Herbie Hancock Masterclass Review 2023: Guide to Jazz Piano

From playing the first movement of the Piano Concerto n. Mozart’s 53rd Major, K. 537 (coronation) at a youth concert with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the age of 11 years to become one of the most respected and highly decorated piano players of all time, Herbie Hancock has had a musical career that has yet to be duplicated by any other artist alive.

As success kept patting his back, Herbie Hancock began directing fusion groups and playing electronic keyboards, from electric pianos to synthesizers.

The fascinating colors and rhythms of the sound-stratified synthesizer lines have characterized several popular jazz-funk hits throughout his career.

Any Piano lover or just a passionate lover of jazz music would be well aware of the name Herbie Hancock, the most gifted piano artist after Mozart and Beethoven.

After having a long and illustrious 50 years career as a successful pianist, today, Herbie Hancock is here on the Masterclass platform to teach his admirers and potential future piano sensations to learn the professional art of piano playing and creating music that can win the hearts of millions.

Bottom Line Upfront: Herbie Hancock comes with a piano Masterclass titled “Herbie Hancock Teaches Jazz”.

This is a very extensive network for a course with 25 lessons of 10 to 15 minutes. Here you can learn JAZZ in 25 relatively short video lessons.

The Herbie Hancock Masterclass is a go-to opportunity for every single one of you who is interested in jazz. Try Out Herbie Hancock Masterclass Now.

Table of Contents

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You can trust me because I carefully looked at and explained the important details of Herbie Hancock’s Masterclass.

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Welcome to the Herbie Hancock Piano Masterclass

Herbie’s Piaono Masterclass

Herbie Hancock comes with a piano Masterclass titled “Herbie Hancock Teaches Jazz”.

This is a very extensive network for a course with 25 lessons of 10 to 15 minutes. Here, you can learn JAZZ in 25 relatively short video lessons.

Herbie is just amazing: not only is he a music legend, but he is also committed to the next generation of musicians, said David Rogier, CEO and co-founder of Masterclass.

“The depth and joy with which he shares his profession is a revelation.”

What can you expect from Herbie’s Masterclass?

So, what do you get? They get the best of Herbie for many different topics, mainly jazz, but also music in general. This includes:

Much of Herbie’s philosophical approach to music.
Herbie’s approach to improvisation.
Herbie’s approach to writing and composition.
Interesting voices of chords and pronunciation lessons.
How he learns (and learns) new things and new tunes.
Some exercises (not much) of piano and technical things.
Herbie’s approach to navigating your music career.
Your favorite music and inspirations during your career.

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Herbie Hancock Piano Masterclass – LESSON PLAN!

Herbie Hancock’s jazz career started in his family’s living room, listening to his favorite records and trying to play along. Now, he’s one of the most renowned musicians in the world.

Join the Herbie course on Masterclass, where he shares his approach to improvising, composition, and harmony. Gain access to 10+ original piano transcriptions, including 5 exclusive solo performances.

Here is the outline of the course that you will learn over time.

Introduction
A Human Approach to Music
Improvisation
Learning by Listening
The Two Basic Jazz Forms
Listen and Learn: “Oleo”
Piano Basics
Piano Exercises
Improvising Alone
Expanded Improv Techniques
Jam Session: Improvising Together
Composing
Recomposing, Rearranging, Reinventing
Jam Session: Two Approaches to “Watermelon Man”
Working as a Composer
Chord Voicings
Case Study: Reharmonizing “‘Round Midnight”
Ravel’s Creative Harmonies
Expanding Your Harmonic Horizons
Listen and Learn: “Maiden Voyage”
Rhythmic Musicianship
Jam Session: Rhythm in “Actual Proof”
A Musical Life
Listen and Learn: “Watermelon Man”
Closing

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How Herbie’s Piano Masterclass help me improve my Piano Playing skills?

I have taken a lot from Herbie’s interpretation of music.

That means adding colorful jazz chords and interesting voicings to them, changing the tempo (6ths, 9ths, bass inversions, etc.), or even some whole parts from the song.

Breaking the pulse even from time to time by playing with a “human time” instead of a “metronome time.” Basically – the sensation of playing without constraints – just being true to my feelings.

I also learned a lot from his approach to how you can fully alter a song when you’re playing it on a solo piano-and I got rid of the traditional “doing it just like the original” style.

My playing now sounds a lot more exciting and enjoyable, and as Herbie says – by using them, I seek to take songs and tell a story – not just technical delivery. This is an enormous step forward for me.

So I don’t think a course can come and “place your own sound in your hands,” – but I’m absolutely sure I made a huge leap forward in having a special sound that feels a lot more genuine and personal to me – and that everyone else can do that too.

Not just to translate popular songs but also to compose my music.

Don’t expect to get that, though, if you don’t work hard on what you’re learning – and spend significant amounts of time on the piano while taking the Masterclass.

Herbie is just amazing: not only is he a music legend, but he is also committed to the next generation of musicians, said David Rogier, CEO and co-founder of MasterClass.

“The depth and joy with which he shares his profession is a revelation.”

So, what do you get? They get the best of Herbie for many different topics, mainly jazz, but also music in general. This includes:

Much of Herbie’s philosophical approach to music.
Herbie’s approach to improvisation.
Herbie’s approach to writing and composition.
Interesting voices of chords and pronunciation lessons.
How he learns (and learns) new things and new tunes.
Some exercises (not much) of piano and technical things.
Herbie’s approach to navigating your music career.
Your favorite music and inspirations during your career.

Herbie Hancock Masterclass Outline

Herbie Hancock’s jazz career started in his family’s living room, listening to his favorite records and trying to play along.

Now, he’s one of the most renowned musicians in the world. Join Herbie’s course on masterclass, where he shares his approach to improvising, composition, and harmony. Gain access to 10+ original piano transcriptions, including 5 exclusive solo performances.

Here is the outline of the course that you will learn over time.

01 – Introduction
02 – A Human Approach to Music
03 – Improvisation
04 – Learning by Listening
05 – The Two Basic Jazz Forms
06 – Listen and Learn: “Oleo”
07 – Piano Basics
08 – Piano Exercises
09 – Improvising Alone
10 – Expanded Improv Techniques
11 – Jam Session: Improvising Together
12 – Composing
13 – Recomposing, Rearranging, Reinventing
14 – Jam Session: Two Approaches to “Watermelon Man”
15 – Working As a Composer
16 – Chord Voicings
17 – Case Study: Reharmonizing “‘ Round Midnight”
18 – Ravel’s Creative Harmonies
19 – Expanding Your Harmonic Horizons
20 – Listen and Learn: “Maiden Voyage”
21 – Rhythmic Musicianship
22 – Jam Session: Rhythm in “Actual Proof”
23 – A Musical Life
24 – Listen and Learn: “Watermelon Man”
25 – Closing

Who should take Herbie Hancock’s Masterclass?

If you are the one who loves to play music, play piano, play jazz piano, or love, you will definitely benefit from this Masterclass. I do not know exactly where this class will take you on your musical journeys, but I think that those who are serious will appreciate “contact” about their potential.

Because? Since he is one of the best live musicians, he speaks with his heart and shares his knowledge and beautiful stories about a gaming experience with the best musicians in the world for over 60 years.

It is a truly amazing opportunity and a refreshing change to learn from random teachers on YouTube.

However, starting such a large thematic network has the price of making certain elements obvious to some people (experienced jazz pianists), such as an introduction to Rhythm Changes.

(But it’s probably good to know if Herbie is approaching that) while for others (like pianists who are only interested in jazz), a lot of things just “go berserk.” Like some of the live demonstrations. Complicated jazz melodies. (but you probably still love him)

Perks of learning from Herbie’s Masterclass!

You can certainly make a big step forward to find your own sound.

Every day you do not have the opportunity to learn from someone who has been at the top of the class for 60 years, especially in an art form that is as impressive as jazz piano.

Without a doubt, Herbie is the most entertaining teacher you can learn. So charming, so real, and so sensitive. A joy to learn. And Herbie seems to enjoy sharing his knowledge.

The master class is also about writing new music and not just playing with existing music and improvising.

The production level is exceptional. Cinematography is a work of art in itself. The side of the class. The renowned music studio and the $ 300,000 Fazioli piano.

It’s not something you see on YouTube every day. I totally felt like I was enjoying an elite music class.

I think the number of lessons is great: 25 lessons are designed so that most people are not “too,” and I think that most people who receive the master’s degree will complete at least 70-80% of the time. Naturally. Lessons that interest you the most.

Herbie’s Masterclass Workbook

I love the exercise book a lot; it’s an excellent accompaniment, and although it’s not written by Herbie himself, it’s a great way to sum up the lessons and also offers exercises that some of them really did find useful and useful to me.

Each lesson contains 1 to 3 pages that summarize it, and you can print everything as a book. Reading the summary before and after each lesson helped me a lot to integrate the new knowledge.

I really like the class PDF workbook – it’s a perfect accompaniment – and even though it’s not written by Herbie himself, it’s a nice overview of the lessons. It also offers some exercises that some of them were very interesting and helpful.

Each lesson is condensed into 1-3 lines, and you can print the whole thing out as a book. Before and after each lesson, reading the review helped me a lot to understand the new information.

You also get the sheet music for all that is played in the lesson in the workbook – transcribed note by note. (Including every little riff Herbie showed just for a second or two)

Interact with other musicians in the Masterclass community!

The comment section (they call it “class hub”) on the lessons sometimes contained some really great things! A bunch of other musicians, all passing the same class and enjoying the knowledge of Herbie while sharing their thoughts, knowledge, and experience.

It’s much more elegant than a random YouTube comment section where people mostly just try to be funny.

The comment section about the class sometimes has really great things! A group of other musicians, all in the same class, enjoy the knowledge of Herbie as they share their thoughts, knowledge, and experiences.

It’s much more elegant than a random section on YouTube where people try to be funny.

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Things I loved the most from Herbie’s Masterclass!

I must tell first of all that Herbie soon was to me like a very good friend. That is the vibe that he is giving. He is always smiling and charming, and seeing him is a massive pleasure.

I totally love him. “You only learn from those you love.” – I once saw a talk about this saying from Ted – and this class proves that it is real.

For me, and for my style of playing my own favorite songs, the Masterclass was no less than transformative. I am very grateful. You can surely make a huge leap forward when it comes to finding your own sound.
Not every day you get the chance to learn from someone who has been in his class for the past 60 years at the top of the world, especially in a form of art as impressive as the jazz piano.
Herbie is probably the most likable instructor I’ve had the opportunity to learn from in my career. It is so wonderful, so true, and so down to earth. A joie d’apprendre. And Herbie looks like he has a nice time, even passing on his experience.
The Masterclass is always so much about composing new songs and not only playing and improvising current material – so I’ve brought a lot of it to my own songwriting.
The production standard is outstanding. Here, cinematography is by itself a work of art. Online platform for the study. The famous studio of music and the Fazioli piano for 300,000$. It is not something that you see on YouTube every day.
I think the number of lessons is ideal: 25 lessons are oriented enough for most people not to be “too many,” – and I think most people who get the master class should finish at least 70-80 percent of the lessons – the ones that they find most interesting.

Things I disliked about the Masterclass!

It took me over two months to get through the lessons slowly while taking stops of usually 2-4 days between each to think about what I’ve learned and let it come out on my piano.

This allowed me to explore many aspects of professional piano playing, covering several genres.

As a mediocre piano player who is here to learn and better the art of playing, some elements of Herbie’s Masterclass didn’t really entice me.

Because they’re throwing a really large net here (“Herbie Hancock Teaches Jazz”) – some musicians will find stuff they’ve learned years before, and some (jazz beginners) may find some of the lessons “out of control” – at least for the moment. But for such a wide net – I think it’s fairly balanced, and there’s a lot of good stuff for all audiences to get out of the Masterclass.
In some cases, there were subjects on which Herbie might talk even more. For example, as in the voicing lesson – only 10 minutes on the subject for which Herbie is so famous? (The unique voicings he uses) I honestly think Herbie should be doing a bunch of Masterclasses on smaller topics – I will eventually get to them all. (Improvising. Writing music. Interesting chord voicings and reharmonizations, etc.
In some cases – it seems as if Herbie was more prepared for the lecture, what exactly he wanted to speak about, and the examples he wanted to offer. As you can sense the ways he’s “improvising” the lesson, I couldn’t help but think how much more valuable this lesson might have been if he just practiced it more clearly.
I wish the playing roles in a group were broader – and he’d give us some of his insight and experience about it. He did a couple of cool live jam sessions in the studio, but it was with musicians he hadn’t known before, and those few lessons didn’t seem really well thought through.
I wish there was a virtual keyboard that would show the exact notes Herbie plays in the examples, in real-time, in colors. (And yes, there is a technological way that also makes it possible on acoustic pianos) Although the overhead view was great (and the accompanying note-by-note music sheet workbook), it was still very difficult to follow in real-time.

Why Should You Take Jazz Lessons from Herbie Hancock?

You will learn with the expert if you pay attention to and replicate all of the techniques that he employed in his most successful records.

You will have the unique opportunity to hone your skills while listening to classic performances by Herbie Hancock, and you will meet brilliant guests who will assist you in better understanding the material.

Herbie does not stop at improvisations and mastering tunes. He guides you through his one-of-a-kind ways of transforming life events, such as feelings, memories, and struggles, into stunning pieces of music.

Masterclass Pricing Plans

There are two ways by which you can purchase a Masterclass: a single Masterclass and an All-Access Pass for any of the gurus on the platform.

I think the price for what I got here is very fair: $90 for lifetime access to 25 lessons with such a legend. One of the best buys I’ve ever made.

There are two ways by which you can purchase a Masterclass: a single Masterclass and an All-Access Pass for any of the gurus on the platform.

Single Masterclass: $90
All-Access Pass: $180 per year

The All-Access Pass comes in real handy when you wish to take more than one Masterclass, so this means that there is no limit on the number of Masterclasses on the All-Access Pass.

A 30-day money-back guarantee is also available for any of the Masterclass packages you purchase, and you will get a complete refund of the amount in case you are not satisfied with their services.

What is a Masterclass?

Masterclass is an exclusive online education platform created in 2015 by Aaron Rasmussen and film editor and director David Rogier 2015 that allows students and learners from across the globe to connect with leading creative professionals, Entrepreneur, top influencers, and award-winning personalities from the art industry, including Oscar award and Grammy award-winning filmmakers, actors, screenwriters, Multi-billion dollar grossing directors, and many more.

Masters at Masterclass

The Masterclass is a great way of learning online from top creators as it brings in the best influencers from the art industry under one platform.

The platform gives you the opportunity to learn various forms of arts like Creative Writing, Photography, Gaming, Directing, Cooking Techniques, Acting, Music, and much more from an elite list of masters.

Masterclass Mobile apps: Learn from Herbie and other artists on the go!

Access your Masterclass lessons anywhere on the go by downloading the Masterclass app for your iOS or Android device for free from the App Store and Play Store. Save lessons as favorites, adjust the playback speed, and watch them anytime you want to.

FAQs | Masterclass

🙋‍♀️ Is MasterClass Worth The Money?

The answer depends on what kind of educational experience you are planning ahead to get. If you want to learn independently, then MasterClass is the perfect option for you. All of the classes are perfectly organized and filled with information. As a result, you can learn your favorite subject at your own pace. You can get either one episode at a time, or you can binge-watch a whole course series just like you do on Netflix. The quality of their course is also pretty high, and the instructions have credibility. So you can be sure that you are experiencing quality learning. Also, it does not cost you way too much. So yes, it is definitely worth your money.

🤷‍♂️ How Much Does MasterClass Cost?

There are two plans that MasterClass has. You can either go for the individual to pass or go with the all-access pass. With the individual pass, you will only be able to access one course at a single time. Also, each course costs you $90. While the all-access pass costs you $180 in a year and it allows you to browse all the website content without any restrictions.

✅ Does MasterClass Give Any Certificates?

As of now, MasterClass does not offer any certificate to their students on course completion. However, they do send their students an email confirming that they have completed the course. The email will feature a congratulatory message along with some tips on how to further use the site to continue your studies.

🔥 Does MasterClass Have A Free Trial?

MasterClass used to provide a free trial in the past. However, back in August 2018, they stopped giving out free trials. And this is no longer available.

🤔 Is MaterClass Any Good?

In a single sentence answer, yes, the MasterClass is good. You will get a comprehensive video course from a world-class successful person in their specific field. So you already know that you are going to get quality information. Also, the website covers a wide range of topics. The topics range from tennis to comedy to acting to singing to writing. Also, the website is bringing new topics now and then. Plus, with just a one-year subscription, you will get to access different topics and learn something new. Also, it is pretty affordable compared to many platforms available out there.

Herbie Hancock Masterclass Review

This is awesome! I thought it was just about jazz, but am so thrilled that it’s about playing jazz on the keyboard! -Janet F.

I love how he speaks about authentisity. I find it takes great courage to be willing to brake the molds at times, as you search for your own soul’s truth. For me its about really listening to the music and seeing where the emotional rsonance leads me. Personally, for growth’s sake, its about finding those sweet improvisations, without disruping the collective chi of the song, unless and when we all agree as a group, to stretch ourselves beyond what we thought was either allowed or acceptable. As a self taught drummer, its about intuitively knowing when to do so, and when to fall back and just hold a sacred space for others . -Vivian H.

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Conclusion: Herbie Hancock Masterclass 2023

Herbie Hancock is the latest artist to join Masterclass. This online learning platform uses the expertise of celebrities, industry leaders, and news professionals to provide on-demand classes for busy professionals learning new skills or developing a new hobby.

In this Masterclass, you will see 25 video lessons where a 14-time Grammy winner shares his approach to improvisation, composition, and harmony and provides their students access to 10+ original piano transcriptions, including 5 exclusive solo performances.

There’s a downloadable workbook included in the course as well, and the cost is $90.

In my opinion, you must give Herbie Hancock Masterclass a try, and you will never be disappointed. Let me know in the comments section what you liked about this course and your experiences if you have already opted for it.