what kind of music are you playing and how are you doing with it?

Modesty Rag, by James Scott....it's one of his simplest, and I'm doing fine except for three short passages scattered through the piece. Just enough to make it really dreadful to listen to...

Started working on some movie scores that have been arranged for solo Piano:

Jurassic Park
Pirates of the Caribbean

Absolutely the best time I've had at a keyboard.

I've also been playing around with Evanescence "My Immortal". It's purely an accompinament piece but my wife still loves it played solo.

If my piano teacher only knew. ;-)

Rodney

My brother-in-law gave me all of his mother's music books when she passed away. Many are EZPlay music booklets for organ, piano and guitar that, as a beginner, I can amazingly play some, except a few of the chords that I forget how to form. I'm working on pop music from the 30's right now.

My family gave me pop/rock music books from the 70s and 80's that have extremely difficult arrangements. Is there an alternative in making these simpler?

My family is impatiently waiting for me to play for them something besides classical pieces. One of my sisters finally put her foot down and told me she expected a few Christmas Carols--I complied.

Ultimately they expect a piano accompaniment so we can sing these oldie goldies together.

i like working with fake books , some will argue about them ,at the moment i am working on floyd cramers last date and while it is taking me longer to learn .so far at least it sounds pretty close to the cd

My repertoire mainly consists of video game music. There are actually great video game piano pieces.
Some games even have a 'piano collection' book you can buy with the games' music arranged for the piano.

I'm working on the four solo pieces that Bill Evans did in tribute to his father from the "Live at Town Hall" Album. His father had recently passed away, and rather than cancel the concert, he did these songs for him.

One thing I didn't know about these pieces is that they were re-broadcast on television in memory of Robert Kennedy after he had been assasinated.

I'm doing pretty well with them I guess. I have three out of four memorized. It's taken awhile, though. I'm working on a couple of standards too - Body and Soul and also How High Moon.


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other than classical, i am "messing around" with a lot of Billy Joel, hence the quote, and Elton John. they are my all time favorites. I haven't really had an oppurtunity to play a lot of jazz, but i would really like to start playing and improvising.... ahhhh improvising, can't wait until i can do it good!

Jazz standards in the fake book and bebop scales. I'm feeling pretty good about it after many years of effort.

I split my time between classical and popular, maybe 2/3 classical, 1/3 popular:

In terms of popular music, during an average week, I enjoy playing:
Imagine
Schindler's List
Georgia on My Mind
Jurassic Park
In my Room
Scarborough Fair & Bridge Over Trouble Water
Linus and Lucy
Battle Hymn of the Republic
Speak Softly my Love & Kay's Theme
I had a Dream
etc...


And although I'm not much for playing Christmas music, broke out more Vince Guaraldi, "Christmas Time is Here" and "Skating" etc, they are major crowd pleasers for holidays get togethers! Highly recommended.

I'm working on:

"I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" - from Easy Jazz Standards.

"Misterioso" and "Blue Monk" from Easy Monk.

It'll take some time to really get them to where I can go right through without stopping and mistakes, but I'm having loads of fund working on them.

Bob

I play Blues, Jazz, Gospel and popular music, mostly on piano and slide guitar but also Hammond in groups and churches. I can't read, though I've tried many times for years and years. When I was a kid I'd read the first measure or two of something and then just take it somewhere else more interesting to me. Now I still compose about as much as I play other people's stuff. My ear is good enough to play almost anything that comes up, which is handy in group situations. But my greatest joy during a day is sitting by myself at a piano and playing whatever is in my mind or in the air or in the piano.

Luther

In addition to classical (which I'll talk about in the other sections ) I really enjoy playing hymn arrangements for church and my own enjoyment. I like a lot of Marilyn Ham's arrangemens and Mark Hayes is fun.

Other than classical, I'm working on "Cristofori's Dream" by David Lanz (new age), and "Hugh" by NightNoise (Celtic/alternative?) I'd love to learn a piece by Yanni as well but haven't decided which one first.

Other than classical and exam pieces i am playing Your song (elton john) and Misty (erroll garner.

I want to start getting into Boogie woogie and blues and maybe get into a band later.There is a lot of call for piano players who can play boogie and blues piano around here where i live.

Regards
daz

Daren, I started playing a bit of boogie piano in July and have worked on it steadily since. I used the Albert Ammons pattern in the left hand (for C) is C-C-E-C-G-C-A-G fingering is 5-4-3-5-2-5-1-2. I did that pattern with a metronone relentlessly in C, F and G for the first 2 weeks. With nothing at all in the right hand. The trick is to get the left hand moving without even thinking about so the right can be independent. It is real important to work with a metronone so you get steadiness. Listen to Jools Holland doing "River Boogie"... that is what I am striving for.

Sleepingcats...I bought that NightNoise book on your ealier recommendation! My kids (all three of them play) are now fighting over it because they all want to learn the songs. They are very pretty and playable. Thanks for mentioning it!

I'm probably nearest to Luther. Though I find the boogie left hand very difficult and have not given enough practice to it. I can play most of the riffs from boogie but my muscles seem to give up after about 10 bars or so. I'm just too low on dedication to that form of piano but maybe I will try more again.

Ive just bought a new Pleyel 131 upright piano and the bass is superb (just right for boogie) any one else tried that piano?

Alan

Guess ragtimebg and I are on about the same page. Current works in progress are Willie "The Lion" Smith's Fingerbuster (yes, it is .......) and Robert Hampton's Cataract Rag. Also trying to get the rest of my set list fresh in my fingers before playing at the Eau Claire Ragtime Festival in January. How can I forget so much so quickly?

Best RAGards,
Steve

To Steve and ragtimebg.

I love stride and can only get some of it going. James P Johnson. Art Tatum and more recently Ralph Sutton are my idols. 'The Lion' is great too isn't he. I cannot read music but if I could Fingerbuster is way beyond my ability.

Just swapped my old Steinway for a brand new Pleyel 131 it is fantastic with a superb bass, just the instrument for a powerful bass hand!

Alan

Sorry, must add that having spent 40 years with a 19th century piano and never played a new one at all in over 60 years of playing. I am so pleased that I find the Pleyel so fantastic, it does make you learn the hard way on old instruments does'nt it?

Alan

Besides classical, I play pieces for church, mostly Mark Hayes, and I've been having a fun time printing out music off the internet for like Mario things and some Vanessa Carlton music... not much jazz though; I like it but I don't really have time to fit anything else in

Calvin,
What do you mean "...some will argue about them..."? I just got the "Ultimate Fakebook" for Xmas and I'm having a ball with it. In the past, I stuck with classical but most of these songs these are real fun. I'm still learning to improvise. Still another thing to master!!!!