STUDYING BY EAR AND IMPROVISING
GO HAND IN HAND

To gain the skill and understanding that lies at the heart of improvising, musicians study music by ear. This is how they learn to work with music based on how it sounds rather than how it looks on paper. It’s also how they acquire a true feeling for the nuances and spirit of a given musical style.

There are numerous books on improvising that advocate learning by ear. The unique contribution of Piano by Ear is to show you how it’s done. Complete with guidelines and recorded examples that demystify the practice, this book/CD series begins very simply, builds gradually, and ultimately helps prepare you for learning directly from the recordings of your favorite artists.


LEARN BY DOING

Along with learning by ear, improvising is something you learn by doing. Piano by Ear will serve as your guide as you progress from playing "two-chord jams" to full-blown jazz, rock, and blues improvisations. Each chapter will feature a new improvisation.


MUSIC THEORY

Music theory is only introduced as it becomes relevant to the music you’re playing. This approach will guard against information overload and help you fully integrate what you’re learning.


IMPROVISING TECHNIQUES

Like a good story, a compelling improvisation includes twists and turns, while maintaining a sense of continuity. Piano by Ear will show you a number of the techniques musicians use to create these improvisations, and guide you as you explore them in your own improvisations.


COMPOSING

Piano by Ear will encourage you to do a little composing. Specifically, it will suggest that you make up and write down melodic phrases that you can then weave into your improvisations. This practice is invaluable—it gives you a way to develop musical ideas apart from the moment-to-moment concerns of improvising. (Previous experience with composing is not necessary.)


THE ACCOMPANYING CD

The improvisations recorded on the accompanying CD are intended to be a source of inspiration as well as a means of instruction. They were created with the idea that uncomplicated music—even music that is simple enough to introduce the practice of learning by ear—can spark the imagination and be a pleasure to listen to.


A PROVEN METHOD

I have used Piano by Ear with my students for years with exciting results. The youngest student was twelve, the oldest, about sixty. Some studied with the ambition of developing a professional career. Others played solely for their own enjoyment. Hearing the feedback and watching the creative development of these students served as my guide and inspiration in revising, expanding, and fine-tuning the series for this publication.