Ballads

Learn to play beautiful ballads with rich harmonies and expressive arrangements. This course teaches slow ballad arrangements of popular songs, blending essential techniques like reharmonization, drop voicings, and melodic phrasing. Whether you're looking to accompany yourself, improvise over a ballad, or create lush, professional-sounding piano arrangements, these lessons provide step-by-step guidance.

You'll explore well-known songs like Don't Know Why by Norah Jones, In a Sentimental Mood by Duke Ellington, and Danny Boy, learning how to analyze their harmonic structures and build compelling arrangements. Techniques covered include rock piano articulation, ii-V-I substitutions, dominant motion, and chord spreading methods such as drop 2 and drop 3 voicings. These lessons will help you develop a deeper understanding of ballad playing, giving your arrangements more motion and emotion.

This course is ideal for pianists who want to master the art of ballad playing, whether for solo performance, accompaniment, or improvisation. By the end, you’ll have a repertoire of beautifully arranged songs and the skills to apply these techniques to other ballads and jazz standards.

Mastering Ballad Playing: How to Create Beautiful, Expressive Arrangements

Ballads are among the most expressive and emotional pieces in a pianist’s repertoire. Playing them well requires a deep understanding of harmony, phrasing, and dynamics. The Ballads course provides step-by-step instruction on creating rich, moving arrangements that capture the essence of each song.

This course begins by exploring foundational techniques for ballad accompaniment, focusing on how to break up chords to create flowing, lyrical textures. Lessons then move into deeper arranging concepts, such as reharmonization, dominant motion, and ii-V-I substitutions. You’ll also learn how to use drop voicings to spread chords across the keyboard, adding depth and warmth to your playing.

Each lesson applies these concepts to a well-known ballad, allowing you to study real-world examples while building a versatile repertoire. Whether you’re interested in solo piano playing, accompanying a vocalist, or improvising over a ballad progression, this course provides the tools and techniques to bring your playing to life.

Is this course suitable for beginners?
This course is best for intermediate to advanced pianists who want to develop expressive ballad arrangements and expand their harmonic knowledge.

Will I learn improvisation techniques?
Yes! Several lessons focus on improvisation, including melodic phrasing, articulation, and how to construct solos over ballad progressions.

Can I apply these techniques to other songs?
Absolutely! The arranging techniques, voicings, and harmonic approaches taught in this course can be applied to any ballad or jazz standard.

Will I learn how to accompany myself or a singer?
Yes, many lessons focus on left-hand accompaniment techniques, making this course great for those who want to accompany themselves or others.