Removing the Mystery
Improvisation doesn't need to be some magic trick that only the most elite musicians are good at. You can learn to improvise, too! And you can do it faster than you thought you could.
By diving in and learning the basics of how to easily start improvising yourself, you'll be playing the music you've always wanted to before you know it!
Detailed Instruction
With countless instructional videos packed with the easy-to-follow concepts you'll need, you'll quickly be on the right track to unlocking true musical freedom. All with downloadable PDFs and resources to start your improvisational journey!
Over 60 Exercises
We won't just tell you how to improvise. We'll show you step by step and give you plenty of practice examples you can apply on your own. With detailed videos and play alongs, you'll be able to go at your own pace, and then venture out on your own!
Backing Tracks
Once you've worked through the exercises and you're ready to try improvising on your own, you'll have just the place to do it with the provided backing tracks! All with clear and concise instruction on how to use the tracks and some ideas of what to play.
Example Curriculum
- Improvisational Examples - Intro (2:24)
- Cm 1 (0:50)
- Cm 2 (0:50)
- Cm 3 (0:50)
- Cm 4 (0:50)
- Cm 5 (0:50)
- Cm 6 (0:50)
- Cm 7 (0:50)
- Cm 8 (0:50)
- Cm 9 (0:50)
- Cm 10 (0:50)
- F 1 (0:50)
- F 2 (0:50)
- F 3 (0:50)
- F 4 (0:50)
- F 5 (0:50)
- F 6 (0:50)
- F 7 (0:50)
- F 8 (0:50)
- F 9 (0:50)
- F 10 (0:50)
- Ab to Bb 1 (0:50)
- Ab to Bb 2 (0:50)
- Ab to Bb 3 (0:50)
- Ab to Bb 4 (0:50)
- Ab to Bb 5 (0:50)
- Ab to Bb 6 (0:50)
- Ab to Bb 7 (0:50)
- Ab to Bb 8 (0:50)
- Ab to Bb 9 (0:50)
- Ab to Bb 10 (0:50)
- Putting it All Together - Intro (1:16)
- Full Chorus Examples (2:51)
Frequently Asked Questions
What does purchasing this course get me?
- Purchasing the Intro to Improvisation course gets you access to the course FOR LIFE. It's a one-time purchase that will ensure you have access to the material for as long as need it. Also, you'll have access to any new additions or updates to the course over time. You ALWAYS have the most up-to-date and value-packed version available. In addition to the course, you'll receive a secret code to access the private members-only channels in the Charles Cornell Discord server. That's where you'll get access to an exclusive community of fellow students, who you'll be able to connect with and share progress and questions with!
How is this different from other piano courses?
- One of the ways Charles has been able to build a YouTube channel with over 1M subscribers is by having a unique ability to explain complicated concepts in an extremely clear and easy-to-understand manner. While other courses simply feature an instructor talking to the camera, this course is packed full of detailed graphic animations and supplemental resources to make sure you'll be up to speed at every step of the way.
How much practice will I need to put in?
- There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how much practice is enough. The best amount of time to practice is any amount of time when you're actually doing it. For some people, that might be 10 minutes per day. For others, it might be 2 hours. With this course, you can go as fast or as slow as you like, and you can replay any of the videos in the course as many times as you like. You get to set your own pace and take as long as you need to work through it.
What kind of piano do I need?
- One that works! An acoustic piano will work great and so will a digital keyboard. It doesn't matter how expensive it is, how many keys it has, or how many features it has. If it has some keys and makes a sound, you can probably use it! Now of course, a better quality instrument can help make some things easier. But especially at the beginning, the important thing is that you get playing at all. You can worry about the fine details later.
Do I need prior experience in order to take this course?
- NO! Improvisation can be a slightly more advanced topic than basic introductory music theory. HOWEVER, it doesn't have to be. This course is for you if you are a musician who enjoys playing music, but are looking to take your skills to the next level by unlocking the ability to play anything you want, off the cuff. By learning the basic concepts of improvisation, you'll gain the confidence and ideas necessary to start trying it out yourself. Before you know it, you'll be figuring out your own lines and phrases to add to your musical vocabulary! If improvisation is still a little intimidating, be sure to check out our other courses to help build up your basic music skills! Our Intro to Piano course will help get you on the right track to building the skills needed to tackle more advanced concepts!
Meet Charles
Before building a YouTube channel with over 1 million subscribers, Charles made a living as a jazz pianist playing gigs and teaching students. With both formal jazz and classical education, he has helped thousands of aspiring musicians take the next steps in their musical journeys. With such an extensive background and knowledge base in applied theory and improvisation, Charles has been able to help students of all levels improve their skills. From complete beginners looking to start learning the piano, to advanced professionals looking to improve their theory knowledge and improvisational vocabulary on their instrument.
“Charles isn’t just a gifted musician; he’s an uncommonly talented teacher as well. As a self-taught musician who never learned to read music or understand theory, I spent over a decade with huge gaps in my musical knowledge that prevented me from playing what I wanted to play. When Charles sat down with me, he was able to explain in 30 minutes what I’d struggled and failed to grasp pouring through music theory books, videos, and discussion threads on my own. If you want to learn piano quickly, he’s your guy.”
-Thomas Frank (YouTube)
