BookatlasPiano Rabbit Hole: Improvisation Theory & Practice
7454 / 18210 · Workshop 57 — “Mack the Knife” Arranging Laboratory: From Two-Beat Cabaret to Swing, Walking Bass, Stride, Block Chords, Modulation, Latin, Funk, Ballad, Minor Reharm, and Full Performance Architecture← prev⊞ allnext →

57.96The “Mack” mastery test

You truly own the tune when you can:

  • start without sheet music
  • recover after a mistake
  • transpose it
  • play melody alone
  • play LH alone
  • play basic harmony
  • reharmonize selectively
  • change bass style
  • improvise a chorus
  • modulate
  • build a climax
  • finish intentionally

without being dependent on one memorized sequence of hand movements.

That is the standard.