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Key of C Minor – Long Ago

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Instructor
Jonny May
Course
Beginner
01:46:47

C minor is the key of Beethoven’s famous Fifth Symphony, with its stormy opening notes, but it also sounds great in jazz. This course covers all the essentials of C minor, and since it’s closely related to Eb major, many of the notes will feel familiar. You’ll learn the C minor scale plus two variations that give minor music its unique flavor, with the fingering for each hand and strategies for playing them smoothly and building speed.

Next, you’ll learn the 10 chords you’ll see most often in C minor and four of the most common chord progressions (chord patterns) in this key. Then you’ll bring it all together with Long Ago, a fun, jazzy original swing tune that shows off a cooler, more relaxed side of C minor.

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

Course Objectives
  • Play C natural, harmonic and melodic minor in both hands with the correct fingering
  • Use practice strategies to play your scales smoothly and build speed
  • Learn the 10 most common chords and four of the most common chord progressions in C minor
  • Play Long Ago, an original jazz swing tune
  • Apply inversions, perform with a full backing track and accompany other musicians
Learning Focus
  • Chords
  • Groove
  • Lead Sheets
  • Scales
  • Songs
Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

Love the Emphasis on Creativity at the Beginner Level!
I love the encouragement that the instructors give beginning students to experiment with rhythms and harmonies from the very start! Lots of great tools and suggestions in this course!
This one was easy.
Easy melody. I liked the different grooves for comping while improvising on the melody.
Mixing Rhythms
It was mixing the different rhythms
Comfortably got through it.
The teaching was excellent. I managed all the lessons without too much drama. It was good.
Easier melody
The melody was easier for this lesson which was great! It made for faster learning of the lesson.

Course Lessons

1
Key of C Minor – Lesson 1
19:54

Natural, Harmonic, & Melodic Minor

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2
Key of C Minor – Lesson 2
26:14

4 Common Chord Progressions

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3
Key of C Minor – Lesson 3
22:06

“Long Ago,” Melody, Chords, Swing Style

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4
Key of C Minor – Lesson 4
18:06

Inversions, Primary Chord Progression, Long Ago Application

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5
Key of C Minor – Lesson 5
9:33

Performance with Backing Track

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6
Key of C Minor – Lesson 6
10:54

Accompaniment

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Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

Love the Emphasis on Creativity at the Beginner Level!
I love the encouragement that the instructors give beginning students to experiment with rhythms and harmonies from the very start! Lots of great tools and suggestions in this course!
This one was easy.
Easy melody. I liked the different grooves for comping while improvising on the melody.
Mixing Rhythms
It was mixing the different rhythms
Comfortably got through it.
The teaching was excellent. I managed all the lessons without too much drama. It was good.
Easier melody
The melody was easier for this lesson which was great! It made for faster learning of the lesson.
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