Candian jazz pianist, Oscar Peterson once said, “Too many jazz pianists limit themselves to a personal style, a trademark, so to speak. They confine themselves to one type of playing. I believe in using the entire piano as a single instrument capable of expressing every possible musical idea. I have no one style. I play as I feel.”
The piano is undeniably one of the most versatile musical instruments not just because of the 88 piano keys you can play with, but because it is also capable of creating a symphony of different styles.
At times, it can sound expressive and intense. At times, it can also sound playful and funky.
In this article, we will review different styles of piano playing and how you can learn all of them comprehensively.
Classical Piano: Interpretation and Precision Is Key
Classical piano is probably the most common and most prominent piano-playing style among many new learners. Of course, in this case, we are specifically referring to the influence of Western classical music.
After all, it serves as a foundation to equip learners with the right fingering techniques and how to express different melodies accordingly.
It is also a piano genre on its own. Let us review some of the major eras of classical music which directly influenced how we learn and play the piano today.
The Baroque era [From 1600 to 1750]
Some of the major characteristics of the Baroque era include the application of ground bass when composers structure their music, and the introduction of major and minor chords to produce a consistent harmony.
Some examples of composers who were active during this era include:
- Antonio Vivaldi who composed The Four Seasons
- Johann Sebastian Bach composed Prelude in C Major
- George Frideric Handel who composed Messiah
The Classical era [From 1750 to 1830]
The melody composed during this era sounded graceful and more beautiful due to the following characteristics: the usage of chords and cadences to signify a pause of ending in the melody, the replacement of the harpsichord by the piano as well as a wider range of dynamics (loud to soft).
Some examples of composers who were active during this era include:
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who composed Rondo in A Minor, K. 511
- Ludvig van Beethoven who composed Pathetique
- Franz Schubert who composed Piano Sonata No. 19 D.958
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The Romantic era [From 1830 to 1900]
You can say that the romantic era is a "follow-up" from the classical era. Meaning to say, the music style has influences and traces from the previous era.
The major distinction is that the composition reflects a more individualistic and expressive melody.
Some examples of composers who were active during this era include:
- Frédéric Chopin who composed Nocturne in E Flat Major (Op. 9 No. 2)
- Johannes Brahms who composed Piano Concerto No. 2
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky who composed Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker Suite)
From the above details about the music styles of different eras, it's no secret why classical piano playing requires one to be precise in terms of fingering (technical) and also how one interprets them (expression). Most of the time, the piano also plays a major role in large music ensembles and orchestras.
Don't forget to explore the benefits of learning the piano.
Contemporary Piano/Modern Classical: Distinctive Individual Style & Moods
Next, we move on to the contemporary piano or modern classical genre.
As the name implies, it mainly refers to the classical music composed at the present moment (focusing on the 20th and the 21st century).
Some of the major characteristics of modern classical piano styles are simple and minimalist melodies, the tone of the melodies has a soothing and relaxing ambience.
It also mostly centres around chords instead of individual notes as compared to when you are playing classical piano pieces.
Some of the composers that are/were active during this era include:
- Samuel Barber who composed the Piano Sonata in E-flat minor, Op. 26
- Unsuk Chin who composed Piano Concerto (Unsuk Chin)
- György Ligeti who composed the 18 études for solo piano
Check out these amazing piano learning resources to enhance your piano-playing experience.
Pop Piano: Chords of Progression & Catchy Melodies
Branching from contemporary piano, we definitely have to talk about pop piano. It basically makes up what most of us are exposed to mainstream media on a daily basis.
The melodic and rhythmic style is generally catchy (there's a hook that makes people remember) with simple chord progressions.
In fact, there's a specific term that's coined money chords or rather the Big Four chords that enable you to play many pop songs on the piano.
The chords and notes are none other than:
- C major (Do, Mi So)
- F major (Fa, La, Do)
- E major (Mi So Ti)
- A minor ( La Do Mi)
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Famous pop songs that used some of these chords include:
- Let It Be by the Beatles
- Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars
- Perfect by Ed Sheeran
- Lean On Me by Bill Withers
When you look at the piano scores clearly, you will soon realise that these beautiful songs are not that complex to play after all.
As the American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said it best, "In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity."
Be inspired when you learn more about these famous pianists from all across the globe who have made waves with their piano skills.
Jazz Piano: Swing Rhythms and Improvisation
Everyone sure loves a jazz piece that makes them tap their feet and swing their hands.
Whenever a pianist attempts to play jazz piano, he or she will establish the core rhythm of the piece on the left hand and establish the melody on the right hand.
Jazz piano is also accompanied by various musical instruments such as the saxophone, trumpet and guitar in an ensemble performance.
A good jazz pianist is not only well-versed with all the chords of various major and minor keys but he or she must be good at improvisation. They can freely experiment with various scales and arpeggio variations as they pair them together with the chords.
Generally, jazz piano can sound loud and even a bit funky, but at the same time, it can also sound a little laidback and relaxing. Remember the quote in our introduction? Jazz piano is impeccably versatile and allows the pianist to have their freestyle moment as compared to classical piano playing.
It is no surprise why jazz piano pieces are often played in cafes or salons to create a soothing vibe for the people who are present there.
Some of the famous songs that incorporate jazz piano styles include:
- Fly Me To The Moon by Frank Sinatra
- What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
- At Last by Etta James
- The Nearness of You by Norah Jones
Get an overview of what it takes to learn to play the piano as a beginner.
Integrating Multi-Styled Piano Playing With A Private Piano Tutor
Now that you have reviewed the different styles of piano style, you might be wondering how and where to learn them all.
Perhaps you have lots of questions about which style suits you best if you are unsure where to start.
Fret not, we got you covered!
Whether you are learning the piano from scratch, or you intend to learn a new way of playing the piano as a bonus, you can master them all with the help of an experienced piano tutor!
Let us introduce to you — Superprof!
At Superprof, you can find your perfect piano tutor.
You can review, and consult the tutors' profiles freely and contact them according to your requirements such as maximum budget for your hourly rate, teaching qualification, years of teaching (experience), past students' reviews and even for home or online lessons.
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In fact, you can take piano lessons from any part of Malaysia and from any piano tutor who is based in Malaysia or overseas. With online lessons, there are absolutely no geographical restrictions.
For instance, if you are currently based in Subang Jaya and you want to learn piano from an online tutor from Johor Bahru, that's totally feasible with Superprof! Not only that, online lessons are generally 20% more affordable than face-to-face lessons too!
With personalised and flexible piano lessons at Superprof, you get to discuss with your tutor what you need as you organise your lessons.
Instead of following a rigid syllabus, you can clearly communicate with your tutor and adapt your learning scope according to your learning level and pace. For example, you might want to focus on playing pop songs instead of learning classical pieces.
From there, your Superprof tutor will focus more on teaching you various styles of chord progression for different songs instead of more "technical" stuff such as fingering to have a more effective and enjoyable learning experience!
Once you have confirmed all these details, you can start scheduling your future lessons and finalise your payment details, all while doing it in the comfort of your home through the messaging feature on the profile.
Now isn't this amazing?
Wait no longer and embark on an unforgettable piano learning exploration with Superprof today!
You're about to discover a whole new world of piano-playing styles.
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