New Course Announcement!
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our newest premium course with jazz pianist, hip-hop producer, and Grammy-winning artist, Kiefer.
Kiefer has been called the best kept secret in jazz and alt-rap. Both a skilled pianist and a dynamic producer, his work draws on the rich traditions of Black American music for a sound that’s not quite jazz, not quite hip-hop — something entirely his own. Picture Dilla-inspired beats with rich, complex harmonies and flashy solos on top.
In Kiefer: Keys, Chords, and Beats, he showcases his approach to the piano and keys — how he makes modern piano-based beat music, how he improvises and composes on the fly, and so much more. We’ll be exploring how to write sophisticated and soulful chord changes, how to harmonize with a melody, how to come up with exciting solos, how to fashion short loops into interesting beats, and so much more.
If you’re a pianist, or a producer with some background in piano, dive in to take your skills to the next level.
Kiefer’s music is known for its fresh, soulful harmonies, exciting solos, and lilting lo-fi hip-hop beats. We’re going to explore how each element of his modern, refined sound comes together, offering you a wholly unique opportunity to improve your skills and find your voice as a producer-instrumentalist too.
This course is for anyone with some prior knowledge of major and minor scales and how to construct chords built on scales. You should also be able to comfortably play chords and melodies on the piano. And you will definitely need a piano, keyboard, or a keyboard-based MIDI instrument to get the most out of this course.
Ready? Get started here!
Let’s talk about outcomes. In this course, Kiefer’s going to walk you through his personal compositional and improvisational processes through a series of creative challenges, detailing how he approaches each challenge. In the end, you’ll have both those same challenges and the fruits of Kiefer’s teachings at your disposal as go-to tools you can utilize forever.
More specifically, we’re going to cover:
- How to come up with interesting chord progressions that aren’t constrained by a single key,
- How to use lush chord voicings with tensions,
- How to harmonize and re-harmonize melodies with interesting harmonic choices,
- Kiefer’s approach to improvising and how to craft a great solo,
- How to level up your improvisation skills using a variety of techniques from transcription to singing,
- How to make interesting beats using piano or keys as the backbone.
Preview a full lesson in Kiefer: Keys, Chords, & Beats.
Meet Your Instructor
Kiefer
Jazz Pianist, Composer, & Hip-Hop Producer
Kiefer is a Grammy-winning pianist and producer. He was born and raised in San Diego, immersed in jazz by his father. He studied at UCLA’s Jazz Studies Program under renowned jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell and got his beats education at the LA club Low End Theory.
He released his debut album Kickinit Alone in 2017 with Leaving Records and, in 2018, signed to Stones Throw and released his second album Happysad. Three EPs — Bridges, Superbloom, and Between Days — expanded his compositional approach to his songwriting.
Kiefer has toured the world and collaborated with Kaytranada, SiR, Terrace Martin, Lalah Hathaway, Moses Sumney, Abraham Laboriel, and more. In 2020, he won a GRAMMY for Best R&B Album for his production work on Anderson .Paak’s Ventura. As a teacher of music, he regularly shares his insights via Instagram Live and collaborates with the followers on his Twitch channel.
How does a Soundfly course work?
Great question! We offer two ways to experience our courses: on your own with an all-access subscription or with personalized coaching from a Soundfly Mentor.
It costs as little as $19 per month to subscribe to Soundfly. And with your subscription, you’ll get unlimited access to all of the premium course content on Soundfly.com, including this course, to go through at your own pace. This includes all the videos, tutorials, demos, quizzes, activities, downloads, and other materials that make our online courses one of a kind!
But that’s not all, subscribers receive an invite to join our private community Slack channel, exclusive perks from partner brands, and exclusive access to livestreams, office hours, and contests. Plus, you’ll be entitled to a 25% discount on custom mentorship sessions.
If you’d like personalized guidance, feedback, and support from a professional as you go through the course material, you can do that with one of our incredible Soundfly Mentors. Simply subscribe, and fill out a Mentorship Interest Form (found inside all our courses), or head here to learn more about what custom mentorship entails and to get in touch with us directly.
Are you ready?
Let’s get you signed up, so you can learn from a Grammy Award-winning pianist and producer, and up your improvisation game to new heights!
