January 17, 2010

Trying to work something into this stuff that would help with the frustration of memorization, I put Rainbow and Crush on one sheet of paper each, with the lyrics, chords, and some hints with regards to some melody notes. For me, the memorization can suck fun out at times! The jury is still out with reagrds to how helpful this new process of mine might be. It will still take memorization of clusters and melody notes, but that seems reasonable. Perhaps memorizing a dozen or so tunes would be most desirable, but with the little time I get at the piano, this new process might be helpful. As of this writing, i tried it with Crush, and a
although it takes a little getting used to, it seems OK. Its helpful to have the sheet as an aid, though its highlighting my difficulty with some melody notes (that I just wrote in).

January 15, 2010

In a piano rut. But that's Ok. Worked on Crush today, and its frustrating and a pain to relearn parts that were forgotten due to lack of play. Played a grand piano today as well as some other pianos in a store, and wasn't really impressed with them. To buy a new guitar next weekend. Still looking at another piano learning method. The memorizing is such a pain... Interesting yesterday how I was actually able to "fake" part of a song kind of on the fly yesterday from a fakebook in the key of Eb of course, since it serms to be the most familiar key to me. Just a frustrating time.
Addendum: Had a break for awhile and went back to it....went better...more relaxed.

January 11, 2011

Interesting. A little bit of a lot, today. Played the new tune, played Rainbow, worked on a jazzy arrangement of "Michelle" from a jazz Beatles book, and worked on perfecting "Crush on You."Cool. The jazzy "Michelle" is an interesting arrangement with a dissonant jazzy feel, and enough chord changes to make it challenging. I know, I know, yet another Beatles song.... But this is music that I'm drawn to, and guess what? Even more Beatles to be added later!

Feels good to slow down by working on the repertoire. Interesting how by going through the repertoire and the lead sheet I can work on struggled parts, figure out a better voicing, and become aware that I even forgot a couple of measures. Interesting how I'm not reacting with frustration but with a sense of feeling good about working on it. In the groove! Feeling the pull to do the Blues book, but what I'm doing now is more fun.

January 10. 2011

Here's how "Can't Help Falling in Love" sounded today...
Copy and paste:

http://www.box.net/shared/ci4hcu43lj

January 9, 2011

A good, slow but sure piano day. Worked on new song and on perfecting Rainbow with writing down the tricky parts.

January 8, 2011

Most piano time today was spent on the new tune. To make repertoire more acceptable sounding, will go through each song again s l o w l y, and make written notes on problematic areas.

January 7, 2011

Tried to play repertoire....needs work!
Worked on new tune.

January 6, 2010

Looking around the Internet has yielded some interesting piano learning stuff out there. But I'm not sure yet what, of anything new I might get. I always seem to come back to the Sudnow stuff.

Worked on repertoire today, got my new Frank Mantooth fakebook recently, and started work yesterday on my new tune, "Can't Help Falling in Love."

The Blues book is still there, but little time for it.

When it comes to listening as well as playing piano music, I'm just hopelessly drawn to the ballad style, with those dissonant and beautiful Bill Evans/Sudnow voicings.

January 3, 2010

Worked on repertoire, a little Lady Madonna, and p.12 of the Blues book. My youngest daughter is auditioning tomorrow for roles in The Sound of Music and The Wizard of Oz, and today we practiced her singing "Edelweiss" with me on piano! Tempted with yet another method...big surprise there. Waiting to get a couple of new books in the mail (one a Mantooth fakebook, and one a book of jazz versions of Beatles songs) to do a new voicing.

January 2, 2011

Played repertoire, worked on Lady Madonna, and on Page 12 of the Blues book. Tentative decision is to continue to do Sudnow Method as well as the Tim Richards "Improvising Blues Piano" book. Will have to get the stride piano book for fun. Working on playing some stuff with bass player.

New Year's Day, 2011

Looking around at other learning materials, and researching them... Stride looks interesting to pursue, as does a blues piano book, and an Internet course...

At the piano, worked on "Lady Madonna" (!), a different style for me! Picked it up from YouTube.