Simple Tips to Help You Master Solos on the Piano

August 29, 2011 at 7:00 am | Piano Lessons | 1 comment

A lot of people want to know how to play piano solos. The art of piano solos involves a lot of technical skill and creativity. It can take years to truly master this technique, however some fundamental basics can help you get started in the right direction.

One of the first things you need to do is learn the fundamentals of lead sheets. A lead sheet can be described as a piece of music or part of a piece that displays where a player must play a solo and how.

Lead sheets will have slash marks over them and chord symbols above them. The chord that should be the foundation of your solo and harmony during a measure and the next measure is indicated by the chord symbols.

You must take notice of the chords in your left hand. Normally the left hand will lay down the harmony in chords. You must play the chord in the correct inversion, but it is up to you how to voice them.

When learning how to play a piano solo you must learn to play a melody with your right hand. You should try following the scale implied by the chord being played and focus on the notes that are within the chord. You should also try playing a melody that reflects the melody of the piece you are playing.

While you are going through the lead sheet chords you should work on utilizing voicings that will enable you to move your fingers as little as possible. Playing piano solos will take a lot of time and practice, but hopefully a few of these tips can help get you started in the right direction.