Hi, I want to learn to improvise on the piano. I have about 10 years of piano lessons behind me, but I still can't seem to "just make stuff up" I don't understand how some people can just listen to a tune and improvise something that sounds incredible off of it. I know some music theory so I can do very simple harmony beneath a melody that I've heard, but I don't know how to make it sound good or jazzy. When I try to mess around on the piano I always revert back to trying to follow the rules I've been taught but failing to turn it into an effective song. Do you have any ideas or tips for how I might be able to improvise more effectively and learn how to harmonize in ways that sound good and rich to me and others?
sounds like you are going to want to develop a more intimate relationship with the piano, on a more personable level