Piano Improvisation

Why Every Pianist Should Study Kind of Blue

2026-10-04T08:34:42+01:00

Photo credit: “Kind of Blue” album cover by Miles Davis. © Columbia Records. Source: Official Miles Davis website. Used for editorial commentary. There are albums that belong to a particular genre, and then there are albums that seem to transcend genre altogether. Miles Davis’s ‘Kind of Blue’, released in 1959, is one of the latter. Widely regarded as one of the most influential jazz recordings ever made, it has inspired generations of musicians with its remarkable combination of simplicity, freedom and sophistication. For pianists in particular, ‘Kind of Blue’ offers an extraordinary musical education. Its lessons extend far beyond [...]

Why Every Pianist Should Study Kind of Blue2026-10-04T08:34:42+01:00

5 Essential Left-Hand Blues Riffs on the Piano

2026-09-11T11:47:08+01:00

Blues piano, especially solo blues, often involves turning your two hands into an entire band. This task can be daunting, as it involves assigning a lot of responsibility to your left hand, both in rhythmic and harmonic terms. Having a selection of riffs fluently learned in your left hand is essential in order to support the melodies your right hand will be playing. The good news is that, once you have a riff fluently in your left hand, you can then focus almost entirely on the right hand while the left hand provides the perfect engine to your tune. Here are [...]

5 Essential Left-Hand Blues Riffs on the Piano2026-09-11T11:47:08+01:00

The Best Exercises to Improve Your Jazz Piano Playing

2026-05-13T08:50:31+01:00

Jazz piano can take years to develop fluency on. A combination of perseverance and varied approach is essential to gain the skills you need to become an expressive improviser. Regular practice in different formats is also required, giving you healthy doses of individual improvement and experience in group situations. Here are the best ways to individually practice and improve your jazz piano skills. Scales Scales are an important part of learning any pitched instrument, both for the purposes of technique and key-based language. It is essential to know the scales related to any key you are playing in. A good [...]

The Best Exercises to Improve Your Jazz Piano Playing2026-05-13T08:50:31+01:00

Why Every Jazz Pianist Should Study Bill Evans

2026-03-10T13:57:52+00:00

Few musicians have shaped the language of jazz piano as profoundly as Bill Evans. Emerging in the late 1950s, Evans transformed the role of the jazz pianist through lyrical touch and emotional harmony, as well as having great influence with his collaborative approach to ensemble playing. His influence extends far beyond his own recordings, and permeates modern jazz piano vocabulary, continuing to shape how pianists think about harmony, rhythm, and musical interaction. He is also considered one of the most influential pianists in developing modern solo piano language. For these reasons, every jazz pianist, regardless of style or experience, should study [...]

Why Every Jazz Pianist Should Study Bill Evans2026-03-10T13:57:52+00:00

How to Compose Your Own Piano Music

2024-07-23T17:19:08+01:00

The piano is an incredibly versatile instrument. For hundreds of years, it has been the primary instrument for composition, giving the composer the ability to play their creations in full on the spot. Writing your own piano music is a rewarding endeavour that allows you to express your creativity and emotions through an intricate and beautiful instrument. While the process might seem daunting at first, breaking it down into manageable steps can make it more approachable. Here I will guide you through the essential stages of composing piano music, from finding inspiration and understanding musical theory to developing your composition [...]

How to Compose Your Own Piano Music2024-07-23T17:19:08+01:00

Playing Piano by Ear or by Sight – Which is Best?

2023-01-27T09:49:44+00:00

Playing the piano by ear or by sight - which is best? There are often disputes between musicians as to which of these two ways of playing music is best. The ear players see their way as best, and the note-reading players say, “no, our way is best!” So what would be the best way for you to learn to play the piano or an instrument? Let's look at playing from music sheets and not playing by ear. A significant advantage of playing by sight is being able to read music pieces from the score - even if you have [...]

Playing Piano by Ear or by Sight – Which is Best?2023-01-27T09:49:44+00:00

The importance of the II V I progression in jazz!

2021-03-01T10:38:03+00:00

The II V I progression is the harmonic motor of jazz music! Jazz harmony is based on the cycle of fourths and II V Is are the king of fourths... Understand the II V I and you understand jazz! Let's face it. Jazz is a style of music that moves in cycles and is quite predictable from a harmonic point of view. Even though chord movements in jazz are predictive and reasonably straightforward, many melodic and harmonic variations can be created on the spot. So within a predictive and 'set' framework, we have the freedom to make things less predictive and [...]

The importance of the II V I progression in jazz!2021-03-01T10:38:03+00:00

How to improvise on the piano as a beginner

2021-03-01T10:37:31+00:00

Yes, you can improvise! You must simply believe! Discover the first steps towards learning to improvise in this article! Improvisation is the art of rehashing sequences of melodic and/or harmonic configurations to make your own music up on the spot. True improvisation is rare. Most musicians who improvise will rehash licks (melodic fragments), lines (melodic fragments), scales and arpeggios to fit the underlying harmony. True improvisation happens when a musician moves into the fourth dimension. The fourth dimension is where the musician literally loses track of time and this earthly realm and play notes that he or she would never usually [...]

How to improvise on the piano as a beginner2021-03-01T10:37:31+00:00
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