McCoy Tyner Style Tutorial

[Triumphinchrist1]

Do you have these midi files so I can play it through a recording software & use VST sounds to match it?

[DOREMISOLO]

˙·٠•●♥ღ.*♫•* ♫♪

[Modes9]

It sounds like it boils down to one thing. If you play a minor pentatonic from the root of the ii chord of the moment, you can continue it on the V chord and still sound like you're "making the changes" more or less. Furthermore, the "out" pentatonic choices make sense as long as there's a melodic sequence that the listener can follow. I guess you don't have to "think" as much if you can use one scale for two chords at a time.

[DavidAKZ]

@Modes9 do you have an example ? Do you think he is 'thinking' about what he is doing ??

[sicktired01]

I play jazz on drums, loved watching this b/c mcoy is my fav.

[stevepope1975]

can u teach me man? just give me the price at which u teach...

[stevepope1975]

sweet

[jitterbugdance]

thanks, this is very amazing. where did you study or who with? thanks for the work that went into this vid

[Thodmod]

I cant stop press the replay button. Amazing

[Lot2learn]

@Thodmod I appreciate your comment - thanks.

[TheDrey777]

Thank you for sharing your amazing talent. I really enjoy your tutorials!! Keep posting, please!

[ddsunata]

ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING!!!!

Sincerely, Dhannan from Indonesia

[Lot2learn]

@ddsunata Thank you for you comment!

[keller91711]

Outstanding. What tool are you using for the annotations?

[Lot2learn]

@keller91711 Thanks for your comment. I use camtasia software.

[robertojimenez204]

Yeeeessss!!!!

[courageux28]

I've probably commented on this video a dozen times. It's just that darn good.

[Lot2learn]

@courageux28 Thanks Aaron. ;-)

[danieljones013]

@courageux28 tHE ONLY THING ABOUT MCCOY TyNERS STYLE THAT HE DOESNT REALLY, DO HERE AND THAT IS RARELY MENTIONED is his melodic sequencing. When mccoy tyner plays a phrase he often repeats it, either exactly as played before, or slightly different. When would one know when to use this technique, and what is the criteria if any? {sorry for the caps, pressed the button by accident)

[carvalhotoze]

Excellent tutorial ...congretulations mr McCoy and thanks to share your knowledge.

[1979saxman]

It sounds like you play the pentonic patterns on the outside changes too. They sound awesome!

I don't know if you've seen any of Shawn Thunder Wallace's saxophone videos, but basically he outlines the 8-7-6-5 descending patterns as a very popular pattern one could apply to any jazz chord usage.

Am I hearing these patterns in youre playing. I'm just trying to train my ear to hear these better.

[cfsimon21]

Just fantastic, thanks learned something... cool!

[Lot2learn]

@cfsimon21 I appreciate your comment, thanks!

[NacoMan08]

You are amazing! with this video you can undertand more the mcCoy ideas

Thanks Men

[Lot2learn]

@NacoMan08 Thanks for your comment.

[gregoryusa1]

Man, this cut just grooves! And this is mere practice around the cycle?

[DoctorWhoCenterFilms]

Sylvester McCoy?

[almatazz]

fantastic... you are great! love it!

[Lot2learn]

@almatazz I appreciate your comment.

[vapid1000]

this was beautiful and a joy to listen to!

[heru1966]

A real pleasure to watch as you break down some of the more 'esoteric' elements of McCoy's style. Thank you.

[Lot2learn]

@heru1966 I appreciate your comment, thanks!

[marcosmusic]

y te digo esto porque hay muchos videos con excelentes improvisaciones, pero poco podemos aprender por la excesiva velocidad, Si reduces la velocidad serias uno de los primeros y eso seria de gran ayuda para nosotros. Nuevamente Saludos.

[marcosmusic]

Excelente mi amigo, quisiera darte una sugerencia. Sera posible que hagas lo mismo, pero a la mitad de la velocidad? esto a fin de captar mejor la mano derecha. Seria excelente. Gracias

[costly10000]

ey hermanaso de dond eeres ?

[freemusic1979]

I just think you are a great Musician...

[Miketar2424]

Nice work, don't fav much but I faved this one. Do you play any jazz festivals like Hartford CT?

[Lot2learn]

Thanks for the comment. I haven't played in Hartford for about 30 years. ;-) Wouldn't mind getting back there someday.

[robertojimenez204]

Wow! Men you really got it! I always loved this Mc Tyner aproach to improvisational music. It so deep....just dont stop to amaze me! THANKS FOR POSTING.

[Lot2learn]

Gracias por su comentario Roberto.

[robertojimenez204]

¿Tienes algún método publicado sobre este tipo de "aproach" armónico? Yo soy un saxophone-flute player.

[sergioterebeiko]

thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Flextones]

Nice

[Lot2learn]

Thanks for your comment.

[Lot2learn]

Thanks. It's a tune I wrote called "One For The Man" and is on my new CD.

[helmusico]

I want to say: "...of them"

Excuse my english, please, its not my nature language.

[helmusico]

Some people learn seeing, others learn listening, and others...(like me) need read a few about theory...

You have all in your videos...thanks so much.

All teachers here in youtube will become in legends....Im sure....and you are one of those

[Lot2learn]

Thank you for your comment, it is appreciated.

[GreggaryPeccary]

Hey, what's this piece called? Is it your own?

[PSPGENIUS714]

NICE! 5*

What program did you use to get the keys (on top) onscreen??

[billmcb]

...Excellent!...

Sincerely,

Bill McBirnie

[courageux28]

You've got that McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock style down to the science. Also you've got a fantastic style of your own.

[jazzpianoishness]

Fantastic playing!!!

Love McCoy.

[RyckardMM]

Great!

[dklypz]

Mulgrew miller has a similiar style...

[Lot2learn]

Yeah, I really dig Mulgrew's playing.

[Modes9]

Mulgrew's great. Joey Calderazzo also plays some great things in this musical direction. I love the way you use one pentatonic over a ii-V but you can still hear the chords being defined.

[Lot2learn]

Thanks Modes9.

Yeah, I'm a big fan of Joey C.

[uninoculated]

Most of the people I try and play in this style with pussy out or get lost or totally lack the inspiration and technique to keep the groove going.

Your rhythm section is providing tons of feedback and interplay for this groove to stay fresh and interesting. Bass is doing what he is supposed to and the drummer is keeping his kit relatively quiet. I like the china cymbal and how fast the decay is; like a staccato cymbal. Bass slightly ahead of the beat sometimes and rarely late on the beat+10

[Lot2learn]

I appreciate the comment.

[auggiedoggy]

This is lightyears away from my level of playing. (Newbie) I'll come back in 5 years or so and view these again ...

[joshuwmac]

wow....this video is unbelievable. God Bless you dude. i hope to reach your level one day.

[Lot2learn]

Thanks for the comment.

[theallenboy]

Yeah man it's so hard to find videos like this up here. but good stuff man!

[Lot2learn]

Thanks for the comment.

[t24karrot]

good LAWD!!!

[inca1980]

This is the kind of educational videos that people need to see!! This is the real deal about how to learn...he saves you half the work. Great for jazz musicians of any instrument. Thanks man!

[Lot2learn]

Thanks for the comment Richard.

[churchst1]

Thanks for responding so quickly..Your the best!

[churchst1]

Absolutely wonderful! Forever fan of McCoy and Bill Evans..Would appreciate knowing if this piece is on any of McCoy's albums, or something similar...Thanks

[Lot2learn]

Thanks. This is not a McCoy tune, but is in the same vein as his Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit.

[leega8010]

Another fantastic display of your prowess playing in Tyner's style. It is stellar!!

[Lot2learn]

Thank you, I appreciate your comment.

[caleeswing]

how did u get that piano like that on screen

[UppinDisma]

Amazing. I hope for the sake of my future aspirations I gain a little bit of the talent you possess!

[cloudz7]

FREAKING AWESOME....my online teacher :p Sigh...when can i ever play like you? heh

[LeleMelo78]

AWESOME! Great lesson.

[Jerry6715]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[737flyhigh]

Great lesson Thank you sooooooMuch

[Lot2learn]

Thanks for the comment.

[cavalier777]

@amar. : you obviously don't recognize that the beauty of jazz is in the really complex styles that more inexperienced ones can't recognize as anything they know so they write it off as "not sounding like anything musical"

you'll understand with time

[relicofgold]

this is so bleepin beautiful.  what jazz......just as sweet as can be.

amrssadal probably regrets his comment. when this music really sets into someone, it just takes hold.

wish i could play 1/10th of this calibre.

[GreggaryPeccary]

Those things in the left hand are called chords

[donnyab]

starting from now how long would it take me to learn to play like THAT!!!!!!

[figaromagniffico]

this is so sick

[Skyblueginger]

Great. Them pentatonics sound fantastic.

[alwiap15]

Thank you, Professor!

[YaSuzukiCycle]

INCREDIBLE.

[Fagleboo]

That's a lot of pentatonics

[GreggaryPeccary]

I always thought Chick was the shit, but now I dicovered Mccoy... Dang, what a master!

[decidedhelios]

You should also try Gonzalo Rubalcaba.

[GreggaryPeccary]

He's awesome! Thanks for the tip

[GreggaryPeccary]

That was awesome, even without the tutorial aspect it would be a great vid. Thanks for posting

[yagamei]

This is a great lesson, and I'm a guitarist. As far as Jazz masters go, I take more than my share of inspiration directly from pianist McCoy Tyner. He is simply incredible.

[Lot2learn]

Thanks for your comment.

[OscarTatum]

Wonderful! You really catched the MacCoy feel!

I really think you're among the very best players on Earth. You play McCoy better than he does himself now. What I prefer is his Inception-Fly with the Wind period, (and this song reminds me Fly with the Wind, in the style)

That brings a few questions:

1)Is it a song from your composition? I love it. If yes congratulation again.

2)How do you display Midi Keys above? What software do you use?

3)What software do you use to mix both videos?

[GreggaryPeccary]

"catched" = caught

[locinf92]

Oscar Tatum... Nice name ;)

[erflaz]

ti sto facendo le lastre,anche il tuo video di So what mi sta aiutando.

[misteredwino]

wow. You're a monster keyboard player. I can't believe this kind of music can be made with such simplistic musical concepts. I'm gonna blaze on my gig tomorrow! thanks!

[KITROBERTSHAW]

Great videos Lot2Learn, I just need a way to slow them down now to transcribe some of the ideas!

[Lot2learn]

Thank you for the comment.

[mazetov]

A beautiful demonstration, which requires a lot of technique, I think!

It is not so easy to create a modern jazz athmosphere with the pentatonic scales.

You can find an almost identical backing sequence on Aebersold 88 (millenium blues :the real McCoy), first chord Dminor.

It seems to me that McCoy plays for the first time such a tune (with a different melody : simply descending pentatonic scale) in " walk spirit, talk spirit" (album enlightenment) after a free intro.

bravo Roger!

[Lot2learn]

Thank you. Yes, you are right, this is a similar chord progression to the Aebersold sequence. I modified it slightly, changed the key and made my own backing track for it.

[sarahjoy33]

damn, you're cool.

[jazz1bro]

It's amazing how thes scales avoid licks verbatim. My hat is off to one of the real innovators Mr. Tyner. Thanks for bringing this aspect more in focus for me personally. However, I'd think a great way to play is to still pay homage to the past musical truths while incorporating our own theories of sound.

[flaviociceroaz]

Congratulations for its musicalidade. Its videos have helped me very.Fávio (Salvador/ba - BRASIL)

[DaveSolazzo]

Great pentatonic stuff!

[geeride]

someones a freak.

[Lot2learn]

Thank you. ;-)

[Modes9]

Awesome! Could you discuss the "outside" pentatonic scale usage? Are they a half step above, a half step below, or a tritone away from the root of the chord in question? Do you just cycle them at some set interval like a major second, minor third, or major third? Help a brother out!

[nmo1127]

U need to record man!

[elnombre2]

Some guy mentioned matrix era chick corea, that would be ace if you posted something like that.

[theshnook88]

You are obviously playing different scales and chords in different modes...how do you know when to use each mode?

[azexperiment]

Ahh yess! Refreshing ;-)

[indaplace2b]

Lovin your playin bro ...Im currently trying to get some of that style on down on saxophone .. ive been studying both him and Chick corea's matrix period ..my only problem is its obvious you have this shit down but is it possible you could do a vid where you show mcCoy's devices slowed down, one by one because although i kinda hear some what your doin it would be nice if you could give a brief explanation of what pentatonics and voicings your using as apposed to jamming.

Thanks again :)

[locrien1]

Insane!!! hey check out my video's (nowhere as good as yours lol) but maybe you can give me some pointers??? Thanx for the tutorial though!!!!

[korvmedmos]

Amazing! Can you recommend any guitarplayer who have adopted this style?

[profquantum]

Love it! I saw McCoy play on Monday. Unfortunately he does play as well as he used to. Can't believe how close you get to his sound, and the backing track is remarkable for a programmed effort! Bravo

[Lot2learn]

Thanks for the comment.

L2L

[cabin2music]

I have been a McCoyophile for many years. This and the other lesson are great. It's kind of scary how much you've emulated the style. Bravo to you for your transcription and assimilation of his language. I never had the patience to. Dick Hyman is also one for perfectly emulating other pianists. You must have smoked a lot of shit and spent a lot of time listening!

[korgtri]

Mate that is so good. You may just convert me from blues to jazz yet:)

[Lot2learn]

Thanks mate. Actually, this is really just an Eb minor blues. ;-)

[BassThrasher]

It is played in Bossa feel though, right?

[Lot2learn]

Yes, as with many of McCoy tunes this has a bossa feel to it.

[BassThrasher]

Gotta love McCoy. I wish he could see this video.

[DavidAKZ]

beautiful, thanks.

[davebeeboss]

Wow Roger, fantastic. As a McCoy aficionado I can really appreciate how you have assimilated his style. Superb. Just like the real McCoy, as they say

[Lot2learn]

Thanks Dave. Definitely one of my favorite styles of playing.

[ChadMStevenson]

ahahahaha! Ahoy McCoy! Pure awesomeness.

[Feesharp9er]

phrase at 0:28-31 ....pure Gorgeousness!!

[Lot2learn]

Thanks, and to think I almost left that part out.

[tjjazzpiano]

I sure enjoy learning more about this Mccoy Tyner fellow. *****

[featureG]

Thought I would do a CD this summer. Decided I will just practice, more and more and more.

Such a talent and willing to share.

[jazz2511]

Hooray - another Lot2Learn instructional video! You have so much to teach us Roger, and the annotated video method is a great way to understand your ideas. And you have taken so much trouble to line up exactly the two piano views so that it is clear what you are playing, and the text comments help us to understand what your thinking was behind those musical idea(s)

Doug

[cc17201]

Hey Lot2learn, Are you stating that with forth chords you can play differnt scales over them, as a forth chord by itself can imply several chord/scales at the same time.? Such as the forth chord Ab Db Gb. As this 4th chord can be determined as C alt, Gb 9, Db sus, etc?

[Lot2learn]

You are correct. Check out the pentatonic video by Volvoxburger (link is in the comment section for this video) as he demonstrates this exact fact.

[PhilippeLernould]

Fantastic playing

[7notemode]

Roger, this is the best channeling of Tyner that I have heard. Your playing is fleet, rhythmic and totally faithful to the McCoy Tyner harmonic idiom. It is interesting because in this video you play in McCoy's style, which varies from your own individual style, although there are elements of MT in your own style. This is instructive as a playing exercise and also as insight into where you are coming from as a player in your own right.

[knotty75]

I'm probably a little green for this stuff, but I'm keeping it for later. Thanks a bunch!

About the pentatonic tutorial, in 1) you're referring to volvox "funk tutorial' video?

[Lot2learn]

I put a link to the Volvoxburger video in the comments section for you.

[Feesharp9er]

As far as the 3note 4th voicing I would say I know them pretty well ,.But in this video what note in the quart voicing dictates the pentatonic scale you used??

oh yess and Damn good Video !!

[Lot2learn]

You can really use any pentatonic scale with any 4th voicing chord. I try to have at least one ore two notes common to both the chord and the scale. It is the resolution that is important. The 4ths are a very open voicing and leave a lot of tonal space so you can go outside with the RH. You take a harmonic journey and the ear says "where is he going?" Then both LH and and RH resolve back to the form and the ear breathes a sigh of relief. ;-)

[Feesharp9er]

Ohhhhhhhhh.....Sweeet!!!!

thanks so much this is infinite info!!

[PianistaItaliano]

I completely agree with volvoxburger.

And the backing track created partially with Band-in-a-Box that you use, has a sound very realistic * * * * *

Great Work, as usual Roger :)

[pjgrabowski]

If i listened to this recording without knowing you were playing I would say it was Mccoy Tyner. You channel him so well. thankyou for the post

[Lot2learn]

Thanks mate.

[BassThrasher]

Wow... This is mindblowing.

[nickparrott]

wow, sounds just like mccoy. the midi keyboard really helps because it goes by so fast.

[Lot2learn]

Thanks Nick.

[volvoxburger]

Pretty damn tight. This is one of the (many) areas where you sound completely at home and it's a lot of fun to listen to you just tear it up like that.

[Lot2learn]

Yes, this was recorded at home. ;-] Thanks.

[MatthewPA1972]

Wait... THIRD inversion triads? I thought triads only had two inversions.

Explain please... give a chord example and then spell out the notes. Thanks in advance.

[Lot2learn]

Yeah thanks, 2nd inversion. ;-)

[MatthewPA1972]

Cool.