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DISCOVER • LEARN • PLAY
Complete the Weekly Learning Cycle
Each week at Jazz Piano Skills begins with discovery, develops through focused study, and ultimately leads to playing.
The Blog Recap brings the week together—revisiting the essential concepts introduced in the Podcast and developed through the Masterclass, while highlighting the musical ideas and practical skills that matter most at the piano.
DISCOVER the concept. LEARN the skill. PLAY the music.
Jazz Piano Solo Playing: Develop the Skills to Create Your Own Arrangements (Our Love Is Here to Stay)
Solo piano doesn't begin with a sophisticated arrangement. It begins with developing the skills that make arrangements possible. Discover seven stages of jazz piano solo playing that bring harmony, melody, rhythm, stride, and improvisation together—and help you develop the independence to create musical performances of your own.
Dr. Bob Lawrence
Oct 39 min read
Jazz Piano Solo Playing: Develop Skills, Not Arrangements (Satin Doll)
Jazz piano solo playing doesn’t require practicing an entire tune at once. Discover how just two measures of Satin Doll and the Seven Stages of Solo Piano Development can build harmony, melody, rhythm, independence, improvisation, and real musicianship—one skill at a time.
Dr. Bob Lawrence
Aug 297 min read
Jazz Piano Solo Playing: You're Already a Solo Pianist (Over the Rainbow)
Most pianists think solo piano is something you earn after mastering advanced techniques. It isn't. Discover why jazz piano solo playing begins the moment harmony and melody work together, and explore the Seven Stages of Solo Piano Development.
Dr. Bob Lawrence
Aug 13 min read
Jazz Piano Improvisation: Why Improvisation Isn't Magic (Over the Rainbow)
Jazz piano improvisation isn't about talent or guessing. Discover how harmony, melody, and rhythm combine to create authentic jazz language and confident improvisation.
Dr. Bob Lawrence
Jul 263 min read
Jazz Harmony Analysis: Why Every Tune Begins with Harmony (Over the Rainbow)
Most students think learning jazz piano means collecting more scales, voicings, and licks. It doesn't. Discover why real progress comes from developing harmony, melody, rhythm, and a deeper understanding of how music connects.
Dr. Bob Lawrence
Jul 123 min read
What Does It Really Mean to Learn Jazz Piano?
Most students think learning jazz piano means collecting more scales, voicings, and licks. It doesn't. Discover why real progress comes from developing harmony, melody, rhythm, and a deeper understanding of how music connects.
Dr. Bob Lawrence
Jul 54 min read
Jazz Piano Solo Playing: Seeing Melody Harmonically (Teach Me Tonight)
Most players think solo piano is melody in one hand and chords in the other. It isn't. Discover how jazz piano solo playing begins by seeing melody harmonically and learning to uncover the harmony hidden inside every melody note.
Dr. Bob Lawrence
Jun 274 min read
Jazz Standards Practice: Why the Tune Is Not the Goal
Most jazz students believe the goal is to learn and master a tune. In reality, every standard is simply a vehicle for developing harmony, melody, rhythm, and musicianship. Discover why the tune is not the goal—and why growth comes from understanding the music behind it.
Dr. Bob Lawrence
Jun 64 min read
Jazz Piano Harmonic Analysis: I've Got the World on a String
Solo jazz piano doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Learn how to organize harmony, melody, and rhythm in real time using a simple, structured approach. This lesson shows how to practice jazz piano solo playing with clarity, control, and confidence using I Got Rhythm.
Dr. Bob Lawrence
May 95 min read
Sweet Lorraine — Harmonic Analysis
This week at Jazz Piano Skills, we begin our new monthly tune study with a harmonic analysis of Sweet Lorraine. Explore the form, chord changes, harmonic function, common progressions, and practical voicings that create the foundation for melodic study, improvisation, and solo piano development.
Dr. Bob Lawrence
Mar 86 min read
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