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Post by Wolfgang on Apr 28, 2020 20:49:59 GMT -5
I'm learning this song. Now, if only I can find a drummer, a guitarist, and a bassist.
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Post by Wolfgang on May 1, 2020 15:06:10 GMT -5
I'm learning about the different modes -- Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Mixolydian, Lydian, Aeolian, Locrian. I skipped this subject matter in the past because I thought, "Why is this important? They're all the same notes of the same base key, just starting and ending at a different note?" And I also wondered, "How is this going to help me in jazz improvisation?"
Well, now I'm back to figuring this out. I now have a much better understanding of this concept, especially how to incorporate this into improvisation. I'm not sure why I have a better understanding, probably because I have more time now and also developed a greater interest. I now have to incorporate the modes into my practice sessions.
Ionian - base major Lydian - #4 Mixolydian - b7 Dorian - b7, b3 Aeolian - b7, b3, b6 Phrygian - b7, b3, b6, b2 Locrian - b7, b3, b6, b2, b5
I'll do the following:
In the first round, start at a mode, e.g., Dorian, and find all the Dorians for all the 12 keys around the Circle of Fifths. Then, move on to the next mode, Lydian, and so on until I hit all the modes.
In the second round, start at a key, e.g., C, and find all the modes for that key. Then, move on to the next key, find all the modes, and so on around the Circle of Fifths for all the keys.
If I incorporate this routine into my practice every day, I should eventually have an intuitive understanding of all the modes in all keys and will, hopefully, be able to recall them on-the-fly without thinking.
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Post by volleyguy on May 1, 2020 18:13:09 GMT -5
The intro to this Joshua Redman song always reminds me of the Pink Panther theme song.
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Post by Wolfgang on May 2, 2020 22:52:16 GMT -5
I think I want to be a cocktail pianist. LOL! If only I could get a gig at a lounge, cruise ship, wedding party, or some other catered party event because I think I can really do this.
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Post by Wolfgang on May 6, 2020 15:32:06 GMT -5
I’ve been creating my own jazz tutorial book — not for sale, just for my own use as reference. It’s basically a collection of my notes from books, web pages, and YouTube videos that I’ve assembled together in a more organized way, along with pictures of chords and musical notes on the treble/bass staves. I just printed a bunch of keyboard and music staff templates that I found on the web and literally cut them out (with real scissors), glued them on the relevant pages of my book (with Elmer's Glue), and colored the relevant keys on the keyboard templates (with color markers) and notated (on the staves). Arts and crafts! Woo Hoo! For example, for block chords, I’ve compiled various block chord techniques by labeling them, e.g., Bill Evans, George Shearing, Kenny Baron, Wynton Kelly, Red Garland, and right below, glued the color-marked keyboard templates with the corresponding sample chords and progressions. It’s a work in progress as I continue my study. Maybe I should sell this. Keyboard template: Music staff template:
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Post by Wolfgang on May 9, 2020 14:09:15 GMT -5
I've set a 5-year goal: to get a gig as a cruise ship lounge piano player. I'll take requests. And tips. LOL!
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Post by Wolfgang on May 10, 2020 15:53:53 GMT -5
An exercise I incorporated into my practice is speeding through lots and lots of lead sheets so that I can practice my "instant" recall of chords, in various inversions and incarnations. Right now, it's not "instant," as I need time to construct them. But fortunately, it's getting faster and faster. However, my chords are getting increasingly complicated with various alterations (b9, #9, b13, b5, #11, etc.). Before, it would take forever for me to construct a chord. Now, it only takes me anywhere from 2-10 seconds. This is further complicated by my desire to have optimal voice leading.
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Post by Phaedrus on May 13, 2020 18:41:22 GMT -5
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Post by mikegarrison on May 13, 2020 20:29:35 GMT -5
I've set a 5-year goal: to get a gig as a cruise ship lounge piano player. I'll take requests. And tips. LOL! If John at the bar is a friend of yours, he might even give you your drinks for free.
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Post by Wolfgang on May 13, 2020 20:35:37 GMT -5
I've set a 5-year goal: to get a gig as a cruise ship lounge piano player. I'll take requests. And tips. LOL! If John at the bar is a friend of yours, he might even give you your drinks for free. He may be Billy Joel's friend.
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Post by mikegarrison on May 13, 2020 20:38:19 GMT -5
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/billy-joel-plays-piano-man-for-the-first-time-at-the-bar-he-based-the-song-onBILLY JOEL: Thank you, that’s called “Piano Man.” Now this next song— JOHN, AT THE BAR: Whoa, hold on a second. What the hell was that? BILLY JOEL: What do you mean? JOHN, AT THE BAR: Well, Bill, you’re a friend of mine so I don’t want to sound rude, but that sounded kind of familiar. Don’t you think? BILLY JOEL: I’m not sure what you’re getting at… PAUL, A REAL ESTATE NOVELIST: That’s about us! BILLY JOEL: What? No, no, not at all. PAUL, A REAL ESTATE NOVELIST: You say our names in it, Bill! WAITRESS: Consider yourself lucky, just “waitress” Billy? Really? We’ve worked here together for years. Do you really not know my name? BILLY JOEL: What? Of course I know your name…you. OLD MAN: Hold on, are you trying to say that I requested a song without giving you the name or melody? That I just expected you to guess, like a mind reader or something? That never happened, that’s slander! And who the hell calls it a tonic and gin? BILLY JOEL: Listen, it is very, very loosely based on my experience performing at various different piano bars. Don’t read too much into it. Anyway, this next one is called— PAUL, A REAL ESTATE NOVELIST: So you meet a lot of real estate novelists named Paul, do you? They’re just scattered up and down Long Island, are they? Unbelievable. BILLY JOEL: Aspects may be inspired by my time here, but that’s it. Very loosely inspired. DAVY, U.S. NAVY: “Probably will be for life”? What the hell is that supposed to mean? BILLY JOEL: Don’t take that personally Davy, I just had to make a rhyme; I swear I didn’t mean anything by it. PAUL, A REAL ESTATE NOVELIST: Oh you mean you needed something to rhyme with your jab about me not having a wife? DAVY, U.S. NAVY: You could’ve said “and has a really great life,” I feel like you were being needlessly harsh there. And did anybody else feel like the entire song was about how the only thing that makes our pathetic lives worth living is listening to him play the piano? BUSINESSMAN: My friends and I are here for a work function, we’re not here because we’re lonely, that’s really jumping to wild assumptions. BILLY JOEL: Listen, everybody, I’m sorry if I crossed any lines; it really wasn’t my intention to— DAVY, U.S. NAVY: When we asked you to sing us a song tonight, we were thinking more along the lines of “She’s Got a Way” or something. PAUL, A REAL ESTATE NOVELIST: I mean, you go on and on in the song about how you help us forget about our problems. What made you think we’d want to hear a song primarily about our problems? That’s just cruel. JOHN, AT THE BAR: Now everybody gets to hear about my dream of being a movie star, which I told you in confidence! And why’d you go blabbing about me getting you free drinks, the manager is gonna have my head. WAITRESS: My name is Pam, jackass! PAUL, A REAL ESTATE NOVELIST: Do we at least get some royalties out of this? I don’t remember signing away my life rights for your little song. What if I was going to use this as material for my novel? BILLY JOEL: It’s just one song guys, there’s a whole album full of others. It’s not like I’ll be playing it constantly. Nobody will even hear it, I’m sure of it. It probably won’t be that popular, so don’t worry about it. JOHN, AT THE BAR: Well, you may be right, Bill, and I may be crazy, but I think you better stay away for a little while, just so everybody can cool off a bit. BILLY JOEL: Where am I supposed to go? JOHN, AT THE BAR: I can get you a gig at this Italian Restaurant I know. My friends Brenda and Eddie told me about it.
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Post by Wolfgang on May 14, 2020 13:14:58 GMT -5
Now trying to learn this tune, using my own arrangement. It's officially titled "Manhattan" but it's also called "I'll Take Manhattan" by others. See also, the post below where Billy Joel takes a stab at it.
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Post by Wolfgang on May 14, 2020 13:18:19 GMT -5
Speaking of Billy Joel and the origins of "Piano Man," he gave a talk at Harvard in 1994. In it, he plays a passage from "Manhattan" (see above post). This may have been improvised. Don't know for sure. I wouldn't be surprised if it was improvised given his vast body of knowledge and good ear, plus he probably played it before while noodling around on the keyboard. I've keyed the video.
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Post by Wolfgang on May 16, 2020 21:32:21 GMT -5
So, I've been watching some jazz piano videos and trying to "sound" like certain pianists. Also, play their exact arrangement. It's impossible and frustrating and intimidating and discouraging. Then, I stepped back and told myself, these guys have been at it for 40+ years while I'm just a puppy, so just keep at it. You'll get there. My daily affirmation. (I'm actually not a Daily Affirmation type of guy.)
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Post by Phaedrus on May 17, 2020 10:10:51 GMT -5
Jean Luc Ponty's daughter.
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