Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum One Month to the Eagerly Awaited Quarterly Recital Thread

I have to start thinking about what I'll play for you guys... I still haven't decided.

I have a date to the party! After much coaxing today, she finally said yes.

Curiouser and curiouser....

YOU'RE KILLING US!

You're just too creative for your own good - some problem to have But you're in good company - Schubert had the same problem once or twice.

JF

I want to be in the recital, looks like too much fun; but, I haven't completed any pieces. Guess I'll post what I have in the piano bar in May. Next recital (August, right?) I will have a complete piece to share, hopefully. And by then I can perform it on an actual piano, moving back to Texas in 2 weeks.

You're a player S&W, I knew it you macho man.

I found a nice little one-page piece by Darius Milhaud. I looked on the excellent new ABF recital index, and saw that Milhaud has yet to feature - I was aiming to find a new (and not too obscure) composer for the list. I wonder how many others will do the same ? I found the piece the weekend before last and recorded it last night so I am keeping it simple this time. It's short and sweet, but I think it's a nice piece and one that not many people will have come across.

You have piqued my curiosity! I look forward to hearing this. My piece is by a fairly well known composer, but I'm still keeping mum til it is uploaded!

Well now I feel better...

I remember reading that about Schubert. That must have been frustrating for him. Then again, his definition of "can't play" and mine might be a little different.....

I guess this is quite common for classical composers - especially as new music these days tends to be on the virtuosic end of the spectrum. Also, a lot of composers write a lot of their music for instruments they can't even play !

It's an interesting situation though. Maybe you should write yourself an 'ossia' for the tricky bit !

My piece has also never appeared in an ABF recital. It's a premier! It's also in Eb minor. Add up the flats in that key signature - 6. Maybe that's why it has never appeared in an ABF recital.

Sam

Perhaps you should count the white keys instead

Interesting thread...

It's easier to count the black keys - there are fewer of them. And they are easier to play on, since they are sticking up with space in between. Surely that's why composers write in such odd keys.

Sam

Well I finally got a fairly decent recording of my piece yesterday and let me tell you that when it comes to recording, digitals have an EXTREME advantage. No mic placement or acoustics to deal with.

Is that really such a big deal?.....YES!

As I've said in an earlier post, I can perform my piece pretty good. That's not the problem.

The challenge is how incredibly different just subtle mic placement changes make as well as room acoustics.

Just having the lid partly open, halfway open and fully open make a huge difference in sound. Then there is the mic placement. On the music shelf, on a chair 3 feet away, 5 feet away, 10 feet away, left side, right side. It all makes a BIG difference.

Then there is the compatibility of the instrument and the room it is in. Big piano in a small room just doesn't work out. Small piano in a big room is better.

I've taken many-O-jabs at digitals over the years but I must say when it comes to recording ease they just can't be beat.

I love my mighty Mason acoustic but getting the recording acoustics/mic placement worked out seems to be a never ending challenge. Oh, here's another thing. Once you think you finally have everything worked out and have everything positioned and placed right.......it will change when you play a different type of tune and then you can start all over again!!

It may be easier to just pull your hair out from the start whilst sounding off every possible swear word you can think of just to get it over with. I'm just sayin'.

I am happy to report that I finally have a good recording with NO CLIPPING (for once) and it only took me 6 hours to come up with it.

[p.s, my hair should grow back as I didn't rip the roots out!]

roflmao mr s-h... omg I know where you've been and I just gave up in my small room. But now that I'm working part time at a Piano store and have access to all the digitals... I just might have to jump back in.

now you know the advantage of really short hair.


btw,
mr s-h, I think I have a lead on your New Boat

Haha. Been there and done that Les. I used to own a Warlock catamaran boat in the 90's. It burned nearly 40 galls of fuel per hour x full day of boating = going broke!

Spending stupid money on gas was just a total waste from many different angles and I was happy to sell it.

Now of course I ride a motorized surfboard (Craigcat) which only burns one gallon of fuel per hour at full throttle and the *pucker factor* can't be beat. I even tow it with a little VW Jetta since the boat only weighs around 300 lbs.

Here is a pic taken last year on the nearby colorado river (Topock gorge) between Laughlin NV and Lake Havasu AZ.

ahhhh it's already that time. I thought it's in May. Well, it's almost in May, geesh.. I haven't memorized my piece yet and you folks had to put up with my harsh page turning sound in addition to full of mistakes sprinkled throughout the piece. well, may be it's still premature to play.. hope those ice cream trucks won't come when i'm recording.. don't you think something always happens when you thought you have made a decent recording?

Until last night, I didn't think I would be able to play my piece. Now I have hope--I might be able to play it at 106 without catastrophe (120 is the goal). I don't think I'll have time to bring the interlude up to speed, but at least I should have the rowdy, punk-rock part (as much as the 1840's can be punk rock--maybe a romantic version of Bad Brains meets Bad Religion?). This piece has been WAY, WAY harder than I expected. (he thinks to himself, 'maybe those difficulty ratings mean something after all')

After this, I am definitely going to pick on pieces that are my own size!