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Key of Bb Major – PWJ Avenue

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Instructor
Jonny May
Course
Beginner
01:43:58

Bb major is your first key that starts on a black key, and it’s a favorite of jazz musicians, horn players and singers. If you want to play songs or read chord charts in Bb, this course gives you everything you need. You’ll learn the Bb major scale in each hand, practical fingering strategies to make it feel natural, and how to play it up the keyboard across multiple octaves.

Next, you’ll learn the chords that belong to the key of Bb and the most common chord progressions (chord patterns) used in this key. Then comes the fun part: you’ll learn different ways to jam on these chords, so you can make music on your own, without sheet music. To bring it all together, you’ll learn PWJ Avenue, a fun original tune that uses the notes and chords from the course.

Once you’re comfortable, you’ll use inversions to make your chord changes sound smoother and apply them to PWJ Avenue. Then you’ll play the tune along with a bass and drums backing track, so it feels like you’re playing in a band. Finally, you’ll learn simple ways to play chords for someone else to sing or play along to.

Course Objectives
  • Play the Bb major scale in both hands across multiple octaves, using effective fingering strategies
  • Learn the diatonic chords and the most common chord progressions in Bb major
  • Explore different ways to jam and improvise on the chords in Bb
  • Apply inversions and smooth voice leading, then perform PWJ Avenue with a full backing track
  • Accompany a singer or instrumentalist using three chord grooves
Learning Focus
  • Chords & Voicings
  • Groove
  • Lead Sheets
  • Scales
  • Songs
Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

awesome course
I like the course structure. It arranged in very easy manner. i never thought that it was like that. You can track ur progress in piano path. Very nice awesome.
That was a lot of fun. Really catchy tune and loved the 5 note improv.
Easy enough yet challenging. Especially the last accompaniment lesson. I recorded the melody and then played accompaniment over the top which was really challenging but did get to 120 bpm. I never could get to where I could sing over the accompaniment it correctly.
Informative, Fun and Inspiring
The pace of the courses was great. Each time adding new theory and skills. I felt that learning the key and the techniques was an important step on piano journey.
good method to understand scales
I liked how we learned the fingering for the scale and then learned chords. Also using the lead sheet idea to develop an understanding of the chords and moving between them is a great way to improve technique.
Challenging
i enjoyed the B sharp major even tough it's challenging with the scale fingering

Course Lessons

1
Key of Bb Major – Lesson 1
16:21

The Major Scale, 1 & 2 Octaves

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2
Key of Bb Major – Lesson 2
17:03

4 Common Chord Progressions

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3
Key of Bb Major – Lesson 3
24:24

Learn PWJ Avenue, Lead Sheet, Melody, Chords, & Groove

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4
Key of Bb Major – Lesson 4
20:40

Inversions, Primary Chord Progression, PWJ Avenue Application

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5
Key of Bb Major – Lesson 5
7:08

Performance with Backing Track

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6
Key of Bb Major – Lesson 6
18:22

Accompaniment

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Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

awesome course
I like the course structure. It arranged in very easy manner. i never thought that it was like that. You can track ur progress in piano path. Very nice awesome.
That was a lot of fun. Really catchy tune and loved the 5 note improv.
Easy enough yet challenging. Especially the last accompaniment lesson. I recorded the melody and then played accompaniment over the top which was really challenging but did get to 120 bpm. I never could get to where I could sing over the accompaniment it correctly.
Informative, Fun and Inspiring
The pace of the courses was great. Each time adding new theory and skills. I felt that learning the key and the techniques was an important step on piano journey.
good method to understand scales
I liked how we learned the fingering for the scale and then learned chords. Also using the lead sheet idea to develop an understanding of the chords and moving between them is a great way to improve technique.
Challenging
i enjoyed the B sharp major even tough it's challenging with the scale fingering
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