Improvisation for Classically-Trained Pianists

How to Play from Chord Charts

This book teaches you how to play from music which has a melody line and chord symbols. It takes you through a step-by-step process, with plenty of practice examples, that will give you the freedom to play with confidence.

“I learned piano when I was young, but I never play anymore.” “I want to be able to just pick up anything and play it.” “What do I do with my left hand when the music just has melody and chord symbols?”

Sound familiar? Now you can sit down on a Sunday afternoon and just play music - good, full, rich-sounding music that suits your own level of development, and your own level of energy on any particular day.

This book will help you:

Turn a melody line and chords and into a full piano arrangement
Play from ‘busking books,’ ‘fake charts,’ or ‘lead sheets’
Re-arrange songs with chords marked in which are too easy or too hard
Turn songs you have composed or worked out by ear into full arrangements

How to order this book

Songs Included

Ach du lieber Augustin • Advance Australia Fair • After the Ball • All Through the Night • Amazing Grace • Annie Laurie • Auld Lang Syne • Aura Lee • Away in a Manger • Banana Boat Song • Beautiful Dreamer • Botany Bay • Brahms’ Lullaby • Casta Diva • Click Go the Shears • Country Gardens • Daisy • Danny Boy • Dona Nobis Pacem • Down By the Old Mill Stream • Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes • Greensleeves • Handel’s Largo • Happy Birthday • I Do Like to be Beside the Seaside • I Gave My Love a Cherry • I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen • Jerusalem • Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring • Jingle Bells • Joy to the World • Let the Rest of the World Go By • Loch Lomond • My Bonnie • My Wild Irish Rose • New World Symphony • O Holy Night • O Little Town of Bethlehem • Ode to Joy • Oh No John • Pokarekare Ana • Polovstian Dances • Pomp and Circumstance • Scarborough Fair • Shenandoah • Silent Night • Silver Threads Among the Gold • Skye Boat Song • Steal Away • Sweet and Low • Swing Low Sweet Chariot • The Gift to be Simple • The Water is Wide • Veni Creator Spiritus • Waltzing Matilda • We Wish You a Merry Christmas • What a Friend We Have in Jesus • When Johnny Comes Marching Home • When the Saints Go Marching In • The Wild Colonial Boy

Reviews

“I firmly believe that the way to have fun on the piano - and that means long-term fun that lasts well into adulthood - is to be able to read a chord chart. It opens up a whole new world of music that everyone can enjoy. The problem is, chord-chart reading is traditionally not something with which classical pianists are familiar. It’s regarded as a ‘pop’ or ‘jazz’ skill ... but I see it as a LIFE skill and I’ve always wished for a book that could teach one how to do this. It’s amazing when you discover a resource that exactly suits your needs!”

- Samantha Coates, The Studio

“Susan Deas takes a practical, straight-forward approach to lead sheet playing. Her book, Improvisation for Classically Trained Pianists, breaks down this skill into a truly step-by-step process.”

- Tim Topham

Listen to Susan’s interview with Tim Topham about improvisation

Need some lessons?

Sometimes you just need to ask questions! Susan can give you a lesson (or more lessons if needed) from her studio in Leichhardt, in Sydney’s Inner West, at a casual hourly rate. Regular lessons are available too, for children or adults. If you’re not in Sydney, maybe you can have a lesson via Zoom!

Cover painting by Ron Deas

Improvisation for Classically-Trained Pianists

This book will help you:

How to order this book

Buy or order in store

Download as an e-book

Order through the Lulu Bookstore (international)

Songs Included

Reviews

Need some lessons?