Let’s dive in.

The Beauty of R&B Piano: Rich Harmonies & Colorful Extensions

One of the reasons R&B piano sounds so lush is because of the harmonic possibilities available on the piano. While guitars, basses, and strings are beautiful, the piano allows you to layer rich chord extensions and create complex voicings.

At the heart of R&B harmony are:

• Major 7th chords
• Dominant 7th chords
• Chord extensions: 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths

These extensions add beautiful color and allow you to express a full range of emotion while still supporting the melody.

For example, try taking a simple major 7th chord and layering on a 9th or 13th. Suddenly, your chords start to sound full, sophisticated, and unmistakably R&B.

If you’re brand new to extended chords, check out our beginner’s guide to piano chords to get started.

Essential R&B Chord Progressions

Many R&B songs are built on common progressions. Eric demonstrates one of his favorites: the 4-3-2-1 walkdown.

For example, in the key of C major:

• Fmaj7 (IV)
• Em7 (iii)
• Dm7 (ii)
• Cmaj7 (I)

You can play these as simple major 7ths or experiment with voicings that add 9ths and other extensions for extra flavor.

Another cornerstone progression is the famous 2-5-1 progression (ii-V-I):

• Dm7 (ii)
• G7 (V)
• Cmaj7 (I)

Eric demonstrates different ways to voice these chords, including adding flat 9s, augmented 5ths, or altered tones on the dominant chord to create tension and resolution. This is where R&B harmony truly shines.

Want to master 2-5-1 progressions? Check out our 2-5-1 chord progression tutorial.

Playing In The Pocket: Timing & Groove

In R&B, how you play the chords is just as important as what you play.

Eric demonstrates three key approaches to groove:

1. On The Beat — playing precisely in time.
2. Behind The Beat — playing slightly late, giving a laid-back, “lazy” feel.
3. Ahead Of The Beat — playing slightly early, adding urgency and drive.

Mastering this subtle timing control is one of the secrets to sounding authentic in R&B. Eric encourages practicing these variations to build control and feel. Start simple, focus on your sense of time, and gradually add complexity as you get comfortable.

Practice Tips From Eric Wortham

• Experiment with voicings: Don’t be afraid to try different extensions and inversions.
• Focus on feel: R&B is all about groove and emotion.
• Practice timing: Use a metronome or backing track to explore playing ahead, on, and behind the beat.
• Listen to the greats: Study classic R&B recordings to internalize the sound.

As Eric says: “This musical language is very personal to us all. Take what I give you and keep seeking out other professionals and resources to develop your own voice.”

Take Your R&B Playing Further

If you want to dive even deeper into R&B piano, check out Eric Wortham’s full R&B Essentials course inside Pianote.

In the course, Eric breaks down:

• Essential R&B chords and scales
• Chord extensions and voicings
• Signature 2-5-1 progressions
• Playing “in the pocket”
• How to create your own rich, soulful sound

Whether you’re a complete beginner or an aspiring producer, this course will give you the tools to finally sound like the R&B pianists you admire.

Start your 7-day free trial and explore Eric Wortham’s full R&B Essentials course inside Pianote.

The post R&B Piano 101: Chords, Groove & Timing with Eric Wortham appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

That’s exactly what pianist and internet sensation Frank Tedesco does every day—he listens to strangers’ favorite songs and plays them back on the spot. Sounds like magic, right?

In this blog, we’ll break down Frank’s exact method for learning songs by ear on piano, using “All of Me” by John Legend as an example. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced player, this method will sharpen your ear, deepen your theory knowledge, and help you play your favorite songs faster than ever.

Step 1: Find the Key Using Intervals

The first step to learning any song by ear is finding the key signature.

Frank uses a “reference note” technique—he’ll hit a note like C before listening to the song, then compare what he hears in the song to that reference. In “All of Me,” he identifies the song’s key as F minor, based on hearing a perfect fifth interval.

Pro tip: Get comfortable with interval training. Each interval has a signature sound you can recognize with a bit of practice.

Here are some interval tricks Frank uses:

• Minor 2nd: Jaws theme
• Major 2nd: Happy Birthday
• Minor 3rd: Greensleeves
• Perfect 4th: Here Comes the Bride
• Tritone: The Simpsons theme
• Perfect 5th: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
• Octave: Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Search tip: Try looking up “piano interval ear training exercises” to boost your recognition skills.

Step 2: Understand the Chord Progression

Once the key is established, Frank figures out the diatonic chords—the chords built from the key’s scale.

“All of Me” is in F minor, so he uses the relative major scale (A♭ major) to identify chords like:

• F minor (vi chord)
• D♭ major (IV chord)
• A♭ major (I chord)
• E♭ major (V chord)

These are all part of the A♭ major diatonic chord family, and they form the foundation of the song’s harmony.

Roman numeral analysis helps you identify common chord patterns that repeat across genres and keys. For example:

• I, IV, and V are major
• ii, iii, and vi are minor
• vii° is diminished (and less common in pop music)

Step 3: Use Bass Notes to Confirm Chords

After identifying the likely chords, Frank listens closely to the bass notes in the recording.

He focuses on the lowest note he hears and uses his interval skills to identify how the bass line moves. In “All of Me,” the bass moves from:

• F (root)
• Down to D♭ (a minor third)
• Up to A♭ (a perfect fifth)
• Down to E♭ (a perfect fourth)

Once you identify the bass notes and know your diatonic chords, matching them together becomes a logical puzzle!

Step 4: Find the Melody Using Intervals

With the chords in place, Frank turns his attention to the melody.

He doesn’t just hum and guess—he uses music theory to connect the melody back to the root note (F in this case). By recognizing intervals from the tonic, he maps out how the melody moves.

For example, in “All of Me,” the melody often starts on A♭ (a minor third above F), then descends down the scale. Knowing this, Frank can recreate the melody quickly with confidence.

Bonus Tip: Transpose Small Sections

Feeling overwhelmed?

Start small.

Pick just a short phrase of a song (like the first few bars of “All of Me”) and figure out:

• The key
• The chord progression
• The melody

Then try transposing it to another key. This strengthens your understanding of music theory and helps you internalize chord shapes and intervals.

Final Thoughts from Frank

“Learning by ear is super hard—but it gets easier with practice. Start with small sections, use theory to your advantage, and let your ears lead the way.”

There’s no shortcut to learning songs by ear, but with tools like interval training, Roman numeral analysis, and focused listening, you’ll be able to sit at the piano and play your favorite songs faster than you ever thought possible.

So go ahead. Pick a song, trust your ears, and get started.

Want More Lessons Like This?

Join Pianote and get access to video tutorials, guided practice tools, downloadable PDFs, and coaching from world-class musicians—so you can go from listening to playing in no time.

Start your free 7-day trial at Pianote

The post How To Learn Songs By Ear on Piano appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

Whether you’re a beginner dipping your toes into jazz or a seasoned player looking to unlock more vocabulary, these techniques will help you get closer to the legendary Oscar Peterson piano style.

1. The Five-Note Lick That Sounds Like a Full Band

Oscar often used simple five-note patterns and turned them into dazzling runs across the keyboard.

Start with the F major pentatonic scale: F – G – A – C – D
Then, transpose this shape up a fifth to C, giving you notes that imply a C minor feel—like a blend of major and minor tonalities.

This creates a sound close to the F Mixolydian mode (a major scale with a flat 7), which Oscar used frequently.

Practice tip:

• Play the shape in “blocked” chords first to get comfortable.
• Then, run the lick across the piano in both directions.
• Add accents and dynamics to mimic Oscar’s powerful phrasing.

Bonus: Practice this lick over jazz standards like “Sweet Georgia Brown,” which moves through the circle of fifths—perfect for transposing licks in all keys.

2. Stride Piano: Oscar’s Left-Hand Secret Weapon

Before bebop, Oscar was rooted in stride piano, and it remained a strong element of his style—especially during solos.

The core concept: Alternate between bass notes and chords.

• Play the root and fifth in the left hand.
• Then, hit the full chord or tenths (F to A, or add E♭ for an F7 sound).

If your hands aren’t big enough to stretch tenths, break them up:

• Hit the bass note,
• Then the upper interval.

This stride technique was often showcased when the rhythm section dropped out, giving Oscar space to fill in the harmony and rhythm on his own.

Try it out: Walk up using F7 – Gm7 – G#° – F7 with a chromatic left-hand bass line for that rich, classic Oscar vibe.

3. The Hemiola Run: Rhythm That Plays With Time

One of Oscar’s signature rhythmic tools was using a hemiola-style lick—a rhythmic figure that crosses bar lines and creates tension.

Start with an F minor pentatonic scale (F – A♭ – B♭ – C – E♭). This is almost the same as the blues scale, minus one note.

Here’s what to do:

• Play the five-note shape in swung eighth notes,
• Repeat it cyclically without aligning it to the downbeat,
• Let the top note (F) land back on beat one after a few cycles.

This creates a hypnotic, off-kilter rhythm that eventually “resolves” back into sync.

The result? An ear-catching rhythmic pattern that sounds advanced, but is rooted in a simple pentatonic shape.

Practice Tips for Mastering Oscar Peterson’s Piano Style

• Use a metronome to stay grounded when practicing rhythmic licks.
• Take it slow—Oscar may have played fast, but he practiced even slower.
• Transpose ideas through the circle of fifths to build muscle memory.
• Mix and match these ideas with your own musical voice.

Remember: The goal isn’t to copy Oscar exactly—but to draw inspiration from his sound and let it evolve into your own.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Chase Perfection—Chase the Joy

As Jacob says in the video:

“There’s no one like Oscar. But you don’t have to be him—you just need to let his playing inspire you.”

Learning jazz piano is a journey. So give yourself permission to make mistakes, explore freely, and celebrate every step forward.

Let the music guide you—and maybe, just maybe, a little bit of Oscar’s magic will rub off on your own sound.

The post How to Play Like Oscar Peterson: 3 Signature Jazz Piano Techniques appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

Today, we’re diving into essential cinematic piano techniques—chord voicings, motion, arpeggios, and more. Let’s explore how to bring your piano playing to life with the magic of cinematic music!

1. Chord Voicing: The Key to Depth and Emotion

One of the simplest ways to elevate your playing is by adjusting chord voicings.

How it works:

• Instead of playing a basic C major chord (C-E-G) in a tight cluster, try spreading the notes out.
• For example, move the third (E) to a higher octave while keeping the C and G lower.
• This instantly makes the chord feel bigger, more open, and cinematic.

Try applying this to a basic chord progression:

• C Major → D Minor → E Minor → F Major → G Major → A Minor → B Diminished → C Major
• Experiment by moving notes within the chord to different octaves for a fuller sound.

2. Using Octaves to Create Power and Intensity

Want to make your chords even more dramatic? Play octaves!

How to do it:

• Instead of playing a full chord, play just the root and fifth (C and G for C major) in your left hand.
• Then, double the root in octaves in your right hand.
• Suddenly, your chords will sound powerful and orchestral—perfect for cinematic music!

Example:

• C Major: Play octave C’s in the left hand and octave E’s in the right hand.
• D Minor: Play D and A in the left hand and octave F’s in the right hand.

This technique works great for building tension before resolving to a softer moment.

3. Adding Motion: The Secret to Cinematic Drama

Cinematic music is all about motion—even simple chords can sound emotional if played dynamically.

Techniques for Motion:

1. Inner Voice Movement: While keeping the outer notes of a chord steady, move the inner notes up or down.
2. Broken Chords: Instead of playing a chord all at once, arpeggiate it—play the notes one at a time.
3. Dynamic Variations: Play softly, then build intensity by increasing volume and speed.

Example: Play C-E-G as an arpeggio, then move to D-F-A, adding small inner note movements.

4. The Power of Arpeggios

One of the most iconic cinematic techniques is arpeggiation—breaking a chord into a flowing, rolling pattern.

How to Master Arpeggios:

• Start with your left hand: Play C-G-C-E-G-E-C (up and down the chord).
• Slowly increase speed while keeping it even and controlled.
• Try both hands together for a lush, immersive sound.
• Experiment with different chord progressions for various moods.

This technique is essential for film scores, ballads, and dramatic pop songs.

5. Using Non-Diatonic Chords for a Cinematic Sound

Want to add mystery and unpredictability to your music? Use non-diatonic chords—chords outside the key.

Example Progression:

• C Major → G Minor → B♭ Major → F Major
• Suddenly, your music has unexpected depth and intrigue—a technique used by Hans Zimmer and other film composers.

Try adding a minor IV chord or borrowing chords from parallel modes to make your music feel more expansive.

Bringing It All Together

Now that you know these techniques, it’s time to practice! Start with a simple chord progression and experiment with:

• Chord Voicings for depth
• Octaves for intensity
• Inner Voice Motion for emotion
• Arpeggios for flow
• Non-Diatonic Chords for unexpected drama

If you want step-by-step guidance, real cinematic piano workouts, and lessons from world-class pianists like Jesus Molina and Jordan Rudess, try Pianote’s free 7-day trial. Click the link below to start your cinematic piano journey today!

What’s your favorite cinematic chord progression? Let us know in the comments!

The post Cinematic Piano 101 appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

1. Lick #1: The Rolling Blues

For our first lick, we’ll start with a classic blues sound using the notes E and G, A and C. The trick here is to approach the E with a fast “roll” using D, D#, and E. Practicing this roll first will help build confidence and smoothness. Place your fingers on E and G, then drop your pinky onto A and C to create that bluesy flair.

2. Lick #2: Grace Note Slide

This descending lick uses A and C and then E and G but adds a grace note slide to make it stand out. Grace notes are quick, leading tones that make your playing sound polished and intentional. With this lick, you’ll slide down between notes to add a professional-sounding “flourish.”

3. Lick #3: Descending Pentatonic with a Blues Note

This lick uses the major pentatonic scale but introduces a blues note for extra flavor. Start with C, A, G, and E, then cross over to Eb to add tension. By repeating this descending pattern, you create a steady groove that sounds complex but feels natural once you’re in the flow.

4. Lick #4: Minor Pentatonic with Blues Note

Switching to the minor pentatonic scale, we’ll add a bluesy twist by descending with a blues note. Use C, Bb, G, F#, F, and Eb to create a moody vibe. Practice alternating between your fingers to keep the notes fluid and give the lick a smooth, expressive quality.

5. Lick #5: Fast Triplet Run

This one’s a bit trickier, but it’s also a lot of fun! Start with a fast triplet run using C, Eb, and F and repeat this pattern six times. Then, descend down the minor pentatonic scale for a dramatic finish. You can play this with different fingerings (like 2-3-5 or 2-1-4) to find what feels most comfortable.

Putting It All Together

Once you have the licks down, try practicing them with backing tracks or improvising them into your own music. The more you use these licks, the more natural they’ll feel—and before you know it, they’ll be part of your signature sound.

Master these five licks, and you’ll not only improve your improvisation skills but also add a bluesy depth to your playing that’s sure to turn heads. Let us know which lick is your favorite in the comments, and have fun exploring the pentatonic scale!

Want to dive even deeper? Join us at Pianote, where you can loop and slow down sections of any lesson, perfect for mastering licks like these. Start a 7-day FREE trial for step-by-step practice and get access to lessons from some of the best piano teachers around.

The post 5 Pentatonic Licks Your Teacher Never Taught You ft. Jemma Heigis appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

In this lesson, we’ll cover the four main types of passing chords and show you how to incorporate them into your playing to add color, emotion, and a touch of jazz. Let’s dive in!

1. The Leading Tone Passing Chord

A leading tone is a note that creates a sense of anticipation, making your ear yearn for the next chord. Imagine you’re moving from a C chord to an F chord. You can use a leading tone, like an E in your left hand, to create that feeling of “almost there!” before finally resolving to F.

Here’s how to do it:

• Start with your C chord.
• Use the E as a passing tone, creating a smooth transition into the F chord. The effect is subtle but powerful—it makes your progressions flow effortlessly.

2. Diminished Passing Chords

Diminished chords add a touch of tension, making the resolution even more satisfying. Let’s say you’re moving from G to A minor. Adding a G# diminished chord in between creates a lovely “crunch” that resolves beautifully.

To try this:

• Play a G chord, then move your thumb up by one semitone to hit G# diminished.
• Finally, resolve to A minor. You’ll feel the tension ease in such a satisfying way!

3. Secondary Dominants

One of the most powerful tools in jazz and pop music, secondary dominants take you momentarily outside the key, adding depth to your sound. Imagine you’re going from C to A minor. The “fifth” of A minor is E, so you’d play an E7 as a passing chord to make your way to A minor.

Give it a try:

• From your C chord, play E7 to add a bit of suspense.
• Then land on A minor for a smooth, sophisticated feel. Secondary dominants are a classic way to enrich simple progressions.

4. The 2-5-1 Progression

The 2-5-1 progression is a classic way to make transitions feel smooth and add a touch of jazz to your playing. This progression uses the second and fifth chords of your target chord to create a natural lead-in.

Let’s say you’re moving to F. In the key of F, the 2-5-1 would be G minor (2), C7 (5), and then F (1). Here’s how it works:

• Play Gm7, then C7 right before your F chord.
• This creates a beautiful, satisfying transition that feels seamless.

The 2-5-1 progression works well in jazz, pop, and other genres, adding depth to simple progressions. Try adding it when you want a smooth, expressive lead-in to any target chord!

5. The Tritone Substitution

Want to sound like a jazz pro? The tritone substitution might be your new best friend. If you’re moving to a C chord, play a dominant chord one semitone above your target note (in this case, C#7) before resolving. This chord creates an intriguing pull toward your target note, adding an unexpected layer to your music.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Identify your target chord.
• Go one semitone up and play a dominant chord (e.g., if you’re aiming for C, play C#7).
• Resolve to the target chord and hear how beautifully it leads in.

Try It Out!

Each of these passing chords has a distinct feel and brings its own color to your music. Practice using them in your favorite chord progressions and experiment with different genres. With passing chords, you’ll find it easy to elevate your sound and add personality to every piece.

Want to dive even deeper? Join us at Pianote, where you can loop and slow down sections of any lesson, perfect for mastering tricks like passing chords. Start a 7-day FREE trial for step-by-step practice and get access to lessons from some of the best piano teachers around.

Happy playing, and don’t forget to let us know which passing chord is your favorite!

The post How to Use Passing Chords To Sound Better appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

This is a big question! So we asked people who work with music every day. The following are interviews (edited for length and clarity) with the musicians who work behind the scenes at Pianote. We hope you’ll find their answers fascinating and inspiring!

Kevin Castro

Pianote Job: Media Manager

Side Gig: Touring pianist and keyboardist

Educational Background: Initially taught by dad, who is a pianist. Quit because he didn’t want to practice. Picked up piano again as a teen, crash-coursed himself with YouTube tutorials and theory books, and earned a Bachelor of Music in jazz and contemporary popular music.

How does knowing how to read music help you in your job(s)?

Whenever I hear music, I see it in my head written as sheet music.This has helped me when it comes to transcribing, because that was my first gig at Pianote: transcribing Jesús Molina.

When it comes to gigging, it’s really important to be able to read music. At least learn how to read the melody. This will inform your decisions when it comes to voice leading and how to arrange the song.

It’s a very fundamental skill for a piano player. I was always told you shouldn’t alienate yourself from job opportunities (like musical theater, pit band, or accompanist) by not knowing how to read.

In your opinion, how important is knowing how to read music?

I’ve always struggled with this because I think it’s extremely important to read music…but I don’t think it’s the only thing you should do.

I think too many people get into a box in their head where all they can do is read sheet music. It’s a great skill to have! But breaking out of that box becomes harder once you’ve ingrained that into yourself.

I wouldn’t say it’s a make-or-break thing. Try to find the balance between working on sight-reading and the things that make you happy when you play piano (sight-reading does not bring me joy—that’s my honest answer!).

Any music reading tips and tricks?

I would encourage people to explore different types of sheet music, such as sheet music with the chord names on top. Or try singing the melody while playing the chords.

There’s more than one way to read sheet music. And there’s more than one way to play piano.

Hélène Crowley

Pianote Job: Publishing Specialist

Side Gig: Plays piano and guitar for fun and sings in a local choir.

Education: Started playing at four or five. Completed RCM 8 and Advanced Rudiments exams. Studied piano, music history, and theory at Laurier University. Holds a Master’s in musicology.

How does knowing how to read music help you in your job(s)?

My job is making sure there are no mistakes in the notation we publish, so if I didn’t know how to read music, it would be really hard to do my job! And I like to play through the sheet music if I’m looking for errors because it’s the easiest way.

In my choir now, it’s a lot of sight-singing. Which I think is a lot harder than sight-reading on the piano! I learned solfege in my undergrad and I use those skills for choir too.

In your opinion, how important is knowing how to read music?

I know people who don’t read music and are excellent musicians. It depends on what you want to do: if you want to play in an orchestra, you should probably know how to read music. If you want to play in a band, you probably don’t need to but reading chords and understanding chord progressions would help. 

I think if you want to be a well-rounded musician, have a little bit of everything. But it’s not like an old dog can’t learn new tricks. Anyone can work on any of these skills at any point in time.

Any music reading tips and tricks?

Work on your ear training. Understanding intervals changed my entire relationship with reading music. And there are lots of resources online: Teoria is a great website! 

Georgy Manterola

Pianote Job: Social Media Manager

Side Gig: Co-founder of Arietta Entertainment, gigging pianist/keyboardist and piano teacher

Education: Started piano lessons at age 7. Attended a conservatory (ESMDM) for four years, then studied with Natalia Tibets for five years, competing in national youth contests. Played in musical theatre plays, participated in composition contests, and learned multiple music genres “in the streets”.

How does knowing how to read music help you in your job(s)?

Reading music helps me verify song tutorials, technique exercises, and arrangements before posting on Pianote’s socials.

At my agency, we rarely use sheet music.

In your opinion, how important is knowing how to read music?

I think it comes down to the genre you’re playing. For classical and musical theater, it’s essential. Jazz musicians use it for transcriptions, but in rock or pop, it’s less common.

I think it’s very useful for musicians to start ear training from an early age, because the perfect balance is to have both these abilities develop at the same level.

Any music reading tips and tricks?

Lisa’s acronyms are a great starting point. So check out our sight-reading tutorial on YouTube! 

Read sheet music with the music playing. I think seeing that relationship of when notes go high or low is very helpful. 

Start with a piece you love. There are many simplified versions of everything so you don’t have to study Clementi if it bores you! Go ahead and study John Legend but with sheet music. It’ll be a nice experience.

Richard Charter

Pianote Job: Transcription Specialist

Side Gig: Gig musician and composer.

Education: Grade 10 RCM, Bachelor’s degree in piano performance, Master’s degree in music composition.

How does knowing how to read music help you in your job(s)?

I’m looking at music scores constantly! I compare what other musicians have done, try it out, and see what works. And as much as my goal is to transcribe almost exactly what I’m hearing, that doesn’t necessarily translate to what’s most playable for a student or what fits the hands nicely, or what’s most pianistic.

However, I have a much stronger ear as a musician than an eye, and that obviously comes in handy for this job.

In your opinion, how important is knowing how to read music?

It can be really beneficial depending on your musical interests. Anything in the classical tradition is a cultural project that requires reading music to participate in. And presently, there isn’t a methodology that teaches the classical canon without notation (I’d be curious to see if anyone’s attempting to do that!).

It’s also the case for anyone interested in being a gigging musician. Different ensembles have different standards, but I think your ability to enter into that world would be made easier with the ability to read notation.

Any music reading tips and tricks?

I recommend people take daily time to read music. I try to sit down and sight-read as often as possible.

Don’t allow yourself to stop. Something I did when I used to teach piano was cover up each measure as the student was playing, forcing them to keep moving!

Charmaine Li

Pianote Job: Content Marketing Strategist

Side Gig: Plays piano for fun and takes jazz piano lessons.

Education: Began private lessons at age six. Holds RCM Associate diploma. Picked up guitar as a teenager. Currently taking jazz lessons.

How does knowing how to read music help you in your job(s)?

I describe my job as making our pages as visible on Google as possible. For example, if someone asks Google “what is a dominant 7th chord,” I write content that answers that question. Knowing how to read notation definitely helps.

But at Pianote specifically, we use chord symbols a lot. I didn’t learn that in my classical piano lessons; I learned that stuff from guitar. And that’s knowledge I use every day at this job.

In your opinion, how important is knowing how to read music?

There are things I can’t do that people who can’t read music can do, and to be honest I envy them! I can’t recreate melodies by ear first try. And jam sessions give me anxiety because I feel untethered.

And honestly, playing by ear, improvising, and jamming is what music is all about. So if all you can do is read sheet music, you’re missing out on a lot of what music has to offer.

But knowing how to read notation is super convenient. I can play most things put in front of me if it’s not too hard, and that’s super handy!

Any music reading tips and tricks?

Think of music as a language. In Western music tradition, notes are letters that make up chords, which are words. Patterns like sequences, scales, and arpeggios are sentences. And theory is the grammar system music is built on.

Just like learning languages, the more you practice the better you get. So be patient. It takes time!

Lisa Witt

Pianote Job: VP of Pianote

Side Gig: 100% focused on Pianote now, but used to gig and play at church.

Education: RCM Grade 8, church bands, and mostly self-taught.

How does knowing how to read music help you in your job(s)?

Even though I generally don’t read music as a part of my day-to-day, I still have to communicate in the language of music because I’m in this professionally. I have to teach people to understand music, and being able to read music gives you that language.

In your opinion, how important is knowing how to read music?

I think it’s fully optional. My belief is that you don’t need to read music to play music. I would argue that in some cases not being able to read music is a blessing.

Learning to read music was extremely difficult. I hated it.

But. I now make the choice to sit down and read music. I think a big misconception is the difference between reading music and sight reading. I think people would have a very different experience if they knew this because you can actually learn to read music rather quickly. And if you are passionate about a genre like classical, the fact that you want that skillset will make a huge impact.

On the flip side, even if you want to play pop music, there have been many occasions where I was not able to sound out something by ear, and so I would refer to notation. So, reading music has been very helpful even for a person who leans more toward using their ear.

Any music reading tips and tricks?

I think it’s mostly about not judging your experience with it. With Read Notes in 30 Days, the whole point is you show up, you’re introduced to these patterns, and you do your best. You’re not expected to play perfectly.

Success is not measured by playing every note correctly, necessarily. And you learn best by playing music. So find music that inspires you and you’ll be super motivated to figure out these notes.

We’re building neural pathways in our brain. That doesn’t quickly! It took me a lifetime, but nowhere on that journey did someone say “she’s not a musical person” or “she shouldn’t play piano.” I had different strengths.

Now I sit down and read and play Chopin and I’m actually not bad at it!

The post How Important is Reading Sheet Music? appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

But today, even if you start with classical music, you can choose your own adventure. You can discover your sound and expression in jazz, hip hop, electronic music, and even production.

All it takes is an open mind. And maybe a little guidance. To help you along, I sat down with Nicholas Dupuis, the classically trained keyboardist and producer behind Anomalie. Here is our chat, edited for length and clarity.

Montreal & Origins

Let’s get you in your own words: want to introduce yourself?

Hello! My name is Nico. I’m a keyboardist and producer and I’ve released albums under the name or moniker “Anomalie”. I am from Montreal, Canada. I’m a French-Canadian. 

How and why did you choose the name Anomalie? 

Mainly, I wanted a name that was spelled in French to present some kind of Montreal identity. I also wanted it to be a word that’s found in other languages.

Tell me a bit more about the “Montreal identity.” What makes Montreal so special to you?

I love the city. Very, very much. I think it is very active, culturally. Just to start off, there’s the bilingual nature which creates a unique dynamic in North America. 

But there’s also so many festivals. The Jazz Festival on its own is just such an institution and it kind of represents the city internationally on a cultural level as well. It has grown so much since it was first created. 

There’s also a duality to the Montreal scene. On one hand, the city is often included in the touring cycle of international artists, and on the other you have this bubble of francophone artists who sometimes export what they do to other French-speaking countries and sometimes transcend the barriers of language, but it’s pretty rare.

Add to that the underground scenes in Montreal and you get this combination that is like a breeding ground for really cool creativity and different styles are born from that.

Educational Background

How do you think other aspects of your environment shaped you as a musician?

I grew up in an environment that really favored falling in love with music. I was fortunate to be born into a very musical family. My dad is now retired for a while, but for most of his life he was a radio host focused on mostly classical music. My mom is a piano and music theory teacher. For some people, being raised in that environment can push them away from music, but in my case it really pulled me to it.

What was your learning path like?

I’ve been playing piano since I was a kid. I began in the classical world and, in my teens, pivoted toward electronic music with GarageBand. And then jazz came afterwards where I got introduced to Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea and other pioneers of the jazz fusion world where synthesizers are used.

Discovering that scene and hip-hop is how the early stages of Anomalie was born.

Nice! You mention you were classically trained. Were you formally educated in music production? 

A lot of what I learned about music production and sound design was self-taught. To this day, it’s just trial and error and trying to find my own taste for things. 

It’s the most important aspect of creation in general: going toward things that appeal to your own sense of taste, which you develop through both creating and actively listening.

And a lot of my early stuff was just, like, objectively not very good.

But I kept making more and more, and got more acquainted with several features of the DAW I was using. As I went, I combined this with some of the stuff I was exploring on the piano.

I got acquainted with new repertoire, watched YouTube tutorials, saw how others worked, and learned from actually producing.

Did you have any formal training beyond that?

I went to school for Jazz Performance. In Quebec, we have something called CÉGEP, which is between high school and university. So I did a three year program at Cégep de Saint-Laurent with an amazing teacher called Lorraine Desmarais, who is an incredible jazz pianist. I owe so much to her in terms of jazz piano. 

And growing up, my piano teacher’s name was Yolande Gaudreault, who is a legend. She has a school in the southwest part of the Island of Montreal and a lot of the career classical pianists that are doing really well also studied with her. I went a different path with production and a jazz-leaning angle, but I owe so much to her, too.

Teaching Masterclasses

Speaking of teachers, I’ve heard you teach masterclasses before your concerts?

Yeah! I got the idea from an amazing Prog guitar player from Australia called Plini. He does something like it, too.

How do people get into the masterclass?

It’s part of a VIP package. A lot of artists that tour, especially those like me who are in the mid-tier of venue capacity, offer VIP packages. You pay a certain amount and get access to soundcheck, or get to do a Q&A with artists, which is awesome.

But when I thought about my audience, a significant percentage of them happen to be musicians on a lot of different levels, so I felt it made sense to do an actual masterclass or group lesson.

Oh, so it’s like a VIP perk! Have the lessons stayed the same?

I share my approach to arrangement, harmony and production. In the earlier years, there was a portion on production as well, but because I only had an hour, I would end up speaking very quickly to cover a lot of ground.

In the last two years, my masterclasses have focused mostly on harmony and reharmonization. I also dedicate a portion of the time to giving people a chance to guide the masterclass in a certain direction if there’s a question that pops up.

It’s awesome, because even though there’s prepared material that stays consistent throughout the tours, sometimes the class will go into completely new directions.

That sounds like a lot of fun!

It is! It’s just such a great way to connect with people who have similar interests and to share some knowledge and be enthusiastic about music and music theory. So it’s really cool.

Transferable skills: From Classical Pianist to Music Producer

Do you think knowing piano is helpful for people who want to become producers? Would you recommend everyone who wants to do what you do to learn it?

I think it definitely facilitates a lot of things. I’m very biased. I would encourage everyone to learn it.

It’s an incredible tool to help navigate music-related things. Like, learning harmony through this instrument is what everyone does at some point because you can very easily visualize concepts and apply them in a concrete way. And for production, it’s such a cool medium to explore other types of sounds.

Going from Classical to Jazz

On the topic of grasping new concepts: I’m a classically trained pianist who, after starting here at Pianote, started taking jazz lessons.

Nice!

Yeah! It feels like I’m a beginner again. Like my brain is picking up a new dialect.

Totally.

What would be your advice for someone who is going from the classical route of reading notes off a piece of paper, to the jazz route of using your ear, improvising, understanding harmony and all that?

When I think back to moving from classical to jazz I remember feeling almost dizzy as I tried to find my way.

I would say first, take things one step at a time. One of the first things my jazz teacher taught me was that you build your musical vocab through active listening and spotting specific patterns or motifs that a player often uses. Remember that everything that comes out instinctively is something that, at some point, you consciously or unconsciously integrated and took time to practice.

Another part is taking the time to learn different motifs like little blues licks, the blues scale, certain chord progressions, different ways to voice all of those chords starting with a blues structure — like two chords or three in the 12- or 16-bar form. 

These are things you’re still getting from sheet music, so it’s a transition that feels natural.

Eventually, you get away from sheet music and just look at your instrument and apply what you’ve heard and learned in all keys, different contexts, making connections, linking different patterns together, coming up with your own variations. And then, at a certain point, your ear is trained enough to be able to transcribe.

So you’d say transcribing is important?

I think it’s an incredibly important goal. Once you get to that point where you’re able to transcribe repertoire that you personally selected,  you’ll have an endless amount of vocab you can learn for the rest of your life.

You could transcribe a solo and play it as-is, or isolate specific licks or moments you’re interested in and make exercises out of them. It’s powerful.

How do you get started with transcribing?

Begin by transcribing monophonic instruments. Like a sax solo, a clarinet solo or a trumpet solo. You’re focusing on melody. There are fewer parameters and you can slow it down and just play with your right hand. You can build from there.

How about transcribing harmony? How do you work on identifying chords?

Get familiarized with the feel or color of a certain chord. A great exercise is to record a bunch of different major and minor triads in quick succession over different notes. So, maybe a series of 20 or 30. Then you randomize the order, play them back, and identify them. Add more chord options or inversions as you progress. It makes you more efficient to analyze how a certain chord feels as opposed to identifying the individual voices.

Education: what should change?

That’s a very creative approach! It makes a game out of learning. Do you think that piano education needs more of that? Does anything need to change to help young musicians become professionals?

That’s a very big question. Unfortunately, I don’t have a definitive answer because there are so many different paths possible today.

I feel grateful because Yolande, my teacher as a young musician, was anchored in classical music but had an open mind and allowed for expressiveness and deviating a little. 

I think open-mindedness is an important factor. There’s a place for purists because they have the role of preserving, in some cases, historic accuracy or a certain school of thought.

But being open-minded breeds hybrids and variations of different schools of thought.

Timbre and the Piano

Open-mindedness seems like a theme in your approach to music. It reminds me of how, in another interview, you talked a lot about timbre and the piano which I found interesting because piano is typically thought of as pretty monotonous. At least where timbre is concerned.

Yeah, people can view piano as a monotonous instrument in some ways because it’s percussive. Once you’ve played a note, it kind of slowly dies off and yeah, that’s the end of it.

Right! So how do you experiment with timbre when playing? How can a pianist play with more texture?

That’s super interesting! Yeah, you can’t really add expression on a single note. Not directly, at least. Synths are pretty great for pianos in that sense, where you can mimic what is being done with the human voice and wind instruments. These traditionally have more expression.

But even on a real instrument, there’s playing with a damper pedal. Or playing with felt on a piano so everything kind of feels muffled. These are such interesting ways to drastically alter your timbre in a creative way.

There’s also the different range of dynamics you get depending on the kind of instrument you’re using, like a cheap upright or a more expensive upright, or a grand piano which has double escapement.

That has a lot to do with expressiveness and timbre. And because we have two hands, we can play different lines or voices at the same time on the piano, choosing to prioritize a certain inner voice or top line, or the bass movement — that decision alone is such an important factor in timbre and expressiveness.

But even on a real instrument, there’s playing with a damper pedal. Or playing with felt on a piano so everything kind of feels muffled. These are such interesting ways to drastically alter your timbre in a creative way.

There’s also the different range of dynamics you get depending on the kind of instrument you’re using, like a cheap upright or a more expensive upright, or a grand piano which has double escapement.

That has a lot to do with expressiveness and timbre. And because we have two hands, we can play different lines or voices at the same time on the piano, choosing to prioritize a certain inner voice or top line, or the bass movement — that decision alone is such an important factor in timbre and expressiveness. 

There’s also playing around within the context of a certain phrase: determining—either in advance like in a written piece or in an improvised solo—where you are headed. For example, is there a gradual crescendo headed toward a certain point in your phrase? Or maybe a change in nuance throughout the phrase, going up and down not only in dynamics, but also playing around with tempo. Playing with rushing and dragging.

Oh, and repeated notes as well.  By default, you play a note and it kind of dies off. So, whether on the same note or an octave that just doubles, while repeating the note you can make it super percussive by playing around with rushing and dragging. Or kind of mimicking what a wind player would do with a sustain note that goes up and down in volume, you can do that with a repeated note or octave. They’re all cool avenues to explore.

Yeah! I think repeating notes is something I keep forgetting I could do. When soloing, I get so anxious about needing to play really fast and play these really impressive arpeggios, but just repeating a note can sound so much more sophisticated.

Oh yeah, it’s a world of difference. As you say, you can get obsessed with, like, kind of thinking horizontally. Trying to achieve speed or expressiveness through that. But a repeated note can be as, if not more, efficient in certain ways or contexts. 

Last question. What’s next for Anomalie?

In March, we did our last tour of the two year-ish cycle off the previous album. 

So I took the last two and a half months to really go into hermit mode and try to reconnect with practice and writing. Over the summer and potentially some of the autumn as well, I’ll be focusing on writing the next chapters, the next project. 

That’s going super well, and when it eventually comes out, we’ll get back together with the band and do another touring cycle. And that’s the way it goes!

That’s the way it goes! Thank you so much for sitting with me today.

Thank you so much for having me.

The post Finding Your Piano Path With Anomalie (Interview) appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

We recently chatted with Jemma Heigis, an American keyboardist based in Peru who toured with GRAMMY-winning superstar Karol G. You’ll learn first-hand what it takes to land gigs and play stadiums! 

(The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

Background and Big Break

Hey Jemma! Please introduce yourself and tell us a little about what you do.

My name is Jemma and I’m a keyboard player, producer, and composer. Right now, I’m working on my own music. But in the past year, I went on tour with Karol G! She’s a reggaeton superstar and we did the mainstage of Coachella, Tiny Desk, and also SNL. 

What’s your educational background and experience?

I started playing piano at three years old. I always knew that music was the thing that I was going to pursue because nothing else interested me quite as much. So I practiced a lot and I was always composing my own music. 

Before I moved to Peru, I was living in Minnesota and studying film composition because I wanted to be a film composer. I did an audition for McNally Smith (it’s kind of like Berklee—I didn’t try out for Berklee because it was financially out of the question.) I got a scholarship and that’s where I met my husband. We’re both keyboard players and we’ve been working together ever since.

You have a big following on Instagram and you play for Karol G, which is huge! How did you get your “big break”?

I posted a video with my friend, Lucia Sarmiento (she’s a saxophone player) and it went viral. I was on a cruise ship when it happened and I didn’t have internet access, so I didn’t notice until after I came back that it had gone viral! 

I noticed there could be a way to advertise my own stuff and make a name for myself. So I started posting pretty regularly on social media. Just covers and trying to play impressively and stuff.

I ended up not doing film composition at all because I felt a little constrained as an artist. I couldn’t compose what I wanted to compose—I had to compose what was best for the scene. A lot of modern film music is really minimalistic too, not the grandiose sort of stuff I would want to compose. But I guess that’s work! (Where not everything is what you want to do.)

I ended up studying more piano. And I think Instagram forced me to practice way more… Posting on a daily schedule was the biggest thing that helped me get better at my instrument. Which is funny, but it’s true.

How to Be a Music Influencer

Your social media content is pretty impressive! Would you say you’re an “influencer”?

Well, I get paid to do posts for brands. That’s what you would consider an influencer, right? It sounds almost like a dirty word…

Oh no, I think it’s just the reality of how the music industry has evolved.

It started out as kind of like a resume—and that’s how it ended up. And I’m glad I got in when I did because it’s hard to grow. I started maybe six years ago or something, and now it’s become for musicians. It is your resume. Like, my degree means nothing! …I mean, I have a bachelor’s degree and I’m glad I got it because it taught me so much and I’ve met a lot of great people.

If being an influencer is what it takes to be a successful musician then sure, I’ll consider it!

Let’s dig into being an influencer a little more… If you were talking to someone who wants to be one, what advice would you give them?

I would say that it’s consistency—just continuing to post all the time.

I have a Patreon—that’s where I’m getting most of my income. I do lessons and for every post, I do a transcription of it. And I extend the backing tracks so people can take the exercise they’ve learned and improvise over it. I’ll give them the best scales to use and stuff like that. So, I’m trying to gravitate more towards the sort of videos you guys do.

I think being a music influencer is good because people tend to know who you are—people that you wouldn’t expect. The fact that I posted so frequently made me appear in people’s algorithms. So, post regularly even if you’re a nobody! Chances are one of your videos will do well and that’ll recommend you to people you never would have had access to. Then, those important people might see you, think you are a good fit, and reach out.

How to Play Stadiums With Rockstars

Was that how you got the Karol G gig?

The way I got that Karol G gig was like this: Lucia got a huge gig with Pitbull. Now, the music director for Pitbull was the same musical director for Karol G. And Karol G’s keyboard player went to play with Jacob Collier, so there was an opening. (That’s Bryn Bliska, by the way. She’s amazing!) 

Anyway, Lucia said that I was a good fit so I got an audition. I had to record three songs and I had to do it as if I was performing. One of the songs was solo piano: it was a grandiose intro while someone might be talking. I also did some vocal and piano stuff to prove that I could also sing—and they picked me! 

When I was in Minnesota and posting videos on social media, I was working as a waitress so my income wasn’t even from music. So, I basically went straight to giant stadiums and this huge artist! 

I was so surprised…I had heard the name Karol G but I didn’t know how famous she was. Especially where I live now in Peru: everyone knows who she is. I would go through immigration and there would be Karol G playing in the speakers. So it was pretty surreal.

The fact that I had built up a small following—I think I had 10k around that time—helped too. If you’re a musician and you post videos consistently, people have a smorgasbord of things to choose from to say, okay, this girl can do funk; she can play synth; oh, she has a singing video here so maybe she can do background vocals, etc.

Learn another language, if you can!

So Karol G is Colombian, right? Did you have to learn Spanish?

I moved to Peru because when we came back from the cruise ship, my husband ran into visa problems entering the States. We were going to get married…but unfortunately that never happened and he got stuck in immigration. So I dropped all my stuff and moved to Peru. His parents were very, very generous. They let me live in their house and we built my social media career from there. His parents even helped me put up lights and they would lend me clothes to help me have more outfits! 

We got married in Peru and I learned Spanish in the process. I’ve lived here for five, six years, I think. When I showed up, I just knew stuff you learn in high school. And now I’m fluent! 

That was a huge benefit when they were picking who to audition and who they were selecting. The fact that I was American also helped because of being able to perform in the States. But the fact that I spoke Spanish was a big plus because Karol works in Spanish; everybody talks in Spanish in your in-ears. 

It was a blessing in disguise that I moved to Peru. I don’t know if the same thing would have happened if I had remained in the States. I could still be a waitress right now!

Sound Design and Other Skills

Going back to young musicians who want a job like yours: what music skills would you say they need?

That’s a good question. Playing for Karol G is not about how many chords you know or how great your music theory or ear is. It’s about sound design. I thought it was going to be a live, acoustic-sounding arrangement or something like that. But it wasn’t at all!

I had never used expensive keyboards before (my Roland Juno DS was probably $400) so I had to learn all these keyboards and it was kind of a shock. Every song had to have its own specific programming. You would have the keyboard split into the flutes on top, a piano over here, a synth bass there…and you would have to know how to program all of that. The pedal might be routed to how much reverb there is on the strings alone, and the mod wheel might be routed to how much delay is on the flutes. It’s like learning a computer, you know?

That sounds stressful!

I had never done so much before. And when you’re in an environment where there’s so much pressure…that’s what teaches you the most. 

It’s the same for Spanish: I would say something silly and embarrassing that I would never forget. For sound design, I was on the spot so many times because everybody else in the band would be like, “No, that sound is not it.” 

I did the sound design for her latest album. But when I was first brought in, I had to get the other keyboard player on a call and help. She very generously gave me a backup of all of the sounds that she had used and I learned her programming. There was also a musical director and he would tell me, “No, that’s not how she did it; I think she had this over here.”

It was nerve-wracking, I’m not gonna lie! It was two weeks of rehearsals and maybe eight, nine hours per day of rehearsing. But, to answer your question, I would say for a big gig like this you need to know how to program keyboards.

And how would someone learn how to do that? I’m guessing you didn’t learn it during your degree.

I didn’t. (I learned a lot about working with DAWs like VSTs, Logic, Pro Tools, Ableton.) I knew a little bit about programming keyboards because of the cruise ship that I worked on. But what my $400 keyboard could do was pretty limited.

These keyboards that big-time artists use are mostly Nords. So, learn how to use a Nord! I would rent one or get a used one and just practice. You can practice by listening to songs and trying to replicate them. It’s not just about learning the keyboard; it’s also understanding what is a cut-off, what is an envelope, and how—if I change the attack—will it make it sound more similar to the reference? 

It’s a lot of experimenting. I would first use some VSTs and try to emulate sounds. Even GarageBand has some VSTs included with it.

And how different are these keyboards? Are things standardized or is learning a new keyboard like learning a new instrument?

It’s like learning a new instrument. The way you recall patches, it’s all different. Yes, there are similar things like envelopes and filters—and some parameters will be standard on any synth—but each one has its own thing.  

What other things have surprised you other than sound design?

The rehearsal time is way more than I would have ever expected. When I was in bands in school, a long rehearsal would be three hours. But in the real world, everybody’s mentality is: we’re here to put on a giant show and we’re going to do whatever it takes to make that happen. And so rehearsals will sometimes go until 2am, 3am… Or they’ll start in the middle of the night. It’s a lot more work than you would think. A lot of standing up, rehearsing the same song 20 times in a row.

And it’s a lot of trying to keep your brain from turning off. Because after you understand sound design, the music is not that difficult. Reggaeton by nature is not super harmonically advanced. So if you lose focus, you start getting worse the more you play! It’s almost like saturation. 

But that’s how it works: you have dancers, you have a production team, and the show is tomorrow. So you’re not going to take a break. I would say be prepared to have a very, very long rehearsal.

Another thing would be: there’s no room for improvisation. If you think you have a better voicing, that’s not your job. (That was my experience anyway.) Because the people that listen to Karol G—they know the song so well that having it sound any different would be weird. Also, we have a musical director and he makes the executive decisions of what you’re going to play. 

That’s so interesting because it almost sounds like classical music!

Yeah! That’s a good comparison. Even the mentality of it. It’s not a relaxed environment.

It’s not like a gig with your friends where you’re like, “Alright, you guys want to order a couple of beers? When do you guys want to go? I can stay an extra hour.” 

It’s a very structured environment. It’s a big production. It needs to be.

Jemma’s Own Music

Let’s move the spotlight a bit. What are you working on, personally?

Well, I started by doing vocal pop. I’m a singer, but it wasn’t really my forte (I didn’t feel that comfortable as a frontman).

Through social media, I discovered a niche: people that like video games and jazz. It’s this really cool combination. Adam Neely did a video on the “jazzification” of Nintendo that really resonated with me because he talks about how a lot of today’s video game music will be the “All the Things You Are” of the future. It’s true because a lot of really classic video games are being adapted by big bands. I thought that was really cool and it makes sense why so many people that love Sonic covers also appreciate the sort of fusion that I do. 

So, I decided that I wasn’t going to be a singer anymore. I post fusion video game covers, anime stuff, some pop…but for the most part I’ve been doing funk and fusion. One day it occurred to me that I should be making instrumental music because that’s what I listen to: Snarky Puppy, Mark Lettieri, Tribal Tech, Jeff Lorber…

I just released my first instrumental single. It took me a really long time because it took me a while to find a soloist. But I did and I’m so glad that she did it even though she was really busy! Actually, she’s the trumpet player for Karol G right now! Her name is Ella Briceño and she did an amazing trumpet solo. She’s a virtuoso and so I’m super glad I got her on my track and finally released it. 

One more question… You did a video game song medley with us. How did you learn those songs? How do you learn new music?

I was supposed to read music because I took so many classical lessons, but I faked it the whole time! (My music teacher, Peggy Andrews: I’m sorry if you’re reading this!). I’m able to read and arrange and when it comes to actually notating it, I’m fine. But my sight reading is terrible!

I’ve always liked ear training and that’s the fastest way for me to learn because it forces me to memorize as well. So whenever I’m learning a song, my first route is ear training. Unless it’s so difficult that I could never get it by ear—then I will sit down and try to read it.

Ear training really helps your skills as a musician. That’s another thing for people that are starting out in music: just learn the songs you like. Sit down and play them as best as you can. And there are tutorials out there that can teach you the best way to voice it. Or fingerings and stuff like that. 

But yeah. Whatever you like, sit down and try to play it yourself. 

The post How to Be a Music Influencer & Land Big Gigs (ft. Keyboardist Who Played for Karol G) appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

In general, if you’re a novice to intermediate piano player, practicing 30-45 minutes a day nearly every day is a good rule of thumb. But let’s dive deeper into what this means and how to maximize your practice sessions, no matter how much time you have.

It’s about quality, not quantity

First things first: not all practice is equal. You can play scales for hours on end, but you shouldn’t do it on autopilot. And you can put hours into playing a song you know really well, but that may not help you progress in other areas.

In general, it’s better to practice in a focused, goal-driven mindset for a short amount of time than it is to play mindlessly for a longer period.

> Goal-setting Tips

How much should you practice as a beginner? As an advanced pianist?

As you progress in piano, your practice time will naturally increase. You’ll play longer songs and learn more complex techniques, but your endurance will also improve.

Based on our survey of more than 1000 piano players, we can comfortably make the following recommendations for daily practice time based on ability level:

• Beginner and novice pianists should practice 15-45 minutes a day
• Intermediate pianists should practice 45 minutes to an hour a day
• Advanced pianists should practice 1-2 hours a day
• Expert pianists will probably practice 3+ hours a day; however, this may depend on the performance(s) they’re preparing for

…but everyone is different

The great Oscar Peterson once said he practiced eighteen hours a day in his youth. In general, the pros do practice a lot. But this depends.

For example, Adam Stout—a cruise ship pianist we interviewed here—admits he really doesn’t practice that much. Part of the reason is that pianos and private space are hard to come by on a cruise ship. But he also has enough experience to quickly interpret a chord chart or lead sheet on the spot. This is the culmination of years and years of training. (And probably years of practicing for many hours a day!)

So you see? Practice pays off! If you practice a lot now, you may be able to practice less later…

What’s better: practicing short chunks often or practicing in one long session once a week?

If you have a busy lifestyle, you may be tempted to block out a large chunk of time during the week to squeeze in all your piano practice. But this won’t be as effective as practicing a little bit every day. Scientific research supports the idea that learning things in short sessions over a longer period of time is more effective than cramming it all in one go. This is called the spacing effect.

Rest is important

Spacing out your practice sessions is also important because your brain actually does a lot of learning while it’s at rest. In one study, “researchers found that during rest the volunteers’ brains rapidly and repeatedly replayed faster versions of the activity seen while they practiced [the task]. The more a volunteer replayed the activity the better they performed during subsequent practice sessions, suggesting rest strengthened memories.” This was called “wakeful rest.”

What if I just don’t have enough time?!

You want to get better at piano, but you’ve got a full-time job, kids, aging parents, volunteering, maybe a night class… How can you possibly make time to practice with all this stuff going on?!

Well, you probably have five minutes every day. Everyone has five minutes! And while five minutes doesn’t seem like much, it’s better than nothing…by a lot. If you practice every day for five minutes each day, that’s 35 minutes a week. Which is nothing to sneeze at!

Sure, your progress will be much slower than the kid on summer vacation who can practice every day from morning until night. But you’ll still progress. (And have time to deal with your other responsibilities.)

And you’re not alone. In fact, Pianote is passionate about supporting folks like you! Here are some free lessons on getting the most of your practice session, that are 10 minutes or less:

• The Ultimate Practice Routine
• Practice Routine for Absolute Beginners
• Complete Practice Routine in D Minor
• The Ultimate Morning Practice Routine
• 10-Minute Practice Routine

Remember to enjoy yourself

More important than hours spent at the piano is enjoying your practice session. You should want to practice. The more you enjoy practicing, the more you’ll practice, and the better you’ll get!

Try not to see practice as homework but as an opportunity to connect with your instrument and the music you love. It’s how the pros see piano practice.

I want to be creative with everything that I’m doing. And when I’m practicing, I’m always thinking about how I can make this practice creative.

Jordan Rudess, GRAMMY-winning keyboardist for Dream Theater and Music Radar Keyboardist of the Year

Don’t think of practice as a chore or as work, but instead as a creativity lab where you have time, choice and freedom to discover.

Yuja Wang, GRAMMY winner and widely considered one of the best living classical pianists

The value of an exercise depends on your state of mind. If you don’t find it interesting, then it is not useful.

Madeline Bruser, author of The Art of Practicing

The post How Long Should You Practice Piano? appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

In this (edited and condensed) interview, we visit a side of the Wizard few have met: Jordan Rudess the piano teacher! Together, we discuss better ways to approach practice, the importance of headspace, and what piano education needs more of.

I find that the best musicians aren’t always the best teachers. But I’ve been looking at your course and I absolutely love it. I think it’s both accessible and challenging and it put me in such a relaxed and meditative headspace. So, can you tell me a bit more about your teaching experience?

Teaching is very important to me. I feel that, as you mentioned, there are many great players and most of them probably can’t teach effectively. It takes a combination of skills to impart wisdom upon somebody! And when you’re doing a course like mine, you’re putting something out there that will be watched by all kinds of people from different places—maybe even coming into English from different points and trying to understand what I’m saying at different levels. So, I appreciate being someone who can translate, get ideas across, and be effective in that way. 

I feel like I have a good starting point and that comes from, well, having had amazing training myself. I’m so lucky that my piano training comes from probably the best schools in the time that we’re living. I went to Juilliard, but I also studied with Catherine Parker, who is the student of Rosina Lhévinne, who is probably the most famous piano teacher of the last 100 years. So, I got some really good information there that is the foundation for everything I do, no matter what style I play. 

Having that as my personal groundwork gives me a head start towards teaching. But there’s more to it than that. I also appreciate when somebody can explain something simply. A lot of times when people know a lot about their topic, they tend to make it too intellectual, too complicated, or too academic. That’s where, I think, a lot of professionals go wrong. I feel that when you’re showing somebody something, you want to allow them the comfort of: here it is, it’s not rocket science, and we’re all in this together.

And there’s a simple way to present things, even if it’s really complicated. Like, I can play something crazy with my left hand, talk while I’m doing it, and play something else with my right. And I can certainly go into some amazing, fantastical explanation of how it’s done. But the reality is hey, I’m a person too, and I figured it out. And this is a pathway towards that goal for somebody else, step by step.

What’s not easy is that, if you really want to get good at any of these physical instruments (like piano, violin, guitar, trombone…) it takes practice and there’s no avoiding that. But if you’re willing to go on the journey—if you’re willing to sit with me in the Pianote course—then you’ll get somewhere because we do this beautiful, step-by-step procedure. 

I’ve had a lot of experience sharing my thoughts about music and what I’ve learned throughout the years. It’s something that’s comfortable for me. And I really value when I feel from the person I’m teaching that it has some impact. 

It’s definitely one of the things I really care about.

What do you enjoy most about teaching?

I like breaking down the subject that I’m talking about and making it simple.

When I first started trying arpeggios, I couldn’t really do it. I remember being at Interlochen in Michigan (the music camp) and one of my teacher’s older students was doing these fast, great arpeggios. I was watching and I thought to myself, I am going to figure this out. So I spoke to my teacher, got some tips, and spent the summer really working on that. 

I love looking at what makes the difference. In this case, if you want to play a faster arpeggio, you can’t get hung up on your thumb going under. You see people doing it and their elbow goes up, their thumb goes under, their hand tilts…and it’s a lot of extra motion.

In every instrument and everything that involves physical activity, you want the least amount of motion: to be the smoothest and fastest and most controlled. I love looking at these pianistic problems and think: how did I learn it and what were the key things I figured out to make it possible? 

My teacher used to—as I was playing a scale or an arpeggio—take my elbow and drag it along to show that having motion allows your hand to be in the right place without having to do a big turn under your thumb. It’s hard to play an arpeggio. You don’t see many people do it well, but at the same time, to do it well…it’s not that big a deal! It’s not a big deal if you can bring it down to basics.

My favorite thing is to feel that I can express and share that. Because that’s a nice thing to be able to share.

Many students who have had classical piano lessons when they were kids did not like them. But many people still like classical music; they just don’t know how to learn it in an enjoyable way. What do you think needs to happen differently in piano education? What needs to be changed from that status quo of classical piano lessons?

I think the problem is that when people learn classical piano, it’s very dry. They’re not exposed to the creative part of making music: what it’s like to make a sound. It’s more than an academic thing (learning to read music and put fingers on the right note).

As an example, I have some piano exercises that are not very hard but they’re things you can do to create a really nice sound. I’ll do something where you hold the pedal and play C-D-E-G back and forth and create a nice resonance. I think the approach should be more about making music in some way. Let’s find a way, no matter where you are—if you’re playing one note, two, 100 or 1000…let’s figure out how to offer a person that spark of creativity. 

Because there’s nothing like making music. I spend much of my life figuring out ways people can—even beyond the piano—experience how wonderful it is to make music, whether it’s with my technology, applications, things like that. 

There are ways to share that with a student that I think are really, really important. Again, we can’t escape the fact that if you want to learn to play the piano, it is physical (you have to move your fingers). But to have it be creative is super important. 

I spend much of my life figuring out ways people can experience how wonderful it is to make music.

Jordan Rudess

Now, in my personal path, my first teacher was a jazz guy. He threw out the book really fast when he found out I had a good ear. He taught me chords and that was great because I got my creativity sparked. And then, after about a year my parents realized I was talented. So they took me to a serious teacher who got me ready for Juilliard.

My Juilliard teacher said I should not improvise. She wanted me to focus on the exact notation! But I used to go to the practice room furthest away from the teacher’s studio and play boogie-woogie, show tunes, and whatever I wanted. So I always found my own way because I love music. 

It’s very natural for me to keep that creative element. If I was only in the classical space and I didn’t have the background, maybe it would be harder to connect with the creative part. Not that it’s impossible—one can express a Chopin or Bach piece and find joy in the phrasing and melody; they don’t have to be an improviser. But I guess what I’m saying is that bringing the creative element into the music, lesson, and routine is probably critical.

I was never taught how to improvise throughout my classical education, but these days I’ve been taking jazz lessons and it’s been mind blowing. Well, I was doing your course and I found myself naturally improvising. I felt like you created a recipe to help people get into the flow and practice the technique…but also have that creative element. I want to hear how you design those exercises.

Do you remember what you were trying?

The one I really liked was when your left hand does a very simple pattern, and then you gave us different right hand patterns to go on top of that.

Oh, the ostinato thing. Teaching that, to me, is so exciting because you’re opening up a new avenue of creativity…and also piano coordination. So it’s a perfect example. 

How did you come up with that exercise and present it in this way that I just love? There’s this meditative atmosphere that you create and I wonder if you have a background in mindfulness or meditation… How did you come up with those exercises that are so relaxing yet productive?

I love hearing that. Well, first of all, I’m a composer, so my whole life is creativity. It’s a fun process to boil down what I do and then communicate my ideas to the student to help them on their musical path. I enjoy having to think like that—how to take a student from point A to Z in this much time.

Some people need the key to unlock the creative world of possibilities. If you have just three or four chords on the guitar, you can write songs. Well, if you just have a few notes on the piano, you can do them in so many different ways. Say you play C-E-G, C-E-G. The most common thing to do would be to accent the C with your thumb because your thumb is heavier. Well, it doesn’t have to be like that. What about thinking of it in groups of four, even though it’s a three note pattern? You can get C-E-G, C-E-G, C-E-G and have the rhythm change.

My whole thing is, I break down the door—these doors that we lock—to creativity. I start simply, open it up, and do it in a way that’s mindful because to me, music is meditation. The only way I can do what I do is to get in that headspace. For example: playing a riff in 11/8 time while I’m talking about something else, and then playing something on top that’s different. It’s not that I’m some academic genius, it’s that I’m able to breathe, get comfortable, and allow myself to not worry about it so much. 

It’s so interesting to me that you express that because for me, the way that I get really proficient is to practice, practice, practice…but then let go. I think what prevents us from improvising and coordinating our two hands is we get very tight, involved, and just worried. Mastery—and also progress—always comes when you’ve practiced the physicality of something and then you’re able to let go.

Like, I’ve been on this guitar journey the last few years. The guitar is a new instrument for me and there are mechanics involved; it’s the same thing. I’m learning to tap with all my fingers and I begin to get tight and my body starts to tense up. And then I say to myself…it’s time to take a breath, and I can do it. And I don’t have to tighten up. I just allow it to be. So, there’s a reality there for me and also the way that I like to teach that. 

Mastery . . . always comes when you’ve practiced the physicality of something and then you’re able to let it go.

Jordan Rudess

And I totally admit that piano is not an easy instrument. None of the instruments are easy.

But the art of being able to let go if you’re playing one note, two notes or 1000 notes…that’s where it’s at. Because if all you can do is play C, I want you to make a beautiful sound. Not just hit the note. I want you to listen: what does it sound like when you hit it? As a pianist—as a musician—it’s not just about triggering the sound; it’s awareness of what the sound is like. When I hit the next note, how will it go with the one I played before? It’s about listening and responding. Especially for the piano, because the piano is an instrument where after you strike it, you don’t have control over what the sound does in the room. The strike is done. But you listen to the resonance, the volume, the tone…and you can plan what the next impact is going to be.

You can start to make music.

We’ve talked a lot about practice and how you can’t escape it. I’ve also heard you say in interviews that you enjoy practice. Well, a lot of people don’t! So I wonder: how do you perceive practice in a way that’s enjoyable? 

That’s a great question. I like the focus of it, first of all. I like feeling what it’s like to try to play something evenly and controlled.

But that can get boring. And opening a book of exercises and going through them…to me that’s boring.

It kind of leads back to my point of why I’m even doing any of this with my life…and that’s creativity. I want to be creative with everything that I’m doing. And when I’m practicing, I’m always thinking about how I can make this practice creative.

And I have a lot of techniques for that, like applying different rhythms to simple things. If you’re playing C-D-C-D-C-D, the first thing I would do is, instead of playing it with the obvious accent, I play it in triplets. And then I do it in fours, then fives. I do everything and anything, whether it’s rhythmic or melodic, to exercise my brain, my creativity, and therefore exercise my fingers as well.

So…what can the student do to be creative with their practice? Hopefully the teacher offers things to make practice more interesting.

I do everything and anything, whether it’s rhythmic or melodic, to exercise my brain, my creativity, and therefore exercise my fingers as well.

Jordan Rudess

Thanks for chatting with us, Jordan! If you’re feeling inspired, check out the following free lessons:

• How to Play Scales FAST (The Jordan Rudess Juilliard Approach)
• Jordan Rudess Teaches Arpeggios
• Dream Theater “The Dance of Eternity” – Sheet Music, Time Signatures, Analysis & More

The post Piano Lessons With Jordan Rudess (Interview) appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

Lisa was recently promoted to Vice President of the Pianote brand. Today (May 11) is also her birthday! So we’re celebrating with a deep dive interview. The following is an edited and condensed conversation between Lisa Witt and Charmaine Li, the editor of this blog. It’s a pretty long chat so we’ve broken it up into six parts. Sit back, relax, and join us on Lisa’s journey!

Musical Family Traditions

Can you describe your musical background before Pianote? How did you get into music?

I probably didn’t stand a chance at not being drawn to music. Music was just part of the family experience. When we went to my grandparents’ house, before we ate, we didn’t speak our prayers—we sang our prayers. And we’d often sing it like a round, or there’d be a harmony we’d have to find. Or Grandpa would get on the piano.

I can remember mashing the keys on the piano my grandparents had against the wall and being told to stop—it’s one of my earliest memories. That and hearing my grandpa play made me want to learn, so I started asking for piano lessons when I was five or six. Then, around the time I turned eight or nine, my grandparents showed up with a piano in the back of their truck and unloaded it into our house! And I got signed up for piano lessons three doors down.

I can remember walking with my little books down the road and feeling so nervous because I was a really shy child. I honestly hated the lessons within a couple of months, but my parents would not let me quit.

What did you not like about the lessons?

Well, first and foremost, learning something is work! 

When we experience music, it looks so easy. Because music is painted to be so positive (and it is), we expect that learning to create music will be all positive. But I don’t think that’s realistic.

I also didn’t want to play pieces that I didn’t emotionally connect with. And my teachers didn’t encourage me to use my ear or learn to improvise. It wasn’t because they were bad teachers; they just didn’t know.

I would play something incorrectly (because I avoided reading notes whenever possible!) and be like, “Oh, this sounds right.” But it wasn’t. And my response was always: “But it sounds better!” It would have been amazing if my teacher had said, “Oh, you seem to have a great ear for creativity or composition. If you could rewrite this piece, what would it sound like?” 

I think that would have unlocked the piano for me in a different and more meaningful way. But it didn’t happen at that part of my journey and that’s okay.

The “A-ha!” Moment

So when did that part of the journey happen for you?

That happened with the internet! This was pre Ultimate Guitar, but you could find lyrics with chords over them.

I was playing at church in a youth band, and the guitarist was like: you just play chords like this. I put the pieces together and I started to plunk down chords, sing, and play.

And I went, “Oh my gosh, THIS is how they do it.” Like, this is how all the people I’ve been admiring—all the songwriters, all these musicians—this is how they’re approaching the instrument!

I was pretty hooked from there. And I was thankful for all the work I put into practicing my triad inversions and arpeggios. Because suddenly, they had a purpose.

So it was the church band environment that did it for you.

Yeah. I grew up in the church and it was just what you did. It was a part of my experience in a very different way than RCM. It also provided that means to an end: if you’re playing on Sunday, you have to show up to practice on Thursday. So, there were checkpoints where I had a specific thing I had to do, and my skills developed because of those little goalposts.

I think that’s such a great environment to learn music. There’s also an absence of ego because everyone knows you’re not supposed to play to show off; you play in service of the church.

Exactly. And nobody was a professional musician!

Adventures in Music Therapy

So that was when you were a teenager. After that, if I recall correctly, you started working in music therapy, right?

I think I started teaching when I was 16, maybe 17. Just casually here and there.

Then I graduated, and I was really fascinated with the brain and psychology. I was like, I’m gonna go to school and become a psychologist! So I went to my first semester and taught on the side.

And there was this moment when I realized I really hate school! And that I’ll probably make less money with my degree than I’m currently making teaching piano lessons.

So I made the decision to dig into early childhood music education. There are these classes called Music for Young Children (MYC). I was really intrigued by them because my baby sister (who’s 13 years younger than me) was taking these lessons. She was four or five and this kid could recognize intervals and play sheet music!

So I took the teacher training. These kids were being taught music through movement—they would be sitting, standing, be at their keyboards, making crafts… It was so holistic. 

I learned that sight reading could be done through patterns. I loved it, and I got my teacher certification and started group classes. I also taught private lessons for bigger kids.

For Piano Players, By Piano Players

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Eventually, I was contacted by a family who had…I think 23 children? They had adopted and foster kids and they wanted me to come teach at their house. Many of these kids came from trauma or had developmental, physical, all kinds of disabilities.

I began to see what happens when a child finds their voice. Long story short, I connected with the Ministry of Children and Family Development to run a music therapy program for kids under four who were in foster care, who had experienced trauma. We used singing, dance, movement, rhythm, and all kinds of modalities in this group class with the child’s caregiver. 

There was some brain mapping involved, and we noticed that these kids were developing a way healthier level of attachment with the person they were in that musical experience with. They were sleeping better and, in cases where we had nonverbal children, they were adding words to their vocabulary. 

So we ran this program for a little while, and if I wasn’t already a believer in the power of music… There’s magic here that we haven’t even tapped into.

Crossing Paths With Pianote

So let’s fast forward a bit… How did you cross paths with Pianote?

It was around the time when more people were creating YouTube channels. Influencers hadn’t really become a thing yet, but online learning was starting to. And so, I had been considering finding a way to share what I knew—creating a YouTube channel or something like that.

Jame, who is our CEO now, was the bass player at our church. We were talking after practice one night and he was like, “Hey, would you be interested in coming in and filming some lessons? My brother and I, we’re starting piano lessons online.”

So they brought me in and I sat in Studio A and played our iconic Roland V-Grand. I remember seeing it in the studio and being like, THIS is my dream instrument! I was just delighted and enamored with it.

I filmed some lessons for the first Foundations. I had no idea what I was doing…but I did it! And then they had me back and I was like, I have this idea: I want to teach people how to do chords. So we ended up creating Chord Hacks, which is still one of our most popular free things.

And the rest is kinda history.

Was the kick-off point “Create Emotion With 3 Notes”?

That came a little bit later. It’s such a beautiful memory when I think about those early days because I had no clue what I was doing. I wasn’t in the future and I wasn’t in the past. With this role I was very much like: “What do I want to share today?” I wasn’t thinking about getting a million views. And that’s where “Create Emotion” sort of happened.

Scott (Pianote’s Marketing Director) had come on and he was like, “It’d be cool to do a video on these notes, this is a really pretty sound.” And I was like, “Oh… Let’s do a lesson!” And next thing you know, cameras are on and our first big video ends up happening.

It wasn’t anything other than: here’s something beautiful anybody can go play. And now, as a result of that, all these people—millions of people—have had this experience that made them feel like they can actually create something beautiful. That there isn’t a barrier.

Boom.

Lisa’s Vision for Pianote

I feel like Pianote has grown into this huge thing over the years. Now that you’re VP, what’s your vision going forward?

I think…if my dreams were to come true, then when people think about the piano in general, that Pianote is part of their “thought bubble.” 

I think we’re at this really important moment in music education, especially as it relates to the piano. The traditional ways of learning are still incredible and serve a purpose, but they’re no longer the only way. As a result of that, there’s this big opening for a culture around the piano and what it actually means to be a pianist, keyboard player, or whatever you want to call yourself.

I would like people to look at the instrument as a means to express themselves. And I want Pianote to be the thing that makes them think, “Oh, piano is pretty cool. I wish I could play like that.” And I want their next thought to be: “Oh, I want to learn to do that. And I can because Pianote is able to support me.”

So that’s my big vision: that Pianote becomes what inspires people to play the instrument and what they think about when they’re ready to take that first step.

Right now, if you’ve had the experience of being in the Membership, you know that Pianote is friendly. It’s human in a world that is sort of feeling less human. The thing I always, always, always want to keep is that sense of yes, we’ll provide you with technology and shiny things—and it’s gonna be awesome—but also, we are real people. We are imperfect. We are honest about being imperfect. And we’re going to have conversations with you about this journey that are human.

I love that… But going back to how this all started, was there a moment when it hit you that you had become this iconic face of a company?

Shakes head vigorously. No! That still doesn’t feel real to me.

I don’t even think I would call it imposter syndrome at this point…though that’s still part of my story.

I feel like there’s nothing else that I could or should be doing. And that I’m so in the experience of a student. I don’t feel connected to being anything other than this clumsy human who’s just trying so hard to keep it together.

I don’t know. I don’t have an answer to this question!

I think that’s enough of an answer! That tells me everything, honestly.

I like piano. It has helped me. I’m not exceptionally good at it. I’m not even very good at it! I just like it.

It’s never come easily and I’ve never felt like I fit into the club of piano players. But what I do know is that I can figure things out in a way that’s maybe a little different, that gives me confidence. So, if I can help other people find that—that bit of confidence—and just accept themselves…

If I can do that, then that’s my “why.”

How do you go from being a homeschooled kid who didn’t get any post secondary education to being a VP of something? I think the answer to that is caring the most. Every time we make a video, I care so hard about how it’s presented, who it’s going to help, the messaging of the video… But I also care deeply about the people that are creating that with me. I just care about everything, and when you look at climbing the quote unquote [corporate] ladder…I didn’t do it the conventional way. And that’s something I’m really proud of. I got there because I cared really, really hard.

Lisa Witt

How Lisa Takes Care of Lisa

You’re everywhere all the time and I don’t know when you sleep! How do you draw your boundaries and what are your self-care techniques? How does Lisa take care of Lisa?

“How does Lisa take care of Lisa?” That’s a good question…

Horsies?

Definitely my horse. My horse is a big part of it!

I do a lot. I’m not just showing up on camera and doing lessons. I’m trying to nurture a brand and build something and there are a lot of moving parts. 

And some of the things that got me here have been…maybe unhealthy. Part of my grit, drive, and motivation has come from a place of wanting to prove that I am good enough or worthy. And there have been periods of time when that has not been healthy. And despite all of the self-care—I can talk about riding horses and journaling and doing yoga and those things are so critical—it’s been difficult to keep things in perspective at times.

But what’s made it feel possible is…I know I’m doing something important. And when I read comments below videos where people are sharing their stories or that this helped them in some way, it gives me back a lot of energy. So, staying connected to the core reason why I’m doing this has been super central to my ability to continue to do it.

I’ve also found that, because of the way I am, I always need something different. This job is not just teaching piano lessons. I’m learning about algorithms. I’m learning about leadership and building a team. There are so many different parts of my brain that get to develop and grow.

And because Musora is what it is—it’s a place that celebrates individuality, at least in my experience—I feel like I get to develop into that person in my own way. So, if I’m in my office lying on the floor because I’ve just had a complete creative burnout, and somebody walks in, they’re not like: “What the heck? You’re fired!” Instead, they’re like: “Oh hey, you’re having some creative rest. I’ll come back.” 

I get to be me. And in a world where we’re all trying to be something that’s not ourselves…that’s a gift. 

So, to be able to work and be myself and not be told I have to be different: that’s self-care. That is what has kept me very grounded.

…It also serves as escapism from my life. I get to be a workaholic and not deal with my own problems…

I relate!

Right?!

Can you briefly describe who Lisa is outside of Pianote?

People always think I’m really extraverted. But I’m actually such an introvert.

I love to be alone with my thoughts. I get overstimulated by sounds, smells, and noise. I love to be in nature and to do my yoga. I’m a bit of a woo-woo hippie type in that I will have a conversation with a tree. Or a crow. I need to just sit in silence for three hours and ponder the meaning of life.

I also love to write. I do sit down at the piano by choice almost every day because I love to be in that space. I really do love yoga, feeling my body, and intentional breathing. I think I’m a very spiritual person; I experience energy and I’m just curious about it. I’m curious about life outside of things we see, I guess. That would be very core to who I am as a person.

Any future projects you’re excited about?

Oooh. I mean, Pianote is my life right now. So that is my future project, whatever that becomes.

I still would absolutely like to write, develop, and record my own music at some point. That was always the first dream before I became what I am now. It’s something that’s there and I’m sure I’ll get to it in the future. But I do write.

Thanks, Lisa! And happy birthday!

The post The Great Lisa Witt Interview! appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

One of these folks, Adam Stout, performs solo at the ship’s Billboard Onboard venue. Most days of the week, you’ll find him taking requests, singing pop hits, and accompanying himself on the piano. Peek behind the scenes of a ship musician’s life in this (condensed and edited) interview.

About Adam Stout

Adam played his first ship in 2006. Other than an eight-year period when he was “completely land-based,” he’s been playing at sea ever since. As a freelancer, Adam has played weddings and funerals, private parties and corporate events. He’s also accompanied top high school choirs in Texas and describes himself as a pianist, conductor, arranger, and programmer of keyboards.

Adam’s main area of expertise is musical theater. He knows a lot about opera and has coached vocalists on Italian and German diction. A skilled sight-reader, he also fills in last-minute as a pianist and/or conductor for musical theater productions.

In terms of piano at sea, Adam has worked for Disney Cruise Lines, Holland America, and smaller companies like G Adventures.

So how did you get this job?

I was supposed to be contracting for a theater for the next four months. But we had a disagreement, they let me go, and I was looking for work. So I sent a resume to Holland America. They called me six hours later and asked if I could fly out the next Tuesday. 

I joined the HAL Cats, the ship band. We played the Crow’s Nest for the party sets, backed guest entertainers, and played sets by the pool. 

How do you practice?

I don’t! There’s a keyboard available here with very limited access. There are a couple of pianos I can get to in the middle of the night when no one’s around, but they’re really not accessible. And you know, part of why I’m out here is to not overwork! When I was freelancing, I’d often be behind a piano for 10-12 hours a day. It takes a physical toll, so that’s what I’m avoiding in this gig.

You must know hundreds of songs!

I know thousands of songs, absolutely. And I sight-read anything that is available on one of my subscription sites like Sheet Music Direct. So if a guest requests something, and I can find sheet music to it—even if I’ve never heard the song—I’ll sight-read it. People will tell me, “You sound just like the original! How have you never heard that song?” But that’s my sight-reading.

So how do you learn a new song? Do you use a full score or do you go the chording route and use something like Ultimate-Guitar.com?

Ultimate Guitar is fine if I’m already familiar with the song because I’ll play off chord charts and improvise. But if I don’t already know the song, I won’t get the vocal melody right. And I’m a reader first.

When I’m sight-reading a pop song, I look at the notes on the page, but I improvise around them because a lot of those arrangements are so simplified; they don’t account for what the rest of the band does. So I improvise around those notes, I read both the lyrics and the actual written notes in the chord charts all at once, and my mind just processes all of it.

What songs and/or artists would you say you’d have to know to do this job?

You should know a fair amount of Billy Joel, Elton John, and the Beatles. Now, the Billboard Onboard actually has a whole list of songs that you need to know, and I’m able to stray off those lists because of my experience (I’ve been given a little leeway there). 

But you should really know the biggest hits of the 60s, 70s, 80s—especially 60s for this crowd (sidenote: Holland America typically caters to a 65+ clientele). You’ve got to know some John Lennon. And you should know some Herman’s Hermits and all those great old 60s groups.

Adam also recommends looking up lists people have made of the top requested songs at different piano bars. But most importantly…

I encourage people—as they’re learning songs, even if it’s just a simple Wikipedia read—to read about the background of the song. I probably share more information about songs than a lot of people who do these jobs. And that’s a big part of why guests enjoy my set.

The Lewis Capaldi song makes me think of that. Last night, Adam had played “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi. Because so many people think it’s a break-up song…but it wasn’t a song about that. It was about him feeling a little lost after his grandmother died. It had nothing to do with romance! And it changes the context of the song. That’s why I put it in “love songs”: it was a love song to his grandmother. 

You can still interpret the song in your own way. That’s one of the great things about music, but knowing the original intent is something that can really make you think.

You meet so many people from all over the world, from different cultures. And if you take the time to go out and make sure you’re meeting people, especially among the crew, and getting to know people, it’s extremely rewarding. And you never know what kind of lifelong friendships you’ll develop.

Adam Stout

What are the three most requested songs you get again and again?

“Piano Man” and “Sweet Caroline” are the top two, hands down. With “Sweet Caroline” and “Piano Man,” the age group doesn’t really matter. Like, that’s young crowds, older crowds.

Now, when I was in Alaska and the crowds were slightly younger, I was with a duo and we had probably 25 Bob Seger songs requested a night. That kind of took me by surprise, honestly!

If I do parties and stuff on land, Taylor Swift is often requested. She’s not requested a lot here, but I put a couple of her songs into sets to help balance things out. And because she’s so relevant to Billboard (the actual Billboard).

“Living on a Prayer” is requested a lot too. “Bohemian Rhapsody” is requested a lot—the ones everyone thinks are really fun for us to play.

Do you have songs you hate playing, and how do you deal with having to play them?

I don’t hate playing “Sweet Caroline” or “Piano Man;” I get tired of playing them. The one song I absolutely hate—and I honestly usually just skip it—is “Sweet Home Alabama.” I can’t stand that song! 

Tom Jones’ “Delilah” is another one that I really don’t like to play. Well, I have one guest I’ll probably give in and play it for later because she keeps asking for it…

What kind of person would be good at this job in terms of personality?

Personality-wise, the people who will succeed in this job are the ones who maintain high energy when they’re around people. One of the big challenges is that on some nights, even the same crowd that’s been high-energy on another night is very tired. And the instinct is to play down to the energy of the crowd, but you really want someone who can maintain that high energy, even when the crowd is not giving it back. Because that’s what keeps people coming back.

But also, I think you have to understand within yourself when you need your own time to be antisocial, which we all do. If you’re out and about on the ship, you need to pick a place where there’s not a lot of people around. You need to be prepared to talk to people if you’re out in areas where people are. Personality-wise, you have to be okay with that.

Do you get homesick at all?

Oh, yeah. Absolutely.

How long are you away at a time?

These Billboard contracts are typically four months.

It’s interesting, because I’ve done five-month contracts and eight-month contracts, and it’s always that last month, when you’re almost home, that you start to feel it most. You look at the food and you’re like, “I can’t eat this anymore.” And you have to fight to find the energy to do the job.

But I’m not going to check out. Once I get up on Billboard—even if I walk up to that piano and I’m thinking to myself, “I really don’t want to be here”—I start playing, and I start interacting with my crowd…there’s nowhere else I want to be.

Adam gets a minimum of one day off every seven. His schedule can vary: on this voyage in particular, he had three days on and one off, four days on and one off, and then five days on and one off.

As for going ashore, Adam has “guest status,” which means he’s not a part of the in-port manning rotation (IPM). Most crew members are part of a rotation where they’re sometimes required to remain onboard on non-working days, in case of emergencies. “But I don’t have to worry about any of that,” Adam says. “The announcements still wake me up in the morning, but I don’t have a function or duty in those moments.” Which leads me to my next question…

Do you have a favorite place you’ve been to?

I have several favorite places that are favorites for different reasons. I think the absolute most beautiful place I’ve ever seen in the world, just from a single view, is the Geirangerfjord in Norway. It’s magnificent. 

Of course, Antarctica is unreal. My favorite architecture—cobblestone streets and everything—was in Ponta Delgada, Portugal. It was so different from anywhere else I’ve been. 

Barcelona was a pretty great party city. I was younger than when I went there, more apt to go party than I am now! I’m old now…

Yeah, so many really wonderful places. But I’ve got a long list of places I still haven’t been to.

I think the absolute most beautiful place I’ve ever seen in the world, just from a single view, is the Geirangerfjord in Norway.

Adam Stout

What’s something about this gig that might surprise someone?

Hmm. Some people might be surprised that the downtime can be boring. I will say that if you’re not happy in your life in general, all of the downtime can magnify loneliness. 

But on the flip side, you meet so many people from all over the world, from different cultures. And if you take the time to go out and make sure you’re meeting people, especially among the crew, and getting to know people, it’s extremely rewarding. And you never know what kind of lifelong friendships you’ll develop.

What’s your least and most favorite part of the job?

Least favorite is just being away from my wife and my dogs. And not having Taco Bell available…

But my favorite part…there are a few for me. Obviously, seeing these incredible places is pretty wonderful. And I already mentioned all the wonderful people you meet from around the world. But aside from the obvious (because that’s obvious), it’s not having to deal with the grind of scheduling as a freelancer. 

Not even the grind of the work itself, just the grind of figuring out the calendar, coordinating my rehearsal schedules, sending out contracts to my musicians, having to deal with organizations when they fail to pay my musicians or myself. Having to constantly negotiate for higher pay because everyone—especially in the theater world—almost always comes out with initial offers that are often insulting, frankly. And having to decide when to negotiate and when not to. 

And when I’m home, I spend 20 hours a week easily figuring out my calendar and then driving so much in Houston traffic. So not having to do not having to do any of that while I’m here…it’s very freeing.

Thanks for chatting with us, Adam! Safe travels.
P.S. You can find Adam’s socials and website here.

Liked this article? You may also be interested in…

• Scott Bradlee (Postmodern Jukebox) on Jazz, Nostalgia, and Surviving the Age of Algorithms
• Piano Jobs You Can Get: How to Become a Piano Tuner
• How to Become a Music Therapist (Piano Jobs You Can Get)

The post Interview With a Cruise Ship Musician (Piano Jobs You Can Get) appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

This jaunty, vintage style of music is special. Ragtime was almost exclusively designed for piano. And while it isn’t exactly mainstream music today, ragtime an ancestor of jazz, which is still very popular. And jazz itself is an ancestor of contemporary styles like blues, rock, soul, and R&B.

So hop back in time and get ready to discover one of piano’s best hidden gems.

What is ragtime piano?

Ragtime is an American style of music that was popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. 

According to the U.S. Library of Congress, ragtime can be defined in myriad ways but most of its practitioners agree with this definition:

Ragtime — A genre of musical composition for the piano, generally in duple meter and containing a highly syncopated treble lead over a rhythmically steady bass. A ragtime composition is usually composed [of] three or four contrasting sections or strains, each one being 16 or 32 measures in length.

U.S. Library of Congress

Here’s what some of those words mean:

• Duple meter: two beats in a measure, such as 2/4 or 2/2
• Syncopation: when beats don’t line up exactly—also described as “offbeat” or “displaced” beats
• Strain: a section of a song with a unique theme

Ragtime’s characteristics mostly came from self-taught traveling musicians in the South, especially around Missouri. It’s also closely associated with the Black community and was enjoyed by Europeans when its popularity spread across the Atlantic.

In this lesson, Scott Bradlee of Postmodern Jukebox will give you a rundown of three basic ragtime elements: stride, syncopation, and how to play the right hand melody.

About Scott Bradlee

Scott Bradlee is a prolific pianist, composer, and arranger celebrated for his boundary-pushing interpretations of contemporary music. With Postmodern Jukebox, Bradlee has redefined the concept of cover songs, transforming chart-toppers into vintage-inspired masterpieces that blend jazz, swing, and other classic genres. His ingenious arrangements and commitment to musical authenticity have garnered a massive online following, making Postmodern Jukebox a global sensation and solidifying Bradlee’s status as a visionary in the modern music landscape.

> Interview With Scott Bradlee

How to Play Ragtime Piano

Stride

Stride is a left hand pattern that roughly boils down to low-high, low-high. You break a chord into its bass note (low) and upper notes (high).

Using a C major chord as an example, Scott plays the root and fifth as bass notes in octaves. Then he plays the C major chord in second inversion on top.

You can think of stride as a marching band. The low notes imitate instruments like tuba and bass drum, while the high notes imitate the banjo and snare drum. By playing stride piano, you’re essentially your own rhythm section!

You can make stride easier by playing everything closer together, or playing single bass notes instead of octaves.

It’s important to stress that stride piano is not easy. It’s a lot of leaping around and it takes practice and precision. But don’t be discouraged. Be patient, start slow, and use a metronome.

Syncopation

“Syncopation is just a very fancy word that means playing between the beats,” Scott explains. It’s a key component of ragtime and what gives the style its unique flavor.

This is how “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” looks like without syncopation:

And this is how it looks like syncopated:

So, experiment with the melody you’re playing with. See if you can play a note half a beat earlier or later. And use that steady, left-hand stride as a metronome.

Right Hand Melody

The right hand melody is said to sound “ragged,” which is where the word “ragtime” comes from!

Typical ragtime right hand patterns feel like a guitar or banjo. Broken down, they’re essentially broken chords. You outline a chord with an octave, then play the chord tones “inside” that octave.

Here’s an example of this with a C major triad in 2nd inversion:

You can find this pattern in classic ragtime songs like those by Scott Joplin.

Ragtime Composers

Ragtime composers may not be as well-known as Mozart and Beethoven, but their influence on popular music is undeniable. Here are the “Big 3” ragtime composers:

Scott Joplin

Perhaps the only ragtime composer with a household name, Scott Joplin wrote “The Entertainer”—more popularly known as The Ice Cream Truck Song. He also wrote one opera, Treemonisha, which didn’t premiere in full until after his death during the ragtime revival of the 1970s.

> “The Entertainer” Complete Piano Tutorial

Joseph Lamb

Joseph Lamb was somewhat of a ragtime outlier in that he was Irish Catholic and, save for brief stints, didn’t work as a full-time musician. Nevertheless, he impressed Scott Joplin with his piano chops so much that Joplin convinced The Stark Company to publish Lamb’s rags.

James Scott

(Yup, seems like a lot of ragtimers were named Scott!) James Scott was also “discovered” by Scott Joplin who, again, got him published by The Stark Company. Scott also worked as a dance accompanist and silent film accompanist before the advent of the “talkies.” His music was generally more complex.

Ragtime Songs

“The Entertainer” is the most famous rag of all time, but it’s hardly alone. Check out these out popular rags:

• “Maple Leaf Rag” by Scott Joplin
• “Nightingale Rag” by Joseph Lamb
• “Ragtime Oriole” by James Scott
• “The Cascades” by Scott Joplin

The post Ragtime 101 (With Scott Bradlee of Postmodern Jukebox) appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

It’s also an intimidating and frustrating topic for beginners. In fact, we can already hear the groans from the back of the room! Which is understandable—one mention of “piano technique” and hours of monotonous scales come to mind.

As piano educators, we’re dedicated to teaching what needs to be taught…but in a way that’s interesting, rewarding, and enjoyable. This article is a collection of our best piano technique content on this website, all in one handy place. It includes everything from the “why” of technique to how to make practice fun. (Yup, technique can be fun!)

Why Piano Technique?

If you’re a fairly experienced piano player who can play songs, you might wonder: what’s the point of technique practice? Isn’t the point of learning piano to play the songs you love? 

But everyone—even expert concert pianists—can improve by practicing proper piano technique.

Piano technique isn’t just about playing fast. It’s also about dynamics and articulation. Technique is what takes you from making sound to making music. The better your technique, the more control you’ll have over your sound, the more you can do with this instrument.

> Importance of Piano Technique

Posture

Let’s start with the bare basics: how we sit at the piano. This is important because to progress in piano, you want to play as comfortably and for as long as you can.

Some simple posture tips to remember:

• Sit nice and tall with a straight back.
• Have your feet flat on the floor. If you can’t reach the floor, place your feet on a stack of books or footstool. You can also scooch to the edge of your seat—this can give you more control.
• Your knees should be just underneath the edge of the piano.
• Make sure your arms have a relaxed angle to them. Don’t hold them straight, but don’t be too scrunched up against the piano either.

Hand Posture

Piano posture lessons:

• Proper Posture at the Piano
• Proper Hand Posture at the Piano
• How to Sit at the Piano (A Chiropractor’s Guide)

Scales

“Scales are like vegetables.”

Lisa Witt

Many piano students dread scales. But scale patterns are found everywhere in music. You can’t avoid them!

Scales don’t just improve your dexterity, coordination, and speed. Practicing scales in all twelve keys helps you internalize the shapes and key signatures of different keys. So, drilling your scales is both mental and physical training.

Some tips to help make scales more enjoyable:

• If the thought of doing all twelve keys of scales overwhelms you, focus on just one or two keys per practice session. 
• Practice scales in different articulations, such as staccato, legato, and tenuto.
• Instead of focusing so much on the thumb tuck, try the burst exercise.
• Make your scales musical by pairing them with a chord progression, which further strengthens your understanding of that key!
• Practice with a backing track. Here’s a free one.

Scale resources:

• Piano Scales: Types of Scales and How to Apply Them
• How to Practice Piano Scales: Play-Along Lesson
• How to Play Scales FAST (The Jordan Rudess Juilliard Approach)
• Make Scales Fun (I Bet You Didn’t Know They Could Sound Like This!)

Chords

Music is made up of chords. Like scales, learning your chord shapes not only trains your physical dexterity, it develops your theory knowledge too.

Practice your chords solid (notes together) or broken (notes apart). And make sure you practice your inversions too. Doing so will help you quickly transition between chords and recognize chords in sheet music.

C Major Diatonic Chords: Solid

C Major Diatonic Chords: Broken

Chord resources:

• How to Play ALL Piano Chords (Major, Minor, 7ths)
• The Best Way to Practice Chords
• How to Practice Chord Inversions

Chords & Scales Library

Need a quick reference to play the chord or scale you’re practicing? Head on over to our free chords and scales library: the most important scales and chords in EVERY key!

Bmaj7 Chord

B Major Scale

Arpeggios

Chords are related to arpeggios. Like scales, you’ll find arpeggios in piano music everywhere. They sound beautiful and can look very impressive, so this is a popular (and essential!) concept among piano students.

Most arpeggios require a lot of movement, so remember to stay loose and don’t just rely on your wrist—you should be rotating your entire forearm from the elbow to lead your fingers through the arpeggio. 

Start with an easy cross-over arpeggio first. Then, when you’ve gotten more comfortable with chord shapes, try fancier things like adding a 9th.

Arpeggio practice lessons:

• Beginner’s Guide to Piano Arpeggios and Patterns
• Arpeggio Practice – The FUN Way!
• 10-Minute Arpeggio Practice in F-Sharp Minor
• Jordan Rudess Teaches Arpeggios (How to Play FAST)

Pedaling

Playing piano is a full-body affair! So don’t neglect your footwork. Some quick pedaling tips:

• Anchor your heel to the ground and pedal with the ball of your foot. This position gives you the most control.
• Practice playing a scale or set of chords and lift the pedal with each note or chord, ensuring your notes are sustained but clear.
• Be careful not to overpedal. Don’t rely on the pedal to sound good. Learn how to play legato without the pedal so that when you do use it, the pedal will sound extra nice!

My rule of thumb when using the sustain pedal is to lift it each time there is a chord change or a change in harmony. If you don’t know how to tell if there has been a change in harmony, go with your instincts. Your ear will be able to tell you if your sound has become muddy and you need to release the pedal.

Lisa Witt

Pedaling lessons:

• How Piano Pedals Work
• How To Use The Sustain Pedal (Sound INSTANTLY Better)

Hanon

If you’ve never tried Hanon exercises before, you need to start today! These exercises have been used for centuries and for good reason: they work out everything. Hanon exercises are unique patterns that get your fingers moving in new ways, developing their dexterity and flexibility. They work your brain too because they’re not as predictable as a straightforward scale.

Want Hanon exercises in a neat and portable package? Check out our Little Book of Hanon.

Hanon lessons:

• Hanon: The Most Versatile Exercise on the Piano
• 3 Classical Piano Exercises for Master Playing

Articulation

Articulation can make a huge difference. It’s what makes Bach sound Baroque and Chopin sound Romantic. It’s how we recognize a Thelonious Monk recording from a Bill Evans one.

Articulation is a skill that develops over a pianist’s career, but beginners can get started with it right away. If you’re using sheet music, pay special attention to slurs, staccatos, accents, and phrasing and don’t skip them. If your sheet music comes with non-English terms, look them up.

If you play from chord charts and lead sheets, write out your own articulations. 

Articulation resources:

• “Beautifully Simple” Articulation Exercise
• The Complete Piano Terms Glossary: Piano Words You Should Know

Metronome Practice

Metronome practice elicits groans in many piano studios, but the metronome truly is an indispensable tool for progression.

The metronome is like your musical GPS. It keeps you on the right track and makes sure you get to your destination in perfect time.

Lisa Witt

The key to not getting frustrated with your metronome is to start at a way slower tempo and increase speed in small increments (3-5 bpm). If you struggle with feeling the beat, try subdividing rhythms.

Make Piano Technique Less Boring

Still bored of scales, chords, and arpeggios? Try a play-along exercise! Having something or someone to play along with is more engaging. And it feels like playing with other musicians.

We have tons of play-along exercises in the Pianote Members Area. But we have them for free too! These are some of our favorites:

• Piano Practice Routine for Beginners (Not Boring)
• Make Scales Fun
• The Most Beautiful Piano Warm-Up Exercises
• A Complete Practice Routine in D Minor

Good luck on your piano technique and happy practicing!

The post The Ultimate Piano Technique Resource appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

Scott Bradlee has been making viral covers since the early days of YouTube. The pianist, arranger, and founder of the Postmodern Jukebox music collective is known for his old-school renditions of modern hits.

After filming some videos with us, we chatted with Scott about nostalgia, genre, and the struggles musicians face in the algorithm age. The following is a (edited and condensed) conversation that spans musical eras.

What gave you the idea to start Postmodern Jukebox?

I’m kind of an old soul when it comes to music. Going back to high school, when my friends were listening to Sublime or Red Hot Chili Peppers, I was listening to Jelly Roll Morton and Duke Ellington. So, I’ve always loved older styles of music and have always wanted to find a way to tie them into what’s going on in the present. Because when I listen to those old songs, I feel like they’re super fresh, you know?

I had a cool party trick when I was in high school where I would take a modern song like “Big Poppa” by the Notorious B.I.G. and play it as jazz. And my friends would be like, “Wow, that’s so crazy! I can hear the song!”

But I didn’t do anything with it until I moved to New York City and was, essentially, an out-of-work jazz pianist. I did some gigs here and there, but New York City is very competitive.

That’s what led me to YouTube. Those days, YouTube was mostly cat videos and it was only amateur musicians that were putting themselves on there. But I thought to myself, I’ve got nothing to lose.

So I found myself with one of those cheap flip camcorders, sat at the keyboard, and played fast, ragtime versions of 80s songs like “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “Never Gonna Give You Up.” I put it online and within a couple of days, I guess it went somewhat viral. We got maybe 10,000 views very quickly.

That number seems quaint today, but back then, that was more people than had ever heard me play piano in my whole life.

So I realized there was something to this idea of using the internet as a concert venue. It took me another few years to figure out what was going to be the finished product, and that’s what led me, over time, to Postmodern Jukebox.

This stuff is obviously very popular. Why do you think that is? Why do you think people like old school arrangements of modern music?

I think it’s the same reason I got into old music. There’s something about listening to an old record that makes you nostalgic for a time you never even lived in. There’s a timeless quality about these genres of music and they’re still very vital.

Listen to artists today, like Raye, who are obviously very influenced by old jazz and Motown. To this day, you hear that sound coming back again and again, just in new forms.

We’ve packaged this very vital music so that there’s a hook for people. It’s songs that people recognize, and if they love the classic sound but don’t know the original repertoire, this is a gateway into all that stuff.

What would you say to someone who thinks that old music isn’t relevant?

Well, I think most people in their heart of hearts know that that’s not the case. Old music remains vital. But if somebody was really clinging to the idea that this stuff isn’t relevant…or, perhaps more common would be “not marketable.” 

I think I was even told that when I used to send my stuff to record labels and pitch ideas. Somebody would write back very politely saying they didn’t see any place in the market for it. But I think people don’t realize what works until after it’s happened.

Really, you can make any genre of music relevant. Genre isn’t this fixed thing where jazz only happened from the 1920s to the 1960s. Or that rock’n’roll died with Elvis. 

These genres transcend the period of time they originated in. I think of jazz not so much as a genre but more as something you do to music. So, you can incorporate jazz into anything. Like EDM or a dance track. You’ll hear samples from jazz records (or things that were influenced by jazz records) in a lot of modern day tracks. And if you follow that thread, it always leads back to jazz, rock’n’roll, or other great styles from the 20th century. Or classical for that matter. 

I think it just takes thinking about genre in a different way.

I think of jazz not so much as a genre but more as something you do to music.

Scott Bradlee

When you’re finding songs to arrange, are there certain things you look for? Are some songs easier to arrange than others?

I try to find something that reminds me of a record from the past. And that could be a musical element, a bass line, a guitar riff, or it could be something lyrical. Most of the time it’s something lyrical.

The example I like to give is “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” You look at the lyrics and it’s just a blues song: the way it’s written, the imagery that’s used, the way it does verse-refrain-verse-refrain. It’s all stuff that borrows from the blues tradition.

I wanted to reimagine it as a 1920s blues piece, and the empress of the blues was Bessie Smith. She was the greatest singer from that era. So I invited a phenomenal blues singer that has performed as Bessie Smith in a one-woman show for many years. Her name is Miche Braden, and that was the sound I wanted.

From there, I built the arrangement. Back then, you would hear a lot of New Orleans style horns. You would hear a lot of polyphony, which means they’d be improvising collectively in places. In the 1920s, you would hear a real dirty blues beat but still retain that marching band sound. You’d think of John Phillip Sousa or any of those marching band composers. That sound was still happening in the 1920s, New Orleans as well.

So we put all these elements together with the goal of taking the song back in time without tampering with the song’s actual DNA. We still retained the lyrical structure, the melody, and even the iconic guitar riff; we just put it in the horn section, instead. The goal is to listen to it, and when you listen to it in a different historical context, it changes the song a bit too.

I was reading your Substack earlier. There’s some great stuff there about social media. How do you stay true to your vision in the age of algorithms? 

This is the question every artist is grappling with right now. Pre-social media, we had different gatekeepers. You had to get a record deal if you wanted to get heard by lots of people.

Now the gatekeepers are digital. It’s engagement algorithms. You have to understand the game, particularly on social media since that’s essentially the internet now. That’s how people are discovering things.

But at the same time, you don’t want to let that stuff influence you to the point that you’re not making art anymore. You don’t want to be making just content. The approach that I take is: I want to make art. That means doing the songs I want. Remaking songs in the styles I want. Recording videos in the way I want.

And I keep that as the top priority. But at the same time, when I’m sharing clips, we still utilize those practices that allow them to be seen by lots of people. So, I think every artist should focus on making the work they want. But from there, you can frame that work. That’s up to you and that’s where you’ll wind up editing things for social media consumption.

I never recommend creating for an algorithm because you won’t feel good at the end of the day. Also, that stuff doesn’t last. Trends come and go. But if you create a body of work, that can transcend time.

Case in point, TikTok is the most ephemeral of platforms, right? Things go viral on there and then they’re gone. But you’ll see old songs or videos resurface that were created in a completely different era. Those artists weren’t creating for an algorithm; they created this awesome body of work and down the road, it can be framed in so many ways.

Do you have any advice for a young musician who wants to succeed in 2024 but is nervous about social media and the algorithms and all that?

Think of the big picture. Focus on doing that authentically and not letting the algorithms influence you.

I came up during the early days of social media where things were pretty positive. And I was able to use those platforms to amplify my work and bypass all the traditional gatekeepers. I didn’t need a record deal.

Trends come and go. But if you create a body of work, that can transcend time.

Scott Bradlee

I think it’s a little different for young musicians today. But I would say: just ignore the metrics. Don’t base your worth as an artist on how many people watched your reel or follow you on TikTok. Those metrics are becoming increasingly meaningless. There are people who have very large followings that have no potential for touring because they can’t get those people to show up in real life.

The online world is getting increasingly untethered from reality. A lot of artists believe that if they’re not going viral, then they don’t have potential. And that’s completely not true. The folks that we work with in Postmodern Jukebox, a lot of them aren’t even on those platforms. There are some musicians that will always have a gig because they’re so talented, and it doesn’t matter whether they’re going viral on TikTok or doing the latest dance craze on Instagram.

I guess the traditional way of going to a bar and asking if they need a cocktail pianist still works!

Certainly. During this digital age, in-person stuff when people go the extra mile is much more memorable. Actually taking the time to write an email and cultivating relationships that way—it holds a lot more weight than it used to. I think that there will be a return to good old-fashioned thank-you notes. 

I’m also a firm believer that if someone is doing consistent, great work, they will get recognized. It may take a while—and maybe it won’t get picked up by the engagement algorithms—but it will be appreciated. 

Thanks for chatting with us, Scott! Make sure you catch our Pianote videos with Scott on YouTube.

The post Scott Bradlee (Postmodern Jukebox) on Jazz, Nostalgia, and Surviving the Age of Algorithms appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

What is a metronome?

A metronome is a music practice tool that sounds a steady beat. This beat can be adjusted faster or slower based on the musician’s preference.

Think you don’t have a metronome? You probably do. Metronomes are so useful that you either already have one or you can easily find one for free. So, there’s no excuse not to use one—ha!

• Most digital keyboards have a built-in metronome. Look for it in yours.
• Google offers a free metronome. Just google “metronome” and it’ll come up!
• Several websites offer free online metronomes too. There’s one here, here, and here!
• Metronome apps are great for when you’re offline. Look some up on your device’s app store and pick one with a design you like.

If you want to buy your own dedicated metronome, here’s a pro tip: make sure you like the sound! Being stuck with an obnoxious click won’t motivate you to practice, so shop carefully!

The Pianote Wittner Metronome

Introducing one of our favorite products ever: the branded Pianote metronome!

It looks so good, you’ll want to use it.

This metronome is a collaboration with Wittner, the prestige metronome maker. Hand-wound and battery-free, the precision German manufacturing will keep you playing in time for years to come. In fact, this product comes with a 2-year guarantee!

GET YOURS TODAY

How to Use a Metronome

Here’s how to use a metronome without throwing it against the wall:

Start SLOW

People underestimate how hard staying true to a metronome can be. In fact, slower tempos can be trickier than fast ones!

So, set a tempo like 60bpm. Listen to the click and feel it in your body. 

Then, try playing a simple scale (in our video, I play G major) and match each click with each note. It’s harder than it looks!

Find your perfect tempo

Now that we’ve gotten to know our metronome, let’s find our perfect practice tempo.

This is a tempo you’re already comfortable with. See if you can play without any mistakes in this tempo. If you can’t, that means you’re going too fast! And be sure to practice with your hands together. That’s the real test.

Gradually speed things up

Once you can tackle one tempo perfectly, speed it up by 3-5bpm. Then get comfortable with that rhythm before moving up.

Be patient. It might feel like a slow process, but if you jump ahead and play at a tempo you’re not ready for, it can be even more frustrating. So take your time.

Try subdivisions

Sometimes, playing two notes per beat can be easier than one note per beat.

So, try playing a scale in eighth notes, which means playing two notes per click. Then, try doubling that and play sixteenth notes. That’s four notes per click.

Another fun one to try is triplets. That’s three notes per click!

Try doubling

If playing four notes per click is tricky, you can try the reverse: double the metronome’s tempo and play two notes per click. 

We’re all different. Some of us will feel comfier this way. So, experiment and see what feels best for you. Your preference may even change depending on the song and/or time signature!

Apply this to a song

Now let’s try applying our metronome skills to a song. Look at the time signature first. For example, if we’re looking at Christian Petzold’s “Minuet in G Major” (a classic), you’ll see the time signature is 3/4. This means there are three quarter notes per measure and a quarter note equals one beat.

Most sheet music will have a “suggested tempo” with a metronome marking in the top left corner. It’ll have a note value, an equal sign, and a number (eg. “145”). This means with every click at 145, you play one quarter note.

This will probably feel way too fast.

But don’t panic. Slow it way down to a tempo you’re comfortable with and then gradually work up to that suggested tempo.

How to use a metronome for other time signatures

Using a metronome for 4/4 or 3/4 is pretty straightforward, but what about a time signature like 6/8?

Let’s take “Hallelujah.” It’s in 6/8. The rhythmic feel of this song is 1-2-3, 4-5-6 with a slight emphasis on the 1 and 4. So, we’ll set our metronome so that we get a click on the 1 and the 4. A good tempo for this song is 60bpm.

Again, if this doesn’t feel fantastic, you can multiply the metronome speed to 120 and play one note per click. Then, when that feels good, go back to 60 and play with those accented beats.

Tempo in Other Languages

Fancy tempo words are some of the first music terms you’ll learn. Traditionally, many of these words are Italian, French, or German.

More Ways to Use a Metronome

Believe it or not, metronomes aren’t just for student musicians. The pros use them…probably even more than us. More ways to use a metronome:

• Practice improvising solos: Learning to improvise a piano solo can be tough because you may be tempted to go back and correct “wrong” notes. But if you practice with a metronome, it’s like playing with a band: you have to keep things moving!
• Keep the band together: It’s easy to speed up or slow down even as a group. A metronome can keep everyone in the same pace, especially if you’re missing a drummer. If you do have a drummer—well, they’re human and they can speed up or slow down too! It’s why a lot of drummers listen to a click track during live performances—they need a metronome to be the metronome.
• Record songs: This is another occasion when you want to use a metronome. Having a click track helps you sync parts together when you’re recording a song.

We hope this lesson helps you become better friends with your metronome! Happy practicing

The metronome is like your musical GPS. It keeps you on the right track and makes sure you get to your destination in perfect time.

Lisa Witt

The post How to Use a Metronome (And Make It Your Friend!) appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

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We want to hear from piano experts! This includes (but is not limited to):

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We’d love in-depth but accessible articles on topics like:

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Why Work With Us

Pianote is a leading online platform dedicated to piano education and community building. With a mission to inspire and support pianists of all levels, Pianote provides comprehensive lessons, resources, and events to foster the growth and development of piano enthusiasts worldwide.

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Artists we’ve worked with include Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Justin Stanton (Snarky Puppy), Erskine Hawkins (Eminem), Victoria Theodore (Beyoncé), Jesús Molina, David Bennett, and Sangah Noona. We’re excited to have you join us!

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Not a piano expert…but still want to submit?

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If you’ve seen master improvisers play elaborate runs seemingly out of thin air, you might think that improvising is a magical power only certain musicians possess.

But improvising isn’t random. Just like speech isn’t random. We improvise every time we speak. And it feels second-nature because we’re so familiar with the tools: words, grammar, phrases, etc.

It’s the same thing with music. Improvisation is a skill that you can learn by mastering its tools. This article will walk you through some basic tenets of improvisation.

Basic Improvisation Tools

Before you start improvising, make time to understand the tools:

• Key signature: If you haven’t already, learn how to find what sharps or flats appear in a given key. You’ll know exactly what notes to work with when you know the key.
• Scales: After you learn key signatures, practice the scales in those key signatures. Scales are the foundation to memorable and impressive runs in your improvisations.
• Chords: A basic knowledge of chords goes a long way. Make sure you’re familiar with the concept of diatonic chords.
• The number system: While understanding the number system is not required per se, it can certainly help you make sense of chord theory and to transpose songs.

Need some extra help? Check out our favorite resources:

• Types of Scales & How to Apply Them
• How to Play ALL Piano Chords (Major, Minor, 7ths)
• Chord Symbols, Explained

Basic Improvisation Techniques

Here’s a pro-tip: improvisation doesn’t have to be super fancy to count as improvisation. In fact, sometimes simple is best! Here are some easy-to-understand, beginner-friendly improvisation techniques you can start today if you know the basics of piano.

In our video lesson, Justin Stanton uses the jazz classic “Autumn Leaves” by Joseph Kosma as an example. Here’s the melody we’ll work with:

Rhythmic Variations

Guess what? You can improvise without overthinking scales, keys, chords, and all that. Simply varying the rhythm can dramatically change the character of a song. So take a melody you know and simply try playing it with a different rhythm. Draw out some notes, shorten some other ones. Add some syncopation. You can even experiment with silence!

Embellishments

Now let’s try playing with the melody. We can add embellishments to the melody here and there to make it sound a little unique. For example, you can slide into a target note from a semitone above or below. You can also try enclosures—that’s when you go up and below before playing a target note (or down and above). Try not to overthink this. Just see it as adding little flourishes around an existing melody.

Some more examples:

Put it all together!

You can do a lot with just these two simple techniques. Try mixing things up and putting things together. See what you can create.

5 Levels of Improvisation With Justin Stanton

Justin Stanton is a talented multi-instrumentalist known for his work as a trumpeter, keyboardist, and composer with the Grammy-winning jazz fusion band Snarky Puppy. You can now access his challenge series, “5 Levels of Improvisation,” as a Pianote Member. Not a Member yet? Try it for 7 days!

TRY PIANOTE FOR FREE

How to Improvise on Piano: Exercises for Beginners

The best way to learn how to improvise on the piano is not to read about it, but to practice with some intentional exercises. We recommend you start with these very simple ones:

Improvise with just 3 notes

> Create Emotional Piano Music (Just 3 Notes)

Now try 4 notes!

> Create Emotion With 4 Notes

Improvise with just 1 chord

> Sound Amazing on the Piano in 5 Minutes

Learn some riffs and fills

> Riffs and Fills Made Easy (or take the full course: Piano Riffs & Fills)

Use Motifs and Scales

In this video, Jesús Molina shows you how to improvise with just a motif and notes from the same scale.

How to Improvise on Piano: Take It to the Next Level

See? Improvising isn’t scary at all!

Once you feel comfortable with the beginner exercises above, see if you can add more tools to your piano improv toolbox. Learn some fancy scales, try solo-ing, and branch out into different styles. Borrow, mix, and match from different areas.

Learn fancy scales

Expand your improv vocabulary with scales. Good scales to learn include the blues scale and the major and minor pentatonic scales.

If you’re up for a challenge, learn modes. Modes take some extra time to wrap your mind around, and there are a few funny words to memorize, but they’ll help you conquer the frequent key changes in jazz.

• Piano Scales: Types of Scales & How to Apply Them
• Modes: A Friendly Guide
• The Blues Scale Formula
• The Mighty Pentatonic Scale

Try your hand at solo-ing

> Easy Piano Improvisation Exercises

Learn reharmonization

“Reharming” is a more advanced technique that can dramatically alter the mood of a song. This is what arrangers use to create an upbeat version of a moody ballad or a moody ballad version of an upbeat bop! This is also what jazz musicians use to create lush, complex sounding music. Make sure you’ve mastered chord theory before you try reharming.

> How to Arrange a Song: Arranging & Reharmonization Tips

Experiment with different styles and moods

> You’ve Never Heard “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” Like This Before!

Final Tips

Constraints lead to creativity

A common piece of advice is to “play whatever you like.” And while this sounds freeing, many people are overwhelmed by the infinite possibilities of playing “anything.”

Instead, it may be helpful to give yourself constraints to work within. Set some rules: use a limited number of notes, set a rhythm, or use a short set chord progression (like the 2-5-1).

Research now suggests that rules, limits, and constraints are more conducive to creativity than total freedom.

Listen to the masters

Listen to top musicians and the language they use. Listen widely and deeply. Your own style will develop as a result.

Find a safe space

Improvising means taking risks, and ideally, you want to take risks in a nonjudgemental safe space.

If you can, practice improvisation in a place where you have privacy. If you have a digital piano, wear headphones. And if you live with other people, take advantage of times when everyone else is out of the house.

Need inspiration? Check out these practice space tips.

Sing along!

Expert improvisers like Jesús Molina sing along to what they’re improvising, and you’ll notice this among many musicians.

Singing or humming along to your playing forges a physical connection between your mind and your instrument. After all, thinking up notes is easy, but translating that into an instrument can be difficult. Singing—using the instrument we’re all born with, our voice—is the bridge between the brain and the keyboard.

You don’t need to be an amazing singer. Just try it!

Work off something you already know

If you’re stumped for ideas, use a song you know as a jumping-off point.

In this video, Lisa teaches a classically-trained pianist (me!) to improvise using chords from Bach’s “Prelude in C Major.”

We took the chords, then used Bach’s patterns to create new ones. Then we added a new chord! I was stunned by what a few minutes outside my comfort zone could do.

It doesn’t have to be complicated

Dizzying runs. Dreamy arpeggios. Complex chords. These all sound impressive but at the end of the day, complexity isn’t necessary for a successful improv performance.

In fact, worrying about being intricate can stifle your creativity. Too much ornamentation can also sound busy. If you’ve just started learning how to improvise on piano, try not to overthink. Keep it simple. And don’t forget to have fun!

The post How to Improvise on Piano: A Beginner’s Guide appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.

The 2-5-1 chord progression is an essential musical concept. It’s most common in jazz, but it can be found in pop, classical, and other styles of music too. Learning this musical building block will help you understand harmony and add creative flair to your playing, no matter the genre you choose.

What is the 2-5-1 chord progression?

The 2-5-1 chord progression (sometimes called the ii-V-I) is an ordered set of three chords built on the second, fifth, and first notes of the key.

Let’s take a step back and break that down. Here’s a C major scale. We’ll assign a number to each note of the scale:

Next, let’s build a chord on each note of the scale. To keep things simple, we’ll use triads for now. All we’ll do is stack thirds on top of each note. The chords we’ll end up with are called diatonic chords. Diatonic chords are chords that occur naturally on the C major scale.

Notice that some chords are major and some are minor or diminished. We can indicate minor (and diminished) chords with lowercase Roman numerals.

Now, let’s take the ii, V, and I chords. If we put them together, we get a 2-5-1 chord progression:

How to Make the 2-5-1 “Jazzy”

The 2-5-1 already sounds very nice, but we can add more depth to it by adding a seventh to each chord. This creates major and minor seven chords. Here’s an example in C major:

2-5-1 Song Examples

One way to get familiar with the 2-5-1 is to recognize it by ear. Here are some songs that use this handy progression.

How to Use the 2-5-1 Chord Progression

2-5-1s can be used to reharmonize songs. By throwing 2-5s into chord progressions, we can make a song sound “jazzier,” instantly elevating it from a basic performance to a sophisticated one. Here’s an example:

Reharmonizing “Happy Birthday”

In our Piano Bench episode, Kevin Castro demonstrates using 2-5-1s in major keys with an example from “Happy Birthday.”

The beginning of “Happy Birthday” is rather simple. All we do is bop between the I and V chords. In C major, that’s the C and G major chords.

Now focus on that last C chord. We’ll treat it as our “target chord” and use the ii and V of C major to approach it.

In other words, we’ll chuck in a 2-5-1:

Try this out on your piano. The ii-V adds a layer of richness to an otherwise simple progression, doesn’t it? This is a common reharmonization method that jazz pianists use, and it’s a cool trick to pull off in parties  

2-5-1s in Minor Keys

The 2-5-1 chord progression works similarly to minor keys. But let’s review the diatonic chords in a minor scale first. Here is the C minor scale with diatonic chords:

If we take the ii, the V, and the i from this set, we create this:

Notice that we raise the B-flat to a B on the V chord. That’s because raising the seventh note of a minor scale (B-flat in our case) creates a more resolved sound.

How to Practice 2-5-1 Chord Progressions

Ideally, you want the ability to spontaneously throw 2-5-1s into whatever music you’re playing. For example, if there is an Fmaj7 coming up, you can chuck a Gm7 (ii7) and a C7 (V7) in front of it.

Getting to this level requires practice. Kevin practiced 2-5-1s for three months until he got to this point. What he did was practice 2-5-1s in every key by moving down step by step. Here’s what that looks like:

Then, you’d start the cycle again on C#m7.

Cheat Sheet

Try not to rely on written notation when you practice 2-5-1s. It’s best to “calculate” the 2-5-1s yourself so you understand the concept.

However, having a cheat sheet can help in the beginning stages—if you want to double-check that you’re playing the right chord, for example. So, here are ALL the 2-5-1s in major and minor keys! Just try not to depend on this, okay?

Minor Keys

The post The 2-5-1 Chord Progression: Beginner’s Guide appeared first on Free Piano Lessons Online | The Note | Pianote.