Learning to play the
jazz piano
is no easy feat. It requires a great deal of memorization and a practical command of vocals, melodic lines, and the concept of superposition. This is because jazz demands improvisation and the generation of unique musical ideas, while classical music requires the formation of predetermined pieces. As such, jazz piano is more difficult for musicians who prefer explicit guidelines, and classical piano is more difficult for musicians who prefer greater creative freedom. The jazz piano isn't something that can be mastered overnight.It requires a lot of practice and self-discipline. When accompanying others in a jazz environment, the role of the jazz pianist is to provide a solid harmonic and rhythmic background so that others can play alone. With dedication and hard work, it is possible to learn the basics of jazz piano in a few years - just as one would learn a new language. Jazz can also be a technical challenge, but it's rare to hear a jazz pianist play a passage that compares in difficulty to the more difficult classical pieces. Alternatively, you can explore online jazz piano lessons via Skype from anywhere in the world with us.
Once a jazz musician has learned the common progressions and how to do alone and accompany them, learning new jazz melodies becomes relatively simple. The best jazz pianists and jazz artists never got to a place where everything felt comfortable. This doesn't mean that it's easy to learn melodies: jazz musicians have to work hard to learn the theory, the language of jazz and memorize the melodies. It's more aimed at the type of person found in an HS jazz band with only a classical lineup and a clueless band director who doesn't know how to spell jazz chords (most of them can't) or help in any way with the keys. The jazz standards are comprised of a compilation of famous melodies from shows (and other melodies) that have become “standards” of the jazz repertoire over decades. A lot of people will tell you that you can't learn jazz piano for a few years, but with dedication and hard work it is possible.
If you're older and want to learn jazz piano, you'll need to make sure you're learning as efficiently as possible. Jazz musicians often praise me for my technique: they realize that I learned classical music and appreciate how it translates into the way I play jazz. So it will definitely help to think about learning jazz piano in terms of an exciting journey rather than a destination.
