Wow, Rick! Loved the Jingle Bell Rock, had to have my hubby watch too. He REALLY liked it! We both also loved your Merry, Merry Christmas..by Elvis.
That was just great. My husband asked what you were doing on the Adult Beginners Forum - first thing he said was, "Oh, he's a pro!"
Keep 'em coming!

37 seconds wasn't enough?!? yeah, it'd be nice to be able to hold it together for a longer time, or make some more interesting variations in the LH or the melody. Maybe by next Christmas

Cathy

hm. another post into the ether :\

Rick - I loved Jingle Bell Rock. I'll have to see if I can get it together by Christmas -

Cathy

Okay, here's mine, the lovely little "Wisdom of Snow" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I've wanted to play this ever since the album came out, but since I don't have a play-by-ear or transcribing bone in my body, I had to wait for them to release the sheet music. I just love the chord progression in the middle section.

Monica, I love it! And I'm so impressed you memorized it too. It really sounds like snow falling

Thanks, Morodiene! I can't take too much credit for the memorization, as it was only 1:56, and the first and last thirds were identical. But I will say that this was probably was the quickest I've ever learned a piece, from picking it up to recording it.

Rickster, very nice. You would make a great drummer you know. You have a natural *beat* to your playing which I like.

Monica, yes I like the progression too. Btw, your Mason sounds great and the new zoom is doing a nice job.

Barb, I'm a chord junkie and your were beautiful. Your pieces are sounding so full & rich...(my favorite sound)

Jotur (cathy), very nice but you left me wanting MORE.

Monica- I've never heard that piece. It's wonderful. I enjoyed your playing.Thank you for sharing it with us

Monica
Very nice, very smooth, and beautifully played.
Camera angle and lighting was also very nice.
Julius

Gee, thanks for the complements, CMohr! And tell your husband I said thanks too!

Thank you too, Cathy; yes, Jingle-Bell Rock is an old classic!

Thanks to you too, Mr S-H, and thanks for starting this thread!

And, Monica, that was a very lovely piece, “Wisdom of Snow”! And, you did a great job! Your M&H sounds great, and so do you!

Take care,

Rick

Very beautiful, Monica! It makes me wish we had snow here right now! Hubby really liked this one too! He's very BIG on Christmas music.

Oh, Monica, nice - a piece that should become a holiday classic. Congratulations on the "shortest time from learning to recording"

Cathy

Monica:
That was just beautiful !

Here's my contribution:

http://www.box.net/shared/hfdmgze0uf

Thanks for listening!

Cathy:

Wow! Great job; Cool chords !

Rick:

Dude, you rock ! Happy Christmas to you too!

Rickster – You know how to wake up the crowd. I loved your Rockin Jingle Bells. I feel awake this morning!

Monica – your piece was new to me. "Wisdom of Snow" has such a pretty melody and is played to perfection. Makes me want snow – NOW — but we rarely get it where I live.

Ang – Your “Silent Night” is sooooo very sweet. The voicings and harmonies are super. Your fakebook reading skills have taken off!

Thank you for your kind words Mr S-H. This thread is a great idea of yours.

Cathy - nice playing of "Joy" - liked the ever so slightly "jazzed" chords - was hoping for a 2nd chorus (at least)!

JF

I loved all those jazzy chords! And I also like how you roll them rather than play all the notes at once, it gives it a much richer sound. What a peaceful rendition of silent night

Cathy, I like the improvised chords on your "Joy to the World". They didn't sound too "funky" to me. I'd love to hear your version of "Chestnuts Roasting...".

Rickster - that was super! It made me want to dance right here at my computer.

Monica - I'm not familiar with "Wisdom of Snow" but it was very pretty. It did sound a lot like a snowy day.

Angelof - Was that from a fake book? I haven't learned to do that yet. It's sounding good.

Barb, I need to get into the 21st century in a lot of ways. :-) Right now, my digital is downstairs, and my computer is upstairs. I guess I need either a laptop, or a Zoom, neither of which is in my budget, nor in the budgets of anyone who will be giving me gifts this Christmas. But it's on my mental wish list.

Rick, that was a rollicking Jingle Bell Rock indeed! Great job.

Angelo, I'm gathering from Barb's comments that you played this off a fake sheet? Very nice and dreamy!

p.s. I should've mentioned on my piece that it's from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra album, "The Lost Christmas Eve." We've got tickets to see them live in Rupp Arena on Dec. 17th. We've gone to their show the last three years straight, and it's always a wonderful time. Well worth seeing if their tour makes it anywhere close to you.

Angelo-Really nice Silent Night! Did you use a lead sheet or just by ear?!
Loved your chords!

Thanks so much to all who have commented on my "Silent Night!" It is really appreciated.

CMohr,
I am using a fakebook version of the song, as well as stuff learned in the Sudnow program.

Hi Angelo,

I enjoyed your version of "Silent Night"! It really helped to put me in the Christmas spirit!

Take care,

Rick

P.S. And Monica, thanks for the YT comment! :-)

angelo - wow! Nice Silent Night - some day I'm going to be you

JF - yeah, the chords were sort of jazz lite I don't have enough for a second chorus yet, but one of these days -

Thanks, all, for the nice comments.

Cathy

Monica - enjoyed the TSO piece - nicely played - they usually play here at Hershey, but I don't see them on the schedule of concerts for this season - have to agree with SH that your piano does sound really good - if I had room for an acoustic an MH might just be the one...

JF

Ok, first off - it's been snowing here all day! Who did the snow dance? Monica???

Cathy- Jazzy rendition of JTTW...I like it!

Rickster- Excellent job of rocking the Jingle Bell.

Monica- How apropos...I have tremendous wisdom when it come to snow, mostly on the wrong end of a snow shovel. I do love to carve a few turns with the board as well. Beautiful little melody!

Angelojf - Silent Night is such a classic, some very nice harmonies working there.


My submittal is a very simple arrangement of O Come, O come, Emmanuel. I am drawn to the bell like quality of this one and it is one of my all time Christmas favorites.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Carl, a great arrangement! That piece I think is often ruined by over-complicating it and adding harmonies that just don't suit the chant-like melody. Yours added just the right touch

Oh, Carl - this is one of my favorite Christmas pieces. It was absolutely lovely! It enhanced the beginning to the season for me.

OK. after like 10 tries at getting a decent recording of this piece, I finally have something worth sharing. This a Lorie Line arrangement of The First Noel. I recorded it using my old Sony minidisc recorder, playing on my Petrof concert grand. Sorry about the quality of recording!

http://www.box.net/shared/reprq3h4i5