Jazz Keyboard Harmony: Keyboard/Piano Spiral-Bound Book & Online Audio

This method avoids the trap of overwhelming students with theory while also refusing to skip the fundamentals. DeGreg's step-by-step voicing progression, combined with written-out songs that immediately apply what students just learned, creates the kind of feedback loop that actually builds confidence at the keyboard. The dual-channel audio tracks (demonstration plus play-along) mean students can hear exactly what they're aiming for before attempting it themselves.

Methodical and purposeful. Each chapter builds muscle memory for a specific voicing type, so by the time you're comping over a full progression, the shapes feel natural under your fingers rather than thought-out. The play-along tracks ground these exercises in real musical context, moving you quickly from isolated drills to playing alongside musicians.

Piano and keyboard students who are ready to move beyond single-note melody into the harmonic texture of jazz, whether they're in a jazz ensemble class, private study, or self-directed learning. This works equally well for students who read fluently and for those still building keyboard facility, thanks to the included fingerings and systematic voicing layouts.

• Start with the demonstration track on its own channel to internalize the sound and feel of each voicing before you attempt it. Listening first removes the pressure of execution and lets your ear guide your hands.
• Practice the bass line exercises separately from the voicings. Once both are secure, layer them together. This builds independence between your hands and prevents the left hand from dominating your attention.
• Use the play-along tracks with the saxophone soloist to develop sensitivity to the soloist's phrasing. Notice where the comping sits behind the melody and when space matters more than fill.

Assign chapters sequentially as part of jazz ensemble curriculum so that students arrive at rehearsals with voicing vocabulary already developing. The comping rhythms and bass techniques directly support what ensemble directors ask for in rehearsal, creating a feedback loop between private practice and ensemble performance. Individual chapters can also anchor private lesson progression for pianists preparing for jazz performance exams or auditions.

• Voicing construction across 2 to 7 voices with fourths and upper-structure triads
• Jazz chord progressions in all keys with proper fingering patterns
• Comping rhythms and coordination between hands
• Bass line construction supporting harmonic progressions
• Listening and responding to soloists while accompanying
• Transcription and analysis through written-out examples