Modern Piano

Modern Piano is your hands-on path to contemporary styles that groove, sing, and move an audience. Whether you are coming from classical training or stepping into modern music for the first time, this course shows you how to build rich harmonic textures, play pocketed rhythms, and improvise tastefully in jazz, pop, R&B, neo soul, and cinematic settings.

Across a carefully structured sequence of lessons, you will move beyond reading notes and into creating music that feels authentic. You will practice chord extensions and substitutions, learn voicings that sit beautifully under the hands, and apply rhythmic ideas such as syncopation and polyrhythms to craft grooves that resonate in real-world contexts. Each concept is taught with clear demonstrations and practical applications you can take straight to the keyboard.

You will also develop the confidence to collaborate with singers and instrumentalists, shape expressive dynamics and phrasing, and prepare for live performance with strategies that make practice efficient and musical. The goal is connection: a more intuitive relationship with your instrument and a wider palette for your personal sound.

What You’ll Learn

• Contemporary harmony tools, including chord extensions, substitutions, and modal interchange
• Groove and rhythm skills, from syncopation to polyrhythms
• Core improvisation approaches for solos and accompaniment
• Comping methods for working with vocalists and other players
• Expressive dynamics and phrasing for modern styles
• Practical performance preparation and stage confidence techniques

Meet Your Instructor

Rosemary Minkler is a pianist, composer, audio engineer, and educator whose work bridges performance, production, and music technology. She studied Audio and Music Production with a concentration in Jazz Piano at Western Connecticut State University, and has collaborated with clients such as NBC Sports and Morning Brew, along with brands including Nord Keyboards, Korg, and Antares Audio Technologies. Since 2019 she has taught at Sound Collective, mentoring students in keyboard performance and music production.

Is This Course for You?