Pianists · Gospel Intermediate course
Gospel Piano — Intermediate
Six lessons: upper extensions round the Cycle of Fifths, rootless voicings, drop 2 chords, diminished scales and gospel diminished movements, modes and alternate scales, and improvising with intention.
Gospel Piano — Intermediate
Six lessons: upper extensions round the Cycle of Fifths, rootless voicings, drop 2 chords, diminished scales and gospel diminished movements, modes and alternate scales, and improvising with intention.
One device at a time. Your course can only be active on one device at a time — you can't be on a laptop or tablet and a phone at the same time. To switch, log out and log in on the other device: all your progress is saved to your account, not the device, so you carry on exactly where you left off.
Suggested practice schedule
One lesson a week finishes the course in 6 weeks. Little and often works best: 15–30 minutes a day, six days a week.
Sun · New lesson
Work through the next lesson and its play-along (20 – 30 mins).
Mon · Practice
Warm up, then the lesson's practice steps: five-finger warm-up, scales with both hands and reading the grand staff (20 mins).
Tue · Theory
Check-yourself quizzes and Music Terms flashcards (15 mins).
Wed · Play along
Loop the tricky bars at a slower tempo, then speed up (20 mins).
Thu · Review
Re-read the lesson's music without stopping and retake the knowledge check (15 mins).
Fri · Record
Record a take of the play-along and send it to Jason (15 mins).
Sat · Rest
Rest day — or a relaxed 10 minutes playing something you enjoy.
Busy week? Do Sunday's lesson and two practice days, and move on when you pass the knowledge check.
Jason in action
Jason on keys — live, in church and on stage
See all 12 videosIncludes play-along & sing-along backing tracks in every course, with tempo & key control, a live score and record-yourself feedback from Jason.
Tip: press the light/dark mode button (sun/moon) at the top if it's easier to read in the room you're in — or open Accessibility (bottom left) for bigger text, captions and read-aloud.
Melody first. The melody is the most important part of any song — it's what people remember and sing along to. Every lesson in this course shows you how to read, hear and support the melody, whether you're singing it, playing it or accompanying it.
Log in to unlock the Gospel courses: £300 per course, or any two Gospel courses for £500 (mix levels or instruments).
Lesson-by-lesson breakdown
Exactly what each of the 6 lessons covers — free to read before you enrol.
Upper Extensions: 9ths, 11ths & 13ths
What extensions mean and how they colour gospel chords
Upper extensions are the notes stacked above the 7th: the 9th, 11th and 13th. They give gospel chords their rich, warm colour. Learn what they mean, move them round the Cycle of Fifths and colour Blessed Assurance.
Rootless Voicings
Left-hand shapes for rich gospel chords
Rootless voicings leave the root to the bass player (or your left hand's low note) and give the hand the colourful notes — 3rds, 7ths, 9ths and 13ths. They are the sound of gospel and jazz keys. Piano only.
Drop 2 Chords
Spreading close chords for a full, open sound
A drop 2 chord takes a close four-note chord and drops the second note from the top down an octave. The result is wider and warmer — perfect for gospel ballads — with the melody still on top.
Diminished Scales & Gospel Diminished Movements
The 8-note scale and the moves gospel players love
The diminished scale alternates tones and semitones, and diminished 7th chords are the glue of gospel harmony. Learn the scale, three classic diminished movements and the 1-7-3-6-2-5-1 walk, then use them in Go Tell It on the Mountain.
Modes & Alternate Scales — and When to Use Them
Dorian, Mixolydian, Lydian, harmonic and melodic minor
Modes are the major scale started on different notes, and each one fits a different chord. Alternate scales like the harmonic minor, melodic minor and whole tone add new colours. Learn when to use each, then hear them in Wade in the Water.
Improvising With Intention
Licks, scales, the melody and modes in a shout chorus
Bring it all together. Improvise over Down by the Riverside using rehearsed licks, practised scales, the melody and the right modes — never guessing — and finish with a shout chorus.