If I had to state what changed my playing drastically for the better, it would be playing "left hand bass."

It started with those Jerry Lee Lewis riffs I was practicing, then somebody here about a year ago mentioned playing left hand bass, and I took it a step further and, remembering listening to a pianist years ago walking his bass, I wondered if I could learn to do it too.

It's easy enough if you're just comping chords, or playing the melody, but I'm doing improvising while doing walking bass. Hardest thing I've ever had to work on.

Never thought I'd get this far, but I have come a long way with it now....about 3-4 months and it's just starting to come together though I still lose my way in places. But what a sound! Fills out the tune completely. And I can play arrangements now with variations on the bass that give me another instrument (the bass line).

Best of all, I feel more like I'm master of the keyboard. The whole thing is hard to explain, but it's given me so much more incentive to play.....a whole different way now....putting out a really big sound just using the piano.

BTW....as many of you are, I'm originally an accordionist too. That's why I spend so much time working on my left hand.

Mark