Jazz Piano Explained: Understanding Chords, Progressions And How To Actually Improvise For Beginners @webpianoteachershawncheek
Jazz Piano Explained: Understanding Chords, Progressions And How To Actually Improvise For Beginners  @webpianoteachershawncheek
Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 13 hours ago
If jazz piano has always looked like something other people can do, this is where it starts to make sense. Try the Smooth Piano Jazz course for $1 for 7 days: webpianoteacher.com/subscription/offer

Most people never get into jazz because nobody ever explained the chords. You learn to push down the right buttons, and the moment the sheet music is gone there is nothing left to play. That is not a talent problem. It is an understanding problem, and it is fixable.

WHAT THIS LESSON COVERS

- How chords are actually spelled. Every F chord is F, A and C. Every E chord is E, G and B. There are only seven letter groups in the whole musical alphabet - learn those and jazz chord symbols stop looking like code.
- Why the order does not matter: "It's the recipe. It's the DNA that's in it - no matter how they're mixed up."
- What the numbers mean. A 7, a 9, an 11, a 13 are extra notes on a foundation you already know - and a lot of 11 chords are really two ordinary chords stacked on each other.
- Why a note goes missing from a jazz chord and it still sounds right.
- Major or minor comes down to one note in the middle. Not the black keys.
- How jazz chords are voiced: don't bring out the top note, keep everything the same volume, because you are painting color with these chords.
- The truth about improvising: jazz players are not inventing on the spot. They play things they already know, in a new order, on time.

WHAT IS IN THE SMOOTH PIANO JAZZ COURSE - 69 LESSONS

- Play a complete jazz piano piece from beginning to end, taught 12 measures at a time, one page per lesson, nothing skipped and nothing sped up.
- Understand chords: how they are spelled, how they are built, and how to recognize them on sight.
- Learn chord progressions: seven eight-bar jazz progressions built from the chords in the tune, each one a device that transfers to any song.
- Learn how to improvise, starting with the notes already under your hand.
- Learn 51 original jazz licks I wrote myself for teaching, to mix, match and combine in any order you like.

EVERY BACKING TRACK IS INCLUDED

You get every backing track you hear me using in these lessons - one for the whole piece and one for every lesson, played by real musicians, not a computer. Press play and play along. There is a slower version to learn with and a full-speed version once you have it, and the lick tracks run long on purpose so you have room to improvise over them.

For adult students, returning pianists, worship players, and anyone who can find their way around the keys but has never understood what the chord symbols mean. No theory background needed. If you can play a chord, you can start this.

Try every lesson for $1 for 7 days: webpianoteacher.com/subscription/offer

CHAPTERS
0:00 The tune, start to finish
0:36 Why jazz needs understanding
1:28 Every backing track is included
2:00 How a chord is spelled
3:26 Why a note goes missing
3:54 An 11 chord is two chords stacked
4:46 Major or minor: the middle note
5:28 Voicing a jazz chord
5:43 Dissonance on purpose
6:32 The truth about improvising
7:02 The Billy Joel lick
8:21 Improvising with what is under your hand
8:53 You will start seeing the patterns
9:54 Play-out

👍 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

webpianoteacher.com
instagram.com/webpianoteacher
facebook.com/shawncheekeasypiano
twitter.com/webpianoteacher
tiktok.com/@shawnthewebpianoteacher
Jazz Piano Explained: Understanding Chords, Progressions And How To Actually Improvise For BeginnersMastering gospel blues chords | learn how to play piano | gospel blues piano course Shawn Cheek  Mastering good repetitions | The easy secret no one has told you about |  Learn how to play pianoBeatboxing for rhythm | Learn to play piano with Web Piano Teacher Shawn Cheek3 Essentials For Playing Lead Sheets On Piano | Jack And Diane Chords, Inversions, and RhythmRoll The Hand, Dont Just Move The Fingers - Fast Whole Tone Jazz Piano Licks, Smooth Jazz Lesson16th notes are only FAST if the song is fast 🎹 Phil Collins piano lessonPraise And Worship Piano: Get A Pair Of Bongos - The Rhythm Trick That Fixes Brain Overload | LessonStop starting at the beginning 🎹 #shortsChord sheets: not always correct | learn to play piano on webpianoteacher.com | Shawn CheekMastering chords GCE – GBD Jerry Lee Lewis rock n roll piano course Shawn Cheek Web Piano TeacherMastering C sharp minor to B minor | learn to play piano with Shawn Cheek WebPianoTeacher 
Shawn Cheek |

Jazz Piano Explained: Understanding Chords, Progressions And How To Actually Improvise For Beginners

SHARE TO X SHARE TO REDDIT SHARE TO FACEBOOK WALLPAPER