Music students should understand that there are several crucial steps they must learn before trying any piano improvisation. In the early days most piano students are very enthusiastic and want to learn everything. They often try to rush ahead and want to begin composing their own pieces. Only a lucky few with a natural ear for music are able to do this with any degree of success. For most people simply understanding the basics and putting in a little practice will allow them to begin their creative journey into music.
Probably the most important factor students need to be aware of is melody. Some people just have a natural ear for the right group of notes and can put them together easily. However, for most people creating a pleasing melody will take some time and work. Simply playing random keys is not enough to produce a good melody, but it is an important way to start. Students should really listen to the sound of each note so that it becomes fixed in their mind for future reference.
If you are older and you've listened to music for a good part of your life, you may have a pretty good ear for what sounds good. This is very helpful as you'll be able to discern which keys to play and which not to play. An easier way to accomplish this is to learn your scales. For both novice players and students who have more knowledge, scales will provide an easy route to improvisation.
Many students may not have spent enough time on scales. Eventually they will realize that they need to devote some time and attention to this crucial aspect of music. Fortunately it is easy to review scale and a simple Google search will yield some worthwhile results. C major is the easiest scale to learn for piano because it is played on the white keys only. Reviewing C major is time well spent and can really help the student move ahead.
Once they are solid in their understanding of scales, students should move on to learning some chords. Basically a chord is when three or more notes are played together. Knowing your I, IV and V chords in C major is a great foundation for anyone who wants to improvise on piano. They provide the ability to add some nice rhythm and flair to even a basic composition.
Learning how to play piano by ear is fairly straightforward. Like anything, it is a skill that is achieved after repetition and practice. Even if you didn't know your scales or chords, it is still possible to be a master improviser with practice as long as you know what sounds good. However, by learning your scales and chords, you are giving yourself a big head start.
Probably the most important factor students need to be aware of is melody. Some people just have a natural ear for the right group of notes and can put them together easily. However, for most people creating a pleasing melody will take some time and work. Simply playing random keys is not enough to produce a good melody, but it is an important way to start. Students should really listen to the sound of each note so that it becomes fixed in their mind for future reference.
If you are older and you've listened to music for a good part of your life, you may have a pretty good ear for what sounds good. This is very helpful as you'll be able to discern which keys to play and which not to play. An easier way to accomplish this is to learn your scales. For both novice players and students who have more knowledge, scales will provide an easy route to improvisation.
Many students may not have spent enough time on scales. Eventually they will realize that they need to devote some time and attention to this crucial aspect of music. Fortunately it is easy to review scale and a simple Google search will yield some worthwhile results. C major is the easiest scale to learn for piano because it is played on the white keys only. Reviewing C major is time well spent and can really help the student move ahead.
Once they are solid in their understanding of scales, students should move on to learning some chords. Basically a chord is when three or more notes are played together. Knowing your I, IV and V chords in C major is a great foundation for anyone who wants to improvise on piano. They provide the ability to add some nice rhythm and flair to even a basic composition.
Learning how to play piano by ear is fairly straightforward. Like anything, it is a skill that is achieved after repetition and practice. Even if you didn't know your scales or chords, it is still possible to be a master improviser with practice as long as you know what sounds good. However, by learning your scales and chords, you are giving yourself a big head start.
About the Author:
The author is a well reputed piano teacher from Southern California. His music school gives Orange County piano lessons. He has also compiled several video tutorials on piano improvisation.
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