Welcome to the Piano World Piano Forums Over 3 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments. Over 100,000 members from around the world.
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
Hey guys! I've been the main piano player at my high school for the past two years, and with that I've played from the Keyboard 1/Conductor score for my school's musicals. I've just gotten the book for the next one in a few months - Hairspray. It seems pretty cool and not too hard at all. However, a lot of it is improv which is something I'm not too comfortable with. I'm a classically trained pianist, so I can read notes and chords super easily but give me a lead sheet and I'm at a loss for what to do. Can anyone suggest good resources for me to help me advance my improv skills? I consider myself an advanced level player and an amazing sight-reader so difficulty isn't a real issue.
welcome to the forum. Comping? Try to listen to the soloist. Play rhythmically to drive the band. Stay out of the way. Play like Marian McPhartland in this video:
Every genre has its comping "rules", licks, phrases styles, etc. One learns by listening (and transcribing/playing along with) the music that you will be going to work on.
At least, this is how I learnt (and still do). Director: "heard you can play piano, can you play 50's rock on roll?" Me: "Sure. When's the first rehearsal?" Me: hanging up the phone, making haste to the closest record shop, "I need some Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis albums!"
Listen to the music, listen to the piano/keyboards, imitate-integrate.
Thanks guys! I appreciate the responses and I'll definitely look into just listening to songs from that time. I just wasn't sure if there were any good books/lessons I should take a look at (like that dave frank's lessons).
It says advanced, but some of the techniques covered are easy enough for many levels. It says Ballads (think Elton John songs), but again, the techniques can be adopted and modified.
Hilton talks about rocking split chords, and then moves on to coloring chords with suspended 2nds and 4ths. He uses offset rhythms and simple one note and two note left hand harmonies while playing the rocking or colored chords on the right hand.
I have no connection with Hilton. I found the tutorial to be interesting and perhaps relevant.
For pop styles I recommend the Mark Harrison Pop Piano book - covers comping for all the major pop styles. Great resource. For jazz there are a lot of books out there on the topic, I did not care for the Hal Crook comping book, could be me YMMV - the Jazz Piano Book by Levine has a great section on comping, the Phil De Greg Jazz Harmony book covers a lot of voicings, you can also get transcriptions of comping from the Abersol folks - Jamey's comping is basic/solid and makes good use of chromaticism. Good luck.
I remember seeing a Fake book for the first time and I thought well this is crazy there is no left hand. Since you are a good reader you might not learn best by listening. Try getting your hands on a fake book then you'll be forced to figure out what to play.
I completely forgot about fake books ! I'll probably go out and grab a copy of it tomorrow as that seems like exactly what I wanted. Thanks to all those you have replied!
Definitely agree with RonL on Mark Levine's Jazz Piano and also the Abersold books. Aebersold is expecially helpful because it comes with play alongs you can comp with. You can dial down the piano by fading to left or right so that you are just playing with the bass and drums.
In general, work on learning multiple inversions of chords (start with triad inversions, then add 7th, then 9th, etc). Also, a most important component of comping is the rhythmic patterns you use. To make it easier to isolate the rhythm, try just clapping your comping patterns until you are comfortable. Then move to using simple cord pattern, then gradually get more creative. Main thing is to start simple and build from there. Most of the time, less is more! Check out how Count Basie does it and you'll get the idea that a little goes a long way.
I've just gotten the book for the next one in a few months - Hairspray. It seems pretty cool and not too hard at all. However, a lot of it is improv which is something I'm not too comfortable with.
OP does not need to start a ground-up study of jazz improv. He needs to get ready to play in the pit band for a school musical. Broadway pop? OP needs to get a iPod or mp3 or CD copy of the musical and cop a few licks from that performance. He just needs to prepare.
Last edited by daviel; 04/24/1302:31 PM.
"Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." David Loving, Waxahachie, Texas
Agree that preparation is key. Just wanted to offer up some additional advice if OP wanted to learn how to do it right in the future. OP mentioned not knowing how to improvise so these are some places to start. You are not going to learn it overnight--it takes a lifetime--but that doesn't mean you can't get started the right way
OP ... go back to your band director and explain the difficulties you see and get that person to suggest how to approach the things you need to do that are not currently possible for you (such is improvising with the score). If your BD can't make suggestions for whatever reason, then get her or him to recommend someone who can. It would be nice to build a solid base with skills for improvising but that'll take a while and it sounds like in the meantime you have a show to play! Anyway, the basic advice is get the BD to help you because that person gave you the music and should have some idea of what it is you're supposed to do!
give me a lead sheet and I'm at a loss for what to do. Can anyone suggest good resources for me to help me advance my improv skills? I consider myself an advanced level player and an amazing sight-reader so difficulty isn't a real issue.
! I'll probably go out and grab a copy of it tomorrow as that seems like exactly what I wanted. Thanks to all those you have replied!