Hi there, I bought some oldies to play with. However, the score is too simple and this makes the music "flat". Any suggestions on how to make the music richer so that it would sound grand and makes me gratified in playing it? I would like to play like a professional

Thanks

Hi LSW

How long have you been playing?...how often do you practise? what sort of things do you practise when you practise...do you have a teacher? are you teaching yourself? What is the piece you are working on? if you tell us a little bit more about yourself then maybe members here will be able to point you in the right direction .

If your music sounds flat then you may have to work on your expression i.e.

playing light to heavy
single note melody
playing melody notes as octaves
using the sustain pedal
not using the sustain pedal

etc.


regards


Lee

Hi Lee,
Thanks for the prompt reply. I took my Grade 6 ABRSM 5 years ago (I started piano lessons with a teacher since I was 6 years old). After that, I seldom practice. Nowadays I started playing piano again by myself, and I prefer to play songs of the 60's but the sheet music is usually simple, too simple for a Grade 6 student, I could not find a "harder" one which has more notes and hence could produce a richer melody when played. I think I am more concern with how to "add" my own notes to the existing sheet music so that the songs will sound "richer". I tried pedalling but the music still sound very flat and simple.

Thank you

Hi LSW

here are some ideas to make your music sound richer.

First try and figure out the single note melody of the song you are trying to play...you should be able to figure it out from playing around with the sheet music or get a fake book...

then...

play the melody as single note ...play it as an octave...or add other tones of the scale (leaving out the 4th of the scale wherever possible) with the fingers in between the octave i.e. thumb on the melody note pinky an octave higher colour tones inbetween (make sense?)


see if that gives you the richness you desire?


regards


Lee

P.S.

If it doesn't make sense please don't hesitate to email me and I will put together a midi file to show you how a simple melody can become a smorgesbord of delight..okay?

Hi Lee,
Thanks again for the reply. Well, I don't quite understand your sentence "with the fingers in between the octave i.e. thumb on the melody note pinky an octave higher colour tones inbetween". Could you explain it further? Also, I would like to see your midi file very much

Thanks...u guys are great!!