Looking for the best jazz piano books for beginners or more advanced?
As a classically trained pianist, I’ve recently been interested in learning to play jazz. Even though there were several online courses I could take, I wanted to get a beginner jazz piano book first before investing any money in an online course.
You are reading: Jazz piano books for beginners
After a couple of hours of research online, I discovered that the books I could buy were innumerable and I was overwhelmed by the options. More importantly, I didn’t know which jazz method book would be the most suitable for my level.
After trying most if not all of the books on this list, I feel like I’ve learned a thing or two about the best jazz piano books out there for teachers and self-taught pianists worth your time and money.
This list features the best books first for beginners and second for more advanced players. The important thing to note here is that “beginner” in this post does not refer to beginning pianists, but to those who have been playing the piano for a while but have no jazz piano experience.
After all, I don’t think any jazz piano book can help someone without at least a year of piano learning experience. If you are new to playing the piano or any other musical instrument, I first recommend you check out this post where I talk about the best ways to learn piano online for free, before diving into jazz.
the best jazz piano books for beginners
Hal Leonard Jazz Piano Method Book 1 by Mark Davis
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Learning jazz as a newbie can be overwhelming, especially if the resource you’re referring to is poorly structured. The most important thing beginner jazz pianists need is a well-organized and easy-to-grasp resource that will teach every jazz concept step by step, starting from the very basics. This is why this book is the perfect one to start with.
No prior musical knowledge other than reading music at a basic level is necessary to understand the concepts presented in the book. therefore, this book is an incredible resource for pianists of any level or even those who are not. the audio tracks provided with the book are also useful for internalizing and reinforcing what you have learned.
If you stick to this book, you’ll not only have a good understanding of jazz theory, but you’ll also learn how to improvise. the pieces included in the book will also help you build a fundamental jazz repertoire to start soloing and improvising.
introduction to jazz piano by mark harrison
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mark harrison has written amazing books for various piano styles that have helped thousands of people learn to play the piano, and his jazz book is no exception. he takes a step-by-step approach to teaching jazz piano fundamentals.
You will need to have basic knowledge of music theory and be at least a beginning pianist to get the most out of this book.
With the help of its audio CD, the book will introduce you to jazz theory and technique and teach you how to think like a jazz pianist while playing and improvising. All in all, I highly recommend this book for those looking for an easy-to-digest, logical approach to learning jazz.
jazz exercises, minuets, studies & oscar peterson piano pieces
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This fantastic book from jazz legend Oscar Peterson includes everything you need to establish solid jazz piano technique. From chord exercises to jazz studies, this book will help you strengthen your hands and develop finger independence while teaching you important skills like syncopation, which are essential to becoming a good jazz player.
The exercises and pieces in the book are relatively simple, although you still need to learn the piano for at least a year to be able to play the exercises. It’s also great for advanced pianists to practice sight-reading.
The clear and logical explanations combined with the fun exercises and pieces in this book make learning jazz much more effective, fun and inspiring.
exploring jazz piano by tim richards
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Exploring Jazz Piano is by far the most comprehensive jazz piano methods book for beginners out there. covers each concept in a thorough, structured, step-by-step approach to ensure everything is clear and understood before moving on to the next topic.
This book teaches jazz theory in detail and then provides you with original exercises to reinforce what you’ve learned. was one of my favorite jazz books when I started because its emphasis was on teaching jazz improvisation while backing it up with a strong theoretical foundation.
The book assumes that you are at least a late-beginning pianist with a basic understanding of music notation.
essential jazz piano exercises every pianist should know by jerald simon
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This companion book is great to have in your library, whether you’re teaching jazz to your students or self-taught. what makes this book unique is its focus on the practical and concrete side of jazz.
after presenting the general theoretical concepts, it provides you with essential exercises and original and fun pieces to apply the theory and develop a creative style of improvisation.
This book is best suited for intermediate to advanced pianists who are new to jazz piano.
best intermediate jazz piano books
mark levine’s jazz piano book
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this book is possibly the bible of jazz piano. covers everything you need and will find yourself while playing the jazz piano. however, before you buy this book and waste your precious time for months in frustration and no progress like most people, listen to me.
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first of all, it is not a method book in the sense that it does not include practical exercises or step-by-step modules to teach you the concepts in an easily digestible way. rather, it has a great deal of theory and provides information for the pages, leaving the implementation and application of what you’ve learned entirely up to you. this means that even if you are an advanced classical or pop/rock pianist with no jazz background, this book will still be difficult for you.
So, who exactly is this book for?
for pianists who are already at least at an intermediate level of jazz piano. is an indispensable resource book for serious jazz pianists. The book covers several complex theoretical knowledge and jazz concepts that are essential to becoming a well-versed jazz pianist.
playing jazz piano solo: a new approach for creative pianists by jeremy siskind
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I recently discovered this book and am impressed by the quality of the exercises it contains and Jeremy Siskind’s inspiring and easy to understand teaching style.
The book covers various solo jazz piano styles and topics such as stride, swing, various modern jazz piano techniques and approaches to becoming a versatile and creative jazz pianist. I highly recommend getting this book if he has been learning jazz piano for at least a year and would like to open his mind to a more creative and innovative approach to playing jazz with unique learning methods, exercises and tips.
an approach to building: the essentials by jeb patton
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This book by respected New York pianist Jeb Petton is possibly the most comprehensive compilation guide for jazz pianists.
Combining, or accompanying a solo line or soloist, is an essential skill to master if you truly want to become a good jazz musician. most jazz piano books cover this topic along with hundreds of others, so it’s often not given enough attention.
This book has clear explanations, uses a structured approach, and is packed with high-quality materials. I believe this book is a must for intermediate and advanced jazz pianists who want to take their composition skills to the next level.
jazz keyboard harmony: a practical voicing method for all musicians by phil degreg
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This book is a must-have not only for jazz pianists, but for any musician who wants to explore and delve deeper into jazz piano voices.
The book has a structured and progressive approach in which each new concept builds on the previous one. this way, there are no gaps between topics, so you never feel lost. In addition, the book’s accompanying CD makes it a perfect book for self-taught musicians.
Overall, this is an incredibly useful book for learning one of the basics of jazz piano, vocals, and eventually expanding your jazz harmony vocabulary.
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