Music

Learn a New Musical Instrument

Unlock Musical Creativity & Expression

Write & Compose Music

Teaches Jazz

Herbie Hancock

Meet your instructor, legendary pianist and composer Herbie Hancock. For Herbie, music is more than the notes you play. Learn how to open your mind—and ears—to the real story.

1. Introduction

Introduction

For Herbie, music is more than the notes you play. Learn how to open your mind—and ears—to the real story.

2. A Human Approach to Music

A Human Approach to Music

Don't let improvisation intimidate you. Herbie’s approach starts with the simplest of ideas: Listen, then react.

3. Improvisation

Improvisation

Herbie taught himself to play jazz by playing along with his favorite records. Learn how to use his methods to accompany the music you love.

4. Learning by Listening

Learning by Listening

Countless jazz tunes are built around one of two simple harmonic patterns. Practice Herbie’s licks and improv ideas, and discover new opportunities to use them.

5. The Two Basic Jazz Forms

The Two Basic Jazz Forms

Listen, practice, and play along with Herbie’s solo performance of Sonny Rollins's standard, a classic example of rhythm changes.

6. Listen and Learn: "Oleo"

Listen and Learn: "Oleo"

Herbie breaks down the fundamentals of piano playing.

7. Piano Basics

Piano Basics

Build speed and strength in your fingers with the exercises that have helped Herbie most.

8. Piano Exercises

Piano Exercises

Playing alone means you’re free to play any way you want. Learn how Herbie breaks the rules of melody, rhythm, and harmony to infuse his solo performances with creativity.

9. Improvising Alone

Improvising Alone

Have you ever thought about music as a series of images? Herbie shares techniques that will push the boundaries of your improvising.

10. Expanded Improv Techniques

Expanded Improv Techniques

Herbie brings some guests to help demonstrate how musicians communicate while playing.

11. Jam Session: Improvising Together  

Jam Session: Improvising Together  

Where do songs come from? For Herbie, they start to take shape in life experiences. Here’s how he turns memories, impressions, and emotions into music.

12. Composing

Composing

A song is never finished. Even after you’ve recorded it, there’s still room for it to evolve. In this chapter, Herbie challenges you to give old compositions a contemporary edge.

13. Recomposing, Rearranging, Reinventing 

Recomposing, Rearranging, Reinventing 

Herbie brings in a rhythm section to break down two versions of his classic tune. They also accompany a synthesizer solo steeped in the sounds of funk and the blues.

14. Jam Session: Two Approaches to “Watermelon Man”

Jam Session: Two Approaches to “Watermelon Man”

Herbie shares advice from his years of composing and collaborating with the icons of jazz.

15. Working As a Composer  

Working As a Composer  

There’s a near-infinite number of ways play chords on your instrument. Learn some of Herbie’s go-to approaches, and let them spark your own experimentation.

16. Chord Voicings

Chord Voicings

Playing a new set of chords under a classic melody is one of Herbie’s favorite ways to study harmony. Explore the new possibilities he finds in Thelonious Monk’s classic tune.

17. Case Study: Reharmonizing “’Round Midnight”

Case Study: Reharmonizing “’Round Midnight”

Jazz players don’t just learn from other jazz players. One of Herbie’s harmonic touchstones is the French composer Maurice Ravel. Learn how to add some of Ravel’s sounds to your bag of harmonic tricks.

18. Ravel's Creative Harmonies

Ravel's Creative Harmonies

Herbie’s approach to harmony was built over years of experimentation. Let these ideas inspire your own harmonic exploration.

19. Expanding Your Harmonic Horizons 

Expanding Your Harmonic Horizons 

Herbie performs one of his most famous compositions alone at the piano. Listen and practice along to learn about how to play ballads and use the sus4 chord.

20. Listen and Learn: “Maiden Voyage” 

Listen and Learn: “Maiden Voyage” 

Herbie has tips for grooving deeper and feeling more comfortable playing in strange and complex rhythms, from swing to funk.

21. Rhythmic Musicianship

Rhythmic Musicianship

Herbie brings the rhythm section back to break down the groove of one of the Headhunters’ most complicated numbers. Play along and find the downbeat for yourself.

22. Jam Session: Rhythm in “Actual Proof”

Jam Session: Rhythm in “Actual Proof”

Herbie followed an unlikely path to jazz, and it’s been a wild ride ever since. His story serves as an inspiration and a testament to what you can accomplish when you let passion be your guide.

23. A Musical Life

A Musical Life

For his final solo performance, Herbie chooses one of his most popular compositions. A study in bluesy playing, it showcases the possibilities you can find in simple structures if you stay open to the moment.

24. Listen and Learn: “Watermelon Man”

Listen and Learn: “Watermelon Man”

Herbie offers his parting words and a bit of music as a thank-you for joining him.

25. Closing

Closing

Herbie Hancock Teaches Jazz

variant_1

Enjoy 7 days free

The promo may be over, but your opportunity isn't. Dive into the full experience, worry-free, with our 7-day money-back guarantee.

The offer has ended

Amount charged now

Your 7-day free trial starts today

Get 50% off an annual membership of MasterClass

Congratulations, you purchased an annual standard membership of MasterClass. A confirmation has been sent to your email. You will now be able to access 200+ classes in addition to your Certificate course.

You're all set!

Build practical AI skills that matter. Learn how to think with AI, make better decisions, and prove you’re ready for what’s next.

AI as Your Copilot (4 min)

Prompting: Speak So AI Listens (8 min)

Step inside The Moonshot Factory to see how teams prototype new concepts in hours, pinpoint the riskiest part of any idea, and turn bold thinking into real-world breakthroughs.

This Is Where Bold Begins (12 min)

"What If" Before "What Is" (8 min)

Learn from five former SEALs, including Medal of Honor winner Command Master Britt Slabinski (Ret), and hear how they tackle issues, recognize stress early, and use quick resets to regain composure.

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.

Intro to High-Stakes Leadership (10 min)

Strategic Readiness Starts With You (6 min)

Become the AI catalyst your organization needs, grounded in Microsoft’s decades of experience turning breakthrough technology into trusted tools that drive measurable results.

Lead With AI: Adapt, Implement & Transform Your Organization

Choosing the Right Work for AI

Learn from negotiators who've trained U.N. diplomats and closed major sports deals to uncover what people really want and reach win-win deals without burning bridges.

Build the Relationship First: Why the Contract Isn't the Deal

Surface the Other Side's Needs

Learn to command a room, read what your audience really needs, and turn hesitation into a confident yes.

Overcoming Objection and Hesitation

Reading People: The Cues That Matter

CPO to CPO: Find the Problem. Grow the Business.

Pre-enroll and save 30% on this course. Available Fall 2026.

di-preenrollment

Pre-enroll and save 30% on this AI Strategy course from NVIDIA. 

nvidia-preenrollment

From TIME ©2022 TIME USA LLC. All rights reserved. Used under license.

Times

Wirecutter

Reviewed - USA Today

Chord voicings

Rhythmic musicianship

Teaches Dance Music

Armin van Buuren

Armin van Buuren Teaches Dance Music

Christina Aguilera

Elevate Your Singing and Stage Presence

Teaches ʻUkulele

Jake Shimabukuro

Jake Shimabukuro Teaches ʻUkulele

Teaches Filmmaking

Werner Herzog

Werner Herzog Teaches Filmmaking

Teaches Electronic Music Production

deadmau5

deadmau5 Teaches Electronic Music Production

Teaches Drumming and Percussion 

Sheila E.

Sheila E. Teaches Drumming and Percussion 

Teaches Songwriting and Producing

Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys Teaches Songwriting and Producing

Teaches Electric Guitar

Tom Morello

Tom Morello Teaches Electric Guitar

Teaches Philosophy

Cornel West

Cornel West Teaches Philosophy

Teaches Music for Film

Danny Elfman

Danny Elfman Teaches Music for Film

Teaches Drumming & Creative Collaboration

Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr Teaches Drumming & Creative Collaboration

Teaches the Voice as an Instrument

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey Teaches the Voice as an Instrument

Teaches Creativity in Choreography

Parris Goebel

Parris Goebel Teaches Creativity in Choreography

Teaches Music and Connection

Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma Teaches Music and Connection

Teaches Hip-Hop Storytelling

Nas Teaches Hip-Hop Storytelling

Teaches The Art Of Performance

Usher

Usher Teaches The Art of Performance

Teaches Poetic Thinking

Joy Harjo

Joy Harjo Teaches Poetic Thinking

Teaches Being a Band

Metallica

Metallica Teaches Being a Band

Teaches Film Scoring

Hans Zimmer

Hans Zimmer Teaches Film Scoring

A Documentary by Bess Kargman

Diane Warren: Relentless

Lessons from Influential Black Voices

Angela Davis

Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw

Nikole Hannah-Jones

Sherrilyn Ifill

Jelani Cobb

John McWhorter

Black History, Black Freedom, and Black Love

Teaches Creativity and Songwriting

St. Vincent

St. Vincent Teaches Creativity and Songwriting

Teaches Country Music

Reba McEntire

Reba McEntire Teaches Country Music

Teaches Violin

Itzhak Perlman

Itzhak Perlman Teaches Violin

Teaches the Art and Soul of Guitar

Carlos Santana

Carlos Santana Teaches the Art and Soul of Guitar

Teaches Music Curation and DJing

Questlove

Questlove Teaches Music Curation and DJing

Menu

Skills You'll Learn

Download