As a fantastic musical instrument, the piano invites creative freedom to any musician. You can also find dedicated piano lessons for kids to help young beginners get started.
It also offers such a wide range of genres to explore for the student which is very motivating because you can learn to play your favourite songs. Whether that is Mary Had a Little Lamb, or the classical piano songs you are expected to learn as a beginner, there is something to keep everyone interested. There’s no doubt that tastes of modern piano music interspersed with music theory and piano sheet music lessons can keep your lessons interesting.
Whether you like blues, pop, electronic, classical, reggae or jazz piano music, playing the piano will offer you opportunities to explore almost any musical style. As a student, you will probably learn and practise classical piano songs and piano sheet music, however, this does not mean that your modern piano music has to be excluded. In fact, these songs are a good way to learn how to improvise and also play by ear. To do this check out free online piano tutorials to supplement your formal training, even if that is with a private piano tutor like those found on tutoring websites such as Superprof.
What’s Needed to Master Different Piano Styles?
Like most things in life, the path to proficiency is loaded with practice!
This is cannot be more true when it comes to playing the piano and having a knowledge of its many available styles. Your journey should be lined with dedication to your instrument and perseverance of your craft. Knowing upfront that being able to play all kinds of piano sheet music, means that you may need to take a departure from the genre of your choice from time to time. So even if you start out with the aim of playing jazz piano music, realise that you may need to master a few classical piano songs on your way there.
Once you have the basics and the rhythmic characteristics confidently buttoned-down, you can branch out into modern piano music or any other style to practise your niche.
In terms of your instrument, it doesn’t matter whether you are playing on a Yamaha keyboard, grand piano, or an acoustic (upright) piano, different piano styles can be played on any piano type. To do this though, you need to understand both your instrument and the music genre that you want to play.
Various Music Styles Available for the Piano
During your piano education, you will hopefully have a tutor who supports learning many different piano styles. This provides a good overall introduction to the kinds of styles available for playing the piano. Not only that, but it will also provide you with good musical foundations and keep things interesting while you are taken through the theory of learning piano sheet music.
Traditional Piano Styles Worth Knowing
Classical
Classical piano songs, which are the most well-known, and oldest, of all the piano styles are likely to provide the basis for your musical education.
Classical music is not only popular but it is also varied.
It is also difficult to master and requires much practice to master. Playing the notes is one thing but being able to express the emotive undercurrents characterised by classical music is quite another. This, of course, takes practice. Why not look up the work of some of these famous classical music composers?
- Beethoven’s Piano Concerto Number Four in G major.
- Chopin’s Etude in E major.
- Liszt's sonata, Hungarian Rhapsody No 6.
- Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Nocturn, Les Illuminations, and Horn and Strings
Modern Piano Music to Explore
Jazz
Jazz piano music is an essential element to this modern style which came onto the scene during the 1920s. Hailing from the USA, jazz piano is a mix of improvisation and technique. One difference about jazz piano music is that notes are played with a sturdy melody with one hand, while the other hand wings a different tune altogether.
Unlike playing classical piano songs, both hands do not operate simultaneously when it comes to jazz. This technique makes it a style that is exciting and challenging, especially when you consider that it combines both classical piano and expressive rhythm. As a distinctive sound, you will not be able to miss the uniqueness of jazz, however, it may also be more challenging to play than you might think.
Jazz is known as a fusion of classical technique, expression, memorisation, and improvisation. Why not check out these famous jazz composers for inspiration?
- Art Tatum, the father of all jazz piano music is known for his extraordinary technique and his song Get Happy.
- Miles Davis, known as one of the most influential jazz musicians in all history is famous for his trumpet, guitar, and for playing the piano. Check out his song Kind of Blue.
- Thelonius Monk was famous for his method for fingering keys and his distinctive style. Look for his work Monk’s Dream.
- Bill Evans who began his career with Miles Davis, went on to win numerous awards in his own right. Check out his work Blue and Green.
- Nat King Cole was a talented actor, vocalist, and jazz pianist. He is well known for his work in films like Afraid of the Dark. He remains well known for his jazz piano music and songs like Unforgettable and the Christmas Song which are still played today.
Less Conventional Piano Styles
Rhythm and Blues or more commonly known as R&B is in fact, rooted in a fusion of jazz, blues, and gospel music. As the name describes, the emphasis is on the rhythm of the song and it is a popular music form. While you don’t often see it played on a grand piano, legends like Elton John, Alicia Keys, and Stevie Wonder are known for playing the piano while performing their most famous songs.
Famous R&B composers include:
- Stevie Wonder who is a multi-award-winning musician known for his Happy Birthday song and so many others. He is certainly amongst the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful artists of the 20th century.
- Alicia Keys is known for her ability to play classical piano songs and is also famous for her album Songs in A Minor.
- John Legend, much like Stevie Wonder was a child prodigy who was playing the piano by age five. He is best known for his hits All of Me and Tonight.
- English singer and pianist, Elton John, has sold over 300 million records and is famous for his song about Princess Diana, Candle in the Wind.
- Ray Charles who was a pioneer of soul music, was heavily inspired by R&B. He is often referred to as a modern piano music genius. He is known for his song Georgia on my Mind amongst others.
If you are new to learning how to play the piano, don’t let this illustrious list of examples overwhelm you. Rather, now that you know how many piano styles are available to you, you should be inspired to practise even more. Whatever your taste, there is a lot of piano sheet music freely available on the internet, which is something that your piano tutor could help to guide you with too.
While learning the piano solely through the internet would be very difficult, as a supplementary resource, it can be hugely helpful for practising in between your private piano lessons. Make sure that before you dive into the myriad of available content that you are armed with good recommendations for reputable and helpful websites. Don’t forget that YouTube videos are heavily reviewed. In addition, you can use Google reviews to make sure you are on the right track too.
Free internet tutorials aside, there is no doubt a one-on-one piano tutor is going to help you to progress in your piano playing faster than any other method. Not only will you learn all the essential skills and techniques needed like understanding of piano chords, triads, and chord progression, there is also the matter of scales as well as piano sheet music reading.
Once you have the basics covered, your tutor may advise you on how to fuse your in-person lessons with the right kind of free online tutorials. This combination can be very powerful for any beginner or intermediate pianist. The real key is finding just the right piano teacher for you and this is where Superprof is a good option because many of its tutors offer their first lesson for free which means that you get to check them and their teaching methods out before you make a decision.
There are tutors for every level of ability and budget, make sure that you choose the right one for you if you are looking for how to play the piano. If your ultimate goal is to play jazz piano music, don’t sign up with a tutor who never progresses their students beyond classical piano songs.
Finally, enjoy your journey and remember that your musical success will yield more or less what you decided to invest into it. Whether that is a tertiary education in music at an illustrious music school in South Africa or an audience around the piano at Christmas time, it’s up to you!
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