Learn How to Play Latin Styled Piano

(Scroll down to see the full list of lessons in this section)

You’ve ventured in a few different directions and categories, but now you think it’s time to visit the interesting world of Latin piano music. You must first begin by learning the basic fundamentals of Latin music in order to create the structure and elements of each piece.

This will play a large role in your understanding and comprehension for further lessons, making this step very important. Latin American music is very vibrant with a colourful mix of different techniques and skills.

You should not shy away from Latin piano whether you are a beginner or an expert. It is a wonderful style of music to learn, captivating your attention immediately.

Prior to settling yourself in front of the piano, you should have an understanding of Latin music history. It is a popular music genre developed in different Latin American countries. The instruments used are mostly string and percussion based, including guitar, bongo, timbales, tres (Cuban guitars) and congas.

Piano was eventually added to this collection and replaced the guitar as the choral instrument. Other instruments such as the trombone, woodwinds and trumpets created riffs and melody. The overall sound is unique due to its rhythmic structure, a characteristic taken from religious African chants.

Rhythm becomes syncopated, a process of stressing unstressed notes to create a striking effect. Clave is another important aspect of Latin music by creating the foundation. Latin music has become popular throughout the world, and is often represented in Salsa form. Salsa is a great example of amazing Latin piano music.

By understanding the formation of Latin music, you should able to appreciate its formation and outcome. Latin music is divided into 3 sections: an introduction, followed by a muntuno section and ending with a closing statement using a coda. The muntuno includes the bands use of vamp and mambo.

Vamps are progressions created by only using 2 or 3 chords, they are very useful in Latin music. Mambo builds up tension by creating contrasting riffs between instruments. Latin songs tend to end on a coda, a short ending piece similar to a postscript. When exploring different Latin songs, it is important to identify these 3 sections as they will aid in your ability to achieve positive results.

The next step will be practicing Latin piano. First, surround yourself with popular and interesting Latin piano music in order to accustom your ears to its rhythms and sounds. Practice and memorization of Latin chord pattern will be the following phase. The most common progression used is the harmonic minor scale. In the key of A, the harmonic minor scale on piano looks like this:

A, B, C, D, E, F, G#, A

This scale resembles the natural minor; however, the 7th note is sharped. You will not have to learn chords in order to play Latin music, but you will have to reorganize progressions. Rhythms are most often set for 4/4, and for Salsa it is usually set at 12/8. Other necessary skills include learning bass lines and double roots. These effects will add flavour to Latin piano music, separating it from other piano genres.

Latin Piano Lessons Listing:

1. Latin Jazz Piano Techniques
   
   Did you know that Latin music has found its influence in many different cultures and countries? Check out these Latin jazz piano techniques that will help you master the genres.
2. Latin Piano Chord Progressions
   
   Learning Latin piano music is often an exciting process for the musician. Besides being able to train your hands and mind, other essential skills are developed. To get started, a good knowledge of Latin piano chord progression is essential.
3. Latin Piano Rhythm Lesson
   
   Rhythm is one of the key essentials that give Latin music the unique sound and tone. This Latin piano rhythm lesson will introduce you to the basics of playing Latin styles.
4. Learn Latin Piano Improvisation Techniques
   
   When you mention the term improvisation to a new player, it will usually sound scary at first. With a shove in the right direction, you can get your feet wet and create room for creative inputs.
5. Hand Memory for Piano Playing
   
   As we practice more and develop our skill set, the ability to have physical memory will help tremendously. In this lesson, we will show you how to enhance muscle and hand memory for piano playing.
6. How to Play Salsa on Piano
   
   Learning to play salsa on piano is an acquired taste in music. While it is a subset of Latin music, a good foundation in it would help you excel in this style of music.