Piano music scales and pop piano playing

[tonyy2999]

Hi guys,

I am a student in pop piano. I already 44 years old.
I have been studying for 2 years, recently stop to learn my own.
I am currently playing Richard Clayderman's pieces, managed to play about 5 of his famous pieces, still learning the rest.

My queries:

1. Since I am playing only pop music, is it necessary for me to really study all the major and minor scales?

2. What is the benefit of studying those scales in pop piano playing?

your advice is appreciated.

Yong.

[hfmadopter]

You won't get a lot of replies to your question in most likely hood for a couple of reasons, maybe more.  Basically this is a classical music site for one. Then we don't have many fans of Clyderman here. It doesn't matter that he has a classical background and decent education in music in general, they don't like his whole concept from the white suit to instrumental backgrounds accompaniments. It's just how it is.

That said, all music is made from scales and chords, so I don't see why you would skip over learning scales and chords to a pretty high standard. It will just help you get around the keyboard all the better. I know that a lot of pop music doesn't get way out there in key signature but you just never know when one piece will. The same can be said for the New Age Genre of music ( I happen to like some of this), you just never know when the zinger key signature will show up and you will know your way around.

At a minimum I would start by learning all related chords and at least parts of scales for the key signature of what ever pieces you are working on now. If you do that all along the way, you would be surprised how many you will really really get to know well in due time.

Just my thought on the matter.

Edit:

Incidentally, I play some pop/modern standards/ show tunes etc. too. I mixed it in with my classical work back in my 10 or 11 years with a good teacher. I still do some, may even have a Clyderman sheet around here. But my real side interest away from classical is turning out to be New Age or perhaps "New Age-ish" music.

[nystul]

You should study at least scales for keys which you will play pieces in.  Which eventually will be almost all of them if you play enough pieces.  It helps with understanding the key signature (making it easier to learn the related chords as well), shaping your hand to play the right sharps and flats, and being able to play melodic lines that require moving the hand position.

[gregh]

Doing exercises without clear application may not be very satisfying. But you should at least be able to play the scales and chords in the keys of the pieces that you're playing because, well, you'll be playing chords and sections of scales a lot.

Now, what if you're in a situation where, for instance, you're told that the singer can't sing as high as the piece is written, so let's drop it down and play in E instead? Or the flute can't play below a certain note so you're going to have to take it up a third. At a high level, they just expect that you can do that. That might not be a situation that you will ever find yourself in, but there are reasons for some people to know all of the scales very well.

[tonyy2999]

i believe this is also the reason why pop band is using Ziffer system.
they can change the key whenever they want, in Ziffer system, it is easier to do so, all in number.