A fun pentatonic improvisation and finger exercise for smoother, quicker piano playing Bill Hilton 2026-09-26 | A fun pentatonic improvisation and finger exercise for smoother, quicker piano playing
Want to be an awesome musician? Use one of these Bill Hilton 2022-12-21 | How To Be A Better Musician: bettermusicianbook.comOne of the key differences between amateur musicians and professionals is the way the pros are able to focus their attention during practice — it's one of the key differentiators behind their musical success. In this video I explore how a simple piece of kit you probably have in your bathroom can teach you a ton about attention, and a simple trick that mimics its attention-control method to help you improve your musical skills."Attack the problem" tutorial: youtu.be/uTkqFfK3r5wReference to professional practice attitudes: Grape, C., Sandgren, M., Hansson, L. O., Ericson, M., & Theorell, T. (2002). Does singing promote well-being? An empirical study of professional and amateur singers during a singing lesson. Integrative Physiological & Behavioral Science, 38(1), 65-74.BILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpiano
Practise Piano (Or Any Instrument) Like a Pro: 3 Tactics to Speed Up Your Progress Bill Hilton 2022-12-14 | Check out How To Be A Better Musician: bettermusicianbook.comThis tutorial covers three practice techniques from my new book, How To Be A Better Musician, that you can apply to your practice on any musical instrument — not just the piano.The three techniques are Attack the Problem, Push-Past and Tallying. Each one is designed to help you home in on problem areas and deal with them in a way that reduces your reliance on your subjective judgement.UNCLE HARRY’S VARIATION 1 TUTORIAL/INTERMEDIATE 7: youtu.be/VWbLkLKda58BUY BILL’S THREE EBOOKS AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpiano00:00 The three tactics02:42 Analysing a practice piece06: 05 Attack the problem09:06 Push-Past and Tallying11:50 About my new book#music #piano
Playing the Piano With Expression — Tips and Techniques Bill Hilton 2022-10-08 | In this tutorial I talk (yet again!) about the importance of putting expression into your piano playing, and look at some specific exercises and techniques you can use to do it.BILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBUY BILL’S THREE EBOOKS AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleOther videos mentioned in the tutorial:Talent vs Soul: youtu.be/Qk2yzwYqkYUClassical/interleaved practice: youtube.com/shorts/GAtqV-98WtU?feature=shareReferences:sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656615000513Greenberg, D. M., Müllensiefen, D., Lamb, M. E., & Rentfrow, P. J. (2015). Personality predicts musical sophistication. Journal of Research in Personality, 58, 154-158.researchgate.net/publication/343226191_Personality_traits_in_musiciansGjermunds, N., Brechan, I., Johnsen, S., & Watten, R. G. (2020). Personality traits in musicians. Current Issues in Personality Psychology, 8(2), 100-107.00:00 A bee in my bonnet03:27 Dynamics06:09 Touch08:43 An announcement09:32 Timing11:24 What about YOU?
Piano Finger Management — Beginner to Advanced Bill Hilton 2022-09-30 | Foundations of a Musical Mind SPECIAL OFFER: secure.musical-u.com/kcrl19q1ce-jv-offer-billhiltonpianoIn this tutorial we look at some of the basics of piano finger management, also known as finger technique. Finger management is all about overcoming the basic problem that a piano has 88 keys, and you only have 10 fingers. How do you get around the keyboard without jumping too much, which can sound choppy and ugly?We explore finger techniques including thumb under, finger over, finger switching and fourth over.BILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpiano00:00 Introduction00:49 What is finger management?02:50 Thumb under, finger over05:20 What about black notes?08:34 Finger switching11:05 Fourth over and fast finger repetition#piano
Uncle Harrys Variations, part 2: Variation 1 (Intermediate Piano Series tutorial 7) Bill Hilton 2022-08-31 | This tutorial is episode 2 in my miniseries learning how to play "Uncle Harry's Variations", and also functions as tutorial 7 in my Intermediate Piano tutorial series. Previous tutorial: youtu.be/molObPzzasASeries playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QnB6i-WXpTRYI2cFQalqWNxPDF SCORE DOWNLOAD LINKS (FREE!)Download in A4 size: drive.google.com/file/d/11Jb1SIXXvLKdw-8QAme4659N26uedf_r/view?usp=sharingDownload in US Letter size: drive.google.com/file/d/1f5vw7_kp2UOwIHX0yfLtCLAuDdJtZgGQ/view?usp=sharingAll downloads and videos in the series are linked at billspianopages.com/intermediateSUPPORT ME ON PATREON: patreon.com/billhiltonBILL’S BOOKSHow To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-reallyAn Introduction to Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktailSeven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studies…OR BUY ALL THREE AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpiano
The Easiest Piano Lick EVER Bill Hilton 2022-07-27 | In this piano tutorial I’ll teach you a super easy piano lick based on a suspended ninth (or suspended second) chord that will get you producing professional-sounding keyboard improvisations really quickly. Even if you’re just starting out learning the piano and your knowledge of chords and music theory is pretty limited, this little lick is an essential one to know: combine it with some simple chord progressions and you’ll be writing and improvising great piano songs before you know it!BUY BILL’S THREE EBOOKS AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpiano00:00 The easiest lick ever!00:38 The basic lick02:35 Using it with a 1-5-6-4 chord progression05:04 Making it more complex07:15 Adding chord extensions09:18 Other chord progressions, including 1-6-4-5#chords #piano
The Surprisingly Cool Augmented Chord Bill Hilton 2022-07-21 | The augmented chord is really useful and just a little bit strange. Because it’s a symmetrical chord (made up of equal intervals) you can’t invert it without creating a new augmented chord, and its instability can be incredibly useful for moving progressions forward, say into a ii-V-I chord sequence, or even a key change.BUY BILL’S THREE EBOOKS AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpiano00:00 Augmented chords are useful if…00:39 What are augmented chords?03:04 Wait — they’re SYMMETRICAL!?05:57 A little instability goes a long way10:44 How augmented chords get used#chords #piano
Create Beautiful Piano Songs With MINIMALISM (like Einaudi, Max Richter, Philip Glass) Bill Hilton 2022-06-30 | Minimalist piano — the style of playing associated with composers and pianists like Ludovico Einaudi, Philip Glass and Max Richter — is an incredibly useful style to learn. Moreover, it’s really easy to get started with minimalism on either piano or keyboard, even if you’ve just started learning and you only know a few chords. In this tutorial we look at how you can start creating your own beautiful piano songs and instrumental music in a way that’s really quick and easy to master.BUY BILL’S THREE EBOOKS AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpiano00:00 So what is piano minimalism?00:50 Playing an example piece/song02:54 Expression and depth03:43 Using the sustain pedal04:18 Building up cool chords (don’t worry about clashes!)05:21 Adding musical development07:49 Why minimalism is great for your piano playing08:34 Creating your own minimalist piano songs#piano #pianotutorial
For musicians, which matters most? Bill Hilton 2022-06-23 | Making music, or any kind of art, demands talent and soul — but often, as musicians, we get the balance wrong. In this video essay I look at a couple of quotes from Stephen Sondheim that explores what talent and soul actually are, the balance between the two, how one serves the other, and ultimately how soul (maybe) matters more.Special thanks to Sarah Beecroft — instagram.com/sarah_a_bee_ — for playing Chopin with a one-eyed pug on her knee.SUPPORT ME ON PATREON: patreon.com/billhiltonPIANO EBOOK BUNDLE:billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL'S LATEST BOOK, HOW TO BE A BETTER MUSICIANbettermusicianbook.comBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpianoPhoto credits: Shutterstock (Anton Ivanov, EQRoy, catwalker); Pexels (Adam Fackelman, Michael Scott, Caleb Oequendo and others); Adobe Stock (olly); Wikimedia Commons #music #videoessay
Uncle Harrys Variations, part 1: Theme (Intermediate Piano Series tutorial 6) Bill Hilton 2022-05-27 | This piano tutorial is part of both a short standalone series and my wider Intermediate Piano series. In it and subsequent tutorials we’re going to learn a theme and variations — starting, in this tutorial, with the theme.DOWNLOAD THE PDF:A4 size: drive.google.com/file/d/1Encq07U6WOBk8aqBVdxOc4DrTKWTmoIH/view?usp=sharingUS Letter size: drive.google.com/file/d/1XYkyGB1jIRPbx5fDVOrUkt0zAzJXVK4l/view?usp=sharingAlternatively visit billspianopages.com/intermediate and scroll down to the links for lesson 6.SUPPORT ME ON PATREON: patreon.com/billhiltonBILL’S BOOKSHow To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-reallyAn Introduction to Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktailSeven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studies…OR BUY ALL THREE AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpiano00:00 Introduction — what are variations?03:01 Playthrough04:17 Tempo and style06:20 Finger management09:30 Expression and control14:50 Notes for intermediate course students
Words of Wisdom for Musicians, no. 3: If its Not Difficult, Its Not Practice Bill Hilton 2022-05-07 | This is what my piano teacher used to tell me! Basically, practising a musical instrument is like going to the gym: unless your stretch yourself with challenging (...but achievable...) goals, your skills will never improve. Noodling around with your instrument and having fun making music is great, but genuine improvement happens when you really challenge yourself.#Shorts
Words of Wisdom for Musicians, no. 2: Rules are for the Guidance of the Wise... Bill Hilton 2022-05-07 | Another classic saying deeply relevant to musicians, songwriters and composers: "rules are for the guidance of the wise and the obedience of fools". It DOESN'T mean rules are for idiots; it means rules are there to help you. So if you're just starting out, it pays to learn about the rules of playing your instrument and music theory and all the rest, because it gives you a framework to learn within. Once you've got some experience as a musician, you can start to use the rules as guidance.#Shorts
Words of Wisdom for Musicians, no. 1: The Best Is The Enemy Of The Good Bill Hilton 2022-05-07 | This classic saying — which is at least as old as Voltaire — is really useful for musicians. It's warms about perfectionism, which can be a real problem if you're dedicated to practising your instrument regularly, or if you're a songwriter or composer — while also giving an insight into what it takes to create genuinely outstanding music. It's worth pondering for all musicians, or indeed creatives in any field.#Shorts
How One Crazy Chord Can Teach You a Ton of Music Theory Bill Hilton 2022-04-28 | D sharp minor 7 flat five over E doesn't sound like a particular promising chord for explaining some real fundamentals of music theory, but in fact it has a very big story to tell. In this tutorial I explain why I've chosen it to explain some harmonic principles, where I found it (which might surprise you) and some of the essential lessons it can teach us about the way harmony — and indeed music as a whole — works.My favourite performance of the Brahms Intermezzo in A major (Op 118/2), referenced in the tutorial, is Paul Lewis's at youtube.com/watch?v=gnwbUU9cHF0 — you can hear the arpeggio run-in and the chord itself from 3:20 in that video. The whole thing is worth a listen, as he plays it a million times better than I ever could!BILL’S BOOKSHow To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-reallyAn Introduction to Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktailSeven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studies…OR BUY ALL THREE AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpiano00:00 So what IS this chord?02:53 Chord resolution: the conventional story04:52 How harmonic instability is created09:36 How Brahms does it13:21 A crucial lesson about how music works#piano #chords
Piano Broken Chord + Sustain Pedal/Half Pedal Exercise Bill Hilton 2022-03-28 | Being able to combine left hand broken chords with effective use of the sustain pedal is an essential piano skill. So in this tutorial we look at a four-chord exercise that helps you to practise both skills. It uses four separate broken chord shapes that each takes up a fair amount of space in the bass octaves of the piano, and relies on some skills including pedalling, repedalling and half pedalling to create different effects. I also talk about how the sustain pedal’s effect can vary between pianos, and especially how the way sustain is modelled on digital pianos can affect the need to half pedal or repedal during a single chord.PIANO TUTORIALS MENTIONED IN THIS ONEPrevious sustain pedal tutorial: youtu.be/PArr39f4CL0Chord voicing tutorial: youtu.be/m3wxaPkh0L8BILL’S BOOKSHow To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-reallyAn Introduction to Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktailSeven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studies…OR BUY ALL THREE AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAPatron: patreon.com/billhiltonFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpiano#piano #chords
How To Use Your Pianos Sustain Pedal Bill Hilton 2022-03-15 | The piano's sustain pedal can be a bit of a mystery when you're new to playing the instrument. There are few hard and fast rules about pedalling, what you need to do can vary depending on the piano you're playing, and pedal indications in sheet music can be vague.So in this tutorial we take a detailed look at how to use your piano's sustain pedal, including good practice for foot positioning, when to use your pedal between chord changes, and how using the sustain pedal affects the overall sound of your piano (quite a lot). We even take a look inside a real piano to understand the principles at work behind the pedal.MY BOOKSHow To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-reallySeven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studiesAn Introduction to Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktail3 BOOK BUNDLE DEAL (SAVE 30%!): billspianopages.com/bundleCHECK OUT MY PIANO PACKS — 6 FOR £16.95:billspianopages.com/pianopacksMY PATREON: patreon.com/billhiltonBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpiano00:00 What is the sustain pedal?00:57 The piano's pedal block02:59 Pedalling on chord changes05:15 Looking inside a piano07:40 Moving forward and piano pedal markings#piano
How To Play a Blues Piano Comp Bill Hilton 2022-01-27 | Blues piano comping — improvising a accompaniment in a blues style — is a really useful skill to work on, even if the blues isn't your main area of musical interest. The basic concepts are straightforward and you don't have to learn a ton of music theory, so you get sit down at the piano and start working right away. You'll still find plenty to challenge you, though, which is good, because improvising on the piano in this style is really good for your hand independence and general coordination.MY BOOKSHow To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-reallySeven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studiesAn Introduction to Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktail3 BOOK BUNDLE DEAL (SAVE 30%!): billspianopages.com/bundleCHECK OUT MY PIANO PACKS — 6 FOR £16.95:billspianopages.com/pianopacksMY PATREON: patreon.com/billhiltonBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpiano00:00 What is a blues piano comp?01:36 Blues basics02:02 The left hand pattern03:05 Basic right hand chords05:04 The importance of rhythm in piano comps06:04 Where should you start?09:19 More advanced right hand chords11:42 What to do now#piano #blues
Interleaved practice Bill Hilton 2022-01-16 | Interleaved practice is a really handy way of developing your improvisation and songwriting skills on the piano or, indeed, any instrument. Basically it involves alternating short sessions of practising scored music that demands precision and expression (typically something classical, the example I use here is from J.S. Bach's Well Tempered Clavier) with sessions of practising improv and/or exploratory composition.#Shorts #piano
How To Syncopate Better Bill Hilton 2022-01-13 | Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/billhiltonSyncopation is an important skill for any piano or keyboard player, and mastering it is really important especially if you want to play styles like jazz and blues. In this tutorial we look at what syncopation is, how it works, and some tactics you can use to syncopate more naturally and easily.JAZZ PIANO FOR BEGINNERS SERIESyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QmN-lQYtSAULCvdomKraZ1SBILL’S BOOKSHow To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-reallyAn Introduction to Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktailSeven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studies…OR BUY ALL THREE AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpiano00:00 How syncopation works01:57 The underlying beat04:18 Moving stresses off the beat06:50 Using clapping07:42 Working out syncopation on the piano08:39 Swinging straight melodies
Piano Beginners Top 5 questions — Answered! Bill Hilton 2021-12-24 | I get a lot of questions from piano learners at all levels, and especially from beginners. This video is a super-fast run through of the most common ones I get from pianists who are just starting out. It covers expectations, how and how often to practise the piano, whether or not your age makes and difference and even how you can learn without a piano.BEGINNERS’ TUTORIAL SERIES (FREE!)youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QnP46wUgQudOySX_z2UOhXsBILL’S BOOKSHow To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-reallyAn Introduction to Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktailSeven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studies…OR BUY ALL THREE AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhilton00:00 Intro 00:17 1. Do I need a piano?01:07 2. How long does it take to learn piano?01:32 3. How much piano practice should I do?02:39 4. I'm not making progress — what am I doing wrong?03:24 Am I too old to learn the piano?PHOTO CREDITSStock video: CanvaStock images:Studio_3321/Adobe Stocktsuguliev/Adobe StockSADIA/Adobe StockPavel Losevsky/Adobe StockAfrica Studio/Adobe Stock#piano
16-bar Chord Progression Deep Dive Bill Hilton 2021-12-19 | In this tutorial I take a detailed look at a complex 16-bar chord progression taken from a song I’m writing, and look at how I’ve put it together and how it works. The tutorial covers several important music theory concepts in a practical context, including diatonic and non-diatonic/chromatic chords, harmonic function (i.e., the jobs different chords do in a progression), simple vs complex chord progressions, turnarounds, walk-ups and walk-downs, chord substitution, cadences, slash chords, rubato and timing in general, rhythmic anticipation, passing chords and more.DOWNLOAD THE PDF (INCLUDES CHORD CHART AND LEAD SHEET)drive.google.com/file/d/1DQBv-xayGiWXEzgC3KLBYTRdlTp1rAUZ/view?usp=sharingBILL’S BOOKSHow To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-reallyAn Introduction to Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktailSeven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studies…OR BUY ALL THREE AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTikTok: tiktok.com/@billhiltonpiano?00:00 Intro and playthrough of progression01:42 Passing chords, beat division, timing and turnarounds05:16 Building the progression, different types of chord07:08 Harmonic function, cadences, slash chords11:51 Musicality, expression, walk-ups and walk-downs#piano #composition
A minor jazz piano improvisation Bill Hilton 2021-12-03 | A short improvisation on a twelve-bar chord progression taken from a mystery source — can you figure out what it is? All you need to do is learn the left hand chords and then improvise on any white note of the piano keyboard in the right. If you're unsure how to get started, check out my jazz piano for beginners playlist (check my channel page), or else just limit yourself to a few right-hand notes to begin with and work through the progression slowly. The secret of success if you're a piano improvisation beginner is to really memorise the left hand so you don't have to think about it!#shorts #piano
Orchestra to Piano — The Lullaby March Short Bill Hilton 2021-12-02 | Ever wondered how to take an orchestral score and play it on the piano? In this tutorial I look at how, using a mock movie theme I wrote called The Lullaby March. There's a longer tutorial on this same piece at youtu.be/u7aaTZDJIegDOWNLOAD THE PIANO SCORE AS A PDF (FREE, NO SIGN-UP)drive.google.com/file/d/1kncw0378051sEvyaLLTyFsQTOm3oVV2j/view?usp=sharingBILL’S BOOKSHow To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-reallyAn Introduction to Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktailSeven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studies…OR BUY ALL THREE AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhilton#shorts #piano
Making a Piano do an Orchestras Job (inc. PDF score) Bill Hilton 2021-11-30 | In this tutorial we look at a new piano piece I’ve written, The Lullaby March, and use it to discuss how you can use a piano to imitate an orchestra, and how thinking about the piano in terms of other instruments can actually help your own playing.DOWNLOAD THE SCORE AS A PDF (FREE, NO SIGN-UP)drive.google.com/file/d/1kncw0378051sEvyaLLTyFsQTOm3oVV2j/view?usp=sharingBILL’S BOOKSHow To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-reallyAn Introduction to Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktailSeven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studies…OR BUY ALL THREE AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhilton00:00 Intro and annotated playthrough03:12 The piano is an orchestra? Riiiiight…05:43 Extracts from orchestral version07:02 How do you put this into practice?07:49 Practice tips for The Lullaby March#piano #composition
Why Piano Improvisation is Like Driving A Car Bill Hilton 2021-11-24 | A lot of learners approach piano improvisation the wrong way, and basically try to think too hard about every last detail of what they’re doing. In this tutorial we look at what actually happens in competent improvisers’ brains as they play, and the way they learn, deal with and organise musical skills and information. If you understand this principle, you can put it to work in your own piano practice and make fast progress with your improvisation. In this tutorial I use a jazz piano improvisation as an example, but the principles I’m talking about apply to any style of improv (and not just on the piano).DOWNLOAD THE CHORDS AS A PDF (FREE, NO SIGN-UP)drive.google.com/file/d/19QnwODo7tzk21F8my6Kh3_LuP7K8McGb/view?usp=sharingBILL’S BOOKSHow To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-reallyAn Introduction to Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktailSeven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studies…OR BUY ALL THREE AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonUSEFUL PIANO IMPROVISATION TUTORIALSEasy Jazz Piano Improvisation: youtu.be/UAQ0pko0n8IJazz Piano for Beginners tutorial series: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QmN-lQYtSAULCvdomKraZ1S00:00 Intro and annotated improv01:50 What your brain REALLY does when you improvise05:02 How this affects your piano practice#piano #improvisation
A Beautiful, Dark Minor Chord Progression Bill Hilton 2021-11-15 | Minor chord progressions can be really beautiful, and they offer a ton of opportunities for improvising and songwriting on the piano or keyboard. The chords in the minor key progression we’re looking at in this tutorial really put it on a kind of borderline between major and minor but it has an overall dark, minor sound.In the tutorial we look at how to play the progression in a fairly basic way on the piano, using block chords and broken chords, and then I demonstrate how you can use some more advanced techniques in a minor progression, like chord extension and suspension, and rhythmic anticipation. We also discuss how to use the sustain pedal to create a rich, beautiful, ambient sound and how to voice the chords to bring out the character of the progression.DOWNLOAD THE CHORDS AS A PDF (FREE, NO SIGN-UP)drive.google.com/file/d/1WAUJwLKWwbr0dzL_YeZZSowSJVKNydRO/view?usp=sharingBILL’S BOOKSHow To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-reallyAn Introduction to Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktailSeven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studies…OR BUY ALL THREE AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhilton#chords #piano
Interlock your chords for great sounding progressions Bill Hilton 2021-11-07 | When you're writing or playing a chord progression on piano or keyboard, things will sound a lot better if you choose good shapes for your chords — good voicings, to use the technical term. In this tutorial I give a short demonstration of how to interlock chords, making use of shared notes, to minimise jumping and create a flowing, musical sound. The chord progression I use is C-G-Am-F (1-6-5-4) but the music theory principles I'm describing will work with more or less any chord sequence.These principles are also worth remembering even if you're not playing the piano — you can also use them when programming chord progressions in a DAW using a MIDI piano roll or writing music into a score.#Shorts #chords
Practise 2 Hands Together on Piano with Contrary Motion Scales Bill Hilton 2021-11-05 | Playing piano or keyboard with two hands together is one of the biggest challenges learners face — playing with either left or right hand by itself is relatively easy, but once the hands have to work together things can get challenging, fast. The single best type of exercise for improving your hand independence on piano or keyboard is contrary motion. You can practise contrary motion using scales or broken chords, and it's massively effective at getting both hands working at the same time because it's regular and controlled, but both hands are doing something different throughout the whole exercise.In this video I demonstrate a C major contrary motion scale and an F major contrary motion broken chord. If you want to push you hand independence skills even further, try going faster, playing over more octaves, or playing the exercises with both hands in harder keys with more black notes.By the way, if you're interested in other strategies that will help you get your hands working together better on the keyboard, I have a full tutorial on the subject here: youtu.be/5w5Tgb6pJeM#Shorts #Piano
Playing Piano with 2 Hands Just Got Easier Bill Hilton 2021-10-29 | Playing piano with two hands is the biggest challenge learners of the instrument face, and it remains a challenge throughout your life as a pianist — playing hands together is flat-out difficult, because it’s not something your brain has evolved to do. In this tutorial we’ll look at three techniques that make playing with both hands on the keyboard much easier, and hopefully give your hand independence a big boost.As well as looking at the number one piano exercise for two-handed playing, we’ll cover two practice techniques — push-past and time suspension — that you can apply to hands-together playing with powerful effects. You should be able to use this tutorial with more or less any piano or keyboard.What are your experiences of learning to play the piano with two hands? Let me know down in the comments!BILL’S BOOKSHow To Really Play The Piano: billspianopages.com/how-to-reallyAn Introduction to Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktailSeven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studies…OR BUY ALL THREE AS A BUNDLE FOR JUST £18.95 (30 PERCENT SAVING!): billspianopages.com/bundleBILL’S PIANO PACKSbillspianopages.com/pianopacksBEGINNERS’ PIANO COURSE21 piano lessons+bonuses, entirely free, all on YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QnP46wUgQudOySX_z2UOhXsEARN BENEFITS BY SUPPORTING MY PATREON CROWDFUNDER:patreon.com/billhiltonBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhilton00:00 It’s not just you: 2 hands are hard00:44 The best exercise for hands together playing03:23 The power of Push-Past05:41 Suspending Time08:03 Do your brain a favour#piano #keyboard
The 1-5-6-4 Chord Progression Toolkit Bill Hilton 2021-10-20 | The 1-5-6-4 (or I-V-vi-IV) chord progression turns up in hundreds of pop songs, and it's incredibly useful to be able to play around with it on the piano or keyboard. 1-5-6-4 may only have four chords, but it has massive musical power. You can hear the progression in Adele’s “Someone Like You”, The Beatles’ “Let It Be”, Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry”, Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well” and many, many more songs. In this tutorial I take the 1-5-6-4 progression apart, look at the chords and structure and why it works so well, whether as a chord loop or as part of a wider progression, and give you some tips and techniques for improvising on it with your piano or keyboard.Along the way I take a look at some useful bits of piano/keyboard technique and music theory, including loops, cadences, chord voicing, bassline development, chord extension, decoration and suspension, passing chords and chromatic mediant passing chords. In other words, there’s a ton of stuff in this tutorial that will help you whether you’re an improvising piano or keyboard player wanting to learning pop styles, a producer, a songwriter, or if you just want to learn more about chord progressions and music theory---BILL’S BOOK BUNDLE: billspianopages.com/bundle---BILL’S PIANO PACKS: billspianopages.com/pianopacksSeven Studies in Pop Piano (single purchase): billspianopages.com/seven-studiesSupport me on Patreon: patreon.com/billhiltonOTHER USEFUL TUTORIALS"Why I Love The Subdominant Chord": youtu.be/mr1PS-2UUXE"Chord Theory Epic: Functional Harmony and More": youtu.be/AYBQUvmhAX8"Pop Piano Improvisation Walkthrough in F Major": youtu.be/xAKeaac-qVcBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhilton00:00 Why 1-5-6-4 matters00:41 The basic music theory01:40 Voicing the 1-5-6-4 chords04:58 Loops and cadences08:30 Improvising on the 1-5-6-4 progression11:31 Chord extensions, progressions, decorations13:20 Advanced bassline voicings14:36 Passing chords and chromatic mediants17:35 My books and Piano Packs19:26 What to do now#chords #piano
An Easy Chord Substitution Bill Hilton 2021-10-12 | A simple chord substitution that can make a V-I resolution sound much smoother. It basically involves substituting the V chord in a progression (e.g. G in the key of C major) with ii7/V (Dm7/G in C major).Chord substitution is the process of replacing one chord with another that has the same harmonic function (i.e., it does the same musical job in a chord progression) but a different sound. The chord that is most frequently substituted is the V (fifth), also known as the dominant. That's because straightforward dominant-tonic resolutions often sound too neat and tidy: dropping in a different chord with a cooler sound that does the same job can make everything work better.Chord substitution is something you can use when improvising on the chord progression of someone else's song — perhaps to create a comp (accompaniment) for a singer — or when you're writing or producing your own music. It's most common in jazz, but happens in a very wide range of musical styles, and is especially suited to piano and keyboard.#Shorts #Chords
The BEST Way To Learn Chords Bill Hilton 2021-10-08 | There are hundreds of chords and thousands of ways of playing them on the piano or a keyboard — so how do you learn them all? In this tutorial I’m going to take you through a step-by-step method of learning all the chords you need to know. You don’t need a ton of stuff, and it doesn’t involve any boring drills. This is all about learning your chords by making music.In the tutorial I also touch on the importance of good chord voicing, which, if you’re playing piano or keyboard (or producing music direct into a DAW) is JUST as important as knowing the chords themselves. Chords never exist in isolation, but always as part of a wider musical structure, and its really critical to get a good, instinctive understanding of how one chord relates to another. In particular, it’s important to avoid successive “jumps” between chords: whenever you improvise or compose at the piano, your music will sound much better if you pick chord shapes and voicings that fit naturally together.MY BOOK BUNDLE: billspianopages.com/bundleMY PIANO PACKS: billspianopages.com/pianopacksBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTIMESTAMPS00:00 Aarrghhh, how do I learn chords?00:25 What do you need?00:46 Songbooks are awesome01:13 Piano-vocal score is awesome01:57 Step 1: work out the chords02:37 Get stickin'04:06 Step 2: work through the chords04:55 Chord voicings MATTER06:46 Step 3: play through in time08:16 Step 4: change the chord shapes09:15 The #1 piece of advice...#chords #pianoPhoto credit: Сергей Лабутин/Adobe Stock
A Cocktail Piano Solo with Walkthrough and Analysis Bill Hilton 2021-09-28 | In this tutorial I play through a cocktail piano solo and then look in detail at some of the techniques I’ve used, including harmonic extension and substitution, rubato and other rhythmic techniques, as well as some specifically cocktail-related features like pitch range and decoration. The tutorial serves as a follow-up to the three-part “Cocktail Piano From Scratch” tutorial series I posted a while back (see playlist link below), but also stands alone. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for many more in-depth piano tutorials!MY PIANO PACKS: billspianopages.com/pianopacksMY BOOK BUNDLE: billspianopages.com/bundlePDF OF LEADSHEET: drive.google.com/file/d/1otxgx8jsaWFwxFCyJPjLTrwji1I7OyV6/view?usp=sharingSERIES PLAYLIST LINK: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QkH5t7Ye797ohL2SRbDApUuWALKUPS/DOWNS TUTORIAL: youtu.be/XKbBeN25RnIBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAPatreon: patreon.com/billhiltonFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction01:04 Playthrough04:45 The basic techniques08:15 Analysis: 1st ‘A’ section15:44 Analysis: 2nd ‘A’ section18:56 Analysis: ‘B’ section22:22 Analysis: final ‘A’ section27:33 What next?
Space your chords wide at the bottom, tight at the top Bill Hilton 2021-09-23 | Probably the single most useful rule for building satisfying chords on piano, keyboard or in your DAW. Spacing chords effectively depends on understanding something of the harmonic series (also known as the overtone series). By spacing low notes further apart and high notes closer together, you work with the harmonic series rather than against it.Low notes have many overtones in the audible range, and if low notes are spaced tightly in a chord, conflicting overtones and cause a "muddy" sound. At the opposite end of the scale, if high notes are spaced too thinly, their relative lack of audible overtones can cause the upper structures of chords to sound weak and weedy.So spacing chords wide at the bottom and tight at the top, whether you're working with a MIDI keyboard or a symphony orchestra, is usually the best way to get a full, satisfying, epic chord sound. #shorts #piano #chords #musicproduction
Easy Jazz Piano Improvisation Bill Hilton 2021-09-18 | An easy jazz piano improvisation using two chords and eight notes. #shorts #piano #music
Easy Jazz Piano Improvisation: 1 Mode, 5 Chords, 9 Minutes Bill Hilton 2021-09-17 | “Easy jazz piano” sounds crazy, because jazz is one thing it’s not supposed to be easy to play on the piano. But you’d be surprised how straightforward it can be to start improvising. In this tutorial we’re going to look at any easy improvisation you can play on any piano or keyboard. It starts off using just two easy jazz piano chords chords in the left hand, Cmaj7 and a rootless voicing of F13, put together in a four bar/four measure loop. In the right, we’re improvising on the Phrygian mode — specifically E Phrygian, which is all the white notes between E and E. We start off easy, improvising jazz rhythms on one note, then move on two using two notes, three notes, four notes… until we’ve got the whole scale going.Then we move on to using five chords — Cmaj7, Bm7, Dm7, Em7 and F13 — in an eight bar loop. This is still relatively easy, especially as we’re sticking to the one octave Phrygian in the right, but if you’re a more confident pianist or keyboard player this is the point at which you could try adding other notes to your improvisation.Don’t forget to check out my other jazz piano tutorials on YouTube, especially my series on Jazz Piano for Beginners, which starts fairly easy and moves on to more advanced material. You’ll find the playlist here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QmN-lQYtSAULCvdomKraZ1SIf you’d like to buy my Piano Packs, just head to billspianopages.com/pianopacks — don’t forget, too, that if you support my piano channel on Patreon you get the Packs at no extra cost. More information at patreon.com/billhiltonI hope you enjoy the tutorial and find that playing a bit of jazz piano is easier than you think. Don’t forget to “like” the video, subscribe to my YouTube channel (which has hundreds of free piano tutorials) and post a comment if you have a question or just want to say hello!BILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonTIMESTAMPS00:00 Improv demo00:57 2 jazz piano chords01:32 Easy chord loop02:30 1 note jazz improvisation03:51 Building up the improv06:07 5 chord jazz loop#piano #jazz #music
Add ninths for cooler piano chords Bill Hilton 2021-09-08 | Adding ninths to major chords gives them a richer, cooler sound. The ninth is the note the chord is named after — D in a C major chord, for example. Subscribe to my piano channel for more great chord content!#shorts #piano #chords
Walk-ups, Walk-downs and Passing Chords Bill Hilton 2021-08-17 | Check out the bundle deal on the digital editions of my three current books: billspianopages.com/bundleWalk-ups and walk-downs are useful left hand piano techniques that you can combine with passing chords in both hands to add interest and character to most kinds of piano improvisation, though they’re especially useful when playing jazz and blues. In this tutorial we’ll look and both, and also think about how you can use some simple principles to build passing chords.CHORD PROGRESSION:F | F | F | F | Bb | Bb | F | D7 | Gm7 | C | F | (F/turnaround)USEFUL TUTORIALS:Jazz piano for beginners playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QmN-lQYtSAULCvdomKraZ1SBlues piano tutorials playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFE7C89C720566CCDCocktail piano tutorials playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QlnF-gxs4wKb2F8V4nPdZYdBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonPatreon: patreon.com/billhiltonTIMESTAMPS00:00 What are walk-ups and walk-downs?01:35 Demo — simple, then with passing chords04:55 The mechanics of walk-ups and walk-downs10:00 How passing chords work14:44 Advanced timing and passing chords16:19 What next?
Jazz piano noodling Bill Hilton 2021-08-10 | Noodling is a really useful, fun skill for jazz players, and on the piano it's pretty easy to get started. So whether you're an experienced jazz pianist or a newbie, check out the full tutorial now: youtu.be/DmJXJ1NOLa8#piano #jazz #pianotutorial
The Quick Way To Learn Jazz Piano Noodling (Blues/Pentatonic Scales) Bill Hilton 2021-08-08 | Check out the bundle deal on the digital editions of my three current books: billspianopages.com/bundleNoodling is a jazz technique that just involves… messing around. On the piano, it means improvising in the right hand, usually independent (or loosely attached to) underlying chords and beat, using a variety of scales. In this tutorial I take a look at how to get started with noodling using the C blues and pentatonic scales. It’s a fun technique that’s fairly easy to get into, but will really help to improve your jazz piano right hand.BILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonPatreon: patreon.com/billhiltonTIMESTAMPS00:00 Noodling? What’s that!?01:26 Basics: tonality, blues and pentatonic scales03:53 Dyads and crush notes06:02 Starting to improvise — mastering the scales08:33 Combined scales, single hand position 12:07 Advanced stuff13:47 What next?
Piano Boogie-Woogie Toolkit (Great For Hand Independence!) Bill Hilton 2021-07-21 | Check out the bundle deal on the digital editions of my three current books: billspianopages.com/bundleWorking on some boogie-woogie is an amazing way of improving your piano skills, especially when it comes to hand independence — and it’s a ton of fun in its own right. In this tutorial we go through some 12-bar boogie basics and then look at some left hand boogie woogie piano patterns and some right hand licks you can add over the top.PDF DOWNLOAD drive.google.com/file/d/1hxKsBD5NIITVZvVgJtd7C0I853qNZQ7VOTHER BOOGIE-WOOGIE TUTORIALSPlaylist of blues piano tutorials: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFE7C89C720566CCD — these were made quite some years ago, so the video quality isn’t great, but they cover all the basics of blues piano, from which boogie-woogie is derived.An in-depth look at the final left-hand covered in this tutorial: youtu.be/mpg4gxh-AT0A boogie-woogie walkthrough: youtu.be/MUaOeV-NJJ8The ‘classic’ boogie-woogie bass line: youtu.be/0-n1oWaf9S4 BILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonPatreon: patreon.com/billhiltonTIMESTAMPS00:00 Why Boogie-Woogie?02:53 12-bar basics08:42 Left hand no. 110:54 Left hand no. 212:26 Left hand no. 314:08 Left hand no. 416:09 Other left hand possibilities17:27 Basic set of RH licks24:28 What next?PHOTO CREDITkirill4mula/Adobe Stock
How To Build A Cocktail Piano Solo From Scratch — Part 3 Bill Hilton 2021-06-30 | Check out the bundle deal on the digital editions of my three current books: billspianopages.com/bundleThis is the third in a series of tutorials in which I take a simple song leadsheet and work it up into a cocktail piano-style solo.You can find the FIRST tutorial in the series HERE: youtu.be/lMxl3ymiVq0PDF of “From Scratch” leadsheet: drive.google.com/file/d/1otxgx8jsaWFwxFCyJPjLTrwji1I7OyV6/view?usp=sharingSeries playlist link: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QkH5t7Ye797ohL2SRbDApUuBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonPatreon: patreon.com/billhiltonTIMESTAMPS00:00 Recap on the series so far, and what’s coming up03:20 Thickening up the right hand05:38 Right hand chord+melody exercise09:33 The 3-in-1 approach to right hand playing13:44 3-in-1 technique — A section demo17:06 3-in-1 technique — B section demo20:07 What to practise20:54 Some chord substitutions26:26 More decorations/arpeggiations and some extensions31:44 Recap and what to do now
How To Build A Cocktail Piano Solo From Scratch — Part 2 Bill Hilton 2021-06-25 | Check out the bundle deal on the digital editions of my three current books: billspianopages.com/bundleThis is the second in a series of tutorials in which I take a simple song leadsheet and work it up into a cocktail piano-style solo. In this tutorial we look at how to play the melody and chords of the song’s B section, how to develop a more sophisticated left hand in the form of a stride pattern, and how to start using decoration — a fundamental aspect of the cocktail piano style.You can find the FIRST tutorial in the series HERE: youtu.be/lMxl3ymiVq0PDF of “From Scratch” leadsheet: drive.google.com/file/d/1otxgx8jsaWFwxFCyJPjLTrwji1I7OyV6/view?usp=sharingSeries playlist link: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QkH5t7Ye797ohL2SRbDApUuBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonPatreon: patreon.com/billhiltonTIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction02:09 The concept of the B section03:29 B section playthrough04:39 B section melody07:27 B section chords10:15 Simple left hand for the B section12:44 Review of what we’ve learned so far14:25 Adding a left hand stride pattern20:59 Adding decoration23:25 Some ideas for basic chordal decorations26:50 What next?
How To Build A Cocktail Piano Solo From Scratch — Part 1 Bill Hilton 2021-06-21 | Check out the bundle deal on the digital editions of my three current books: billspianopages.com/bundleThis is the first in a series of tutorials in which I take a simple song leadsheet and work it up into a cocktail piano-style solo. In this tutorial we think about key cocktail ideas like rubato, and also look at the structure and chords of the song. In subsequent tutorials we’ll cover decoration, “thickening out” right hand. more sophisticated left hand parts, chord extension and substitution and melodic improvisation.PDF of “From Scratch” leadsheet: drive.google.com/file/d/1otxgx8jsaWFwxFCyJPjLTrwji1I7OyV6/view?usp=sharingSeries playlist link: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QkH5t7Ye797ohL2SRbDApUuBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: instagram.com/billhiltonPatreon: patreon.com/billhiltonTIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction02:13 The lead sheet03:15 The song’s structure04:12 Playthrough, RH and hands together (simple)06:49 Adding swing08:30 The three basic elements of cocktail piano style10:58 Working on the rhythm/tempo18:00 Thinking about cocktail harmony18:53 Chord walkthrough25:27 Adding a simple left hand27:18 What you need to practise before the next tutorial
Why it’s Useful to Learn the “Black Note” Keys on Piano (Includes Improvisation Exercise) Bill Hilton 2021-05-10 | Check out the bundle deal on the digital editions of my three current books: billspianopages.com/bundleIn this tutorial we get to grips with how to make progress in “black note” keys on the piano — not just keys that have black notes as their tonics, but those that just have a lot of black notes, like A flat major and F minor. The tutorial includes a piano improvisation exercise in A flat, with a full walkthrough and chords, to help you understand some of the techniques involved.Chords used in the improvisation exercise:Ab | Bbm(7) | Cm(7) | Db |Ab | Bbm(7) | Cm(7) | Db |Bbm7 | Eb7 | Ab, Eb/G | Fm(7) |Bbm7 | Eb7 | Ab | Ab (Eb7) | SOCIAL MEDIA LINKSFacebook: http://fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: http://twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/billhilton00:00 Introduction01:44 Special offers03:50 Why people think “black note” keys are difficult05:08 Three reasons why learning “black note” keys is useful07:09 A flat improvisation exercise: the chords08:05 Improv exercise: playthrough09:26 Improv exercise: chord analysis12:09 Importance of hand position in “black note” keys13:17 Rhythmic anticipation15:28 Improv exercise: step-by-step walkthrough29:45 Two final tips — scales and chord learningys on piano (includes improvisation exercise)SOCIAL MEDIA LINKSFacebook: http://fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: http://twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/billhilton00:00 Introduction01:44 Special offers03:50 Why people think “black note” keys are difficult05:08 Three reasons why learning “black note” keys is useful07:09 A flat improvisation exercise: the chords08:05 Improv exercise: playthrough09:26 Improv exercise: chord analysis12:09 Importance of hand position in “black note” keys13:17 Rhythmic anticipation15:28 Improv exercise: step-by-step walkthrough00:00 Two final tips — scales and chord learning
Three Ways to Write Melodies That Sound Great Bill Hilton 2021-04-30 | Check out the bundle deal on the digital editions of my three current books: billspianopages.com/bundleWriting melody is a really useful musical skill, but people often go about it the wrong way. In this tutorial I look at the basics of melodic writing, and how to create great tunes either at the piano or away from it, and whether you have a chord progression or not.LINKS TO TUTORIALS MENTIONED IN THIS ONESuspensions and anticipations: youtu.be/I7kSOoP3f2YHow To Write a Classic Jazz Song: youtu.be/uUDqyPI1Hn4How to Work Out The Chords to a Song: youtu.be/ilcfgQ3lZusBILL’S SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: http://fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: http://twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/billhiltonPHOTO CREDITСергей Лабутин/Adobe StockTIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction00:28 Primephonic special offer01:47 Melodic theory basics03:43 Melodic structure06:25 Phrases, and why they’re important10:30 Building melodies 1: vocal improvisation from a chord progression15:26 Building melodies 2: analytical approach from a chord progression19:13 Building melodies 3: melody before chord progression23:11 Wrap-up
Intermediate Piano Course, Lesson 5 || A Clementi Sonatina and a Special Offer Bill Hilton 2021-04-22 | The fifth tutorial in my series for intermediate piano learners. In these tutorial we learn the first movement of a sonatina by the Italian composer Clementi. This piece will really help with your hand independence and precision, because it’s quite quick and contains many rests that you need to play carefully and accurately. Enjoy it, give me a shout if you have any questions, and let me know how you get on!Don't forget that you can download the PDF that accompanies this lesson here:billspianopages.com/intermediateSeries playlist link: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QnB6i-WXpTRYI2cFQalqWNxSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSFacebook: http://fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: http://twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/billhilton
Jazz Piano/Cocktail Piano Solo: Full Walkthrough with Chords Bill Hilton 2021-03-26 | In this tutorial I play a jazz piano/cocktail piano improvisation based on a 32-bar chord progression in the key of B flat major, and then go through it in detail, covering the chords, timing, right hand scales and techniques and more.Download the tutorial PDF here: drive.google.com/file/d/1KI8vck2n4Q4fTnRoCKG4FhKN8775u1_SCheck out my 30% discount ebook bundle deal: billspianopages.com/bundleGet access to my Piano Packs and more on Patreon: patreon.com/billhiltonSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSFacebook: http://fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: http://twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/billhilton00:00 What we’re going to learn + playthrough04:06 AABA structure, “rhythm changes”05:44 “A” section chords12:00 “B” section chords13:59 Left hand movement in jazz piano18:39 About melodic right hand improvisation in jazz piano19:23 What to do if you’re new to improvisation20:44 Shaping right hand phrases, scales and chromatic notes24:16 The whole tone scale26:15 Managing dynamics27:38 More on improvising right hand melody28:33 A left hand chord substitution/extension29:25 Improvising on the middle/“B” section (circle of fifths)32:31 Final “A” section — suspended Bb7 and a dodgy ritenuto33:33 What to do now
How to Use Easy Suspensions to Make Your Chords Sound AMAZING Bill Hilton 2021-03-19 | Adding suspensions to chords is a really easy way of making your chord progressions sound much better and more professional, fast. Suspensions make progressions flow more smoothly and musically, and can even help you develop melodic ideas.Don't forget to check out the bundle deal on my ebooks: www.billspianopages.com/bundleWhen you’ve finished watching, take a look at the benefits on offer on my Patreon page: patreon.com/billhiltonSOCIAL MEDIA LINKSFacebook: http://fb.me/billhiltonpianoTwitter: http://twitter.com/billhiltonInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/billhilton00:00 Introduction01:12 What’s a suspension?02:24 Using suspensions in a chord progression03:49 Resolution and melody creation04:30 Using chord extensions to generate suspensions05:45 The easy way to add suspensions08:00 Anticipations — reverse suspensions08:47 Sus chords like sus4 and sus 209:37 Suspensions: what next?
How to Write Chord Progressions with Extended Chords, Secondary Dominants and Chromatic Mediants Bill Hilton 2021-03-06 | Writing chord progressions isn't hard if you know a few basics — neither is it difficult to make them a little more "jazzy" with chord extensions, secondary dominant chords, chromatic mediants and one or two other straightforward techniques. In this tutorial I cover ALL the basics of building a chord progression, and also show you how you can take your progressions to the next level.Book bundle deal: billspianopages.com/bundleAll six of my Piano Packs for £16.95: billspianopages.com/pianopacksCheck out my Patreon page: patreon.com/billhiltonChapters:00:00 Stuff you can do with this tutorial01:24 Music theory basics 1: scales and chords04:09 Music theory basics 2: diatonic chords, tonics, dominants06:38 Resolution and V-I cadences in chord progressions09:51 Adding chords other than V and I13:11 Two exercises: building basic chord progressions16:12 Enriching progressions with chord extensions20:40 More on chord extensions23:56 Non-diatonic chords: basics and secondary dominants23:26 Exercise: extending chords in a progression29:05 Other non-diatonics: the “magic second” (II7) and shared/neighbouring tones32:27 Chromatic mediant chords38:08 Four essential tipsImage credits:kohanova1991/Adobe Stockmajonit/Adobe Stockgrandfailure/Adobe stock
