A Jazz Piano Book - Is It
Possible to Learn Jazz From a Book?
Supplement 'Play Time' With 'Book
Time'Learning from a
jazz
piano book requires a serious approach -- even when studying the
basics. And part of achieving this success is arming yourself with a
high quality jazz piano book. One of your most important goals in
becoming a jazz pianist therefore is to surround your musical activities
with first-rate reading material. The materials that you learn from are
the foundations of your talent, while the music that you play becomes
the fruit of your labor.Unless You Live Next To Gunther Schuller,
Jazz Books Are Your Closest AlliesSome people claim that you can't
figure out how learn jazz piano from books and that it's best to learn
from experience. While experience is a great teacher, most of us don't
have the opportunity to learn from the masters. At some point, the
written word must suffice. With so many selections to choose from,
picking an appropriate jazz piano book isn't as difficult a task as it
may seem.Fill Your Environment With Opportunities To Learn And
AppreciateThe idea behind collecting jazz piano books is more than
just using them. You'll want to make sure that your studio exemplifies a
place where jazz is omnipresent and esteemed. Pianists who approach
their passion with such an attitude are better pianists than those who
don't, and there's no better way to illustrate that stance than with a
collection of quality reading materials.A Good Starter Collection Of
TopicsJazz books grant the pianist the basic knowledge he needs to
breed imaginative compositions. They help enrich the vocabulary that's
unique to this genre and they lay the groundwork for advanced skills.
Upon your quest of building a high-caliber jazz library, try to include
the following subjects that help build a solid jazz education:
- Blues Chords
- Chords and Harmony
- Great Jazz Artists
- The History of Jazz
- The Art of Improvisation
- Improvisation Techniques
- Jazz Chords
- Jazz Piano
- Jazz Scales
- Music theory
- Piano Chords
- Piano Soloing
Hidden BenefitsAlthough these topics do not address the entire
gamut of jazz history or techniques, they do lead to a wider scope of
lessons, which will pave the way toward broader appreciation. A large
library of
jazz
books will introduce you to new ideas and new methods of fostering
ideas for your music. It will familiarize you with new authors and put
you in contact with a virtual network of "who's who" in jazz piano. And
it will teach you from a collection of facts and educate you as a
professional in the business. When it's all said and done and you're
ready to play in front of an eager crowd, you'll be thankful for the
effort you put into such a library. Through what you learn through text,
the wisdom of the ages will come alive through your fingertips --
vibrate though your piano -- and tickle the hearts of your audience!
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