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Blue Skies – Challenge 1

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Instructor
John Proulx
Challenge
Beginner
01:06:38

This course will help you master Blue Skies at the beginner level.

First we’ll learn the right hand melody and left hand chord shells. Next we’ll embellish the melody with harmony notes and learn a pre-written solo. Finally, we’ll put the hands together and play a beautiful final arrangement!

Course Objectives
  • Memorize the lead sheet melody
  • Practice the left hand chord shells
  • Embellish and harmonize the melody
  • Learn a pre-written solo
  • Combine all these techniques for a final arrangement
Learning Focus
  • Songs
Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

Confidence builder
All structure points covered. Rhythm nicely interwoven. So accessible! Solo distinct for ascending scale usage.
All about blue
This is a great course! There are so many insights to help us understand thus piece!
Always in the blue
John is such an outstanding teacher! His clarification of scale degrees has helped me a great deal. He obviously really enjoys sharing his understanding!
Fun to learn and a very good song to play. Song was taught very well.
going through each lesson
I loved learning this classic!
This is my first Challenge ever and I loved it! I'm not quite ready to share my final rendition but will do so soon. John does a remarkable job of breaking down the basic elements of this beautiful tune, and then, by giving the solo sample, enables us to take it to the next level!

Course Lessons

1
Blue Skies – Challenge 1 – Lesson 1
13:54

Lead Sheet

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2
Blue Skies – Challenge 1 – Lesson 2
12:48

Left Hand Chord Shells

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3
Blue Skies – Challenge 1 – Lesson 3
13:08

Right Hand

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4
Blue Skies – Challenge 1 – Lesson 4
26:48

Hands Together & Improv Solo

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Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

Confidence builder
All structure points covered. Rhythm nicely interwoven. So accessible! Solo distinct for ascending scale usage.
All about blue
This is a great course! There are so many insights to help us understand thus piece!
Always in the blue
John is such an outstanding teacher! His clarification of scale degrees has helped me a great deal. He obviously really enjoys sharing his understanding!
Fun to learn and a very good song to play. Song was taught very well.
going through each lesson
I loved learning this classic!
This is my first Challenge ever and I loved it! I'm not quite ready to share my final rendition but will do so soon. John does a remarkable job of breaking down the basic elements of this beautiful tune, and then, by giving the solo sample, enables us to take it to the next level!
Related Courses
Blue Skies – Accompaniment 1

In this comprehensive jazz course, we'll learn how to accompany on Blue Skies. Starting with the lead sheet, we’ll memorize the chords, review left hand patterns & rhythms, add chord extensions & rhythmic hits, and learn an intro/outro for a beautiful final arrangement.

Blue Skies – Band Accompaniment 1

If you’ve ever been interested in accompanying on piano in a band setting, this workshop is for you! Using the great Irving Berlin standard, “Blue Skies,” we'll explore various accompanying techniques so you’ll sound like a pro!

Autumn Leaves – Challenge 1

This course will help you master Autumn Leaves at the beginner level. We'll learn the right hand melody, left hand chords, and a few easy tricks to spice it up for a final arrangement.

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