I get a lot of questions about all styles of piano improv, from jazz to pop to blues to classical, and they usually follow a general theme:
“How do I get started?”
This is key: The question “How do I get started” is paramount for we improvisers, and it’s not just at the very beginning stages.
“How do I get started” playing left hand bass lines with varied rhythms?
“How do I get started” applying diminished voicings to chord progressions?
“How do I get started” playing bebop over a rhythmically vibrant left hand?
“How do I get started” improvising on folk songs?
I’m an intermediate-level player, and “How do I get started” at the next level?
The key is to always be asking ourselves the question “How do I get started?”
Our challenge is that our preconceptions about “How do I get started” often prevent each of us from actually getting started. Playing at a new level means thinking at a new level.
Enjoy the journey, and “let the music flow!”
Ron
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