Okay, I've mustered up enough courage to post a contribution. Most of you are much better than I.

I've only been playing for four months (that's 16 lessons), so I'm afraid this is about the best it's going to get for the moment -- so please, no throwing tomatoes, okay? However, if you must, please be so kind as to at least toss them gently.

This is a stripped down version of Tchaikowsky's "Waltz of the Flowers," from the Nutcracker Suite, with about 80 percent of the notes missing. I'm not exactly sure if this is Christmas music, but they always perform the Nutcracker around this time of year, so I guess this qualifies.

Hope you enjoy my first recording. Will be interesting for me to return to this thread a year from now to see how much I've progressed.

Enjoy and happy holidays to everyone.
http://www.mediafire.com/?0mzk9tz121w

(2 megabyte download, < 1 minute download on broadband)

Akira,

How enthusiastic I am for your playing accomplishments in 16 lessons! I'm thrilled listening to the piece, a very steady dancing waltz bass, a singing melody, nuances effectively played, a nice sounding piano. Waltz of the Flowers never sounded better to my ears, because it's your waltz and very nicely done.

Yes!

Grin

Betty

Akira, wow, for 16 lessons, you are playing really well! Very steady, very clean - a great debut! Look forward to more of your playing next year - remember the recital in Feb

Mike, that was freakin' hilarious.

Akira, of course that is Christmas music! Very nicely played. You are on your way to a lifetime of enjoyment and beauty. Great job!

Yesterday I played White Christmas for my teacher but she didn't like it, well she said: "It's nice but..."

She gave me advices and new chords to add. Tonight I did another recording. So here's the old version and the new version. Hope you like it.

White Christmas version 1

The new version is still shaky and I missed a few beat.

White Christmas version 2

Serge

Only four months that REALLY good.

Serge

Not only am I terribly tardy in commenting on all the pieces, I've been having a devil of a time getting a clean recording of my piece. As Christmas is rapidly approaching, I guess I'll abandon my goal of a clean take and settle for a take with one huge clunker in the middle [edit: I made a better recording and have swapped it out. Now there's one wrong note but not hideously obvious]:

"God rest ye merry gentlemen" arr. by David Nevue

Mike the video was great...loved the snowflake LOL

Akira: Wow for 16 lessons! ...actually...never mind "for 16 lessons" its great even for many more than 16!!!

Van: a little busy for me but the melody was kept nicely on top

Funky Fred: beautiful playing sir, Pretty Paper is a new one to me and it sounded lovely thank you for posting them both


more when I get more time...sheesh I'm busy at the mo'...

Hi everyone - I've just joined the party and thought I'd call in and say 'Happy Christmas'. Lovely music from you all, and all so varied. Akira especially - you are amazing - did you know anything about music at all before the 16 lessons? I started teaching myself 14 months ago and have been quite pleased with my progress, but I started from nowhere - didn't know a thing about music except how to listen and enjoy. However I guess I may be one of the eldest beginners, Just turned 69 last week - so maybe that means slow progress? I'm enjoying every minute of it although I haven't played today because I've been reading all the threads on here! happy holiday everyone!

Version 2 is sweet, my friend. I enjoyed listening to that.

Monica, I like that version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Your recording is certainly not butchered. I missed the huge clunker, although perhaps you overused the sustain pedal in places. I often have difficulty with that, too. Odd, I suppose, considering that my old college piano instructor told me I had the best pedalling technique she had heard from any of her students. The key word, I guess, being "had." Of course, that was many years ago.

Welcome to the forum, caroloz!

Monica, that was beautiful! There was a clunker? I did not notice it.

Yeah, there was, Kawaigirl, but I finally got a cleaner take so I swapped out the recordings. The one that's up there now is better.

TX-Dennis, if overpedaling was a crime, I'd be a lifer. In this particular piece, you're supposed to hold the pedal down for the entire early part where you're playing just the right hand. So I will plead Not Guilty on that section in exchange for a reduced sentence on the rest of the piece.

MK...nice job...wouldn't have expected anything less...

Hope everyone is on track for Christmas morning...gifts bought, decorations up...etc.
I know MSH got his gift...his M&H Bigboy is HOME for the holidays.

Monica .... that was fantastic.

TX-Dennis ... very nice.

My ear prefers ver 2.

TX-Dennis, yes the version 2 is better, thanks to my teacher.

Monica, your recording is excellent.

Serge

Serge: version 2 is gorgeous

Ooh Monica thats fantastic!


Lee

Serge...I agree, I really like the second version...I like the OLD sound at Christmas time...

I know I'm missing a bunch but it's been hard to get on and listen with all the holiday stuff going on.

Monica...That was awesome! And talk about your dramatic ending...It almost begs for an encore.


serge- Version two! Excellent!

Mike...Was that MUSTARD? That poor horse.

Where Are You Christmas... a few impromptu first take, again on that little Olympus DS30 digital recorder... Where Are You Christmas
btw...how do you post your songs so it doesn't have to be downloaded?? am I missing something?

It has to do with how the MP3 is encoded. What definitely works is 128 kbs or 192 kbs with constant bitrate (CBR) at 44100 Hz. (Yours is encoded at 48 kHz.)

OK...I'll have to pay closer attention on the next one...thanks mahlzeit...


You da man....thanks

Nice job, monster. I always enjoy your pieces.

Just a quickie:
http://www.box.net/shared/qixawsaw4w

Merry Christmas, everyone!

My first musical post on the ABF.

This is by ear.

I've been with Piano Magic for 11 months.


http://www.box.net/shared/84qewe1wkk


Have a Merry Christmas everyone.

Text

Thanks Tx-Dennis

Nice job mahlzeit...I liked it alot

Very nice Text...kinda dreamy effect...

Wow, Text! That was extremely impressive. You've set a high bar for all your subsequent ABF recordings. I really liked the intro part, too. Did you play piano before starting Piano Magic?


Mahlzeit, what a beautiful jazzy "O tannenbaum", and I'm assuming that was your improv in the middle? Very Guaraldi-ish.

Monster, you have given us so many nice pieces for this Christmas recital. It's hard for me to pick a favorite. "Where are you Christmas?" just might be it, though, because it's one I wasn't familiar with to begin with and I really like the melody.

Serge, I'm with the others: version 2 is wonderful. It didn't sound shaky at all to me. It made me want to sit in front of a fire with some hot chocolate.