| The piano is an important musical instrument for jazz | | | | usually done by striking a beat with the right hand just |
| bands since the origin of jazz music and it can be | | | | after a weaker beat with the left hand. The objective |
| played in the style of a solo performance or as part of | | | | of this technique is to mimic the combination of a |
| a band. Like the guitar, the piano is one of the few | | | | cymbal ride as well as the walking bass. This technique |
| musical instruments in a jazz band which can play | | | | can also be executed deftly with the left hand alone, |
| chords as well as notes instead just single notes only | | | | by imitating the weaker beat preparatory swing note |
| instruments such as the saxophone, trombone, trumpet | | | | that is played by a bassist just before he strikes some |
| or even the vibraphone (1 or 2 notes together). | | | | of the notes of the bass phrasing.b) Play the melody |
| Gone were the days when a jazz pianist's role is just | | | | or solo improvisation with the right hand.c) Establish the |
| to keep tempo with repetitive chord combinations. | | | | guide tones for chord changes. |
| Nowadays, the pianist is free to choose any technique | | | | One method commonly used by jazz pianists for |
| or style to accompany a band or a singer using both | | | | tackling this triple situation simultaneously is to hold the |
| short and sustained chordal and melodic fragments | | | | hands together in a fork-like shape with the index and |
| called comping. | | | | the third finger joining the thumbs to form a central |
| An accomplshed jazz pianist must not only be good at | | | | group, whilst the fourth and fifth fingers are spread |
| sight-reading as well as good at improvising chord | | | | outwards. |
| symbols but also must be able to adapt to the | | | | This is done so that the pianist can use the left branch |
| different playing styles of various bands he jams with. | | | | fingers to play bass notes, the middle fingers to |
| Jazz pianists must balance this interpretation and | | | | moderate the guide tones and the right branch fingers |
| improvisation to the musical style the bands are playing. | | | | to play the upper lines of the melody. |
| The jazz pianist is indeed a happy musician because | | | | It is indeed challenging for the pianist to meet all these |
| of the extended range of the piano. The piano offers | | | | demands at the simultaneously. However these skills |
| the pianist with a much greater number of choices and | | | | are inherent in most competent jazz pianists. |
| techniques for improvisation, much more so than any | | | | What is commonly called the 'circle of fifths' is also an |
| other instruments in a jazz band. | | | | important element in playing jazz piano because it |
| In a jazz musical style known as "striding", the left hand | | | | provides harmonic diversity through a well guided |
| of the pianist alternates positions very quickly playing | | | | harmonic phrase. Playing the circle of fifths technique is |
| notes in the bass register and chords in the tenor | | | | very much related to chord "planing" techniques which |
| register. The right hand will usually play the melody, but | | | | shift a chord, often voiced in fourths, up the scale, while |
| might also play harmonic content, chordally or even in | | | | implying a repeated harmonic pattern of |
| octaves. | | | | tonic-dominant-tonic-dominant. |
| Jazz pianists play the solo with 3 basic objectives to | | | | If you intend to be a good at playing jazz piano, then |
| fulfill simultaneously. The techniques are as follows :-a) | | | | mastering these styles and techniques is a required |
| To provide a clear and swinging rhythm. This style is | | | | skill. |