Can any expert out there tell me what style defines as? Alot of people say to me you must develop a style normally after 7 years a musician has developed it. Well how can I go about developing a style...does it happen by the kinds of chords I select to play a piece by,etc.

I do not want to really give a definition of style. I would suggest not to concentrate on building a specific style. A *personal* style is grown, so style is not something you can practice untill you learn it. Style is something that comes to you after a while. And the truth of the subject is, everyone has some of their own style no matter how small it may appear. Also, a good portion of similar level pianists are not a whole lot *noticeably* different to the extreme that the average person would really recongnize it. That said, style can be a lot of things to a lot of people. Style could be the kind of way you go about intrepreting a piece. Style can be created by your pianistic background. For instance, I play Jazz as well as classical, thus I like to improvise. Style can be the way you actually play. Some pianists sit at the piano like rocks others will "move" with the music. Style could be the way you approach an old piece as you gain more musical maturity. Style is something that comes to you. Once you become proficient at the piano you will began to prefer playing things a certain way. And even if you are proficient, but cannot point to something and say that is my style... don't worry, some times style can be very subtle. But it is their. I cannot really analyze my style either, it is just how I play.

[ November 01, 2001: Message edited by: SethW ]

By golly, I think I got it!...its how one plays a piece or something. I play and do my own thing when I see sheet music...like , for instance, I may hit one or some of the chords {bass 2 times or one octave apart...I do alot of ad libing when..the sheet music sounds a little dry..like the writer need some help....some of the chords my sound not right {nasty hearing} so I put my own chords there. I will play the important ones. I will add and subract alot of chords. Thanks alot null[/b]

What is style: I have my own ideas. The notes you add lib may be part of style. It's not just the notes though. It's also the tone of those notes - more singing, more harsh; the balance of one hand to the other and of the notes within a chord, the shape of the phrases, the fluidity of the legato, the crispness of the stacato, the amount of lift between phrases, the match of the dynamics from one phrase to the next. Style is not static, it develops and changes. It adjusts to the type of piece you are playing. It can even vary with your mood. It's everything you do with your fingers and hands and arms to put your heart into a piece. That's what I think style is.

Thanks...ok..its the way we play..thats style.