Jean T asked:


Well, this is the problem. I started with piano 3 years ago. I never did a grade (are grades really that important? i can work for a jazz orchestra even if I don’t have grades) and focused mostly on popular music (salsa in my case, I am a latino-french mix) and jazz (my favorite style). People tend to think that I am not serious because I don’t focus on dazzling and impressive songs. I prefer to work on several things and divide my practice: comping, improvisation, ear training, theory, jazz standard-based repertoire, etc. By the way, I am now teacherless. But even teacherless I have learned a lot of things: Coltrane Changes, composition, piano in a jazz orchestra, ear training (using computer programs), etc… My ex-teacher visited a few months ago and told me that he was amazed because I had progressed in spite of being teacherless. I also learned to play the chromatic harmonica and the electric bass (on my own). I am now working with a guitar teacher. I am sick of people’s cliches saying that I am not a real pianist because I started “late” (12yo) and classical is not my thing (I CAN play it, but is not my passion, get it?). And there are a lot of “FORMAL PIANISTS” out there, with a lot of repertoire but 0% ear and 0% theory (i know what i am talking about, i live in latin america) that are way much admired that i am (only other musicians can understand me, general public doesn’t understand me). So far piano has been my principal instrument. I am also good at bass. What do you think I should do?
In the country in which I live, most of the piano teachers only want to teach classical music in the “traditional style” (read your music sheet and shut up). Most of them don’t know anything about how to apply theory, ear training, improvisation, composition, etc… I can read a lot of things and play a lot of things, so I don’t need a PIANO teacher, I need a JAZZ teacher. Ok?

Caden