Piano Practice Syllabus (Jazz/Gospel, Year 1)

Your North Star (12 months)

By the end of 1 year, you can:

Sit at the piano and play along with most pop/gospel/jazz-adjacent tracks in real time.
Hear a simple progression (I-V-vi-IV, ii-V-I, vi-ii-V-I, gospel turnarounds) and find it quickly in any key.
Comp with both hands using good time, voice leading, and groove.
Improvise melodic lines that target chord tones, not random scale runs.
Build 2-3 full solo piano arrangements (intro, verse/chorus groove, reharm moments, ending).

Training Principles (Designed For Busy Parenting Life)

Minimum viable practice wins: 5 focused minutes is better than zero.
Ear first, theory second: sing, then find on keys.
Small constraints create musicality: limit notes/chords and make music with them.
Record often, judge later: short weekly recordings drive faster growth than perfectionism.
Repertoire over abstract drills: every concept must end in actual music.

These mirror how strong improvisers train: internal time, deep listening, repetition with variation, and frequent musical output.

Time-Based Daily Templates

Use whichever fits your day.

60-minute day:
- 10 min: warm-up + time feel (metronome on 2 and 4)
- 15 min: chords/voicings in one key set
- 15 min: melodic dictation + transcription bite (before chart: first 4 melody bars + bass line by ear, then 2-4 bars transcribed)
- 15 min: improv/comp over loop or track
- 5 min: quick recording + note one win/one issue
20-minute day:
- 4 min: pulse + simple warm-up
- 6 min: one progression in 2-3 keys
- 6 min: improv with one constraint
- 4 min: record 30-60 sec
5-minute emergency day:
- 10-second reset: visualize one clean voicing move and hear the first phrase before touching keys.
- 60-second physical reset: C major scale in thirds (or contrary motion) to wake up finger independence.
- Play one progression in one key with clean voice leading.
- End with one musical phrase you can sing and play.

Day 2 Rhythm Bank (Use For Groove/Comping Days)

Use one pattern for at least 5 minutes before mixing patterns.

Pads: whole-note or half-note chord holds.
Charleston: dotted-quarter + eighth pattern.
Anticipation: push chord changes to the “and” of 2 or “and” of 4.
Quarter-note pulse: steady quarter-note comping (Freddie Green feel).

Rule: On Day 2, pick one rhythm from this bank and apply it to a full form before adding fills.

Core Repertoire (Personalized)

Your year is centered on these standards:

Fly Me to the Moon: functional harmony, swing comping, and fast key transfer.
Misty: ballad touch, lush extensions, and expressive voice leading.
My Romance: medium swing phrasing, reharm opportunities, and arrangement flow.
Amazing Grace (concept etude / lab song): gospel cadence practice (1-4, sus, passing movement) without adding year-end performance pressure.

Working rule:

Weekly primary song: your main application song.
Weekly secondary song: quick transfer check (5-15 min).
Lab songs (like Amazing Grace): concept training and ear/phrasing transfer.
Keep all theory tied to at least one of these songs each week.

Listening Starters (Use In Q1-Q4)

Use this from Week 1 onward when “players you love” feels too open-ended.

Swing comping/pocket: Red Garland, Wynton Kelly.
Ballad touch/voicing color: Bill Evans, Ahmad Jamal.
Gospel/blues language: Ray Charles, Richard Tee.
Organ/gospel groove reference: Cory Henry, Joey DeFrancesco.
Rule: pick one track each week, lift one usable 2-4 bar idea.
Q1 rule (required): one “listening of the week” track minimum, even on a light practice week.

Chord Maps and Forms (Quick Reference)

Use these as practical working maps. Exact bars/chords can vary by lead sheet edition.

Fly Me to the Moon

Typical key used: C major.
Typical form: 32 bars, ABAC.
Harmonic map (functional chunks):
- A1: vi - ii - V - I then IV - vii(o)/vi - V/vi - vi.
- B: circle movement and secondary dominants (... I - VI7 - ii - V ...).
- A2: similar to A1.
- C: turnaround-heavy ending, often ... iii - VI7 - ii - V - I.
Practical chord map in C:
- Am7 | Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7
- Fmaj7 | Bm7b5 E7 | Am7 A7 | Dm7 G7
- Am7 | Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7
- Fmaj7 | Bm7b5 E7 | Am7 D7 | Dm7 G7 Cmaj7

Misty

Typical key used: Eb major.
Typical form: 32 bars, AABA.
Harmonic map:
- A: tonic color, then ii-V into IV, backdoor movement, and return to I.
- B: temporary move toward Ab area, then ii-V chains back home.
- Final A: return and cadence in Eb.
Practical A-section map in Eb:
- Ebmaj7 | Bbm7 Eb7 | Abmaj7 | Abm7 Db7
- Ebmaj7 Cm7 | Fm7 Bb7 | Gm7 C7 | Fm7 Bb7
Practical B-section map (common version):
- Bbm7 | Eb7 | Abmaj7 | Abmaj7
- Am7 | D7 | Gm7b5 C7 | Fm7 Bb7

My Romance

Typical key used: Bb major in many Real Book charts; C major in some older/original-source charts.
Typical form: 32 bars, ABAC.
Harmonic map:
- A: tonic statement with dominant pull to ii-V.
- B: move to IV area and back through dominant motion.
- C: extension/sequence section before final cadence.
Practical starter map in Bb (common jazz call):
- A: Bbmaj7 | G7 | Cm7 | F7 | Bbmaj7 | G7 | Cm7 | F7
- B: Ebmaj7 | Edim7 | Bb/F G7 | Cm7 F7
- C (typical): Ebmaj7 | Edim7 | Bb/F G7 | Cm7 F7 | Dm7 G7 | Cm7 F7 | Bbmaj7

Quarterly Targets

Q1 (Weeks 1-13): Foundations For Real-Time Playing

Shell voicings (3rd/7th) for major, minor, dominant chords in all keys.
Essential progressions: I-vi-ii-V, ii-V-I, I-V-vi-IV, gospel 1-4 movement.
Left hand: roots + fifths + simple rhythmic patterns.
Right hand: chord tones, approach notes, pentatonic ideas.
Outcome: play 2 songs with simple but steady comping.

Q2 (Weeks 14-26): Groove, Vocabulary, and Ear

Add 9ths/13ths and basic upper extensions.
Learn 12 gospel/jazz licks in all keys (slowly, with rhythm integrity).
Start call-and-response between voice and piano.
Transcribe short phrases from players you love (2-8 bars at a time).
Outcome: improvise coherent choruses over 12-bar blues and one ballad groove.

Q3 (Weeks 27-39): Reharm and Arrangement Skills

Secondary dominants as the main reharm language (high priority).
Tritone substitutions and passing diminished usage (light exposure only, optional in Year 1).
Intro, interlude, and ending shapes for solo piano.
Dynamic control, texture changes, and phrase starts across the bar line.
Outcome: build one full arrangement and perform it from memory.

Q4 (Weeks 40-52): Fluency and Performance Readiness

Faster chord recognition and instant voicing choices.
Spontaneous modulation to nearby keys.
Optional color expansion: tritone substitutions and passing diminished in controlled spots.
Consistent weekly recording and self-review loop.
Outcome: 20-30 minute “play along / solo set” with no stopping.

Monthly Targets (12 Months)

Month 1: Fly Me shells + ii-V-I function in 3 common keys (C, F, Bb), one simple full playthrough.
Month 2: Fly Me in common keys (C, F, G, Bb, Eb) at slow/medium tempo, stable time with metronome on 2 and 4.
Month 3: Record Fly Me performance (intro + one chorus improv + ending).
Month 4: Misty shell-to-color voicings (add 9ths) and ballad pedal control.
Month 5: Misty phrasing and fills, plus dominant 13th colors in cadence points.
Month 6: Record Misty performance with dynamic contour and cleaner voice leading.
Month 7: My Romance progression map + secondary dominants in practical spots.
Month 8: My Romance arrangement flow (intro/interlude/ending + dynamic contour) at slow tempo.
Month 9: Record My Romance arrangement draft from memory.
Month 10: Integrate all 3 songs into one 12-15 minute mini-set.
Month 11: Play all 3 by ear from recordings/tracks with minimal chart reliance; add optional tritone/diminished colors.
Month 12: Record final year-end set: Fly Me, Misty, My Romance (before/after comparison).

Weekly System (Always The Same Structure)

Day 1: Harmony mapping (sing root motion + guide tones first, then progressions + voicing work)
Day 2: Groove/time + comping patterns
Day 3: Ear + melodic dictation + transcription
Day 4: Improvisation constraints (make music with fewer notes)
Day 5: Song application (real track)
Day 6: Performance simulation (no stopping)
Day 7: Light review or rest + listening
Daily micro-drill (2-3 min): fast chord recognition in one key, every week (not only Week 40).

Q1 On-Ramp Rules (Weeks 1-5)

Use these to keep the first phase musical and sustainable without changing goals.

Sequence first, speed second: hands separate -> short hands-together sections -> full form.
Melody learning rule: 2-4 bars at a time, sing first, then right hand only, then add left-hand support.
Key-transfer rule: lock one key first, then add one transfer key as a stretch (not a daily requirement).
Voicing rule: shells are a valid “winning version” in Weeks 1-2; add color only after clean time and clean movement.
Performance rule: short no-stop section takes (8-16 bars) count before full-song no-stop takes.
Practical key ladder for transfer work: F -> Eb -> G -> Bb -> C.

Weekly Pages (Daily Agenda)

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

How To Keep It Enjoyable

Play with tracks you actually love, even if they are simplified.
Keep one “fun-only” segment each week (no goals, just play).
Use constraints as games: one rhythm, one voicing shape, one motif.
Celebrate consistency, not complexity.

Progress Dashboard (Weekly)

Track only these 5 items:

Number of days touched piano (including 5-minute days)
Total minutes this week
One progression now comfortable in more keys
One recorded clip (30-120 seconds)
One next-week friction point

Glossary

Piano Glossary (all terms)