Instructor

Jonny May

Lesson Type

Quick Tip

Skill Level

Intermediate

Duration

16:27

How is it possible that I can play just about any song I know in just about any style I want?

The answer is actually very simple.

Long ago, I realized that every piano style has a few signature rhythmic templates—the grooves and patterns that instantly make it sound like that style.

For example:

Swing uses a walking bass line and shell-chord pops.
Bossa uses the bossa bass line with backbeat harmony.
Ballads use a slow stride left hand and quartal stops.
Ragtime uses rag rolls.
Country uses slip notes.
Blues uses turns and rolls.

And the list goes on and on…

These patterns are so common (and so predictable) within each style that once you understand them, you can apply them to almost any song.

In this lesson, I’m going to show you the key rhythmic templates that I use for five of the most popular styles.

Once you finish, you’ll know exactly how to take a song you already know and play it in these styles.

I like to describe this technique as a blueprint, template, system, or cliché.

All of those words point to the same idea:

Playing in different styles becomes much easier when you learn the template and then apply it to the song.

Think of it like a cookie cutter. The dough is the song. The cutter is the style. Press it down, and voilà—you’ve got a perfectly shaped cookie.

That’s how I think of style. It’s a predictable, repeatable process.

And it’s how I want you to think too—especially if you want real stylistic versatility at the piano.

Writer

Jonny May

Jonathan May is a pianist from Southern California who specializes in many styles of piano. At age eighteen, Jonny became the youngest pianist to perform at Disneyland. Each week he entertained thousands of guests with his arrangements of American classics and Disney songs. Jonny has also performed with the Youtube...

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