How to Learn Improvisational Piano
Improvising on the piano is a way to move beyond basic musical skills into an arena in which you can be truly creative. Even though improvisational piano consists of playing notes spontaneously, there is an underlying framework for these notes. Once you understand the framework and spend some time practicing, you can create your own improvisational style.
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Instructions
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Listen to other people play improvisational piano either on recordings or in a live-music setting. Improvisation often occurs during "breaks" in songs in which the singer stops singing for a while. Listening to others can help you to formulate an idea about what you might want to try.
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Become familiar with the chord structure of the song. If you don't have the chords, you can find them on music websites (see Resources).
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Play chords in your left hand. The easiest way to do this is to double the root of the chord, although you will want to add some more notes of the chord later as you gain expertise.
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Play a few notes of the melody and then branch off into notes that aren't straight melody but are located within the scales of the chords that are being played.
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Experiment with rhythm and dynamics in order to make your music more interesting. Add variety by mixing rapid notes with long, slow notes and soft sections with bold, loud sections.
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Vary standard chords with different versions of the same chord. For instance, if a song usually uses an A chord, try using an A suspended chord or a A9 chord instead.
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Tips & Warnings
Chord search sites often list "guitar" chords. The fact is that chords are the same in a song regardless of the instrument you are playing, so take advantage of these sites!
