Q. I have played the piano since I was 6. I am classically trained having taken lessons until I was 18. I am a little out of practice, but I have made a new goal to polish up my skills again. I LOVE jazz, and have always wanted to learn to play jazz piano. So, in doing so, what would you recommend as the best approach? Please tell me of your experiences and what I should do.
A. I learned jazz piano at the same time I was learning classical piano, which was in my early teens.
My recommended approach would be to start with a good jazz music theory book to learn how jazz scales and harmonies are put together. I'd also recommend getting a good "fake book" (containing the melody line and lyrics with shorthand notation for harmonizing the melody) and using that to put the theory you are learning in practice.
Furthermore, I'd recommend getting a good collection of "jazz standard" songs (typically songs from classical musicals) with the piano part fully written out- that way, you can see how the songs in the fake books were originally presented so you have a basis of how to apply jazz harmonies to the fake book arrangements.
And I'd also recommend getting sheet music from some of your favorite artists- Oscar Peterson has a good beginning guide ("Jazz for the Young Pianist") and there are many publications of transcriptions of famous pianists' work (such as Thelonious Monk's compositions) so you can learn from the "great masters".
Finally, use your ears- listen to as much jazz as you can, and see whose music and styles impact you the most. (Earl Hines has a different way of playing than Bill Evans does, for example.) When you hear something you like, try to play it by ear on the piano- don't worry for now about note-for-note accuracy (that will come with practice) but instead concentrate on capturing their pianistic gestures- what are they doing with the left hand, how closely compacted are their chords, how are they using the pedal, etc.
Will some time & practice, you'll start to get the hand of playing jazz!
How is the music theory same as playing guitar and the piano?
Q. I am trying to learn to play the guitar and I don't where to start. My friend told me it is like playing the piano, but I never played the piano before... HELPPPPP
A. You're asking 2 different questions.
Is the theory of music the same as far as chord progression, chord structure, notes in a scale, etc? Yes it is.
Is guitar like piano? No. You won't learn it the same way. Guitar is built around chord shapes, and piano is built around certain notes. This is why almost all piano players use sheet music, and guitarists don't like sheet music.
Anyway, enough of all of that. You certainly don't need to play piano to play guitar, so don't worry about comparing the two. You need a step by step instructional method that will guide you through what you need to know to eventually play in every key that exists. Check out my beginner series: http://guitarmann.com/articles/freebeginner
Stephen
how long did it take you to fully learn piano music notes?
Q. im 17 and just starting teaching myself how to play piano by guides on the internet, i used to have lessons when i was young but quit because they were expensive. I remember the basics and learnt a few other things about notes on these guides and i think i could learn them all fully in a month. I was just wondering how long did it take you to fully learn piano notes and know which note is where on the piano and stuff. thanks for answering!
A. it took me about a year. however, i was already able to read music for guitar, cello, bass guitar, string bass (believe it or not those two are actually different just because of where you place your hands, the notes are technically the same but you tend to play them in different places), and voice. if you keep at it, you could probably get it in 6 months or so, but a year would be a good bet if you practice alot. this is to be fluent, technically i knew which note was which after like 2 weeks, but i wouldn't be able to look at a simple piece and just play it. i would need to think about it, try a few times, and practice. chord charts are great, so you can just follow chord changes, but i really respect what youre doing. i didnt start piano till i was 16 and i regretted not starting earlier, so it takes massive cajones for anyone to start this late, and props to you boy. or girl. i actually teach keyboard lessons now (rock and pop music only, little bit of hip hop, obviously i cant teach classical on piano if ive only been playing 2 years), so email me for any questions
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Title : (To all jazz pianists) How did you learn to play? How old were you when you started learning jazz?
Description : Q. I have played the piano since I was 6. I am classically trained having taken lessons until I was 18. I am a little out of practice, bu...