forth. Many musical things are accomplished with this technique: the dialog between the hands is a conversation (one person speak at a time please!); both hands speak then breath, one of the reason voice and wind instruments speak to us is they have to stop to breath - ahh, thank you; the listener can focus on each phrase fully. Then, mix this up with the simultaneous two at once playing (counterpoint) and you have variety.