In this episode of Learn Piano: A Personal Practice, you’ll explore improvisation as the natural next step after playing by ear. Improvisation is not about perfection but expression, t’s about permission to explore sound freely and have a conversation between your ears, heart, and hands. Listeners will be guided through simple ways to begin, like warming up in one key, varying familiar tunes such as Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, or looping chords like C–Am–F–G to discover new moods. You’ll be introduced to call-and-response, mood-based playing, storytelling through images or poetry, and adding fills or flourishes to songs. Playing from lead sheets is a form of improvisation—shaping rhythm and melody in real time. The episode closes with an invitation to play short, spontaneous sessions as seeds for original compositions. Improvisation is not about showing off but about showing up with curiosity, trust, and presence turning each moment at the piano into an act of listening and discovery.
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