Hi! I'm Turtle Park, a writer and music creator. I currently run the YouTube channel Park Turtle’s Music Notes with over 100,000 subscribers, and I have also written two books, Composition Self-Study Guidebook and Jazz Piano Self-Study Guidebook. Even now, I am telling a variety of stories through live streaming, various covers, and course activities.

I have a dream. I want to give everyone in the world the courage to say 'I can create music too'. The energy of the piano and its music is limitless. It makes you see more possibilities for happiness.

Learn about jazz piano with Turtle Park!

Many people want to play jazz piano, but at the same time, it feels like a very far and difficult dream. There are also many misconceptions such as “Improvisation performances can only be done with talent” and “You can only play jazz if you have a good sense of sound.”

Jazz is also a unique language. I’ll show you how to escape from the limits of sheet music and enjoy playing. Jazz is a very special style of music that can encourage your everyday life.

Rhythm, the reason jazz is difficult!

In fact, when you play jazz piano, it's easy to think of complicated mars and melodies, but it's rhythm that plays the biggest role in creating jazz sounds. It sounds like I'm playing the same sheet of music, but it sounds off, it’s probably because of the rhythm.

The rhythm of jazz is so strange and difficult to feel, even for professional musicians who are new to jazz. It looks so strange and complicated. But that's the charm of jazz! By the end of this class, where rhythm and performances are together, you will surely fall in love with jazz's cheerful rhythm.

Build a strong foundation

From the very basic chords of 1-3-5, sounds that add a sense of tension, a different “mode” with its own color, and the “Upper Structure Triad”, the king of harmony! I will be introducing all of the harmony techniques you need for jazz.

But if you only know harmony, you won't know how to play chords, right? So, I'm going to walk you through how to play more beautiful chords and how to make pleasing sounds. After that, you will be able to play with only the melody and chords written in chords.

Learn how to use rhythm

Rhythm is very important to the genre of jazz. It's not just about looking at the sheet music and pressing the keys. You need to be able to play with the rhythms hidden in it. In the class, I will tell you how to practice rhythm through Swing rhythm and how to practice the chords you learn effectively!

Bossa Nova, Samba, Latin, and even Punk!

From the sweet Bossa Nova rhythm to the passionate Samba, the gorgeous Montuno rhythm, and even listening to fun Punk Jazz! We will look at the rhythms that make jazz performance more colorful, and the process of arranging and playing through that rhythm. After learning this course, you will be able to challenge the arrangement of the songs you like into a completely different genre!

Harmony, the Flower of Jazz

Jazz piano has a wonderful freedom to completely reinterpret chord progression as well as melody. Even the same melody may become a completely different song depending on what the chord progression is. In class, we'll start with the most basic chord progression of two-five one (2-5-1), how to add a new chord progression to the melody, and how to play! Once your reading comprehension has increased through this process, you won't be afraid to see the chords anymore.

A nice rig and Chord progressions

A rig is a specific melody that is often used while playing. It serves as a standard for good melodies, or as a source for itself to help you perform great music.

Chord progressions aren’t easy to use, even if you know a lot in theory. Applying the chord progressions and theories you will learn in class, I'll teach you how to create nicer voicing. After learning this, you will be able to play jazz-sounding melodies and chords with ease!

Jazz is courage

Jazz needs the courage to escape sheet music and the courage to find freedom. As you take your first steps, don't be afraid of moving away from the sheet music and messing up. You can’t be perfect from the beginning. After a few steps, you'll be able to get closer to the path of a great jazz pianist. You don’t need expensive schooling or talent. Just as you do not go into a friendship with a strategy or plan, jazz will come naturally as long as you love the music.

Jazz up your life

With jazz pianist Turtle Park.