Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner - Non Classical Making a piano arrangement from a Fake Book Lead Sheet

Surprisingly I agree almost completely with Gyro. That's essentially what I did to learn to improvise and to play from Fake Books. I have done it so long now that it's 2nd nature to just let my mind control my fingers depending on my mood. It's almost like being on auto pilot and I will often sit down with a lead sheet and wonder how I am going to play it and then just wade in.

I love playing classical music but it is a whole different mentality and set of skills. The goal there seems to be to try to play it like someone else and exactly the same every time. Improvising is just about as opposite of that as you can get. Fun and satisfying!

I have tried to study jazz theory a few times because - well - I thought I should, but I too found it horribly boring and dry. I will never be a renowned jazz musician and don't care. I hear jazz musicians say that jazz means freedom of expression but then they start discussing all these rigid rules and theory that sort of negates the 'freedom of expression' thing. It's sort of like a saying I used to hear in a large company I worked for once. They claimed to like 'wild ducks' but they really meant they liked 'wild ducks' as long as they flew in formation.

Just learn the basic rules to form chords and have at it. It gets better and more fun with time. I love it!

Just my thoughts and it works for me.

All of you have some great ideas. I have tried many approaches. I think you have to build your basic harmonic vocab.Keep studying, listening( to recordings and live musicians).Get together with other musicians. Play ,talk about ideas. Experiment. Above all, have fun.

I think making up your own song arrangements from a fake book and being creative is the most fun thing to do! I never play from a sheet music arrangement anymore, now that I've learned the techniques for making my own interesting arrangements. As mentioned here, a good start is to note the general chord progression/structure of a song. For example, in "Stranger in Paradise", you can see right away the main theme is the very common "ii-V-I" chord progression. You can then take it from there and create a full and beautiful arrangement from that starting point using a variety of techniques and ideas. (BTW, I teach these types of arranging techniques in my new instructional video, which in addition to runs and fills explains left-hand accompaniment techniques, chord progressions and chord voicings, etc., in detail, and includes the demonstrated song's lead sheet).

Here is an example of a song arrangement I put together from a fake book lead sheet:

Stranger in Paradise

When you pick a tune from a fake book you approach it differently as for what type of tune it is. You would not approach "Take the A train " like you would "Over the Rainbow"

Keep it simple: If it is a ballad lets say with some melodic movement. You play the melody note on top with the right hand and you play the tonic/bass note in the left hand. You fill in the remaining chord tones(stock chords) and you play the linear passing notes of the melody between the chord changes. That is the basic formula of creating a solo ballad arrangement.You have to learn to walk before you run via chordal substitutions,extensions.b5 etc. as for your traditional jazz harmony.

Free form improvisation is all well and good with no limitations,no rules,no structure as long as you are playing solo.
Try playing that approach on a gig with pro players whom before that night you've never even met. Nobody will ever hire you.

I know extrodinary players that do substitutions on substitutions which is hip, but try getting a call back. The goal is to learn both to read and improvise by ear.You got unlimited sources at your fingertips.

I agree.. You first need to determine if the song's more of a ballad or swing/stride type of tune. I teach a specific Ballad Style left-hand pattern in my video, as well (Technique #2 of www.learnpianowithelssa.com).

You can always do an arrangement in this style:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3OOwglVldI

I heard some sour notes and rhythmic mistakes in bars 24-26.
Alot of freedom in this arrangement.

My assessment has always been if you can't discern if something sounds good or bad ,it's bad.
Sounds OK to me. Some would consider it shredding.

Some songs can go either way or be a mix of left-hand styles. With "Misty" here, I'm using mostly a slow swing/stride left-hand pattern, but am also throwing in a little of my ballad style technique for variety. Both styles can give good movement/flow to a song.

MISTY

Elssa, what a nice rendition of 'Misty'. I see a fee different influences and styles here - Suds/PianoMagic and of course your own arrangement.

Is this played by ear or do you have a printed arrangement of this?

Thanks, Ragtime. So glad you enjoyed it. This is all my own arrangement (The tremolos were inspired by Errol Garner, though, of course). I studied with an awesome jazz pianist many years ago, who was my biggest influence, but the runs and fills here, etc. are my own (and I teach them along with a variety of other arrangement techniques in my instructional video, available here: www.learnpianowithelssa.com). My course provides a lead sheet along with the video.

I have a lot of classical training and am an advanced sight reader but play mostly by ear and lead sheet now as a general guide, using modern chord substitutions and my runs and fills, which are based on these chords/theory, etc. I enjoy the creative aspect of playing more than anything now.

What have you been up to lately with your playing?

You probably notice that if you choose to incorporate a stride based left hand accompaniment your tempo variable (speeding up slowing down) is limited as for your SOLO piano arrangement of that BALLAD in that stride is a very regimented stylistically. Playing with a rhythm section ,no problem!

Elssa, very nice arrangement! I enjoyed listening to that. You play very well.

I recorded an arrangement of Misty but I don't use fake books, I did all by ear.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7324709

I also recorded a version of Misty which is on youtube from Tim Richards' book Exploring Jazz Piano Vol 2. It's been able to take them kind of arrangements and applying them to other standards which I find proper hard.

Please post the link. I would love to hear it. I have Richards Volume 1 book.

Thanks,

Barb

Thanks, Joe! I had a lot of fun with it. (BTW, my instructional video teaches all of these same unique runs and fills, stylings, etc. that I used in "Misty" here: www.learnpianowithelssa.com . The techniques are very versatile and can be applied to any style of song).


Great arrangement! That's impressive that you played that all by ear, too - not exactly an easy song for doing that. I really enjoy the slow stride style with "Misty" as well, though sometimes just use arpeggiated left-hand chords for variation.

I'd like to hear your "Misty", too, Flat13#11

Elssa, I have just bookmarked your site. I will visit it later this evening and hope to purchase your video!

Great Video demo.

http://www.youtube.com/user/jazz2511
This guy got alot of great arrs on youtube to borrow from.

Just checked out your links, Elssa. LOVELY! And you have such beautiful hands. They match the music. Brava.

This is all very true. Words of wisdom. As was said in the movie "Wolverine", "we're going to create you, but to do so, first we'll have to destroy you".
Many students initially come to me with a solid library of set patterns, licks, voicings, etc., that predetermine 99% of their improvisations. Which are not improvisations by any means, but practiced, muscular motions, and are not at all in touch with their own musical flow, which has never been developed.
If the music only happens when the fingers touch the keys, there will never be an internal flow to simply join when the keys enter the fray.
To develop this internal stream of music, which will lead to spontaneous, instant composition (true improvisation), one must UNLEARN manual improvisation, and learn to do it from the mind and ear.

Just wondering, what do you do to get your students in touch with their "musical flow?"