April 21, 2010

Working hard on "The Way You Look Tonight." Getting "in the zone" while playing...
Fm7 = new closed voicing using a bit in the song.

April 19, 2010

Started working on "The Way You Look Tonight," and ordered some sheet-music. Its really quite interesting about how quickly voicing has become, and how the clusters Suds talks about are getting in my hands. At one point Suds says that the problem won't be finding enough time to practice, but the problem will be finding time to do anything else. He's right. Having a good time.

April 18, 2010

I don't think I can do the memorizing stuff! But an interesting thing happened yesterday....After playing "All the Things You Are" about 7000 times, its kind of memorized alreday (tried to memorize it, too, but was frustrating). I think I'll just forget the memorizing stuff, and just work to get songs smooth. The memorizing (or close to it) might occur without even trying too much. On to the next song.....I wonder what it'll be...

April 17, 2010

Here is how "All the Things You Are" sounds at this point (copy and paste):
http://www.box.net/shared/6kbvuk1ui5

It sure ain't perfect, so I'd like to work it up so that it has less pauses and perhaps less of a rolling notes sound...

Working on memorizing it....I think I have voiced a bunch of songs in the past that have evaporated from my fingers, and I'm going to try to memorize to minimize the probability of that happening...its a pain, but, well, I think the benefits are worth it.

April 16, 2010

Working hard on "All the Things You Are." Using a little C closed voicing and C7 closed voicing. I'm drained! Sent away for a book on piano runs, a CD of Andre Previn playing piano, and Dr. Faustus (by Thomes Mann). I believe that the Mann book was a favorite of Sudnow's. Recently listened to Suds talking about using the tritone substitution. Interesting stuff.

April 15, 2010

A sneak preview. Copy and paste:
http://www.box.net/shared/cxdxbljq67

April 14, 2010

Just some musings....

...I've read some great stuff recently regarding the jumping from one piano method to another, the tension between wanting to play and wanting to play quickly, how its interesting how we sometimes practice as if we are waiting to be done the learning, and then beginning playing, and perhaps that is a shame....

I'm at a different place with the Sudnow Method than I've ever been, and that's a great thing..... What I mean is that although I've said it before, I think its sunk in that there's no magic bullet method. Its a matter of getting to the piano and utilizing some focused practice. And having fun along the way. Enjoying the practice. And the Sudnow Method helps me to do just that. Suds' Student Club and Members Club is just awesome.

Thanks, Suds.

Piano Buddy, thanks to you too. I couldn't have come this far without you believing in me.

April 11, 2010

Working on "All the Things You Are."
Using that "C" Closed Voicing a little with it. Finding the color tones seems to be getting easier, as is writing fractions. My speed/smoothness leaves a lot of room for improvement.

April 10, 2010

Just having a great time with the Sudnow Method, working on "All the Things You Are." I'm going to try to have two or three songs in rotation at al times. Sounds nice. I think I have voicing down pat. Want to work more on actual P L A Y I N G of the songs.

April 7, 2010

Working on "All the Things You Are." Just taking my time....enjoying the sounds.....taking it slow, exploring the different sounds available.

April 7, 2010

Yet a new direction. I'm going to just use this blog to talk about and document my piano progress with the Sudnow Method.

April 3, 2010

Using the Sudnow Method to work on "All the Things You Are" on piano. The Sudnow method really helps to give those sophisticated sounds on the piano.