Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner - Non Classical I want to become a cocktail pianist. How do I go about it?

Hi,
I am adult beginner, and have been taking lessons for the past year and a half. My 10 year goal (now 8.5) is to work at a restaurant or bar, as a cocktail pianist, playing popular music from the 40's to some current stuff.

My lessons at the moment are classical based. I know the profession I ask about would probably benefit from Jazz lessons of some type, but I wanted to do classical first so I can learn the basics well...Reading Music, Playing well hands together, timing, rhythm, theory, history, etc.

I have a decent understanding of this and can play some grade 2 pieces (although not with 100% accuracy, but close enough).

What path should I take from here? Should I continue a bit move with my classical lessons? Should I move on to Jazz right now?
Should I do a bit of both? No matter what, I want to continue with a teacher of some sort.

I am thinking at some point I should play in front of someone, like a recital or something.(kind of embarrassed though at my age. 38. Yeah not so old, but way older than the kids and teens who would blow me away).

Any suggestions would be great. thank you.

If your goal is cocktail pianist, dump the classical and go with jazz or some other chord-based instruction. The sooner you learn chords, the faster you'll reach your goal. And it shouldn't take too long either. One or two years max.

In fact, I think Piano World's own Dave Horne does just that.

The most important advice I can offer you is to start learning the most commonly played standard tunes on piano/keyboard in a "cocktail" setting. Some songs that come to mind are, "Misty, As Time Goes By, Night & Day, All The Things You Are, Autumn Leaves, etc.

Since you are probably already a good sight reader, go to sites like amazon.com and look for some books that have good cocktail type arrangements and play through them. But the main thing is to be able to come up with your own arrangements using lead sheets and a good fake book. The Sher books are very good. The Mark Levine jazz piano books are also good for theory.

Cocktail lounges with live music are becoming more scarce and many places in Los Angeles that used to be piano bars have closed down in recent years. Also, if you can find a good teacher that plays the styles you want to learn is the way to go.

Have fun

katt

Hello josuff247

It sounds like a great idea to do a little of both. If you know that the ultimate goal is to play Jazz and contemporary music why not start exploring it already ? You don't have to do it instead of classical which you obviously feel that is giving you a solid foundation but in addition.

Another thought....about playing for an audience, I think its very important to start getting comfortable playing for an audience. For many musicians it is a different experience to play at home for themselves vs playing outside for an audience. Maybe contact some local nurseries and offer your services. They are often looking for volunteers, you'll be doing a good deed and get some experience playing for an audience.

good luck

Cocktail piano involves not only reading but also copying the styles of other players who are well-known. Listen to whoever you really like, try to find out what makes their playing sound the way it does, and do your best to copy them.

Dror: by "nurseries" do you mean tree farms or mother-and-baby rooms? Or something else?

....sorry

Jo, just how developed is your sight reading? I only ask because I have - had? - similar aspirations to you as far as becoming a cocktail/lounge pianist is concerned. Trouble is, although I have a few more years experience than you, my sight reading is poor and this above all I feel is holding me back from making progress towards building a 'suitable' repertoire. I'm also quite a bit older than you and my "plan" was to get somewhere with this in about two years - if only!

senior citizens centers, they would enjoy that style of music ,plus it would give you
practice in front of groups of people..they might even sing along..:)

Wow, great responses. Thanks. Keep em coming!
Cruiser, I would say my treble clef sight reading is pretty good, Bass clef, not so much. LOL.

why?

You should probably continue with classical lessons, and jazz/popular lessons at the same time might also be a good idea, but jazz teachers are rare; if you don't believe this, try finding one.

Whatever you decide to do, I would strongly recommend that you start improvising right now. By improvising, I mean sitting down at the piano and just playing by ear, with no concern for theoretical niceties, or whether you are doing things the right way or not. This is how you train your ear and really learn about the instrument and what you can do on it--you are not getting this right now in classical, and even in jazz lessons you won't really get this.

I had nine yrs. of classical as a child and then restarted as an adult, learning on my own, after quitting for 20 yrs. I'm mainly a classical player but I also tried to learn jazz piano on my own from books, but learned almost nothing in several yrs. of study. Then about a yr. ago I simply started to play by ear with no concern for theory or doing things the right way. I am amazed at my progress in improvising in just a yr. I've learned more like this than in all my previous experience on the piano. I even think I could almost fake it as a cocktail pianist in some dive or somewhere where they're not too picky about what they hear. This after just a yr.

I'm skeptical about classical lessons; I learned almost nothing in nine yrs. I talked to some jazz teachers, and they sounded too much like classical teachers ("you've got to get "foundation," etc.)--I suspected that I could take nine yrs. of jazz lessons and again learn almost nothing--and so I never bothered with them.

Josuff, if you haven't already, go right out and read Robin Goldsby's (aka PianoGirl RMG here on the forum) book, "Piano Girl," which is her memoir about her life as a cocktail pianist. It will give you a terrific view of what that life is like and the kind of preparation is involved.

I agree with Monica that "Piano Girl" is a great read. I was amongst the first to order it and I've just recently started to re-read it. However, I do not think the book contains much of substance that would help a would-be cocktail pianist prepare for the job, at least as far as the various requisite pianistic skills are concerned. And this, I understand, is what the op (and others) is mainly concerned with. Having said this, I think Robin's book is essential, entertaining reading for anyone with an interest in becoming a cocktail/lounge pianist.

The book is a memoir of Robin's experiences and yes, there's plenty of wide-ranging interest therein - the early days, playing at various locations, the pitfalls, the good, the not-so-good, the humorous, love etc. etc. All the ingredients for a book that will (and deserves to) sell well - to a wide ranging readership. For this reason alone the book will never be of great help to anyone wanting more specialized information on the necessary pianistic development required to become a cocktail/lounge pianist themselves.

Cue for another book, perhaps, Robin? Or - even better! - a new thread devoted to helping people like Jo (and me)? That would be great!

I think you have a wonderful goal.. IMO "cocktail piano" music is the best because it allows you to incorporate all styles, classical, jazz/standards, pop, new age, etc. Study all styles as much as you can. Just about anything goes with cocktail piano, the more variety the better. Everyone has their favorite style and songs, so concentrate on your favorites so that you enjoy playing it. Good to learn some classical as well as to play by ear. Learn the common jazz chord progressions/Circle of 5ths

http://www.angelfire.com/fl4/moneychords/circle.html

I play jazz piano and perform gigs so perhaps I can give some advice.

Start by picking some easy songs right now and try playing the melody by ear. I don't know your level of music theory, but learn the major scale real well first.

See if you can sing and pick out melodies and relate it to the major scale. If the song is in minor then learn that scale too.


10 years is waaaaaaay too long. If you practice smart and hard 1 year is enough. I'd say 1-2 hours/day every day.

Most cocktail pianists improvise and take liberties with the songs. So sight reading is not a main concern. Take a look at fake books and see how the chords and charts look like.

Hope this helps.

Gyro

How many cocktail piano gig have you played in your life?

Monica, I read the fist chapters of Piano Girl on my kindle, and plan to purchase it. I think I want the real book and not the digital. I also follow her wedding thread here in this forum, though I have not commented on them.

It is true, I am having a hard time specializing in a teacher of this style. Can this be learned from a book?
Also, can this really be done in a year or two (of course given the work involved)?

Another question, when playing from a fake book, to cocktail pianist make up the bass and harmony on the fly, or is it worked out at home first?

Cruiser, a thread to help people like us is a great idea.

I would suggest finding a teacher who teaches CHORDS.

Gyro, so lessons or not? You are contradicting yourself. Either you got some bad teachers or were a bad student. 9 years and learned "almost nothing"?

Jazz can be self-taught but it's much easier to have proper teachers show you what to do.

I suspect what you are playing is more "noodlin'" than real jazz, nothing wrong with that.

tree farms of course !! david you'll have to excuse me...English, as I mentioned before, is not my first language. To be clear I meant retirement home