Sitting In: Blues Piano: Keyboard/Piano Book & Online Audio/Software

Gold distills decades of professional soloing experience into genuine, usable concepts rather than abstract theory. The inclusion of high-quality live band recordings and the TNT 2 software (which lets you adjust tempo and key on the fly) means students aren't just reading about blues comping and soloing—they're actually doing it against a responsive, energetic ensemble, which is where real musicianship develops.

Genuine band energy without needing to find a band. The live recordings breathe and swing with the looseness of a real ensemble, so your practice sessions feel less like exercises and more like an actual gig. You'll develop the instinctive responsiveness that comes only from playing alongside other musicians.

Blues and rock pianists and keyboardists ready to move beyond static practice into real-time interaction with ensemble playing. This works for students preparing for jam sessions or open mic nights, as well as intermediate to advanced players looking to deepen their comping vocabulary and soloing fluency across multiple blues styles.

• Listen to the sample solos on the recordings first without your instrument in hand; internalize the phrasing and vocabulary before you replicate it at the keys.
• Use the TNT 2 software to slow down sections to half-tempo while you're learning the comping patterns, then gradually bring the tempo back up to full speed.
• Loop a single progression multiple times and focus on one soloing idea per run-through rather than trying to cram everything into one solo.
• Record yourself soloing over the progressions and listen back critically; you'll hear habits and opportunities that become invisible when you're in the moment.

Assign sections progressively throughout a school year or studio season: start with shuffle and boogie-woogie early on, then layer in gospel, swing blues, and blues-rock as students build confidence and vocabulary. The 80-page format works well as a supplementary resource alongside technique-focused study, giving students a creative outlet that reinforces what they're learning elsewhere.

• Blues comping patterns across shuffle, boogie-woogie, gospel, swing blues, and blues-rock styles
• Blues scales, modes, and their application to solo construction
• Listening and responding to ensemble phrasing in real time
• Chord-tone soloing and improvisation over blues progressions
• Tempo and key flexibility using the included software