Jazz is a musical genre that was born in the southern United States, created in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in African-American communities. With more than a hundred years of existence, from ragtime to contemporary jazz, it covers many sub-genres characterized by a legacy of Euro-American and Afro-American music, and designed to be played in public. It emerges from other musical genres, including ragtime, walking, negro spirituals and blues, and features such as the frequent use of improvisation, polyrhythm, syncopation, shuffle, scat and blue notes. Along the way, jazz music borrows many elements from American popular music and the tradition of brass bands. It is commonly associated with the five emblematic instruments of jazz – the saxophone, the trumpet, the trombone, the clarinet and the piano. Discover all our jazz piano lessons!
Jazz piano lessons
Deepen your piano playing technique by taking Erik Deutsch’s Advanced Piano Course. Go up to the next level!
Deepen your piano playing technique by taking Erik Deutsch’s Intermediate Piano Course. Go up to the next level!
Erik Deutsch introduces you to voice leading to create great jazz accompaniments from simple chord grids!
Become a pro at improvising on any jazz standard through this course!
Perfect your improvisation technique on the piano with Jean-Michel Pilc’s Jazz Piano Masterclass!
Discover an outstanding Masterclass about Jazz Improvisation on a Piano Ballad, given by Jean-Michel Pilc, a jazz pianist!
Get unlimited access to all our courses, in all styles and for all instruments with your subscription!
Student reviews
I’ve really learnt a lot of things on the piano through arpeggio scale notes. It’s been a pleasure.
I did a jazz training for a year, it was not enough, with you I’ve continued my training. Everything is well explained with a teacher like you.
The explanations are clear, I am a beginner and I enjoy taking these lessons. Thank you!
Learn how to play piano at imusic-school
- Well known musicians & teachers
- An educational team at your service
- Guaranteed progress
- Adapted tools and supports
- A learning space designed by & for musicians
- A large playback catalog with all your favorite tracks
Piano used in Jazz
The big question: acoustic or digital?
Playing Jazz can be done on an acoustic piano as on a digital. The choice will depend on your budget mainly but also on your motivation. Purists will tell you that you have to take an acoustic, but sometimes it’s better to have a digital sound than a bad acoustic piano. Today, many jazzmen play on electric piano keyboards.
If you want to play only jazz music, try to avoid lightweight and full of electronics keyboeards. The quality is based on samples, the quality of the sound reproduction, the pedal effects, and the touch. Digital pianos such as Fender Rhodes or Wulitzer are very good brands, and are used and liked by the greatest jazz pianists.
Notable Jazz pianists
Many pianists are part of the great Jazzmen/women, it would be much too long to make a complete list.
However, if you want to get started in the Jazz piano here are some names to remember:
Art Tatum considered the God of the piano, Thelonious Monk who knew how to break the codes and whose piano science left more than one mute, Bud Powell, a very great musician whose success drove him crazy, Bill Evans the first impressionist Jazzman, McCoy Tyner, a mystical piano traveler, Chick Corea, who cleverly mixed genres Herbie Hancock, a researcher always looking for change.
Some jazz standards to learn
Discover some Jazz standards that you can learn at the piano at imusic-school! Learn how to play them in your classes, then practice on the multi-track playbacks provided.
Find a large catalog of titles at imusic-school to please you on your favorite tracks!
