jazz or classic?

[rayk]

hi,

I'm new in this forum, I've never played piano before but I'm willing to change this since some time now.. my piano lessons didn't even start and I'm already in a dilemma.. I grew up listening to hiphop and r'n'b and my interest for piano grew from some artists like Alicia Keys and recent upcommin' artist John Legend. My problem is that I have 2 different classes, I have the choose between "jazz piano" or "classic piano" and I don't know which one to follow, my first idea was to follow classic but now I'm having my doubts.. what should I do?

thx on advance,
ray

[sonatainfsharp]

My theory is that classical piano will prepare you to branch off to anything later, whereas something specific like jazz will limit you to that style of playing. I know lots of primarily classical pianists who can play jazz, but hardly any primarily jazz pianists who can play classical.

[Kassaa]

I do both, and what the big difference is (for me) is that you really have to study for classical, and that jazz isn't really that intensive.

I'm finding classical a lot better now.

[rayk]

Thx for makin' my desision alot easier .. I'm pretty sure I'll take classic now

I can't wait till my class begins 


thx again for the help

[jazzyprof]

Thx for makin' my desision alot easier .. I'm pretty sure I'll take classic now

Good decision RaYK!  You will find that the greatest jazz pianists (e.g. Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell, Hank Jones...) all had a fine classical training.  Once you have the classical foundation you can branch out to other forms.

[sznitzeln]

Classic rules!
If something lasts hundred of years its probably good, and in fact, it is good!
But who is stoping you from learning both?

[lostinidlewonder]

Jazz and Classic is totally different. I studied classical music for most of my life and only began studying jazz a few years ago. I can play almost anything for classical, but ask me to play in a jazz style and I'm as lost as a beginner at the keyboard.

Classical will help a little as to the physical nature of striking notes and general form of chords/scales, but it is study of rhythm which gives jazz flexibility over classical and this is something which has to be learnt from the start for anyone. It is like... a doctor can't be a dentist and a dentist cant be a doctor, they are similar in nature, but different. Being one doesnt mean you can fake the other, but you can have some idea as to how to go about learning it because you can draw from learning experience from the other. Classical piano is precise music, music predominantly set in concrete, Jazz has this flexibility dominated by rhythms but also note choices. A jazz musician hates the strictness of classical music, a classical musician can be confused as to how to play freely and make choices at the keyboard based on their own musical prefference.

I say there is nothing wrong with learning both Classical and Jazz, if you are fortunate enough to find a teacher who will do it for you. But if you have to choose one over the other I would say do Classical first. Jazz is very rhythmic and chordal music and that can be hard for people starting out at the keyboard to really grasp hold of. So a basis in classical music to start off with would be good before going into Jazz.

[hgiles]

What should be more important is the music you want to play.   Sometimes it's a lot easier to be stoked about playing if it's something you like -- even if it's Polka!

[Daevren]

I guess go with jazz. Since you are starting out with 0.0 interest in classical music itself. There are many artistic differenses and many technical similarities.

I think jazz will be more flexible. After having had lessons for a few years it will be alot easier for the jazz trained guy to pull out some chopin and play it. It will be impossible for a classical musician to pull out a jazz lead sheet and improvise on it.

[bob331]

The basics (technique, reading music, etc.) are the same in both.

Find a teacher who will teach you both.

That's what I did and I'm very happy.

               Bob

[mandragora]

My theory is that classical piano will prepare you to branch off to anything later, whereas something specific like jazz will limit you to that style of playing. I know lots of primarily classical pianists who can play jazz, but hardly any primarily jazz pianists who can play classical.

This is so true! From my experience it's valid for other instrumentalists as well. The classical showed more interest in jazz than vice versa.

It is my opinion that as a musician you should learn music (reallly?!). You should go for everything that improves you musical skills and understanding, I wouldn't confine myself entirely to one area.

People tend to forget that in the old times, among pianists it was almost mandatory to be able to improvise. You were not only judged by your technique, musicality, and ability to play pieces, but by your spontaneous creativity and mastery.
Sadly, somehow improvisation disappeared from the standard skills in the late 19th century, and here we are, admiring jazz players skills.

Had pianists/composers retained improvisation as a core skill, it would have developed into something huge, not limited to one special style or one kind of harmony.

So, learn both.  If you start with classical, when you feel ready for it, pick up any kind of improvisational skills - you won't regret it.