This comprehensive introduction to jazz, blues, and rock piano will offer easy-to-understand explanations of music theory, and guide you step by step as you develop your skills. Above all, Piano by Ear will help you to explore and develop your ability to improvise. Rather than focus on written notation, you'll learn to express yourself at the piano by relying on your ear and on your own creative instincts.

Book One is designed for students who are brand-new to playing music by ear and improvising. Only basic piano technique and basic music-reading skills are needed. Includes access to online audio.

Part I: Alphabet of Improvisation

Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Arpeggios and Rhythm Formulas
Chapter 3 Leading Notes
Chapter 4 Chord Tone Approaches
Chapter 5 Scales
Chapter 6 Combining Scales, Arpeggios, Rhythmic Formulas and Chord Tone Approaches
Chapter 7 Creating Original Melodic Patterns
Chapter 8 The Relationship of Rhythm and Harmony
Chapter 9 A Traditional Approach to Non-Chord Tones
Chapter 10 Motivic Development

Part II Language of Improvisation

Chapter 11 Melody
Chapter 12 The Relationship between Improvisation and Original Melody
Chapter 13 Ornamentation
Chapter 14 Modulation
Chapter 15 Changing the Mode
Chapter 16 Form
Chapter 17 Range
Chapter 18 Left Hand Variations

Part III Styles

Chapter 19 Style: Introduction
Chapter 20 March
Chapter 21 Dance Styles
Chapter 22 Song Styles
Chapter 23 Free-Form Styles
Chapter 24 Stylistic Modulation
Chapter 25 Using Foreign Material
Variations on a Theme by Beethoven (from Piano Sonata, Op 57)
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