What do you think of rock music? After attending the captivating rock performances by famous guitarists, you may comfortably assume this genre belongs to guitar accompanied by drums and bass. Of course, it is one of the iconic images of this musical style. But it doesn't mean you cannot play rock songs on the piano. Many people tend to overlook the fact that the piano is a versatile percussion instrument. It can accommodate a vast number of rhythms that other devices produce. It is not just about classical music learning. If you don't believe it, consider asking your East Northport piano teacher once.
After searching for “private piano lessons or classes near you in East Northport” online, you would want to talk to a few piano teachers before making the final decision. At this time, you can confirm whether they also teach rock music on the piano. It becomes essential if you wish to specialize in this specific genre. Anyway, a reputable school will most likely have this option. So you don't need to take mental pressure. But before the actual training begins, you can take a quick look into some of the critical aspects of playing rock music on the piano to understand what it takes to master this style.
Things to consider about playing rock music on the piano
When you play rock on this musical instrument, the emphasis has to be on the chords and rhythm. Keep your hands relaxed, just like the drummer. Most people focus more on finger movement when it comes to this piano style. But the focus has to be on creating rhythm through the simple chords. So it would help if you let your fingers move quickly on chords while playing a musical piece.
With this, you need to keep an eye on the hand interactions. You should be able to change your hands smoothly while playing a specific rhythm to avoid any hiccups. You can imagine a drummer, for instance. The way they switch from the bass and the snare drums to create a beat is what you need to imitate as a pianist while creating the chord structure.
Your East Northport teacher may guide you about the basic chord shapes in the initial days of the rock music lesson on the instrument because it is essential for creating natural rhythm more than notes. After the chord, your primary focus will be on the creative rhythms. Many students get too excited in this part and attempt playing fancy pieces. Please don't make this mistake unless you become better. Keep your attention on the quarter notes and the chord sounds. You have to give your fingers time to get comfortable with the song you play. Once you achieve this, there will be a natural pace.
As you experience improvement in the basic chords of the song, you can vary rhythm and notes to make your performance more appealing for the audience. The experts say that rock is more about attractive repetitive chords. Hence, a pianist gets ample opportunity to build on the basics and try variations eventually.
The choice of rock songs for the piano
Although there are numerous options, some songs still make an easy and better option. For example, you can consider the popular wedding and sporting event song "Don’t Stop Believin." The classical piece has the following progressions – one, five, six, four. To be precise, you can count E Major as the one chord to begin with, and then proceed from there.
Another pick can be the 1970s song “Let it Be” by the Beatles. The chord progression for this includes CM, GM, Am, and FM. However, the chords can change toward the last part of the select phrases. That's why it is necessary to follow the sheet music carefully. If you are a Beatles fan, one more rock song from the repertoire is Hey Jude. The chords follow FM, CM, CM7, FM, BFlatM, FM, CM, FM.
Like these, there are plenty of rock compositions to try on the piano for their magical yet straightforward sound. These can make anyone groove to your playing. But before reaching this level, you need to get a hold of the piano basics. When you join an East Northport school, make sure to tell your piano teacher about your aspirations. The instructor should know you want to learn rock music on the piano. It will help them prepare you accordingly. The rest of the things will become clear as you walk the path.
It is critical to know that focus and diligence play an integral role in this process, no matter what music style you wish to pick up and master. Also, if you find a talented teacher, you should allow them to show you a proper direction. Of course, you can ask questions whenever you have doubts. But don't get hasty. Initial piano lessons are easy to grasp. As you progress, the difficulty levels also increase. If you overcome them, you will not struggle with other styles and instruments much.