How to Play Smooth Jazz Piano
Jazz has been a popular genre of music for decades, and the creativity and improvisational abilities of jazz musicians are coveted and romanticized. Smooth jazz combines the free-flowing elements of jazz with R&B and funk. What results is a new, smoother sounding jazz that is great for background music or easy listening. You may have many reasons for wanting to play smooth jazz on the piano---you may find it relaxing, or you might want to impress your friends.
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Instructions
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Learn the basics of jazz music. There are many varieties of jazz, and it helps to listen to the different types and learn how to delineate them. For example, big band jazz is very different from ragtime jazz, which is very different from smooth jazz.
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Learn the basics of playing the piano. If you aren't already familiar with the basic components of piano playing, you should take lessons or teach yourself. After several months of practice, you should be able to pick up enough theory and technique to begin practicing specific types of music such as smooth jazz.
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Listen to your favorite smooth jazz recordings, which are often also called "adult contemporary." Find a few songs that your really like, and listen to them carefully.
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Begin applying your piano skills and theory to learning how to play jazz. Learn some jazz theory by studying it on your own or working with a jazz teacher.
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Work on jazz specific musical elements such as jazz scales, arpeggios and blues scales. These will be incredibly handy when learning your favorite smooth jazz songs.
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Refine your technique. Playing the notes with a certain smooth articulation is important in jazz, especially smooth jazz. Learn how to control your playing volume and incorporate dynamic changes into your playing. Smooth jazz is often played in damped or quiet tones, a style that takes strong control and confidence to play.
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Practice playing jazz with an ensemble or group of friends who like playing smooth jazz. Try playing some of your favorite smooth jazz songs with the group if they agree. Work on changing your articulation and improvising skills when playing in a group.
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Perform you smooth jazz songs for somebody. The only way to really know how well your practice is going is to perform. When you perform, the added levels of stress will test your progress. Ask for feedback, and continue practicing until the next performance.
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Tips & Warnings
Consistent practice is extremely important when learning jazz and piano. Try to practice about a half-hour each day if you can.
Learn jazz music very well before performing. Jazz musicians have intimate relationships with their music and often know it backward and forward. This allows them to relax, go with the flow and improvise.
References
- Photo Credit piano image by Sergey Goruppa from Fotolia.com
