| Piano improvisation in a classical music way is an | | | | 5. Many more things. |
| interesting complement to ordinary piano | | | | As I can see it there are two differents approaches to |
| improvisational practicing. Let me suggest a way to | | | | learn and work with the before mentioned material: |
| practice! | | | | 1. You can memorize the classical material and start a |
| Piano sheet music is a means and not an end. It's a | | | | growing bank of chords, unusual melodic phrases, |
| way to notate what to play on the piano. | | | | chords progressions and other classical piano oriented |
| You can find a lot of interesting passages in classical | | | | material you'll find in the piano compositions for further |
| piano solos. These solos can help you collect | | | | use in your piano improvisations. |
| improvisational material to work on to make your piano | | | | This approach will of course develop your skills but it |
| improvisations more interesting. | | | | will also be very time consuming and maybe |
| How to develop your classical piano improvisational | | | | overwhelming if you can't devote all your time to piano |
| skills? | | | | playing. Who would that be? |
| May I suggest that you begin with an easy piano solo | | | | Another drawback is that you might lose interest in this |
| with just one voice in your left hand and your right | | | | type of piano skill development because of the stress |
| hand. | | | | involved in learning so many different skills and maybe |
| Learn a phrase with a few bars by heart. Play the | | | | the joy of playing piano will diminish. |
| melody over and over again as you try to change the | | | | 2. Another approach is to use the before mentioned |
| melody slightly without losing the classical touch. | | | | methods in a more laid back way without learning |
| One advantage of using classical piano music in piano | | | | everything by heart. Let me give you an example from |
| improvisation exercises is that you will find many | | | | my childhood: |
| interesting and melodic basslines in counterpoint style | | | | When I was quite young I used to read a lot of books |
| that you can use to enchance your piano improvising. | | | | on popular science from the public library. I had a bunch |
| The use of playing separate melodic lines together in | | | | of books laying beside me as I lay comfortably on my |
| this way to create music is called counterpoint. | | | | bed with pillows and just having a good time. |
| Counterpoint is a musical technique involving the | | | | I never felt compelled to read a book from cover to |
| simultaneous sounding of separate musical lines. | | | | cover or to read in a certain way. The only thing I did |
| Classical piano compositions are filled with wonderful | | | | was to read the things I was interested in, looking at |
| licks that you can incorporate in your playing. | | | | pictures and enjoying what I did. |
| What can you do with a classical piano composition to | | | | I know I learned a lot from these nice reading |
| improve your piano improvisational skills? Here are | | | | experiences. If I had a goal it was to feel good and I |
| some examples: | | | | was reading because of curiosity. |
| 1. Study differents ways used to play left hand bass | | | | I think you can do the same with the classical music |
| patterns. Play around with the patterns and try to | | | | you play. As you enjoy to discover the secrets in the |
| transpose them into different keys. | | | | piano sheet music the way I have mentioned you are |
| 2. Study interesting chords. Experiment with them, | | | | sowing seeds that will sooner or later manifest |
| change keys and positions. | | | | themselves in your playing. |
| 3. Find chord progressions to develop. | | | | The classical music will creep out in your fingers and |
| 4. Find interesting passages with unusual musical | | | | you will feel new ideas coming up in your piano |
| material. | | | | improvisational endeavors! |