Sophia Actually, Sophia, there are shortcuts; maybe not for a particular tune, but as an approach to blues in general.
Short cut 1. Since many blues tunes use 7th chords, learn the Mixolydian modes.
Short cut 2. Learn those 7th chord inversions, like C E G Bb, E G Bb C, G Bb C E, because this will enable you to make those chord changes faster when you crank up the tempo.
Short cut 3. Recognize the "blue notes" of the chord scale. for a C7, chord, Eb (the flatted third) and Gb (the flatted fifth) used as passing tones will color your lines with that recognizable "blues sound".
Short cut 4. When playing an improvised line, make the chord scale note land on the beat. The is one of the key elements to playing be-bop. So, for a 4 beat measure of C7, you might play eighth notes: C D C B Bb E A G . Millions of possible combinations, even if it's a little ahead of you, doesn't hurt to think about it.
Short cut 5. Listen to old blues tunes that have piano, either supportive or featured, and try to pick out short little phrases that you can tuck away in your bag of tricks licks, ready to be pulled out at your next jam session.

    Wow, thank you so much! <scribbles notes> Very useful! Of course at this stage I'm still trying to lick the most basic of licks, but I think I can definitely try shortcut 5 already 😃
    Ok, and maybe shortcut 1, if I had the tiniest inkling of what "mixolydian" means (yes, I'll look that up, I promise).

      Sophia Mixolydian mode is just the scale that is a major scale (CDEFGABC) but flats the 7 (CDEGABbC) to accommodate the dominant 7th chord. C E G Bb makes up the 7th chord. Over a 7th chord, you can hit pretty much any of those notes in the scale/mode and it will sound ok, which is what a lot of beginners do to get their ears opened to those sounds.

      Also, just for fun, if you want to play around with those scale/mode notes, your left hand doesn't have to cover every note in the chord, just the root and the 7th, C Bb, that way you're free to color in the missing notes with what you play in your right hand.

          Thanks!! Sounds like fun 😃

          Edited to add:

          PianoMonk Mixolydian mode is just the scale that is a major scale (CDEFGABC) but flats the 7 (CDEGABbC) to accommodate the dominant 7th chord.

          I looked it up and no explanation was as clear and simple as yours. Definitely can work with that!

            Lesson 4... I included each lick and managed (I think) to put it in the blues progression format. Of course I could lie and say that the complete mess up at the end happened because I got distracted... but... nah. That would definitely be a lie. The truth is that I'm truly that bad still 😃

              Sophia That is NOT bad. You're feel is good, and good timing, right on the beat.
              And your cat was right on the beat, too. I laughed out loud. Cool cat. Keep at it. Take it slow. Accuracy will translate to muscle memory connected to your ears, so when you think something, your fingers will just go there. And, before you know it, you'll have sunglasses and a beret, or fedora, or whatever cool hat fits your style.

                Sophia Yeah! Go bluesy! Perfect 12 bars with some finest licks. U got it. Looks like you enjoy the fun part with the do da da da da da da da do da da da da da da da.
                Next clip is on me... then... I guess... ... well...
                (You and your pace. You are putting a lot of pressure on me, do you know that?)

                    Btw, how many cats do you have, and what are their names? I just know there are Sandy, and Lionel, but I can't tell them apart. They look too similar. Siblings, twins?

                      WieWaldi Next clip is on me... then... I guess... ... well...

                      Well of course... You're late already. Get practising you! That said I just had a peek at lesson five - introducing SIXTHs? Should I start shivering???

                      WieWaldi Btw, how many cats do you have, and what are their names? I just know there are Sandy, and Lionel, but I can't tell them apart. They look too similar. Siblings, twins?

                      Ah, those cats 🙂 We have three Abyssinians. The oldest is Simba, he is 11. How he got his name is a looong story so I'll spare you the details. No relationship with the Lion King 😃 He's the one who managed to jump up on the keys right at the beat, he's a smart cat!

                      And yes, the two kittens are Lionel and Sandy. They are a almost 8 months old now. After we lost two cats quite suddenly and in short sequence this January, we got two kittens. They are indeed from the same litter. How they got their names is just as long a story 🙂

                            TC3 Sometimes I sit and think a bit before I start playing and remind myself of some licks and other ideas I want to use while I play.

                            Oh, I meant to say that this advice helped me put the 12 correct left hand bars in. I cheated a little and determined beforehand which lick was going to fit with the bar. All the advice I'm getting in this thread from everyone is really helpful!

                            • TC3 replied to this.
                            • TC3 likes this.

                                Sophia It's not cheating if it works! 😃 In any case, glad it helped.

                                Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.

                                  Sophia Well of course... You're late already. Get practising you! That said I just had a peek at lesson five - introducing SIXTHs? Should I start shivering???

                                  Thanks. No pressure then.
                                  Sixths are easy. They are just inverted thirds.

                                  I know it is confusing, because 6+3=9, but octave means 8. And the truth is, it has only 7 notes. 😆

                                    ðŸĪĢðŸĪ­ðŸĪŠ

                                    But seriously for just a second... I'm so very, very happy that we can joke around like this. I don't miss being told nonstop how we're just stupid adults who don't learn properly and rush ahead and doing it all wrong whatever we do.

                                    Learning piano is supposed to be fun and it finally is. Thanks for the giggle 😃

                                    Sophia Speaking of cats and blues....
                                    Here's me jammin' a little on Miles Davis' "Freddie Freeloader" from the 1959 album Kind Of Blue, using one of the guitars I designed and built..
                                    Ok, I know... it's not exactly piano, but there is a piano in the rhythm section, and it is the blues.

                                      Ahhhhhhhhhh swoooonnnn, That's exactly MY kind of music!!! Small combo, calm and soothing melodies, and a kitty guitar with matching paw print! I could listen to that for hours! My dad had a mixer just like that btw.

                                      It's a shame so many jazz musicians seem to want to cram in as many notes as possible... Although I admire the skills, I can't listen to such for more than a minute really. I find the type of music you play so much more enjoyable!

                                      Edit: wait, you BUILT that guitar?! That's incredible, my husband once built his own guitar (acoustic) so I'll show him your creation. He still has the original design cut out in plywood. I'm sure he'll be fascinated!

                                        Sophia Thanks. Glad you like it. I was once one of those "crammers" when I was young. I guess getting old has its pluses. Jazz is sometimes complicated, in the sense that some musicians play to the audience, which may, or may not, be comprised of aficionados, who expect pyrotechnics. Other players feel the need to push the limits with the other players, self-indulgent as it may be, which the audience might also find entertaining. John Coltrane got so far out, his band left him. I find Bill Evans, (my favorite pianist), solo and with a group, the perfect blend of taste and prowess
                                        What mixer? The "amplifier" used on the recording is a virtual one, of many, found in GarageBand.

                                            PianoMonk What mixer? The "amplifier" used on the recording is a virtual one, of many, found in GarageBand.

                                            Whoops, that goes to show how much I know ☚ïļ Yes, he had an amplifier that looked just like that... but it wasn't virtual, he carried it around on his performances. Then again I assume that that doesn't say much - I assume they all have knobs and dials and holes where you can stuff cables and mikes in 😃

                                                Sophia That GarageBand amp is meant to look like a Fender, without actually saying Fender. That's probably the kind of amp your father had, one of the big three, back in the heyday, Marshall, Vox, and Fender.

                                                  I guess you're right, I honestly don't remember! It's been... well... quite a few decades ago 😆