“Spann’s Stomp” Tutorial
In this lesson we analyse the material from the recording “Spann’s Stomp”.
“Spann’s Stomp” follows the 12 bar form which we explored in the earlier lessons in this course and we are going to explore the tune in the key of C.
Instrumental Blues & Boogie-Woogie
This tune is commonly played at faster tempos. Most blues instrumental piano recordings lean more towards the boogie-woogie style in terms of tempo.
The boogie-woogie style is grounded in improvisation and so in this lesson we will break down the core elements of an improvised blues/boogie-woogie recording.
Make sure to check out the original recording of this tune on YouTube.
Lesson Downloads
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12 Bar Blues Variations File Type: pdf -
“Spann’s Stomp” Improvisation File Type: pdf
Related Lessons
In this 5 minute masterclass Tuomo demonstrates 3 common blues lines that can be played over a 251 cadence in the key of F.
Let’s use the notes of the minor blues scale, the major blues scale and the extended blues scale to create different types of blues licks of riffs.
With your knowledge of chord tone soloing, the blues scale is now just another dimension that you can add to your solo, instead of the whole solo!
Practice Tips
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This tune has a great example of creating an intro over the first 4 bars of the form. Experiment with this in your own blues arrangements.
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Start your blues improvisations by leaving lots of space. Try to build towards a sense of climax as your solo develops into the next choruses.
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'Hammering" off the b3 and the b5 is a very common device used in blues improvisation. Study Steve's examples in this lesson.
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Repeat licks at specific parts of the form to develop a sense of narrative and continuation in your solos.
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When playing octave tremolos, focus on the evenness of the sound and then gradually increase the speed.
