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Most jazz piano students make the same mistake when they begin improvising — they start with notes instead of music.
In this episode, I break down why starting with scales, modes, or “what notes to play” actually slows your progress… and why the real foundation of great improvisation begins with textures, not theory.
I walk you through the 5 textures every improviser must master before worrying about scales, lines, or fancy language. These textures come straight from my brand-new Proficient Jazz Pianist — Goal 3: Improvisation curriculum.
If you can build these early, you’ll sound better, swing harder, and grow faster than you ever will by memorizing more scales
In This Episode You’ll Learn:
1. Swing Feel (The First Texture)
Why rhythm comes before everything
How to make your eighth notes breathe
How to practice swing without even changing notes
2. Rhythmic Variety
Why your rhythms matter more than your pitches
Simple patterns that instantly improve your phrasing
How to break “straight eighth rut” syndrome
3. Motifs & Development
What to do once you stop running scales
How to create ideas instead of “note soup”
How to build a musical story over a chorus
4. Dynamics (Your Secret Weapon)
Why loud/soft contrast is more powerful than fancy vocabulary
How great improvisers shape intensity
Why dynamics make your solos alive, not academic
5. Articulation & Space
How legato vs. staccato changes your entire feel
Why leaving space makes you sound more confident
How to “say something” instead of filling every beat
The Big Shift
At a certain point in your jazz journey…
notes won’t make you better anymore.
You’ll need textures.
You’ll need feel.
You’ll need development.
You’ll need the musical tools real improvisers rely on.
These are the ingredients that actually create expressive, swinging, professional-sounding improvisation.
And they’re all built into Goal 3 of the Proficient Jazz Pianist course.
Goal 3 Drops on Black Friday
The full Improvisation Goal — including all textures, level tests, and step-by-step paths — launches on Black Friday inside our upgraded Jazz Piano School platform.
If you have questions or suggestions for a podcast lesson you would like us to do, please leave them in the comments down below.
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