Here’s a practice tip to make scales fun and inspiring to play:
We all know that scale practice is essential for learning jazz piano, but yes, scales can become boring and monotonous if we simply repeat them over and over and over and over up and down the piano.
The solution: We need to practice them in ways that keep us challenged and motivated. One way that I enjoy practicing scales is play one hand legato while the other hand plays staccato. You might not be able to sit down at the piano and instantly do this, but with a few days of practice, you’ll begin to get the hang of it.
Here’s a short (1-minute) video I made to show you how to do it:
This kind of self-challenge can be very invigorating, and I felt energized simply by demonstrating it for you. Have fun, stick with it, and you’ll see your technique and musicianship improve and you practice scales because you want to, not because you have to!
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