Jazz for Classical Pianists

The 30-Day Accelerator

Early enrollment is open until August 29 | Class begins September 28

You CAN learn to improvise. You just need the right approach to practice.

It's 8 pm on a weeknight. You sit down at your piano and open up your Real Book to a lead sheet for "All the Things You Are." You want to improvise a beautiful arrangement like a seasoned jazz musician, but you find yourself wishing you had traditional sheet music to read from. Without it, where do you even begin?

This was exactly how I felt! I started with classical lessons growing up and switched to jazz as a teenager. I was frustrated for years about how to practice this music, because there are challenges in jazz that you simply can’t address by practicing like a classical musician.

In all my years of jazz lessons, there were only a few truly important concepts, and they all had to do with how to study the music independently. The classical approach to practice falls short: you can't rely on sheet music from the composer, so when something is challenging, it's not enough to simply slow things down and play hands-separately.

You need a new way to practice.

WHAT WE'LL COVER IN 30 DAYS

Your experience at the piano is a blessing, not a curse! We'll focus on the crucial concepts that make learning jazz different.

RHYTHM

THEORY

IMPROVISATION

Your Instructor

Hi, I'm Ted, the creator of Piano Fluency.

For over a decade, I have taught piano to passionate adult learners. I started the Piano Fluency YouTube channel in 2023, and it has since gained 90k subscribers and millions of views.

I earned a performance degree in Jazz Piano from the USC Thornton School of Music ('14), and have studied with Alan Pasqua, Vince Mendoza, Russ Ferrante, Otmaro Ruiz, and Randy Porter.

Listen here for an example of my jazz piano playing, from Laufey's Grammy-winning 2025 album "A Matter of Time."

JOIN THE FIRST COHORT

WHAT IS "EARLY ENROLLMENT?"

This is the first run of Jazz for Classical Pianists. I'm developing the final materials hand-in-hand with the first round of students. Early enrollment closes August 29, and the course officially begins September 28.

Weekly live Q&As with Ted

5 live sessions over the 30 days: bring the assignment you're stuck on, ask anything, and hear other classical pianists working through the same transition. Replays included. These sessions are exclusive to the first live cohort.

A course designed for you

Before we begin, I'll interview students in the first cohort, and I'll teach the course accordingly. Starting September 1, I'll get to know you and your musical curiosities over email. We'll also have an optional, informal live kick-off call on September 7.

Lifetime access

Every video assignment is yours to keep, along with all future updates to the course.

What happens between now and September 28:

You'll get a welcome email right away with helpful resources and a first listening assignment. The early-enrollment kickoff call is September 7, followed by the official course start September 28.