Episode Synopsis "Technique: Question and answer"

Our demo tune today is Besame mucho.Listen to how the pianist plays an idea, a ‘question’, and then the next idea ‘answers’ it. It’s another technique that’s outrageously simple, yet profoundly musical. Once again, the key to making this technique work for you is to think differently. Rather than thinking like a button pusher, think in terms of question and answer. Notice the simplicity of this. If you are thinking in terms of question and answer, then you’ll automatically be thinking in terms of leaving space between ideas. You’ll automatically be thinking in terms of developing an idea, and so on. There will be some similarities between the questions and answers, which means it’s inherently musical.If you’re not sure how to get started, here are some simple first steps:* The Q motif goes up a scale, the A comes down. And vice versa.* The Q repeats notes, and the A plays an idea resolving on the main note.* The Q is low or high on the piano, the A is high/low (the opposite).* The Q ends on a given note, the A starts on that note.* The Q uses one scale, the A uses another.* And so on…Over to you. Pick a standard, and practise playing questions and answers. Record yourself, listen back, and go from there.Photo by Emily Morter on Unsplash This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fiveminutejazz.substack.com

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More episodes of the podcast Five Minute Jazz Lessons

• Technique demo: Sequencing
• Technique: 'close' block chords
• Technique: diminished scales
• Technique: Question and answer
• Technique: Repeated motifs