1. Learn at your own pace in this 20-week online course.
2. Artistic guidance & feedback from the artist.
3. Engaged & supportive community of peers to exchange feedback.
4. English subtitles (Original audio in Korean).
5. Enroll now to start learning right away!

Your gateway to jazz

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.

1. Meet Park Turtle: jazz pianist and your instructor
2. Why most people feel as though jazz piano is difficult
3. Starting with the proper mindset
4. Introducing the class

1. How to practice major scales
2. How to practice chords for beginners
3. What is voicing? Practicing shell voicing
4. Practicing four note voicing in the jazz style

1. The steps between notes: Understanding intervals
2. Understanding the function of chords
3. The relationship between chords and scales - Available Note Scales
4. The theory behind creating tension
5. How to reharmonize - Reconstructing chords (Beginner)

1. What is swing?
2. The basics of jazz - The Walking Base
3. Comping that plays harmony and rhythm
4. Using semitones to play approach notes
5. Playing “Happy Birthday” jazz version - 1
6. Playing “Happy Birthday” jazz version - 2

1. A piece’s arrangement - Voicing
2. How to effectively use chords
3. Creating voicing for “Reunion” - Verse
4. Creating voicing for “Reunion” - Chorus

1. Secondary Dominant
2. Substitute Dominant
3. Modal Interchange
4. How to reharmonize - Reconstructing chords (Intermediate)

1. What is funk?
2. Practicing the basic paradiddles
3. One chord funk - 1
4. One chord funk - 2
5. Playing “Peek-A-Boo” jazz version - 1
6. Playing “Peek-A-Boo” jazz version - 2

1. What is latin music?
2. How to play Bossa Nova and Samba rhythms
3. How to play Montuno rhythms
4. Playing “River Flows in You” latin version - 1
5. Playing “River Flows in You” latin version - 2

1. A flashy addition to the melody - Licks 1
2. A flashy addition to the melody - Licks 2
3. Playing to impress - Chord progression 1
4. Playing to impress - Chord progression 2

1. Changing up the chords - Cliche
2. A colorful sound - Drop 2 voicing
3. Upper structure triad 1
4. Upper structure triad 2
5. How to reharmonize - Reconstructing chords (Expert)

1. Funk + Latin music
2. Playing Zico’s “Any song” - 1
3. Playing Zico’s “Any song” - 2

1. How to improvise
2. How to play blues
3. How to strengthen your fingers
4. The basics of arranging your own pieces

In closing: Turtle Park’s parting thoughts

• People who enjoy music and piano
• People who like to perform using their own two hands
• People who are interested in learning jazz piano
• People who want to learn how to improvise, even without any sheet music
• People who want to learn a new, enriching hobby

You can access the class videos for 20 weeks. Within that period, you can replay the videos on as many devices as you want.

We will send you an email with a webpage link and a personalized code to access the videos within 24 hours of purchase. Please check your inbox or spam!

Q. How can I play without getting a classical feel?

A. People who have played classical music often feel unfamiliar with the rhythms used in pop / jazz. In this case, it is most effective to first learn the groove of jazz through swing jazz. Afterwards, by learning how to make rhythms with both hands while learning the grooves and common patterns of pop, you will be able to perform more sensible and refined performances.In class, we will cover not only the most traditional swings, but also other genres that you can apply rhythmic and diverse ideas such as punk and bossa nova. It will be very helpful in throwing away the classical feeling.

Q. How can I practice on my own effectively?

A. As always, it is essential to listen to a lot of good music in order to perform well. However, it does not stop here. You need to think in various perspectives, such as 'Why did the composer/performer put this chord here?', 'How can I use this line in my own playing'? The content covered by the class also requires constant effort to master your own style of jazz, not just follow others’ styles. In the class, we will provide a lot of fun practice routines that can be made smarter, more enjoyable, and with your small goals. Let's build strong practice fundamentals together!

Q. How can I use jazz chords powerfully?

A. There are many examples using the C key, but they are not always suited to the situations you will actually encounter. To overcome this situation, you must be familiar with various chord patterns, and reading comprehension is essential to read the context of chords before and after other chords. In the class, we will not only deal with the C key, but we will maximize your reading comprehension of the mode context through various methods, such as moving from the C key to another key and moving from another key to the C key.

Q. I’m new to jazz piano. Can I still follow along?

Surprisingly, there is often no difference between a classic major and a beginner to jazz chords. Of course, there may be a big difference in the ability to read sheet music, and technical skills, but jazz pianists play and use chords, that require slightly different practices. These parts will be covered fully through my lessons, so don't worry too much! If you practice consistently, even beginners will begin to have moments where improvisation is possible.