Improvisation and Playing by Ear

Classically-taught, but no idea what to do if the notes aren’t written out? Many people learn piano for years and without being taught how to improvise or play by ear. And these are the skills that enable you to just sit down and play for fun. There is so much fun to be had with the flexibility and creativity of these skills!

Playing from chord symbols and 'fake books'
Learn what those chord symbols mean – G7, Dsus4, C6 and so on – how to interpret them and how to play them. Using the melody and chord symbols you can learn how to make your own arrangements of songs, and how to elaborate or simplify other arrangements. You can also use this method to write or transcribe your own songs.

Playing by ear
You can learn how to work out the melody of a song by ear, then work out the chords, then use these to come up with your own arrangements of songs, all entirely by ear. It’s a great way to explore the theory of music, too, as you discover how the music works.

Jazz improvisation
Jazz musicians call it ‘soloing’ – playing a solo over a given set of chords. It is easier to learn than you might think, and can be learned in a step-by-step way. You can also learn about all those rich jazz harmonies – how they work, and how to achieve them.

A book to help you:
Improvisation for Classically-Trained Pianists: How Play from Chord Charts

• Second edition now available
• Play from ‘busking books,’ ‘fake charts’ or ‘lead sheets’
• Turn melody and chords into your own full arrangement
• A step-by-step method
• Includes 64 example songs

About Susan Deas
Susan Deas is a professional musician, lecturer and teacher. She has been teaching piano for over thirty years, and her students learn both classical and contemporary styles, including playing by ear and improvisation. Susan also gives professional development workshops and lessons to private music teachers. She performs professionally as a pianist and organist, and lectures in music theory and music appreciation for Sydney University’s Centre for Continuing Education. Susan’s training includes a Bachelor of Music with a major in Performance (Piano) and Musicology, a Master of Music Studies (Studio Pedagogy), a Bachelor of Arts (Communications), and an A.Mus.A in Musicianship. Susan is an Accredited Member of the Music Teachers’ Association of NSW.

“Hi Susan, I wanted to give you a bit of an update, and to say thank you. Over Christmas I found myself improvising my way through a lot of Christmas carols. This was especially for my family, and included some accompanying! I wanted to thank you, because this is a skill I have found so useful, and learning to play this way has really challenged me and changed the way I understand to music to work. Learning from you has improved my musicality and made me a much more capable and willing pianist. I’m no longer terrified to just sit and play my way through unfamiliar songs. This is honestly a skill I never thought I would learn or a confidence in my own ability/understanding I didn’t know I could possess. Thank you for your time and your passion, it has made all the difference!”