- Home >
- Online Academy >
- How to Improvise
How to Improvise
A step-by-step guide to improvisation for classical pianists
Do you know your chords and scales but struggle to think of anything to play when faced with a piano with no sheet music? In these videos, Dave Hall provides a step-by-step guide to improvisation for classical pianists with activities for ear training, fundamental theory and most importantly, ideas to spark the imagination!
Contents
Melody - First Steps in Improvisation
Melody - Improvising with Both Hands
Melody - Improvising Melody over a Ground Bass
Author
David Hall
David Hall is Director of Music at Twyford School in Winchester and Musical Director of Finchcocks Piano Courses. He is a graduate of Cambridge University and a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists.
Author profile >>Subscribe for full access!
Get full access to our growing library of over 1000 articles, videos and other resources for as little as £13.99 per month or £119.99 a year. Click here to sign-up or click here to find-out more.
Related content
Preparing for an Examination
This collection of videos offers general tips and suggestions for preparing or a piano examination. It serves as a complement to our repertoire guides and covers topics including sight-reading, aural, technical tests (scales and arpeggios), general preparation and practice strategies.... Read >>
Dealing with Performance Anxiety
Although sharing your playing with others can be deeply rewarding, most pianists (including many professionals!) suffer from some form of stage fright at the prospect of playing in a public setting. In this video, Graham Fitch shares some of his thoughts and methods for dealing with performance anxiety.... Read >>
Simple Improvisation with Christopher Norton's Connections
A series of step-by-step guides to using pieces from Christopher Norton's Connections to learn chord shapes and do simple improvisation.... Read >>
A Guide to the ABRSM Syllabus (2025 - 2026)
This series provides a detailed guide to the ABRSM piano examination syllabus for 2025 - 2026, including video walk-throughs with practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for a selection of pieces (from initial to Grade 8).... Read >>
A Guide to the ABRSM Syllabus (2018 - 2020)
This series contains resources and further links to other resources featuring the ABRSM syllabus (until 2020) and is designed for elementary level players, young musicians and their teachers. Articles in this series provide step-by-step (or phrase-by-phrase) approaches to learning a pieces thoroughly and securely, offer practice exercises to help solve... Read >>
A Guide to the ABRSM Syllabus (2023 - 2024)
This series provides a detailed guide to the ABRSM piano examination syllabus for 2023 - 2024, including video walk-throughs with practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for a selection of pieces (from initial to Grade 8).... Read >>
Create First! - Part 1
<h3> <a href="/content/pages/53-create-first-part-1?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Learning Music the Pattern Play Way</a></h3>An introductory Pattern Play series that introduces the materials of music (scales, intervals, and chords) in creative and musical ways.... Read >>
A Guide to the Trinity College Piano Syllabus (2021 - 2023)
This series features video walk-throughs of a selection of pieces from Trinity College London’s 2021 - 2023 piano examination syllabus, giving plenty of tips for practice, as well as suggestions for piano teachers, and guidance on matters relating to style and interpretation.... Read >>
Beyond Stage Fright - Managing Performance Nerves
This short course aims to start you on the first steps of a journey to help you find ways to manage those nerves so that you can perform to your full potential and enjoy the whole experience. The course is divided into fives days with a short video for each... Read >>
ABRSM Grade 7 - Piano Exam Pieces
This collection of video walk-throughs from our guide to the ABRSM 2021 & 2022 piano examination syllabus provides practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for a selection of the Grade 7 pieces.... Read >>
ABRSM Grade 5 - Piano Exam Pieces
This collection of video walk-throughs from our guide to the ABRSM 2021 & 2022 piano examination syllabus provides practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for each of the Grade 5 pieces.... Read >>
ABRSM Initial Grade - Piano Exam Pieces
This collection of video walk-throughs from our guide to the ABRSM 2021 & 2022 piano examination syllabus provides practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for each of the main Initial Grade pieces.... Read >>
A Guide to the Trinity College Piano Syllabus (2018 - 2020)
This series features video demonstrations of a selection of pieces from Trinity College London’s 2018 - 2020 piano examination syllabus, with examples from each grade from Initial to 8. You will find plenty of tips for practice, as well as suggestions for piano teachers, and guidance on matters relating to... Read >>
Beyond Stage Fright - Inspired Performance
This series features the first two weeks of Inspired Performance which is an online video and audio course which aims to help you move through your performance blocks towards a free, joyful and inspired performing life. It provides an overview of performance anxiety, how we experience nerves and how we... Read >>
ABRSM Grade 1 - Piano Exam Pieces
This collection of video walk-throughs from our guide to the ABRSM 2021 & 2022 piano examination syllabus provides practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for each of the main Grade 1 pieces.... Read >>
ABRSM Grade 8 - Piano Exam Pieces
This collection of video walk-throughs from our guide to the ABRSM 2021 & 2022 piano examination syllabus provides practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for a selection of the Grade 8 pieces.... Read >>
ABRSM Grade 6 - Piano Exam Pieces
This collection of video walk-throughs from our guide to the ABRSM 2021 & 2022 piano examination syllabus provides practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for each of the Grade 6 pieces.... Read >>
A Guide to the ABRSM Syllabus (2021 - 2022)
This series provides a detailed guide to the ABRSM piano examination syllabus for 2021 - 2022, including video walk-throughs with practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for each of the main pieces (from initial to Grade 8), and a selection of alternative pieces.... Read >>
The Secrets of Experts
<h3> <a href="/content/pages/405-the-secrets-of-experts?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Developing Your Own Recipe for Performance Success </a></h3>Drawing upon the latest discoveries in psychology and performance science, Adina Mornell’s course introduces the tools and strategies used by experts to learn by examining errors in order to constantly improve. Through a set of video presentations interspersed with exercises you’ll discover how to create your own recipe for enjoyable... Read >>
Anyone Can Improvise!
Dedicated to helping everyone play the music they love and long to play, Lucinda Mackworth-Young introduces her step-by-step system for learning to play by ear and improvise, so that even classically trained piano players can play spontaneously, anywhere, anytime - and say “Yes!” when asked to play Happy Birthday!... Read >>
ABRSM Grade 4 - Piano Exam Pieces
This collection of video walk-throughs from our guide to the ABRSM 2021 & 2022 piano examination syllabus provides practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for each of the Grade 4 pieces.... Read >>
Spread Chords
Spread (or rolled, ripped, broken or arpeggiated) chords are simply chords where we play one note after the other, rather than playing all the notes simultaneously. Although this sounds relatively straightforward, there are questions and problems associated with spreading chords which this series of articles will seek to address.... Read >>
Preparing for an Examination
This collection of videos offers general tips and suggestions for preparing or a piano examination. It serves as a complement to our repertoire guides and covers topics including sight-reading, aural, technical tests (scales and arpeggios), general preparation and practice strategies.... Read >>
Dealing with Performance Anxiety
Although sharing your playing with others can be deeply rewarding, most pianists (including many professionals!) suffer from some form of stage fright at the prospect of playing in a public setting. In this video, Graham Fitch shares some of his thoughts and methods for dealing with performance anxiety.... Read >>
Simple Improvisation with Christopher Norton's Connections
A series of step-by-step guides to using pieces from Christopher Norton's Connections to learn chord shapes and do simple improvisation.... Read >>
A Guide to the ABRSM Syllabus (2025 - 2026)
This series provides a detailed guide to the ABRSM piano examination syllabus for 2025 - 2026, including video walk-throughs with practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for a selection of pieces (from initial to Grade 8).... Read >>
A Guide to the ABRSM Syllabus (2018 - 2020)
This series contains resources and further links to other resources featuring the ABRSM syllabus (until 2020) and is designed for elementary level players, young musicians and their teachers. Articles in this series provide step-by-step (or phrase-by-phrase) approaches to learning a pieces thoroughly and securely, offer practice exercises to help solve... Read >>
A Guide to the ABRSM Syllabus (2023 - 2024)
This series provides a detailed guide to the ABRSM piano examination syllabus for 2023 - 2024, including video walk-throughs with practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for a selection of pieces (from initial to Grade 8).... Read >>
Create First! - Part 1
<h3> <a href="/content/pages/53-create-first-part-1?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Learning Music the Pattern Play Way</a></h3>An introductory Pattern Play series that introduces the materials of music (scales, intervals, and chords) in creative and musical ways.... Read >>
A Guide to the Trinity College Piano Syllabus (2021 - 2023)
This series features video walk-throughs of a selection of pieces from Trinity College London’s 2021 - 2023 piano examination syllabus, giving plenty of tips for practice, as well as suggestions for piano teachers, and guidance on matters relating to style and interpretation.... Read >>
Beyond Stage Fright - Managing Performance Nerves
This short course aims to start you on the first steps of a journey to help you find ways to manage those nerves so that you can perform to your full potential and enjoy the whole experience. The course is divided into fives days with a short video for each... Read >>
ABRSM Grade 7 - Piano Exam Pieces
This collection of video walk-throughs from our guide to the ABRSM 2021 & 2022 piano examination syllabus provides practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for a selection of the Grade 7 pieces.... Read >>
ABRSM Grade 5 - Piano Exam Pieces
This collection of video walk-throughs from our guide to the ABRSM 2021 & 2022 piano examination syllabus provides practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for each of the Grade 5 pieces.... Read >>
ABRSM Initial Grade - Piano Exam Pieces
This collection of video walk-throughs from our guide to the ABRSM 2021 & 2022 piano examination syllabus provides practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for each of the main Initial Grade pieces.... Read >>
A Guide to the Trinity College Piano Syllabus (2018 - 2020)
This series features video demonstrations of a selection of pieces from Trinity College London’s 2018 - 2020 piano examination syllabus, with examples from each grade from Initial to 8. You will find plenty of tips for practice, as well as suggestions for piano teachers, and guidance on matters relating to... Read >>
Beyond Stage Fright - Inspired Performance
This series features the first two weeks of Inspired Performance which is an online video and audio course which aims to help you move through your performance blocks towards a free, joyful and inspired performing life. It provides an overview of performance anxiety, how we experience nerves and how we... Read >>
ABRSM Grade 1 - Piano Exam Pieces
This collection of video walk-throughs from our guide to the ABRSM 2021 & 2022 piano examination syllabus provides practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for each of the main Grade 1 pieces.... Read >>
ABRSM Grade 8 - Piano Exam Pieces
This collection of video walk-throughs from our guide to the ABRSM 2021 & 2022 piano examination syllabus provides practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for a selection of the Grade 8 pieces.... Read >>
ABRSM Grade 6 - Piano Exam Pieces
This collection of video walk-throughs from our guide to the ABRSM 2021 & 2022 piano examination syllabus provides practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for each of the Grade 6 pieces.... Read >>
A Guide to the ABRSM Syllabus (2021 - 2022)
This series provides a detailed guide to the ABRSM piano examination syllabus for 2021 - 2022, including video walk-throughs with practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for each of the main pieces (from initial to Grade 8), and a selection of alternative pieces.... Read >>
The Secrets of Experts
<h3> <a href="/content/pages/405-the-secrets-of-experts?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Developing Your Own Recipe for Performance Success </a></h3>Drawing upon the latest discoveries in psychology and performance science, Adina Mornell’s course introduces the tools and strategies used by experts to learn by examining errors in order to constantly improve. Through a set of video presentations interspersed with exercises you’ll discover how to create your own recipe for enjoyable... Read >>
Anyone Can Improvise!
Dedicated to helping everyone play the music they love and long to play, Lucinda Mackworth-Young introduces her step-by-step system for learning to play by ear and improvise, so that even classically trained piano players can play spontaneously, anywhere, anytime - and say “Yes!” when asked to play Happy Birthday!... Read >>
ABRSM Grade 4 - Piano Exam Pieces
This collection of video walk-throughs from our guide to the ABRSM 2021 & 2022 piano examination syllabus provides practice suggestions, tips on style and interpretation and other ideas for each of the Grade 4 pieces.... Read >>
Spread Chords
Spread (or rolled, ripped, broken or arpeggiated) chords are simply chords where we play one note after the other, rather than playing all the notes simultaneously. Although this sounds relatively straightforward, there are questions and problems associated with spreading chords which this series of articles will seek to address.... Read >>
Preparing for an Examination
This collection of videos offers general tips and suggestions for preparing or a piano examination. It serves as a complement to our repertoire guides and covers topics including sight-reading, aural, technical tests (scales and arpeggios), general preparation and practice strategies.... Read >>
Dealing with Performance Anxiety
Although sharing your playing with others can be deeply rewarding, most pianists (including many professionals!) suffer from some form of stage fright at the prospect of playing in a public setting. In this video, Graham Fitch shares some of his thoughts and methods for dealing with performance anxiety.... Read >>
Simple Improvisation with Christopher Norton's Connections
A series of step-by-step guides to using pieces from Christopher Norton's Connections to learn chord shapes and do simple improvisation.... Read >>