Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner - Non Classical DOES SINGING WHILE YOU PLAY REALLY WORK?????

Of course some of us cannot sing to any sensible level of pitch. Whilst I would be 100% arrogant to even suggest there is any similarity between Erroll Garner and me except to say we both play by ear. Neither he nor I could sing. That's why in my case I play by ear and can then play what I would like to sing. My pitch is quite good as I can usually follow any good recording or remember a tune that is firmly lodged in my sub-conscious memory.

So, I'm sure singing to get the tune in the memory is then 75% of the battle over. I'm sure most of you that do sing are very good at it and on pitch. Do you find that you can transfer it to the piano without singing along after some practice at singing and playing?

Look how Ella sang! I bet she would have made a good pianist.

Alan

Sometimes I hear the tune in my head ..then play it..thinking the key matches the singer on the CD
and it ends up wrong! yet it sounds correct?
ex.. Tenderly..key of C sounds right? but when I play Nat Cole's CD version..which is the voice that comes into my head..the key ends up being wrong? why is that? you hear the tune in your head
play a chord or notes within the chord..sounds right..but not according to the recording?
or even when I sing it..is my mind being "fooled"
by the correct key or my ear? Bob

I think you (we, most of us) hear a song in our head in a key not necessarily the same as the key it plays in when there is actual sound. At least that's what Ron Gorow says in Hearing and Writing Music, a pretty cool book about just that.

Bob and dough above,

Perhaps the answer to those questions is in the pitch of the piano, the clarity of pitch of the recording and our own pitch sensitivity. I've read posts on these forums that go into great lengths to define pitch and our own ears. I would trust a good piano to be pretty-well at concert pitch.

Cd,s seem to be on pitch too as they don't have the problems of the old LP's of speed RPM problems. Of course there are poor CD's too.

I will see if I can do a test. I know I have quite a few video clips from TV of Nat singing Tenderly. I will see what key the CD's show.Using my ear which might, or might not be, correct.

I do rely on my ear as that is my only means of playing.

Alan

PS. I've just been into the music room. The chaos of finding anything quickly is impossible. I can tell you that a CD (I just played a minute ago )of Oscar P. playing 'Tenderley' is in C. I will try and find a video of Nat and see what that brings up. When I have time.

My listing of pieces I play which runs into c.120+ (I show the beginning note not the key) for my purpose.

However, 'Tenderley' is in 'C' there also, so must be the common key for it.

Alan

I've heard that sometimes do to the speed at which the cd spins it can raise the pitch..
Nat could been singing it in the key of Bb..
I've also heard Sinatra sings many tunes in Db!
its be nice to see copies of what their original arrangements show.. Alan match the video pitch with the CD..it might only a half step diffrence.. Bob

Bob,

Sorry to be late at reply to yours. The facts are slightly adrift here. I cannot yet find a Video recording of Nat singing 'Tenderly' My only reference is as above with Oscar P playing in Key of 'c' I also see that my listing for playing was also in 'c'
I might have an audio tape of Nat singing this. How about someone looking out the original written score of it?

Alan

Singing while playing to develop a strong melody line to improv......What works for me is to play only the one melody note 2 times.... the third time I sing and back myself with the one melody note and then play all together the fourth time...I continue to sing a strong melody line quietly to myself and follow on the piano...Whatever works for you good luck...Sandy B

Singing the rhythmic phrasing while you improvise your lines is most important. Erroll Garner and Keith Jarrett are singing the rhythm, they don't really hit the pitches accurately. So don't worry about pitch too much, concentrate on the rhythmic phrasing of the line.

Last night I played..and then decide to see if I could sing while playing..I had trouble singing on pitch..it took me awhile to get it right,it seems the loudness of the piano was overriding my ear hearing my voice I had to sing louder..how many of you out there use a microphone? this way I can add some reverb..and hear myself over the piano. Bob Newbie

Of course singer's do rely on the accompanist pitch to keep, them correct, yes? Though good professional singers have it right in any case.

To Bob, you might guess my reply to your singing problems, 'join the club' give up and play in any case. Though no one is so far off pitch as I am in voice. Whereas, the piano is 'my voice' and bless her she is spot on.

It surely comes back to memorising and ear technique which is where playing by ear is useful,to me anyhow.

It's perfectly possible to recall the sounds of the song by hearing it by subconscious muted memory of the music, as a singer might, but only as far as the brain recall then instead of using your voice, at that point you bring the fingers on to the keys and play.

At least, that is my way.

Alan

Actually what I do is mimic other singers..it works when I don't play ..imagine that? I played ..Count your Blessings..by Bing..singing was spot on..then I said ok.. pitch seemed right
matched it to the recording..then played without singing..sounded like the right key? but alas no
it seemed like I was somewhere between..a half step? up or down in key when I put the two together? Bob