How to Play Jazz Piano

Happy New Year!

What’s your New Year’s Resolution? Just curious.

Anyways, mine is to discover new kinds of piano playing styles. One thing that caught my mind is jazz piano. I always dream jazzing up my favorite piano sheet music.

I know how is that possible? Even I at first was very confused on how to jazz it up especially when I have no idea on jazz piano styles. So first I looked it up. There are dozens and confusing styles but you’re in luck this year. I’ll give you the basic jazz piano styles to give you a head start on how to play jazz piano.

Remember that these are all for left had jazz improvisation. Also I’ll include videos on how it is done.

The Walking Bass Style

This is commonly used on guitars. It’s the most widely used jazz piano style. Bass notes are played on beast of a 4/4 time signature. This is usually done by solo jazz pianists and accompanied by a singer.

The Stride Style

Invented and made famous by the legendary Scott Joplin, it's since become part and parcel with playing Jazz. It focuses mainly on the music rhythm using the left hand. Also it plays broken roots, fifths and creating a strong base foundation for the harmony leaving the right hand to improvise.

The Bossa Nova Style

This style is something you always hear and you start dancing. Basic Bossa follows certain rhythms which are as follows:

• dotted quarter note
• eighth note
• dotted quarter note
• eighth note

Pianists such as Brazilian Carlos Antonio Jobim used and popularized this style.

Now you know the style all you need is to know how to do it. I hope you enjoy it and you can listen to one of my favorite piano jazz improvisation of a classical piano sheet music, Fur Elise.