learning pop music -- how???

[noam1]

Hello everybody,

I've been an amateur classical pianist for over thirty years. I've long known enough music theory that I can fake my way through a pop fake book by noodling on the chord symbols, but I've been wanting to take it to a level where I could eventually play lounges.

I started taking lessons again recently with the intention of getting to that level; I'm intentionally not studying classical music right now. I selected a pop piece. First my teacher had me transpose it to a key that is in my vocal range, and transcribe it into real book format. Then he told me to write out some right hand chord positions, leaving the root in the bass and adding in at least one chord extension, and practice it by playing each written chord in different inversions. Then he told me to write out, in each bar, what I could use as passing chords, and explicitly spell out the fingering I'll use. Then he told me to play around with different voicings in the bass.

I've certainly learned a lot from doing all of the above. But something's missing: I don't feel like I'm making music. I'm still playing from a lead sheet. Even my fingerings are pre-set, which makes me think that I can't deviate from the specific voicings and passing chords I've written out, since if I do I'll be stumbling through unknown fingerings. I feel like the old way I used to play pop pieces -- diving headlong into a real book and hoping I don't screw up too bad -- had more musicality and risky energy to it. I stopped studying classical music precisely because I wanted to get away from being score-bound.

When my teacher sits down and plays the same piece, of course, it's fantastic. He pulls together tons of things and I can't even tell where he gets it from. So clearly he's not full of s**t, but I feel like I'm slogging through quicksand.

Any suggestions?

[chopinlover01]

Improvise often. Both in classical style and in pop. That's what separates a great pop/jazz player from an average one. Doesn't hurt your classical, either.

[newkidintown]

When your teacher does something you like, ask them to explain it in detail, like "that chord progression is an I to an IV, so I replaced the IV with a II to make the resolve more effective."

Also, ask your teacher (or any other good keyboardist/pianist you meet) where they picked up the little tricks they work in. My teacher, for example, picked up most of their playing style from organ: slides, holding a common note amongst the chords throughout a progression, and so forth. I've known of people who take patterns from classical music (not specific notes as much as structure and modes) and put them in their solos.

Look for typical patterns, too (Alberti bass, for example), and last but not least, KNOW YOUR BLUES SCALES. Know them inside and out, how to construct them, which chords and crossovers come from them... I'd even go as far as to say that knowing blues scales is as essential to pop music as reading sheet music is to classical music. They are your foundation, your saviour in those "s*** I need to solo but I don't know what to do" moments, and generally important to helping you play each note with purpose and confidence rather than blind hope.

One more thing: listen to good jazz players. In my experience it's as good for improvising and comping as reading is for writing. To get you going, here's an amazing group with my personal favourite keyboardist Cory Henry taking a rather prominent solo (which starts around 4:18, if you want to skip to it):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_XJ_s5IsQc

[pianoplunker]

Hello everybody,

I've been an amateur classical pianist for over thirty years. I've long known enough music theory that I can fake my way through a pop fake book by noodling on the chord symbols, but I've been wanting to take it to a level where I could eventually play lounges.

I started taking lessons again recently with the intention of getting to that level; I'm intentionally not studying classical music right now. I selected a pop piece. First my teacher had me transpose it to a key that is in my vocal range, and transcribe it into real book format. Then he told me to write out some right hand chord positions, leaving the root in the bass and adding in at least one chord extension, and practice it by playing each written chord in different inversions. Then he told me to write out, in each bar, what I could use as passing chords, and explicitly spell out the fingering I'll use. Then he told me to play around with different voicings in the bass.

I've certainly learned a lot from doing all of the above. But something's missing: I don't feel like I'm making music. I'm still playing from a lead sheet. Even my fingerings are pre-set, which makes me think that I can't deviate from the specific voicings and passing chords I've written out, since if I do I'll be stumbling through unknown fingerings. I feel like the old way I used to play pop pieces -- diving headlong into a real book and hoping I don't screw up too bad -- had more musicality and risky energy to it. I stopped studying classical music precisely because I wanted to get away from being score-bound.

When my teacher sits down and plays the same piece, of course, it's fantastic. He pulls together tons of things and I can't even tell where he gets it from. So clearly he's not full of s**t, but I feel like I'm slogging through quicksand.

Any suggestions?

Practice playing by ear. Improve on that and you'll become less score-dependent.