Ron's blog on piano improv and the role of music in our lives
Just about every music improv book you’ll ever read focuses on what notes to play. “Use this scale with that chord.” “These notes will sound great in such and such a context.” You know, that sort of thing. While the study of which notes to play is important, I once witnessed a stunning example of … Read More
Piano playing is one of those activities that’s considered to have a steep “learning curve.” And from one point of view, this is true. No one is going to sit down at the instrument for the first time and start playing Chopin or improvising complex jazz. A beginning pianist has a lot of notes, scales, … Read More
Live performance is wonderful, fun, intense, exhilarating, and most of all… unpredictable! I want to tell you the story of what happened at my very first public piano performance, when I was a teenager. Since I need to demonstrate some things on the piano, I’ve made a video for you. Sit back, enjoy the story, and … Read More
Let’s face it: no pianist like memory lapses. You know, when you draw a “blank” while playing a piece you know perfectly. I don’t like it, you don’t like it, and Vladimir Horowitz didn’t like it. (Yes, even HE had memory lapses!) I’m not going to try to convince you to love those difficult moments, but … Read More
While it’s important to identify what type of learner you are (“visual,” “tactile,” etc.), it’s also important not to let this limit you. The playing of music includes all of our senses and if you really want to become an accomplished pianist, you’ll constantly push yourself to learn in different ways. Let’s say for example, that … Read More
Hello fellow pianist, Let me ask you a question: Have you ever met your left hand? Silly, right? Of course you have! Sure, your right hand can play a little faster than your left hand can, but you diligently practice your music one-hand-at-a-time and are basically happy with your left hand technique. But let me … Read More
Lady Gaga is all over the map, musically. One moment she’s performing the most youth-oriented techno dance music, and the next she’s singing jazz standards with 88-year old Tony Bennett. She’s played piano with Elton John and Yoko Ono, and includes classic rock covers in her concerts of original music. A contemporary pop star through and through, … Read More
The great jazz trumpeter Clark Terry passed away on February 21, 2015 at the age of 94. He lived a full musical life and had played in bands led by such luminaries as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Quincy Jones. Terry, who played the flugelhorn in addition to trumpet, was a personal favorite of mine because … Read More
I’m always fascinated when I see or hear about the practice habits of great performers. The general public usually just sees the “result” of their labors, the spectacular performance, and it may be tempting to think that it all comes easily to them. “Yeah, they were born talented, so it just comes naturally.” From my … Read More
Remember the first time you heard a piano? The beauty of the sound and the excitement of the rhythm? Most of all, you had a feeling of “Wow! I want to do that!” You felt a sense of possibility; “I can learn to play like that.” “This IS possible!” Yes, it is possible, and you … Read More