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I'm sure is topic has been covered before, but I'd like an update. unused one really good site for years but there have been some changes that I don't like so I stopped. I'm not going to use a live person teacher...for various reasons.

Any recommendations? ..not just for one or two utube lessons but a comprehensive site. I'm still going to use irocku but that is rock and I'm looking for a jazz, gospel, blues site.

Following up: I used Piano With Willie for years...Willie Myette is a great teacher. He had a variety of prices fo r online lessons based on number of views per month. Since I rarely got online more than 15 times a month, I bought the least expensive price which was $15 per month. Had paid more before to get lesson downloads.

But his site has changed so much. He now has a flat rat of about $50 per month, no downloads, those cost extra, and before I quit, he had hired a teacher who was giving most of the lessons. Some students really liked him, but I had a hard time following him.

I really miss the old Willie. And I can't get my old rate back. Not sure I would want it other than to look at the older lessons. Don't like the new ones.

You ought to consider Paul Abrahams site: www.learnjazzpianoonline.com

Is this better than Jazzpianoonline.com ?

That second one is Bill's site, which is also extremely good. I would say the right place to start is Paul Abraham's site, then you can go on to some of Bill's more advanced stuff.

Hi Nikalette. This is beyond the scope of your question, but I thought of this while reading your post: Do you ever get together with other instrumentalists and jam? I've seen that most adult piano students learn some good techniques, but would go even farther if they applied those techniques by jamming with a fellow musician, like a bass player or saxophonist, on a weekly basis.
You've probably learned so much over the years from your teachers that you'd get really fluent by playing tunes on a regular basis, with a friend for inspiration. Lessons are necessary of course, but I've found that this is often the missing ingredient in people's musical lives. (Sometimes it's tough to find someone to play with, but it can be worth it in the long run.)

This is Paul Abrahams and it's great to be recommended. Although I teach privately I'm always urging my students to get out there and play. It's not that easy to find people just willing to jam or rehearse, let alone to find gigs, but no amount of teaching, books or online courses can substitute for interacting with other musicians. Even playing to backing tracks will only take you so far. Improvising is all about listening and reacting, and you need live players to do that. So I entirely agree with Ron. You can keep improving your technique, learn all the scales and modes, know what a tritone substitute is, but unless you seek out other musicians you will only progress so far.

@paul abrahams
your contact form on your site is not working so i send you a pm.

It's a no-brainer. It's the best online instruction I've seen.

I would say Bill's site is a close second. Both you guys have drilled things down to the essentials and explain them clearly and patiently. And also provide very appropriate exercises.

That's the online offering. As for books, as I've mentioned before, the best single book I've seen is Simon Schott's "Play Piano by Ear" (deceptively simple title, but a brilliant work.)


I completely agree. It's easy for students who are feeling insecure or "not up to 'snuff'" to feel like they're not good enough to join a band. Rubbish. Every musician ought be playing out with others. And if you can't find others, then you do your own thing at your local cafe on Friday nights, or at some no-name bar that has a piano. I like to tell the following anecdote:

a couple years ago, I went into a local bar for a beer here in San Francisco, and there was a local blues band playing. I didn't know who they were. The guitarist was excellent. The rest of the band was decent, except there was a sax player who, it became apparent, it must have been his first gig (or he was really stoned), because he went up to play he didn't do much of anything. I think literally his solo was, like, two or three different tones/notes, and he just kinda hung onto each not for a while. I felt like he wasn't sure what to do for a solo. Well, it didn't matter. The people in the bar (those who weren't busy carousing) applauded him just like they did everybody else's solos, and when he went to sit down his friend or girlfriend patted him on the back like 'good job, you did it' sort of thing..... Anyway, point being: this dude who really didn't have any chops was up there playing.

everybody who enjoys playing, it doesn't matter your skill level, get out there, find other musicians to rehearse with, and try to get gigs, which means any public performance, it doesn't matter where, it doesnt' even matter if you're paid, as long as your playing for people. It could be a house party, boat party, dive bar, .... open mics I guess are okay, but you should try to make it a bit more formal, as in "actual band" with a known, constant set of members.