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Joined: Nov 2005
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By "first note"? is that the bass note of the left hand chord or the top note?... or are you referring to chords in the right hand?
Lee, I believe that's what Swingal is saying. Bass note of the left hand, because remember You're doing octave melody in the right most of the time. (Not to say you couldn't do it in the right also.)
There is a completely different "feel" between MAJOR and MINOR 7th. Or I could say there is a different feel between C note and B note in the key of C. People may call it a Major 7th in theory, you would call it "Airy." For goodness sakes, please don't drop down to Bb, then life would completely change as you know it, and maybe the KEY too!! ;-)
Just by droping that one note you're getting into another realm of music...But forget all that, from what I saw on that video of your playing, technically your pretty solid, and that's because YOU practice.
When Mike mentioned about your rhythm, that's another solid thing you've got going for you, (Most important in my book) and I don't know what rhythm problem Mike was referring too, but not any people obtain the internal synch clock (that's what I call it)like you have garnered, some call it a "click."
Here's why that "clock" is very important, when you missed or forgot those notes at the end of the Beatles song, NOBODY, but a truly trained intrenched musician would have known because your rhythm was so solid. And beside, we wouldn't even know it's MUSIC if ya don't miss a couple notes hear and there!
(Being a drummer, I notice these things.)
Congratulations...your practice has paid off!
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Howdy sirch thanks for the reply Just by droping that one note you're getting into another realm of music... great! that is exactly the realm of music I want to get into...if its something simple like that I'm on it...but, if I 've got to read music to get a handle on it? then (at the moment ) its a bridge too far! (maybe one day? maybe not?) With regard to rhythm I am still having problems...infact the last 3 recordings I've sent Mike have all been a bit pants! (because of my rhythm but, I'm workin on it...though, I have to admit he's getting a lot tougher with the recordings I send him, recently) I'm putting in the hours at the moment singing along with my playing trying to get the breathing spaces and the rhythm going at the same time...dunno why but, I'm finding it tough at the moment. I've always been a good dancer and had rhythm I just can't understand why I'm struggling so much (but, I will figure it out) Starting to wish I'd been a drummer first too , actually one of my members at the gym is in a church band and he reckons joining a band would help with my timing (I just don't fancy getting that one past Mrs Seaside...yikes!) all the best Lee
Twitter: @Seaside_Lee
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Bob are you doing both Piano Magic and Sudnow? Or are you combining them both? Your insights here will be very helpful for me. Thank you. Also- Seaside your recording is very nice. What did you use to do it?
Luis D. Paret K1LDP
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With regard to rhythm I am still having problems...infact the last 3 recordings I've sent Mike have all been a bit pants!
Well, I'm not sure of the British venacular "bit pants" but I can guess.
Don't worry about the rhythm it will come just keep doing what you're doing because it's working!
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Hi Luis, I've set Sudnow off to the side for the time being and I'm digging into PM. What I like about PM is that I'm learning what chords to put in a song, where to put them, and why they're there. So I'm truly playing by ear! Also, it's not limited to standards.
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Well, I'm not sure of the British venacular "bit pants" but I can guess. Oops! sorry sirch... "a bit pants" = "a little bit garbage/poor" did you guess right? Also- Seaside your recording is very nice. What did you use to do it? Hi paret, ... quite simply I recorded out of my casio PX100's headphone socket via an audio lead into a Sony RCDW3 home CD recorder. However, I played it on my Yamaha CLP170 (which is at home) and then took the floppy disc into work with me and played the midi back through the PX100 (sheesh does that make any sense?) Lee BTW I could have recorded straight out of the CLP170, but I have everything set up easier at work (the gym)
Twitter: @Seaside_Lee
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Some people are awfully good at playing by ear without even having to work at it, but for those who don't have the talent to do it really well right off the bat, I think there's hope. And although the time it takes to achieve success depends on the individual, I think playing by ear is an acquired skill achieved with practice. In my opinion, only three steps need to be followed in order to play music by ear: 1. Memorization 2. Recognition 3. Duplication If you can memorize the sounds of certain chords and notes, recongize them in song, and duplicate those chords and notes with the proper rhythm, you could play the song by ear, right? (It may be more complicated with advanced pieces of music, but for the more basic stuff, I think it works fine.) I can't read music. It may or may not work for you, but the three steps above work for me. There's a certain memory game you could buy and play that may help you develop this skill. It has several colored squares that light up. Each square makes a sound when it lights up. To play, you memorize the order (or sequence) the notes are played, then press the squares in the order it gives you. Try finding one and buy it. Play the game with your eyes closed. It's the same concept: You memorize the sounds of the notes, recognize the sound when it's played, and apply that knowlege when it's your turn to play back the notes. I think it's good practice since rhythm isn't required. Hope this helps!
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sirch59
Hi, sorry, I missed a reply to your question above about which hand I was referring to on the chord modulation. It was the right hand. I would not drop to a full tone just a semi-tone. Like E G B down to Eb G B.
I hardly ever know what sequence of notes I play. I have a list of tunes/songs jazz numbers and I always list the starting note which then dictates the key for the complete piece. Inless it requires a key change along the way but that's rare.
I do a lot of play alongs with recorded stuff and some jazz does require instant key changes this is quite difficult but not used much on the older trad jazz.
Ps. If you ever get to see a video of Erroll Garner you will see how he plays around with the audience with his impromtu intro then suddenly strikes up the well known piece and the audience love that. He was a wonderfully pleasant and cheerful little man and one of lifes real treasures.
The greatest natural talent in a pianist I ever have seen. Alan
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Erroll Garner is a captivating player -- no doubt. I have the BBC DVD and have been watching it since it got here 4 months ago!!
Haywood -------------
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Haywood, there is a book written about him called 'Erroll Garner The Most Happy Piano' by James M. Doran ISBN 0-8108-1745-4 Published 1985 It is based on his life right from the day he was born as a twin with Ernest,to the day he died.1977 of angina. There is a comprehensive Discography & Filmography and so on.
I'm very proud to have met him and seen 3 of his concerts all in England. 1960's He is a genius of jazz piano in my book and considering his total lack of theory or ability to read music this makes him a unique talent I think.
By the way I forgot to run the Video right through once as there are two sections and it's easy to think the first is the only one.
Just read your post which say's its a DVD, did you buy it in the U.S.? I wonder if its the same. Titled; 'Erroll Garner in Performance'
Happy Christmas
Alan
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Joined: May 2005
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To everyone who plays by ear. Do you sing when you play? I'm just curious. I have been trying to teach myself to sing the diatonic scale to help my ear training at home. I try to hear intervals as they would be sung in my head. If I sing a melody and then try to play it I seem to have better luck at finding the notes. I try to "hear" the notes in my head as they would be sung before I actually sing them. I feel a little silly about doing this (I'm not a singer by any stretch) but it seems to be helping. What do ya think?
~pianocliff
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Hi pianocliff Singing?...yes,yes and yes! I would concentrate more on singing and pecking melody lines than singing scales (if I were you ) 1. much more fun...to play stuff you like 2. The more you peck out the melodies the more (with time) your fingers will learn to speak the sounds you want to make. make sense? (I can't sing either) as long as you can hear the ups and downs in your voice thats all you need to be aware of. regards Lee
Twitter: @Seaside_Lee
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cool!...I worked out the melody to "silver bells" last night doing this...right now this is about the extent of my abilities but i'm getter better...
~pianocliff
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I agree, forget "ear training". How boring is that?! Play tunes! The more tunes you play, the better at playing tunes you'll get.
The melody will become easier and easier. The problem you'll run into with playing straight by ear will be figuring out what chords to play with the left hand to match the melody. This is where PianoMagic shines.
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Bob,
What kind of chords and voicings does PM offer? I think it's a good idea, but I can already figure out simple I-IV-V chords for melodies I play by ear. Does he talk about more than just your basic I-IV-V kind of songs?
~pianocliff
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Absolutely! If you already can identify I-IV-V, then you'll have a leg up on the rest of us noobs. Actually, as soon as you're outside of the songs were I is every other chord (like Silent Night for example), then you'll be in territory outside of I-IV-V.
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Hi pianocliff I agree with Bob...I'd just like to add that pianomagic isn't going to teach you loads of fancy chord progressions! Instead, it will help you to see why chords progress in the way they do and you'll be able to think songs through. You will learn how you can eventually use this new found ability (to think like music thinks) to create any type of popular music genre you desire to play...and importantly play it from your heart (which is a very addictive powerful thang! ) regards Lee
Twitter: @Seaside_Lee
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Hi... I've played by ear since I was a kid. Its always easier for me if I work with my eyes closed. Hearing the sound in my "inner ear" or humming are both ways to find it. Without that inner anchoring sound, there is nothing to guide you. I play both by notes and ear, but playing by ear was very helpful in me learning to compose. And in many ways its more fun! Each has their place. I definitely think its a learnable skill that will improve with practice. Good for you for trying to play by ear. Some musicians never risk it. Its like only driving your car to work and never going to the beach if you must always play with music!.
The truest insights into a person's character are two things: 1. How he treats people who cannot help him. 2. How he treats those who cannot fight back.
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Hi hanna Its always easier for me if I work with my eyes closed. I've tried playing with my eyes closed but, Ive never thought of doing it when I'm working melodies out! If that's worked for you since a child?...then I'm definitely gonna try it out with the stuff I can't work out. That sounds like a good tip to me, I like it. thanks Lee
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Playing with the eyes closed is certainly good for the sound appreciation factor. But when I'm playing new stuff I look at the keys to decide which to play to give the sound I want. I thought that is why we play by ear using the sounds facing us on the keys and playing the correct chords and single notes as required. The keyboard is sitting there to be mastered. Practice will prove that to you. Memory playing is different.
A blind pianist is usually taught by a special teacher for them. That is also a different perspective. But the blindness, as I understand it, is capable of concentrating the senses on the music. Watch George Shearing if possible.
Alan
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
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Piano
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