Chick's Greatest Lesson

NEW Guided Practice Sessions™ with resident piano guru, Adam Maness, are available EVERY day for Open Studio Pro members: openstudiojazz...
🎹 Want to learn more jazz piano? Check out Adam's deep-dive music courses and tutorials at Open Studio: openstudio.liv...
Want more live events? Check out the Open Studio live stream schedule here:
openstudiojazz...
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram at:
/ heyopenstudio
/ heyopenstudio
/ heyopenstudio

[@santibanks]

Chick referred to this as "ten drummers" where the piano is an 88 piece drumkit and you have 10 fingers/sticks to play them. He has an instructional video from the late 80ies where he demonstrates it (there is even some patterns included in a booklet). The reason why this works is that it is basically a pure rhythmic concept and almost has nothing to do with harmony. I do say almost because Chick employs variations of this technique depending on what he wants to achieve. At its very core, it is nothing more than having good finger independence on two hands which you can use to make long fluid lines on the keyboard.
The run's up/down are basically scalar patterns done with two hands. That first video run sounded like a run on a chord of 'Round Midnight. These types of runs are actually harmonic in most cases as Chick does hit the notes of the scale. Compositions which include those kinds of movements are Children's Song #20 (which is a great exercise in this) and, No Mystery (the last fast run in the outro), and Romantic Warrior. But he might actually do this on his electric instruments too. Got a Match?, Dual of Jester & Tyrant, Song to the Pharaoh Kings are typical keyboard solos of Chick where he employs these two handed scalar like runs. These are often applied during the actual solo moments in songs (ie. when there are changes).
The other thing he does is clusters. This literally is only about rhythm and he can make any kind of cluster. Usually in patterns of 5/6/7. He often plays those during cadenzas and introductions to songs when there are no changes. These are the most playful and often have a pretty dissonant quality.
The other different pattern he does is what I would call "modal cluster" where he kind of does this pattern thing but as to set up a modality (often during intros). He might employ the sustain pedal for that one to let the modality ring and create this wash. La Fiesta, Yellow Nimbus, Brasilia, Spain, Romantic Warrior are tunes where he often employed this in the introductions. The difference with the scalar run is that in the scalar run, the emphasis is on the separate notes within the line. In the modal cluster, it is about setting up this tonality

[@timr.6955]

ua-cam.com/video/epFmSm26NGM/v-deo.html

[@monsterjazzlicks]

I think that it was actually called "Ten Little Fingers"?

[@killakam3084]

Beautiful said. The passion for learning growing and having fun will always motivate me and remind me of Chick!

[@stein0niets]

fun for two handed tapping on guitar too! thanks!

[@sdannye]

THAT was awesome and super duper fun!
Thanks AM!
🙏🏼

[@ainga4]

Thank you Adam.

[@juliocastillothewhitehorse8834]

Thanks Adam !! Amazing lesson!! 🙏👏🎹🔥 Amazing teacher and jazz pianist!!

[@pickettsales]

Thanks A Million ! Priceless !!!

[@WhistlebirdInfinity]

Flamenco piano!

[@07919253929]

thanks ,adam

[@coovgroove715]

Chick called this his “ten drummers” technique.

[@worrellrobinson1467]

Hey Adam that's a cool way to honour Chick Corea, keep up the good work and stay blessed & fantastic!...

[@rafaelevoramartorell]

Please more Chick Corea!

[@jarbasgoulartdecastro9104]

Thanks,Adam!!!

[@DojoOfCool]

Now have Chick play with Jazz guitarist Pat Martino who was known for his "Flight of the Bumblebee" line he'd throw in to most his solos.

[@taliassa383]

Great lesson, so much fun, thank you Adam, you're the best.

[@mackgrout]

another great video! Thanks!!

[@haikel527]

great

[@deneisraelealine8939]

Deus abençoe

[@juwonnnnn]

👌

[@kennetheastman5703]

I sound more like a swarm of three toed slothes

[@valeriekuhn3746]

I want to get some of those practice papers that have the bubble you fill in when you completed something. They show them at the beginning of the video.

[@cwestmont]

Go to the store on the website and look for the practice journal. Enjoy!

[@eliotmiranda]

From 15 to 17 mins in Chick’s hour long improv video from way back when Chick goes full bees with the ten drummers
ua-cam.com/video/epFmSm26NGM/v-deo.html

[@raybrown6992]

Many thanks Adam, I really enjoyed that piece of fun 🤩
Chick Corea’s piano drum 🥁 exercise: ua-cam.com/video/y1SQMIaausg/v-deo.html