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Wow Nina! Thank you so much for taking the time to play and record that! I think I finally get what you're talking about. In this case, a "Recording" tells a thousand words. I've been trying to nail down every single note with a countable beat, but that seems to be a big mistake!

This is probably going to take me a little while to get the hang of, but I think I understand now. Thanks again!

I thought you didn't have an ear? :p

Yeah, I see the irony! BUT IN MY DEFENSE...

There is big difference between transcribing music from a recording, and figuring out how to interpret something you can see in front of you from a recording.

I would add, as Nina pointed out, this doesn't sound anything like the original! I was looking at the music while listening to the orignal, and I kinda thought it sounda similar. Now I know I was wrong.

I'm thinking of buying a ear training program. Maybe I can force myself to learn and at least hear intervals if not recognize actual notes here and there.

Save the money, and buy (or download) sheet music for piano CDs you like to listen to.

Follow along (or try to) when you listen to the CD.

You may discover you have a better ear than you thought!

Well, my order has been confirmed from sheetmusicplus so now I just have to wait for the postman--the s&h cost more than the music. What a rip. I'll have to listen to Nina's recording tonight. So I guess I've been playing swing all my life as I can't count. GRIN

Actually, I can count fine when playing the piano, but when I was playing bassoon many many moons ago, I was so in the habit of counting vocally that I was totally frustrated by the reed occupying my mouth. I could not keep time with my foot, so I'd wing it.

My copy arrived today, hurray! [wonders whether she can possibly justify taking the rest of the day off to go start playing it.]

Nina, that was sounding cool... I hope that means your pinky is feeling better.

I have to admit I have been focused on a different piece and haven't worked very hard on Linus and Lucy yet. Sounds like I have some catching up to do.

Monica...I give you permission to leave for the rest of the day...take an attitude adjustment day.

Nina...nice job. Does anyone have a full mp3 of Linus and Lucy to listen to?

If there's a free digital download of the version you guys are using, I can try to record it.

Disclaimer: I played a version of L & L a few years ago--no way am I picking it up and sightreading it as a complete newbie. Don't panic!

It's quite possible that you don't have the full music score. For example, I have the Warner Bros "A Charlie Brown Christmas" published in 1991 that has Linus and Lucy without the first verse. It only has the "swing" verse.

Now, I also have the sheet music published by Hal Leonard (HL00352295). This version has the first verse and also the "swing" verse.

Hi all, and thanks to Nina for the great demonstration.

I just thought I'd mention that the original Linus and Lucy was for a jazz trio (piano, bass, and drums.) The drums and bass are very understated, so a lot of people tend to think the whole tune is piano solo. I'd suggest listening to the original trio version - the swing section makes a lot more sense with a drummer!

That's interesting, Kreisler; you're right--I had always thought it was a piano solo. I'm going to have to get out my Charlie Brown videotapes and listen for those drums and bass.

Okay, guys, now that my sheet music is here, I'm ready to start. I spent about 20 minutes so far this evening working on the first two pages, and I have a question. What fingering do you use for 2nd page (labeled "3" on the sheetmusic score), line 2, 2nd measure, where you've got those E-natural grace notes right after playing the E-flat? I'm doing something weird where I play the first E-flat and A-flat with my 2nd and 5th fingers, and then squeezing my thumb in to do the E-natural grace note, but it seems weird so I think it may not be the best fingering. But if I try playing the E-flat with my thumb and the grace note with my 2nd finger, it doesn't seem to fit easily.

In the "A Charlie Brown Christmas" version, the grace notes are not transcribed in. The sheet music you have is written differently, and IMHO, is a bit trickier.

Solution: Eliminate the grace notes.

For a better explanation, have a look at the "A Charlie Brown Christmas" version. That's how I play that section. I use 1-5 for the E-flat/A-flat, and slurring into 3 for the F.

Maybe a little easier: In that section only, whenever there is F/A-flat, eliminate (or subltely play) the A-flat.

I've been playing with E-flat/A-flat 2-4, F/A-flat 3-4 using 1 for the slur note(E). I also have been only slurring the first note of each group...example 2/4, 1/3/4, 3/4 | 2/4, 1/3/4, 3/4, 2/4, 1/3/4, 3/4, 2| (|marks the measure) Until I can get my fingers to work faster...I like the way that feels. Does that help??

Had a lesson last night and just started playing a little of the intro...teaches eyes got wide..."working on something??". He mentioned he has a few different FLAVORS he likes to add to that tune, so I'll try to pass along when they develop.

I'm a little bummed. I had that whole beginning section down, and I just realized yesterday, I wasn't playing this one beat correctly. Now I have to unlearn that mistake, which is hard to do!

Very much so! Right now I'm playing it without the grace notes (thanks, VibeRaider!) just to get the timing down, but I'm not ready to give up on them completely so I will try adding them back in.

shortcircuit, I've done that "oops--I just discovered I was playing it wrong all along" thing before. The good news is that you discovered it now, when it will be easier to unlearn, rather than 6 months from now, when you might as well throw the towel in.

I think I know what section your referring too

Probably,

I'm talking about one of the main sections that everyone recognizes. I don't have the music infront of me, so I can't cite the measure, but it's the part where the left hand and right hand are out of sync for two beats. There is a 1/4 note in the left hand followed by Eb (I thinK) chord? I was playing them at the same time, so that's very ackward now to play them offset by an 8th.

YUP...thats the one, me too

Good to know, I'm not alone