August 3

2 comments

JUST THE WAY YOU ARE By Billy Joel

By Thomas Gunther

August 3, 2018

Jazz Piano, Pop Piano, Sheet Music

Piano Accompaniment Tutorial

Sorry, this post is currently under construction. Please check back again soon!

What you will learn as it relates to the song

  • How to accompany a singer or instrumentalist in pop-ballade style
  • How the chord progression works
  • A guide to how to create good sounding piano accompaniments in that style

About the song

The song Just The Way You Are is a famous pop ballad by Billy Joel. It features a beautiful chord progression that is worth analyzing. The colorful chords give the song an almost jazz like character.
The bottom line is that there is a lot we can learn from analyzing and learning this song.


  • Hallo Thomas

    Your cords to "Just the way your are" are stunning and the instructions as well. Would like a sheet with all the cords. Is it possible ? I could of course make screenprints when the screen changes, but it would be lovely to get them in one sheet.

    Anyway nice work and have a nice day over there.

    Would like to hear from you anyway.

    Grüsse von Kopenhagen

    • Hallo Carsten!
      Sorry for the delayed responds. Thank you so much for your kind words all the way from the beautiful city of Kopenhagen. Yes, I think this is a great suggestion. Give me a few days and I will make the pdf available to you under this post.I will email you when it’s there. Best wishes from Chicago!

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    Thomas Gunther

    About the author

    Thomas Gunther, also known as Thommy Günther in Germany, is a highly versatile jazz pianist, keyboardist, music producer, and educator with international recognition. He was born and raised in Germany, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Teaching and Performing Jazz and Popular Music from the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart.

    After relocating to Chicago, Thomas quickly became the principal pianist for the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, which is directed by the esteemed music arranger and composer William Russo. In this role, he had the opportunity to collaborate with renowned artists such as Randy Brecker, Body DiFranco, Archie Shepp, Jon Faddis, Cassandra Wilson, and Orbert Davis.

    Currently, Thomas is an integral part of the Chicago music scene, performing with various groups both as a sideman and as a leader. He heads the Thomas Gunther Trio Plus and has toured Germany with the Thomas Gunther’s Taste Of Chicago Band. In addition to his performance career, he has produced, arranged, and recorded a substantial body of work, serving both in leadership roles and as a collaborator.

    Thomas also provides music arranging and orchestration services for ensembles of all sizes, including contributions to the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic. As an educator, he shares his expertise as an Adjunct Professor at Columbia College Chicago. For more information about Thomas, visit https://www.ThomasGunther.com.

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