(jazz music) - Here's the thing, you've been playing your
instrument a very long time, years, perhaps decades, even. And there's a question
that keeps coming up. "Why do I still suck?" You know all your scales. You know the altered scale, you know the diminished scale, you even know the difference between the half whole diminished and the whole half diminished. You know how to use them and
yet you still ask yourself, "Why do I still suck?" You know a ton of tunes. You can accompany a horn
player and a singer, you know some voicings. And when you go to improvise,
one question keeps coming up, "Why do I still suck?" Well, if you've looked at
this question in the past and you've been intimidated, - I'm gonna fix that for you right now. - You remember that whole Harry Connick ad that was on YouTube? Another guy just did the
same ad for another company. Exactly the same wording. Anyway, we are gonna fix that today because we're gonna work on the one thing that really matters today. And that is rhythmic vocabulary. You do not sound good, unless you work on your
rhythmic vocabulary and I'm betting that if you
are still asking your question, "Why do I still suck?" You haven't worked on your
rhythmic vocabulary enough. I'm also gonna let you in
on a little secret here and no educational YouTuber
wants to tell you this, but this is totally true. And that is that. (jazz music) They really don't. Notes don't matter at all. I know we talk about it here, all the triad pairs and
pentatonics and that's fine. And it's really fun and it's easy because we can math it out and we can work it to the point where we think we sound good, but when it comes down to it and we play without any
kind of sense of swing, or syncopation or rhythmic
vocabulary, it sucks. It does not matter. And we're gonna prove that today. We're gonna play without
any kind of melodic or harmonic vocabulary, just working on a rhythmic vocabulary and you're gonna sound better
than you have in a while. So, we need to talk about
syncopation and swing. First of all, if you're playing black-American music or anything even slightly
related to black-American music, you have to address syncopation and swing. You know who knows a lot
about syncopation and swing? This guy. - Buddy Bolden invented that beat that we call the "Big 4." That skip on the fourth
beat, or so legend has it. The Big 4 is when you accent the second, fourth beat of a march. In a straight, strict
march, you'll be going, ♪
Don-ch-don-ch-don-ch-don-ch-don-ch-don-ch
♪ With the Big 4 you go, ♪ Don-ch-don-ch-don-ch-ka-don-uh ♪ ♪ Ch-don-ch-don-ch-ka-don-uh ♪ So on that fourth beat, the drum and the symbol hit together. And that point, is where jazz music started
to really get its lilt. (marching music) Before that, the trumpets,
they were playing. (trumpet playing) But now, I have the Big 4 ♪ Boom-boom-boom-da-doom-boom ♪ ♪
Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom ♪ - That is of course, Wynton Marsalis from Ken Burns' "Jazz" documentary,
incredible documentary. That's my favorite clip from it because Wynton spells it out
so clearly, what is important. And again, just to remind you all this one important fact here. (jazz music) They seriously don't. It doesn't matter. What matters is what Wynton
just showed you there. So how do we get better at this? How do we work on rhythmic vocabulary? Well, you have to listen and you can pick whatever
artist that speaks to you. For me, the artist that encapsulates all of the great modern rhythmic language, rhythmic language that is still used today by the world's greatest
musicians, is Thelonious Monk. So we're gonna learn two
Thelonious Monk tunes. We're not even gonna learn the tune, we're just gonna learn
the rhythmic vocabulary of the tune. Here's the first one, listen. ("Rhythm-A-Ning") Listen again. ("Rhythm-A-Ning") Let's sing that rhythm. ♪ Gon-gon-gon-gon-gu-do-ga ♪ ♪ Ga-gon-ga-gon-ga-do ♪ ♪ Ga-do-ga-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Ga-do-ga-ga-do-ga ♪ Do it again, three and four and. ♪ Gon-gon-gon-gon-gu-do-ga ♪ ♪ Gu-gon-ga-gon-ga-do ♪ ♪ Ga-do-ga-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Ga-do-ga-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Mmm-mmm-mmm ♪ Listen to Monk. ("Rhythm-A-Ning") Let's sing it again. ♪ Gon-gon-gon-gon-gu-do-ga ♪ ♪ Gu-gon-ga-gon-ga-do ♪ ♪ Ga-do-ga-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Ga-do-ga-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Gon-gon-gon ♪ Again. ♪ Gon-gon-gon-gon-gu-do-ga ♪ ♪ Gon-gu-gon-gu-da-do ♪ ♪ Ga-do-ga-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Ga-do-ga-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Gon-gon-gon ♪ You see right there in the second bar? That's that Big 4 that
Wynton talking about, right? ♪ Do-do-do ♪ Four. ♪ Do-ka-do-a-ko ♪ That's the Big 4, that anticipation of one so
that it gets it off the grid. We're gonna be talking
a lot about that today. Using that syncopation, right? That anticipation of beats, or those odd number quarter notes between phrases to make our
rhythmic vocabulary come alive. You do not need to analyze
your way through this. You cannot think your way through this. Rhythm is meant to be danced, so try to please, feel
your way through this. That's the quickest way to the
promise land, I promise you, you cannot math your way through this. You just have to dance
your way, all right? So we can talk about this
is seven beats between, and that's why it's
syncopated, that's cool, but no, it's not. (laughs) We have to
feel our way through it. You have to just be able to feel it. And that takes listening. Let's listen to Monk again. ("Rhythm-A-Ning") You know what I mean? Sing the rhythm with me. One, two, one, two, three and. ♪ Gon-gon-gon-gon-gu-do-ga ♪ ♪ Gon-gu-gon-gu-ga-do ♪ ♪ Ga-do-ga-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Ga-do-ga-ga-do-ga ♪ Notice those accents, where
Monk puts the accents, uses his left hand to accent that. We don't have to do that, but it is important to
the rhythmic phrase. So, let's practice this
getting into our playing. Again, I want to prove to you that. (jazz music) They seriously don't. So what are we gonna do? We're gonna practice this with a nice little play-along I have. A little bit slower tempo
than what Monk is playing. This is from our Open Studio
Jazz Piano Jump-Start course. This is Bob DeBoo and Montez Coleman, not a bad rhythm section to be playing some B-flat rhythm changes. It does not matter what
the chord changes here are because it does not matter
what notes you play. I'm gonna give you four notes to play. B-flat, C, D-flat and D. And yes, that is a
D-flat and not a C-sharp. That is a flat third. (piano music) That is all that matters,
are those four notes. We're gonna do a whole form
through rhythm changes, doesn't matter what the chord changes are because it doesn't matter
what the notes are. And all I want you to do, is sing the rhythm here,
to "Rhythm-A-Ning," Monk's "Rhythm-A-Ning" and play along with that
rhythm that you're singing, making the melody up as you go. Truly improvising, using
this rhythmic vocabulary. Stay strictly to the rhythmic vocabulary. We're gonna go away from it 'cause you don't have to be
right on it all the time. But to start, let's see if we could
just play this rhythm, inserting our own notes
and only these four notes: B-flat, C, D-flat, and D. You ready? Let's try it. I am gonna sing the
rhythm over the form here, even over the bridge, so
that you can follow along, but there is that notation there and you only get those four notes. This might be enlightening to some of you. You wanna try it? Here we go. ♪ One, two, a one, two, three. ♪ You got it. ♪ Gon-gon-gon-gon-gu-do-ga ♪ ♪ Gon-ga-gon-gu-gu-ga ♪ ♪ Ga-do-ga-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Gu-ga-ga-gu-ga ♪ Play that rhythm. But only those four notes. ♪ Gon-gu-gu ♪ Whatever order you want. ♪ Gu-ga-gu ♪ ♪ Ga-gu-ga-gu-ga-da ♪ You know? ♪ Gu-ga-gu-ga ♪ ♪ Gu-da-gu-ga ♪ Here's the bridge. Same rhythm. ♪ Gon-gon-gon-gon-gu-do-gon ♪ ♪ Ga-gu-ga-gu-da-do ♪ ♪ Gon-gu-ga-gon-gu-ga ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga ♪ Last time. ♪ Gon-gon-gon-gon-gu-do-gon ♪ ♪ Gon-gon-gon-gon-da-do ♪ ♪ Do-da-do-ga ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga ♪ New chorus, now don't
play all of the notes. Same rhythm. ♪ Do-do ♪ But omit some notes. Keep the rhythm in your head. ♪ Do-do-gon-gon-gon ♪ Start leaving notes out. ♪ Do-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Mmm-mmm-mmm ♪ Second (indistinct). ♪ Gon-gon-gon ♪ Same rhythm. ♪ Gon-gon-gon-gon-do-ga-do-ga-do ♪ That Big 4. ♪ Do-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Gu-ga-gu-ga ♪ ♪ Mmm-mmm-mmm ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-do-ga ♪ We're just doing this one rhythm. ♪ On-da-gon-da-gon-ga-do ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Mmm-mmm-Mmm ♪ Last time. ♪ Gon-gon-ga-gon-gon-da ♪ ♪ On-da-do-do-do-do-da ♪ Just those four notes. ♪ Gu-ga-gu-ga ♪ ♪ Gu-ga-gu ♪ That's swinging. Did you feel how much
more swinging you can be, with a strong, rhythmic vocabulary? Isn't that incredible? Isn't that amazing? It's so much fun. That's what you need to be doing
every day in your practice. Chances are you're spending a
lot more time thinking about what notes you should play, than how you should play the notes. There needs to be a reversal of that if you wanna sound good. If you don't wanna still suck, you need to flip that ratio
of what you're working on, get a stronger sense of swing, a stronger sense of syncopation and really how you play
them is important as well. Let's do one more chorus. I want you to keep these
same four notes, right? (piano playing) I want you to keep this rhythm, but again, start subtracting
how much you play. So if I were to do this, I would play about half of
the notes in the rhythm. It would sound like this. I still have the rhythm going
underneath in my head, right? So check it out. ♪ Do-da-ga-do-gon-ga-do ♪ ♪ Ga-do-ga-do-ga-do ♪ ♪ Do-da-do-da ♪ ♪ Do-da-do-da ♪ That's all I'm thinking. Just that and I'm swinging
harder than if I were to just, play a bunch of nonsense, right? So let's try it again. Now, how you play this matters too. Don't think that a little
swagger doesn't matter because it does. You can't go in here unsure of yourself with your rhythmic vocabulary. That's not how this works. You have to have a little
of confidence as you go in. And I know when we're doing anything new, it's a little bit ra-ra-ra, but come at it with some
kind of sense of security in the rhythm. Do you remember at that
bonfire that you were at and you were telling
that really funny story and you had a couple of drinks and you were completely relaxed
and free with your friends and you were just lighting up the place? You were so funny and relaxed and easy, and everything was just
kind of coming out free? Do that here. Be that with this rhythm. Let's try it one more
time. One more chorus. Here we go. ♪ One, two, a one, two, three. ♪ ♪ Gon-gon-gon-gon-gon-gon ♪ ♪ Gon-gon-ga-gon-ga-do ♪ ♪ Gon-a-gon-a ♪ Choose your notes wisely. ♪ Gon-da-gon-gon-da ♪ Omit about 50% of
everything you're singing. ♪ Gon-gon-gon-gon-gon-gon-gon-gu-da-do ♪ ♪ Gu-ga-gu-ga ♪ ♪ Gu-ga-gu-ga ♪ ♪ Gon-gon-gon-gon-gon-gon ♪ ♪ Da-do-da-do-da-do ♪ ♪ Do-da-do-da ♪ ♪ Do-da-do-da ♪ Last (indistinct). You got it. Have fun. Tell your story. ♪ Gon-gon-gon-da ♪ Have a little swagger, have a little mojo, have a little confidence. That's it, that's all you need. That's all we need. It's not that complicated,
it really is not. It's really, really simple. Okay, so that's a pretty simple rhythm. What if we wanna get a
little more complicated? Well, then we should
probably learn this tune. ("Straight, No Chaser") That's "Straight, No Chaser," right? Another monk tune. Let's listen again. ("Straight, No Chaser") It's pretty good, right? Let's try singing this rhythm. One, two, a one, two, three. ♪ Gu-gu-do-ga ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga-do-da ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-da-do-ga-do-da ♪ ♪ Do-gu-don ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga-wa-tow ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-wa-do-ga-do-wa ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-wa-da-go-do-ga-do-ga-do ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga-do ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-wap ♪ Let's listen again. ("Straight, No Chaser") Let's try that rhythm again. See if you can get these accents. One, two, a one, two, three. ♪ Ba-ga-do-a ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ga-do-a ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-a ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-a ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-da ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ga-do-a ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-da ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-da ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ga-da-do-ga-do-da ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-a ♪ It's just talking. The syncopation here is so crucial. So, if we look at where
these phrases start, you can see Monk using a four note phrase, in a three beat pattern, right? If we wanna get super analytical about it, you can be like, "Oh, this
starts here on beat one and then on beat four and
then it's a three beat thing and a four-four measure." That doesn't matter. Just feel it, just dance it. Try not to overanalyze it. Just try to live it a little bit. Try to breathe it a little bit. Try to swim in it a little bit. And it'll be a whole hell of a lot easier. And again, just this whole rhythm, you could Clark Terry this. ♪ A-vo-ga-do-dot ♪ ♪ A-go-ga-do-jot ♪ ♪ A-vo-ga-do-dot ♪ ♪ A-vo-ga-do-dot ♪ ♪ A-ge-ga-dot ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ga-vo-dot ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-go-dot ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-dot ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ga-dot-a-da-ga-da-dot ♪ ♪ A-da-ga-da-ga-dot-da-ga-da-da-da ♪ ♪ A-da-da-da-wa ♪ It's just a conversation. It's a rhythmic conversation that happens over a very standard four-four rhythm and it's in these little
chunks of three beats, which make it syncopation. But again, we don't need to redefine that. Okay, let's do the same exercise. And again, I really
wanna prove to you that. (jazz music) They really don't, they
couldn't matter less, as a matter of fact. That pains me to say that
as a music theory nerd, but they just don't in this context. And to prove that we're gonna
play over a B-flat blues, and here are your note
choices, everything, chromatic scale, whatever you wanna do. A B-flat blues, all we need to do is use the rhythm from "Straight, No Chaser." I'll show you what I'm talking about here. ♪ Two, three ♪ (jazz music) A little rhythmic confidence, a little bit of swagger and
some swing and syncopation. And once again. (jazz music) They really don't. It doesn't matter at all. It doesn't matter, as
long as you have this. Let's give it a shot. Let's see if we can take our
"Straight, No Chaser" rhythm and any note is possible here. I was really trying to
get some good shapes, some good spaces here. You're gonna find that
this sounds a lot better than playing all the right
notes on a B-flat blues and it just feeling
really wet and not great. Let's try it here. You got it. ♪ One, two ♪ I'll sing the rhythm for you. ♪ Gu-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-da ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-da ♪ ♪ Do-ga-da ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga-da-do ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-da ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ga-do-ga-do-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ga-do ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-da ♪ Try it again, you got it. ♪ Do-ga-do-da ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ga-da-do ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-da ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ga-da-da ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-da ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-da ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ga-ga ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga-da ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga-do-da ♪ One more time. ♪ Do-ga-do-ja ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga-do-ya ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga ♪ ♪ Do-ga-do-ga-da-da ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ja ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-Ja ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-ja ♪ It's a game changer, isn't it? Just with random notes you're gonna sound a lot more secure, a lot better than without, okay. Let's do a full four chorus
play along of this B-flat blues. This is for you to do anything you want. You can choose whatever you notes. You want maybe the blues scale. Maybe you actually try to
play through the changes of a B-flat blues, but I want you to still keep the rhythm to "Straight, No Chaser" in your heart. And that doesn't mean you
play every single note. Again, you can take notes out. ♪ A-do-ga-do-a ♪ ♪ A-boom-ba-do-da-oh-ch ♪ ♪ A-do-ga-do-a ♪ ♪ A-boom-da-da-da-da-da-do-bat ♪ ♪ Ba-do-ba-do-ba-da-da ♪ Maybe you play a bunch of them, maybe you play just minimal
as much as you want, but keep that melody, that rhythmic vocabulary
super strong in your mind as you're going through. It's a great exercise for getting out of just the running changes
and here's the notes to play and all that crap. Just ignore that. Have fun. We're gonna go out with that. Until next time everybody, Happy practicing. Enjoy. ♪ One, two, a one, two, three ♪ (jazz music)
He usually posts really good things. This month's daily sessions were a little too much, doing one per week works much better. But my population quota is just myself.