Davell Crawford

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Blues Shuffle


Left Hand Fundamentals

Davell Crawford Lesson >

Blues Shuffle > Left Hand Fundamentals

Hi, my name is Davell Crawford and I'm here for Sonic Junction. Over the course of the year I will be teaching you different piano styles ranging from Blues, Gospel, New Orleans and Jazz improvisation. Today we will start this first lesson off with the blues. It's a shuffle pattern that will start forming a strong foundation of your left hand and your right hand rhythm technique, which is a very important factor in learning the blues and roots music as a whole. We will learn the shuffle with the great Jimmy Reed tune Baby, What You Want Me To Do.

After you learn the left hand pattern, please practice it with my run-through of Baby, What You Want Me To Do until you can play it without looking at the keyboard. A strong left hand is the hallmark of all the great New Orleans and Chicago blues piano players and we want you to start building your foundation.

Oh, and please invest in a little metronome!!!

Et ils sont partis!

Davell

 

 

 

 

Topics and/or subjects covered in this lesson:
Blues
Jimmy Reed
Baby What You Want Me To Do
Davell Crawford
Blues Shuffle

Print Print Chords & Tab

Loop 0:32 Run-Through of Baby What You Want Me To Do

 

Got me runnin'

Got me hidin'

Got me run hide hide runnin'

Anyway you want to let it roll

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Got me doin' what you want me

Baby what you want me to do

 

Goin' up

Goin' down

Goin' up down down up

Anyway you want to let it roll

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Got me doin' what you want me

Baby what you want me to do

 

Got me peepin'

Got me hidin'

Got me peep hide hide peepin'

Anyway you want to let it roll

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Got me doin' what you want me

Baby what you want me to do

 

Loop 4:02 Breakdown of Left Hand Shuffle

Loop 5:04 Practice Loop of Left Hand Shuffle

 

Download the Sheet Music PDF

 

Loop 5:35 Lick of the Song and Shuffle Variations

Loop 7:08 Closing Thoughts

 

 

 

Comments

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Marc Graci
Marc Graci Jul 27, 2018

Hi, Davell:

When you move from the I chord to the IV chord, does it matter which direction you move? It seems that when you played the song, you moved your left hand down for the Bb, but there were other times when you moved up for the IV chord. Does it matter?

Marc Graci
Marc Graci Jul 22, 2018

Hi, Davell! This is a great song and a great lesson. Your voice is golden.

I've only been playing piano consistently for about six months now. I've been playing blues harp much longer than that, so I'm familiar with this song and the blues genre, and that was my primary reason for joining Sonic Junction. Your playing is WAAAAY beyond my abilities currently(and for the foreseeable future).

I think that my immediate goal, the takeaway from this lesson, would be the left hand blues shuffle, right? Is there any advice that you would give a beginner, or is there any "bridge" course or material out there you would recommend?

Thank you.

Davell Crawford
Davell Crawford Jul 22, 2018

Hi Marc!

Great to know you are progressing as a musician. This lesson, if you follow it closely and practice, it is a geared towards the beginner of the blues for the left hand. Study it closely and upload a video For me to see your progress. I can guide you better from learning where you are now.

Good luck and keep playing!!

Davell

Marc Graci
Marc Graci Jul 23, 2018

Thanks, Davell! I'll take some time to work through this lesson and I'll try to watch your hands carefully. The left hand shuffle pattern is explained well, but I'll try to figure out that melody over the V, and the introduction. Man, you are good!

When I feel like I have something, I'll try to record a video.

rob fulton
rob fulton Jan 11, 2016

It's not that often when someone has the ability to teach as well as they play. Thanks Davell for this lesson. As a piano player, it has inspired me to expand. I look forward to continuing with the lessons.

Davell Crawford
Davell Crawford Jan 15, 2016

Hi Rob!

Thanks for the compliment! I hope that you hang around throughout the year. I've got some really interesting things in store this year! lets stay in touch!

Davell

Matthew
Matthew Dec 20, 2015

Hey Davell,

thanks for the lesson! here's my first shot at it; i tried throwing in some right hand comping with the left hand.

Davell Crawford
Davell Crawford Dec 21, 2015

Hi Matthew,

Great job! I certainly heard your added improvisation around marker time 1:45, loud and clear. That's what the blues is all about! In the begginning on the Fmaj. chord, the left hand didn't reach up to the Dominant 7th, but once you changed to the Bb, your thumb reached up to the Dominant 7th. Really good that you played both the basic and variated lines as the lesson does, it helps me to know just where you are in your interpretation of this music and just where you will need some pointers. In future lessons, we will explore attack and feeling, I'll be excited for you when we get to that stuff! Keep up the really good work!!!

Davell

Boyd R
Boyd R Dec 19, 2015

nice tune it would be great if you could do something for a beginner

Davell Crawford
Davell Crawford Dec 19, 2015

Hi Boyd R. While these lessons are a bit advanced, the beginner can still learn greatly. They are geared to get you playing some of these songs fastly no matter if you're a beginner or more advanced player. Give it a try and take your time...use the loops to repeat routines, and should you have any questions feel free to send me a message!

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes Dec 12, 2015

Excellent lesson, very nicely presented! And lovely playing! :-) Looking forward to more, thanks much!

Davell Crawford
Davell Crawford Dec 12, 2015

Thanks Bruce! I am preparing some wonderful videos for you full of technics of the Blues, New Orleans Piano, R&B, Funk, grooving, etc. Hope you'll find your way on board!

Davie

 
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