Ron's blog on piano improv and the role of music in our lives
Improvising on the piano can be an immensely rewarding activity. While it’s true that we need to ‘let go’ and ‘be in the moment’, there are specific ways in which we can prepare ourselves to be in top form, just like athletes do. These piano improv practice tips can go a long way towards helping … Read More
If you open a typical improvisation instruction book, you’ll learn about chord/scale relationships, motivic development, and other information geared to help the student learn the musical vocabulary of the given style. If it’s a good book, it might also mention the importance of developing the ear. If it’s a very good book, it might even … Read More
Bud Powell was one of the greatest pianists in jazz history. He was right up there with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie as an innovator of bebop, and influenced just about every pianist who came after him. However, a few years ago I was shocked to hear the music on his album, Bud Plays Bird, … Read More
In my recent blog post, “For musicians; 10 ways to improve and invigorate your playing,” I suggested that musicians revisit the music they liked when they were 15 years old. For me, this is predominantly classic rock, along with some jazz and classical. Maybe it was all the time I spent playing in garage bands, … Read More
It’s true that “slow and steady wins the race,” except that there is no race. When we worry so much about where we THINK we should be, we often prevent ourselves from actually getting there. (And by the way, there’s no finish line.) There are many ways of saying this: “The path is the goal,” … Read More
Why do even some of the world’s greatest pianists tend to rush the tempo when they get excited? Why do some very expressive musicians play with an unsteady beat? Of course in many types of music, especially classical, it’s quite acceptable and effective to push here, and pull there. Even while playing dance music, the … Read More
When pianists learn to improvise, there comes a moment when it begins to ‘click.’ They get it. They take whatever musical vocabulary they know and use it spontaneously to express themselves at the keyboard. Whether they’re 5 or 85, this is a major moment, and can be very joyful. Although I’ve seen this many times … Read More
I was recently asked to speak at a luncheon honoring a colleague who’s a middle school band director. I came up with The Ron Drotos Method Book For Being a Successful Middle School Band Director. Here it is, along with the hypothetical teacher’s handwritten ‘notes’, written in the margins: Lesson #1: Come to work each … Read More
Even a consummate Broadway musician like my good friend Steven Silverstein sometimes feels like he needs to expand his listening repertoire, to keep fresh and inspired. In fact, Steven recently told me that he’s collecting playlists and recommendations from his many friends and colleagues. With this in mind, and in the interest of sharing some … Read More
For musicians, the most obvious answer to the question “How do I improve my playing?” is very simple: “Practice!”. In reality, though, I’ve found that improvement is not always a linear process, and can be approached in various ways depending upon where in the developmental process the individual musician finds him/herself. For example, an enthusiastic … Read More