Let's Get It On: E-Z Play Today

This E-Z Play arrangement captures one of soul music's defining grooves in a form that remains authentic while staying accessible. Students encounter genuine soul voicings and rhythmic feels rather than simplified chord charts, which means they're learning the actual language of the style rather than a watered-down approximation.

Warm, deliberate, and swaying. The groove invites you to settle into a comfortable pocket while the harmonies suggest intimacy and ease. This is music designed to make the listener feel noticed and valued, and that generosity comes through in every phrase.

Piano students ready to move beyond classical and jazz standards into soul and R&B repertoire, and teachers building units around popular music history and style. This works equally well for students working on contemporary covers or those discovering how studio arrangement principles actually function in real music.

• Let the groove settle into your hands before worrying about tempo. The pocket matters more than speed here, and rushing undermines the sensuality of the piece.
• Pay attention to dynamics within repeated figures. Soul piano doesn't stay at one volume level; subtle pushes and pulls on individual phrases keep the accompaniment alive.
• Listen to Gaye's original and notice how the keyboard sits in the mix relative to other instruments. Your arrangement will benefit from that same restraint rather than filling every gap.

Pair this with other soul standards to create a focused unit on style and rhythm section playing. It also serves as a natural bridge for students transitioning from classical to contemporary music, offering them immediate success with material they actually care about hearing.

• Reading and performing swing eighths in a soul/R&B context
• Interpreting chord symbols with appropriate voicings for the style
• Managing left-hand rhythmic independence while supporting the groove
• Listening for and recreating the relationship between melody and accompaniment in recorded music