The Only Jazz Piano Practice Routine You’ll Ever Need

For the past few months, I’ve been trying to create a practice routine that includes all of the things that are important for a jazz pianist’s growth (Scales, Improvisation, Learning jazz standards), without feeling like a massive chore. 

After several failed experiments and a bunch of research, I think I have finally found a 5 part routine that tops them all. So here’s “The Only Jazz Piano Practice Routine You’ll Ever Need!” 

Let’s check it out!

Part 1: Scales, Chords and Arpeggios

These section will count as your warm up. Practice all your scales (Major, Minor, Diminished, Whole Tone) AT LEAST 2 octaves with a metronome in all 12 keys. 

Practice the 5 different chord types and their inversions (Major 6, Minor 6, Dominant 7, Diminished 7, Major 7). Minor 7 and Half diminished chords aren’t included in this list  because they are inversions of Major 6 and Minor 6 chords respectively. 

My favourite way to do this is by starting on root position and then playing the inversions for one chord ascending, then descending with the chord a semitone above. I call it “Up one, down one”.

Eg: C-E-G-B, E-G-B-C, G-B-C-E, B-C-E-G | C-Db-F-Ab, Ab-C-Db-F, F-Ab-C-Db, Db-F-Ab-C.. etc.

I do it the same way with the arpeggios.

Here’s an audio example of the arpeggio exercise ascending:

And then descending:

You don’t have to tackle all 12 keys in one sitting. If you are pressed for time, spread it out during the week. Do 2 or 3 different keys a day.

Part 2: Classical Study & Sight Reading

Playing and studying “Western Art” music is not emphasised often in jazz, but is useful not only for your technique, but also for your harmonic and melodic knowledge. There are a lot of techniques that can be taken from it and used in jazz, which is what countless musicians did and still do to this day. 

Take a few months to learn a piece, tackling small fragments each day. The time it will take to learn may be longer or shorter depending on the complexity of the piece. Analyse it for phrases, voicings or “movements” that can be added to your vocabulary. 

Take your time with this. There’s no rush! 

Sight Reading

Sight reading is a skill that will allow you to play from any music sheet that is put in front of you.

Most method books use written music as a way to explain concepts so it definitely helps when you can read music.

Find some easy pieces to sight read or use a book that has sight reading exercises. I recommend the Paul Harris: Improve Your Sight-reading series.

Part 3: New Concepts

You should always be working on a concept. Whether it is Tritone Substitution, So What Voicings or Upper Structures, this will be the section of your routine where you practice them, take them through all 12 keys, different chord progressions or whatever else applies.  

Make sure that a concept is completely under your fingertips before tackling a new one. One of the ways to know if a concept is under your fingertips is if you use it in your playing without actively trying. This means that it is now a part of your vocabulary. 

Part 4: Standards and Improvisation

Improvisation is the backbone of jazz music, and the only way to practice it is by doing it. When we learn jazz standards, we are learning music that we can use for practicing improvisation.

Analyse a standard’s changes and make use of the concepts and scales that you learn in your improvisation. 

Find inspiration from books that have melodic patterns and ideas and weave them together though the chord changes. 

There’s so much that you can do!

Part 5: Transcription

Transcribing will probably be one of the most beneficial things you will ever do in your musical journey. 

When you transcribe, you get to see the concepts you’re learning in action.. not just being explained on a page. 

There are different ways of transcribing. Some may just hear a lick and learn it, but others may notate it or go even further to notate a whole solo. 

Notating helps you to visualise what’s being played. Once I started doing it this way, I got to see the true value of notating.

You don’t have to write out an entire solo. It could be one phrase, or one chorus. 

Transcribe something each day!

It is my hope that you will find this routine useful. 

You are free to experiment with the way that you do certain exercises. You can choose to swap out one type of exercise for another where necessary. 

Think of it as a template that you can modify to suit your preferences.

Click the link below to download a FREE pdf/printable of this practice routine!

Good luck!