Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 12 hours ago
Thirds sound clunky for one reason: you are playing every single one with the same two fingers. Change the pair as you move and they come out smooth. Two and four on the first one, one and three on the next, back to two and four. That is the whole fix, and you can hear it tonight.
Try every lesson for $1 for 7 days: webpianoteacher.com/subscription/offer
This is from my SMOOTH PIANO JAZZ course, built on "Asking You Out" by the Quinn Perry Trio.
"Whenever you play thirds, get that fingering down. It's got to be a smooth finger. You can't do the same fingers every time. It can't be musical that way. E, G with two and four. D, F, one and three. Back to two and four."
HOW TO FIX YOUR THIRDS TONIGHT
- Play E and G together with fingers two and four. Move to D and F with one and three. Come back to two and four. Say the numbers out loud while you do it.
- Going to F and A flat, use one and three. G and B flat, two and four. E and G up higher, three and five. D and F, two and four -- or one and four if the next shape needs it.
- The pair you choose is decided by what comes NEXT, not by what feels natural on the note you are on. That is the whole art of it.
- If you use the same two fingers on every third, your hand has to jump off the keys and reset between each one. That is the sound of a beginner, and it is a fingering problem, not a talent problem.
- Play the pairs slowly until your hand stops resetting. Then let it move. It will be smooth before you can play it fast, and that is the right order.
WHY THIS TRANSFERS TO EVERY SONG YOU PLAY
Thirds are everywhere -- jazz, gospel, worship, country, pop fills, hymn arrangements. Every time a run of thirds comes out lumpy it is the same cause, and this is the same fix. Alternating the finger pairs is what lets a line connect instead of stopping and starting, and it costs you nothing but the decision to stop using two and four for everything.
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
#jazzpiano #pianofingering #thirds #smoothjazz #pianolesson #learnpiano #pianotutorial #adultpianostudent #jazzlicks #pianochords #pianotechnique #pianoteacher #jazzpianolesson #pianopractice #chordsandscales
👍 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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Thirds sound clunky for one reason: you are playing every single one with the same two fingers. Change the pair as you move and they come out smooth. Two and four on the first one, one and three on the next, back to two and four. That is the whole fix, and you can hear it tonight.
Try every lesson for $1 for 7 days: webpianoteacher.com/subscription/offer
This is from my SMOOTH PIANO JAZZ course, built on "Asking You Out" by the Quinn Perry Trio.
"Whenever you play thirds, get that fingering down. It's got to be a smooth finger. You can't do the same fingers every time. It can't be musical that way. E, G with two and four. D, F, one and three. Back to two and four."
HOW TO FIX YOUR THIRDS TONIGHT
- Play E and G together with fingers two and four. Move to D and F with one and three. Come back to two and four. Say the numbers out loud while you do it.
- Going to F and A flat, use one and three. G and B flat, two and four. E and G up higher, three and five. D and F, two and four -- or one and four if the next shape needs it.
- The pair you choose is decided by what comes NEXT, not by what feels natural on the note you are on. That is the whole art of it.
- If you use the same two fingers on every third, your hand has to jump off the keys and reset between each one. That is the sound of a beginner, and it is a fingering problem, not a talent problem.
- Play the pairs slowly until your hand stops resetting. Then let it move. It will be smooth before you can play it fast, and that is the right order.
WHY THIS TRANSFERS TO EVERY SONG YOU PLAY
Thirds are everywhere -- jazz, gospel, worship, country, pop fills, hymn arrangements. Every time a run of thirds comes out lumpy it is the same cause, and this is the same fix. Alternating the finger pairs is what lets a line connect instead of stopping and starting, and it costs you nothing but the decision to stop using two and four for everything.
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
#jazzpiano #pianofingering #thirds #smoothjazz #pianolesson #learnpiano #pianotutorial #adultpianostudent #jazzlicks #pianochords #pianotechnique #pianoteacher #jazzpianolesson #pianopractice #chordsandscales
👍 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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