Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 16 hours ago
There is a fingering rule almost nobody hands you, and it decides whether the front of a lick comes out clean or clumsy: when a lick starts on a black key and moves straight to the white key right after it, play 2 then 1. Second finger on the black key, thumb on the white key. Not the thumb first.
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This is Lick 31 out of my SMOOTH PIANO JAZZ course, built on "Asking You Out" by the Quinn Perry Trio. I call it the Billy Joel lick, because it is close to what he plays at the opening of Piano Man -- though he did not invent it, jazz players had been doing it forever, which is exactly why it is in this tune.
"Whenever you have a black key and the white key right after, starting a lick, a lot of times 2, 1 is the way to do it. And then you have more fingers left. Because if you did that, it's awkward, and then it's harder."
WHY 2 THEN 1 AND NOT 1 THEN 2
- Start with the thumb and you have spent your best crossing finger on note one. Everything after it is a scramble, and the lick gets harder the further into it you go.
- Start with the second finger and the thumb lands underneath exactly where it wants to be, with three fingers still in reserve for the notes above. You are set up instead of catching up.
- Try both tonight on the chord in this clip: A minor 7, A-C-E with the G. The lick starts G# to A. Play it 1-2 and feel how your hand locks. Play it 2-1 and feel it open.
- The rule is not about jazz. Any run that begins on a black key and steps up to the white key beside it wants 2 then 1 -- blues, worship, pop, classical, all of it.
- Same idea one level up: pick the fingering that leaves you fingers, not the one that feels natural for the first note only.
WHAT IS IN THE SMOOTH PIANO JAZZ COURSE
PART ONE is the full song, hands together, line by line, from my annotated sheet music with the letter name printed inside every notehead, and my hands on camera from directly overhead.
PART TWO is seven eight-bar chord progressions pulled out of the tune: quartal minor 11 shapes, the stubborn A pedal, slash chords, half diminished, borrowed major 13 color, the Lydian sharp 11, and the minor four chord that makes a major song ache. Every bar gives you the chord for two beats and then two beats of silence, and that silence is yours to answer in.
PART THREE is over fifty jazz licks, one over every chord in those progressions, with play-along tracks and printable sheet music.
Start the Smooth Piano Jazz course on your $1 trial: webpianoteacher.com/subscription/offer
#pianofingering #jazzpiano #billyjoel #pianoman #smoothjazz #pianolesson #learnpiano #pianotutorial #adultpianostudent #jazzlicks #pianochords #pianotechnique #pianoteacher #practicetips
👍 Try 1,000 free lessons today on webpianoteacher.com ✅ Learn to play piano with Shawn’s revolutionary method
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🎹 #learntoplaypiano #learnpiano #pianocover #pianolessons #pianoteacher #pianotutorial #easypiano #howtoplaypiano http:webpianoteacher.com
🎹 Testimonials from Shawn’s actual students: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCmQmIKv8_bI83Iun0tmCk-4IOSVAxm6S
🔥Billy Joel Song Lessons: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCmQmIKv8_bKGJ1HDqNoqdQ02-o579MQk
🔥Elton John Song Lessons: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCmQmIKv8_bJV-8LhjXDcX5W4XRLhFhQZ
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There is a fingering rule almost nobody hands you, and it decides whether the front of a lick comes out clean or clumsy: when a lick starts on a black key and moves straight to the white key right after it, play 2 then 1. Second finger on the black key, thumb on the white key. Not the thumb first.
Try every lesson for $1 for 7 days: webpianoteacher.com/subscription/offer
This is Lick 31 out of my SMOOTH PIANO JAZZ course, built on "Asking You Out" by the Quinn Perry Trio. I call it the Billy Joel lick, because it is close to what he plays at the opening of Piano Man -- though he did not invent it, jazz players had been doing it forever, which is exactly why it is in this tune.
"Whenever you have a black key and the white key right after, starting a lick, a lot of times 2, 1 is the way to do it. And then you have more fingers left. Because if you did that, it's awkward, and then it's harder."
WHY 2 THEN 1 AND NOT 1 THEN 2
- Start with the thumb and you have spent your best crossing finger on note one. Everything after it is a scramble, and the lick gets harder the further into it you go.
- Start with the second finger and the thumb lands underneath exactly where it wants to be, with three fingers still in reserve for the notes above. You are set up instead of catching up.
- Try both tonight on the chord in this clip: A minor 7, A-C-E with the G. The lick starts G# to A. Play it 1-2 and feel how your hand locks. Play it 2-1 and feel it open.
- The rule is not about jazz. Any run that begins on a black key and steps up to the white key beside it wants 2 then 1 -- blues, worship, pop, classical, all of it.
- Same idea one level up: pick the fingering that leaves you fingers, not the one that feels natural for the first note only.
WHAT IS IN THE SMOOTH PIANO JAZZ COURSE
PART ONE is the full song, hands together, line by line, from my annotated sheet music with the letter name printed inside every notehead, and my hands on camera from directly overhead.
PART TWO is seven eight-bar chord progressions pulled out of the tune: quartal minor 11 shapes, the stubborn A pedal, slash chords, half diminished, borrowed major 13 color, the Lydian sharp 11, and the minor four chord that makes a major song ache. Every bar gives you the chord for two beats and then two beats of silence, and that silence is yours to answer in.
PART THREE is over fifty jazz licks, one over every chord in those progressions, with play-along tracks and printable sheet music.
Start the Smooth Piano Jazz course on your $1 trial: webpianoteacher.com/subscription/offer
#pianofingering #jazzpiano #billyjoel #pianoman #smoothjazz #pianolesson #learnpiano #pianotutorial #adultpianostudent #jazzlicks #pianochords #pianotechnique #pianoteacher #practicetips
👍 Try 1,000 free lessons today on webpianoteacher.com ✅ Learn to play piano with Shawn’s revolutionary method
Read Google Reviews by Shawn’s actual students google.com/search?sca_esv=5009c1303de011b0&sca_upv=1&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS1008US1008&hl=en-US&q=web+piano+teacher+reviews&uds=ADvngMgvgkdrPGdvQSDLpEVP-ZodsumYvHbzDCPdZxu7y1dxdo5qqAYWcbG74nStvB1P7oPuKgMFxvRIzd_DZN3tMyxEyrPXSMvg62M7DhKnaOoXRrvMRlR2qOzpuVB5MFvbzhVxfpnLmeUii_UEMspRA9Sb2_UNlNmYcxD8gSa_9Y-ZrAhmC7PMo4dC-3yAW2NaRCTwbTkIJFF0zACFe0MmWygbXUnSyy4URj5yYn7f6Y92qL5F7C65sP-AwHchpQ_w3yruheB24nu-AvcfFQo-ckINkBqWAeio4R0dm9r8cmVn2A7RlUhPAPOZyHpYJ2DontEmnoCi9_eEmhwW9RpGrsajaR7u8_U58p0eD_M4AQtnaQce2g4_3U4ECJVG1OOQrlRFwR4byywOQYKXK-PF9b_wDOJ4wtlppDpfX1FhULjD2H_jbmF3keFLT-JjbHx5mU1wYAbm&si=ACC90nwjPmqJHrCEt6ewASzksVFQDX8zco_7MgBaIawvaF4-7tVxiqnhHYhqKwDDsP2tv6FAZ1fBoW06Zy-5I4bv_4sVUMNgTvp0JS4qCRvaokEGreiT-RV-opIxhvzKSE6856yE4kgwpddtdtU31HEpdWwEdq8gXg%3D%3D&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwik1uakreOIAxVxKkQIHU2mGhQQk8gLegQIKRAB&ictx=1&biw=390&bih=657&dpr=3
🎹 #learntoplaypiano #learnpiano #pianocover #pianolessons #pianoteacher #pianotutorial #easypiano #howtoplaypiano http:webpianoteacher.com
🎹 Testimonials from Shawn’s actual students: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCmQmIKv8_bI83Iun0tmCk-4IOSVAxm6S
🔥Billy Joel Song Lessons: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCmQmIKv8_bKGJ1HDqNoqdQ02-o579MQk
🔥Elton John Song Lessons: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCmQmIKv8_bJV-8LhjXDcX5W4XRLhFhQZ
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