Funk groove
Funk groove 1 guidance
(Try activating the ‘Pin’ switch above to keep the score at the top of the page so you can refer to it when reading these tips…)
The notes in drum notation are ‘ghosted’, which is to say played with a lighter touch than the others. They are essential to giving the groove its funk feel. Work on this example slowly at first, getting the notes under your fingers until you don’t have to think about them. You can then turn your attention to feeling the groove and getting it ‘in the pocket’ (try playing very slightly behind the beat). The groove and feel are at least as important as the notes you play.
For the bluesy crunches, take your time before resolving the grace notes: they shouldn’t be too short. Keep the minor third (D flat) depressed while you move to the natural third (D). It should almost be a ‘squelchy’ sound you’re aiming for.
Lastly, a few of the chords are annotated by their chord degree numbers. Keeping these in mind will help if you wanted to transpose a given lick into other keys. For example, try taking the bluesy crunch at the start of bar two and playing it a semitone lower: the E flat and A flat of the B flat dominant 7 chord – the 4 and flat 7 – become D and G over an A dominant 7 chord.
Explore creating your own grooves in the full tutorial →
Have questions?
Is this website for me?
JazzKeys.fyi is for anyone who is serious about improving their jazz piano playing. If you can improvise a simple line over a ii7-V7-I chord progression in a few different keys, at the same time as comping some basic voicings in your left hand, that's enough to build on.
If you don't already know any jazz, but play some kind of keyboard instrument in another genre (pop or classical, for example) and are interested in learning jazz, the site can help you get to grips with it. However, some understanding of music theory (eg how basic chords work) is recommended.
Whatever your experience or background, try the free tutorials to see if they're a good fit for where you’re at currently.
Do I need to be able to read music?
No, not necessarily. You can study the musical examples by ear, by reading the written score, or by watching the animated keyboard – or a mix of all of those. (If you want to go pro, however, being able to read a chart is a really handy skill to have.)
Are there videos?
No. This site is made up of text, written scores, audio, and animated keyboards. There is already plenty of video content out there on other websites and YouTube. Some people may also prefer to study using non-video resources.
Why should I listen to what you have to say about playing jazz?
I’m just here to share what I’ve learned over the course of playing and studying jazz for ~25 years. I don’t claim to know any more than the next person, and I’m constantly working to improve my own playing. My only credential is that I’ve recorded some music that I think sounds OK. (If you’re interested, my ‘artist’ website is jamiealexandersmith.com.) I definitely would have found this site super helpful back in the day, and I was keen to build it and share with others what has worked for me.
What’s the balance between theory and practice?
I lean very much into the practical, going into theory only when it’s necessary to explain a concept. JazzKeys.fyi is all about applying knowledge. For example, the tutorials ‘Bebop figure 1’ and ‘Bebop figure 2’ take their respective licks and, as well as showing you how they work against different flavours of chord (a useful exercise in and of itself), we also see how the licks can form the basis of an actual solo (over the A section of rhythm changes).
Check out the free Bud Powell tutorial to see this applied approach in action.
How many tutorials are there?
Currently 21, comprising over 100 musical examples, each with a score, audio, and animated keyboard. Six tutorials are free, and the other 15 (with 78 musical examples) can be unlocked for a one-time payment of $27.
Is there a mobile app?
The website can be added to your phone or tablet home screen, where it will function as if it were a native app. (Internet access is required.) To do this on iOS, go to JazzKeys.fyi in Safari and tap the Share button, then tap Add to Home Screen. On Android, tap the menu button in Chrome, then tap Add to Home Screen.
If you’ve unlocked the full site, you can follow the same process but from the page that is linked in your purchase confirmation email.
Is the $27 unlock fee a recurring subscription?
Nope: it’s a one-time payment.
Who handles the payment?
Payment is handled by Lemon Squeezy, a digital products platform owned by payment processor Stripe.
What if I don't find the tutorials useful?
I’ll refund your money, no questions asked. Just email me with your license key (or simply reply to the order confirmation email you received upon purchase).