December 31, 2019
Piano improvisation can seem intimidating at first. Playing the piano requires practiced coordination, and even in a beginners’ piano improvisation, the choices can be overwhelming. However, the effort pays off. Confidently improvising on the piano is decidedly impressive and can provide you with endless enjoyment. Here are a few simple steps that you can take to improve your improvising on piano.
Know the basics
Before you leap into improvisation, it can help to have a solid foundation behind you. A good place to start is with a music lessons, where you can learn important skills that nobody picks up intuitively. Things like correct hand positioning and knowledge of music theory will allow you to understand why some improvisers sound great.
Get inspired
Although it may seem counter-intuitive, when you’re improving your improvisation on the piano, it’s a great idea to allow yourself to be inspired by the music of others. Sit down with some sheet music or play along to a song you love and start making changes from there. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself playing something completely different to the original piece.
Start Out Slowly
The key to improving your improvisation on the piano is practise. Practise often and don’t get too caught up in making each phrase completely different. Repeat bars and phrases, create little riffs and licks and slowly build more complex melodies around them. Start out simply and your music will sound thoughtful and intentional.
Be creative
Improvisation is a wonderful way to stretch your imagination and creativity. Think of all the places and situations that you hear music in on any given day. Challenge yourself try different styles or improvise music for a range of purposes. There is music for every fathomable scenario and, once you are confident in your improvisation, you can sit down and play something appropriate for any moment.
Listen back
Practising improvisation constantly will help you to learn what works and what doesn’t. Recording your improvisations will give you a catalogue of all of the things that you have tried, and you can use this to build an understanding of why some things work better than others. Listening back to your recordings can be extremely encouraging. You’ll be surprised how quickly your improvisation improves.
Master Improvisation on the Right Piano
Looking for a teacher to help teach you improvisation? Maybe you need a new piano, or a tune up. No matter what it is, if it’s piano related the team at The Pianoforte can help. We’ve been Sydney’s leading experts for the last thirty years, and with convenient store locations in Sydney, it’s easy to contact us or pop-in for a visit. Call us in:
- Chatswood – 02 9411 8911
- Seven Hills – 0478 658 227
