ok, so I stopped my Alfred's book 2 back in November, and went for fakebooks. It's definitely a much more rewarding experience for me, as I can now play many chords with some ease...never at the point where I can do a song on the fly. I have to study a piece first, decide on the proper voicing, and write next to the chord whether I should play it in 1st or 2nd inversion, etc., so next time I don't have to guess which inversion to use. Is this a common technique you use? A more serious issue is that I still don't feel it makes a big difference in the sound I'm hearing whether I play a G or G7, for example! Suspended chords sound clear to me, though. Diminished? so so! How am I doing?

MiM -- Why don't you put some fakebook reading tunes on your piano blog? That way, we can HEAR how you are doing.

Sure will. Most of the the tunes I'm playing on the keyboard, but I'll also add some piano pieces.

Piano/keyboard. It doesn't matter. I just want to hear how you are progressing with the fakebook.

I uploaded some mix of pieces...here:
http://www.box.net/shared/0ak79u4tei

It's also on the link in the signature.

MiM,

Call your nearest retirement/assisted living/nursing home and offer your services. This is the kind of music they love.

I listened first to the BeeGees (music from my era). You have added a nice moving left hand. I feel you are ready to add a note under the melody note in the right hand on this one. Maybe the third of the chord or another scale tone? You ears will tell you what sounds good.

Hearts and Flowers -- Sounds nice with a root and a 2 note chord in the left hand.

The other 3 tunes - you are a one man show. Sounds wonderful. Really and truly!

To comment on your original post:

You said - It's definitely a much more rewarding experience for me.

This is a good sign. Just keep adding to your repertoire now.

You said - I can now play many chords with some ease...never at the point where I can do a song on the fly.

The on the fly stuff will come if you stick with it. Don't worry about the "when". Just trust that it WILL come.

You said - I have to study a piece first, decide on the proper voicing, and write next to the chord whether I should play it in 1st or 2nd inversion, etc., so next time I don't have to guess which inversion to use. Is this a common technique you use?

Yes, this is how I did it at first. The more songs you do, the less you will be writing.

You said - A more serious issue is that I still don't feel it makes a big difference in the sound I'm hearing whether I play a G or G7,

If the fakebook says a G7, just add the seventh. Your ears will get used to it.

I did notice a strange harmony at around 40 seconds of "Ballgame". Does it sound strange to you there?

Keep up the good work.

Barb

You are some good resource on this forum, Barb! Thanks for the feedback. Re the strange harmony, if you are referring to the one in 36-37 seconds, which I just heard again, it sounds like some chord I must have hit to repeat the song.

By the way, this isn't really my type of music, but it's what's in the fake book! I do like some of it though.

Glad I can be of some help to you.

36-37 sounds fine. I just hear something funny around 39 - 41. The words at that part are "Ball Game". "Ball" starts at 39. That sounds fine. The "Game" harmony at around 41 sounds a bit off.

For FREE fakebook tunes, go to:

http://www.wikifonia.org/

Type in the name of the song. You can transpose it to a different key. Then click download, print it off, and you are in business. It is an amazing site.

Barb

That was a good site, thanks. I think it has songs I've seen in other sites, but the thing I like is the transpose function.

I'm not sure how accurate it is though. Check this piece and help me understand the key of the song. It looks like Em, but the key signature has no accidentals!

http://www.wikifonia.org/node/2774#/cml_0/1

The song is in E minor. I guess they were just lazy and omitted the F# from the key signature. But, you will see that they have the F# in the melody.

The important thing is knowing how to voice your chords. You don't need to worry about a correct key signature for voicing chords.

Barb

I tried to play it just now, and it doesn't look too hard. Do you wanna give it a try Barb? I'll post mine after I get some decent sound out of it.

I printed it off and did read through it. It is a very pretty tune. I remember it from back in the late 60's. I'll let you post first.

Ok, this is what I came up with. I will do it on the piano with broken chords soon.

Nights in White Satin
http://www.box.net/shared/6elpieqalj

Nice going MiM. I enjoyed that.

Here is my Sudnow style version:

http://www.box.net/shared/0zuhlby6v3

Now that's really, really, really cool! You got it right...well played. I will try the piano style and post may be tomorrow if I have time... but thanks for the site and this great song I found there.

Thanks MiM. I'm looking forward to your piano version.

I'm glad you found this song. Let me know if you find others on the site that you like -- 60's - 70's type stuff. I like adding good tunes to my repertoire, but, I have forgotten the names of these older songs.

Here is my interpretation of the piano version:
http://www.box.net/shared/heeo2vmxdf

Here is a slightly polished up version of the accompaniment version.
http://www.box.net/shared/xo727cxu32

MiM -- Good job there. It didn't take long to work up your piano version. Do one of these fakebook tunes each week and you will be shocked at how your repertoire will grow.

Let us know when you book your first gig!

Barb

Thanks for the pointer to the site, Barb. I just did Yesterday, which had more interesting chords than the other song. Here it is with accompaniment, and will do the piano next.

http://www.box.net/shared/4r98fy9q5o

MiM,

Yesterday is a winner. It certainly beats Nights harmonically.

I just found this cool jazzy version on youtube. Maybe it will give you some ideas for your piano version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW66qIrCGaE

Glad you like the wikifonia link. Someone on this forum posted the link last year. I spread the word whenever I can.

Barb

I'm just messing with the accompaniment section...this is new stuff for me, so I did Yesterday with a better accompaniment control. If you're a keyboard player, let me know what you think.

http://www.box.net/shared/c9iz4nvppc

MiM -- I am clueless about keyboards. I think you need to post these 2 examples in another thread and ask for feedback from others who have keyboards similar to yours.

Barb

The keyboard is fun... I will do it with piano sound only, then move on to another piece (don't know which one yet).

You are on a roll!

Thanks..there is a lot of stuff to be learned...too many techniques and too many ways of playing. I'm chugging along though.

I'm a little too excited that I am beginning to get the hang of this, so bear with me.

Yesterday piano only
http://www.box.net/shared/4ot3uuadfd

I hear your excitement. Good job - in record time too. Are you going to be able to sleep tonight?

So, you are now getting the hang of why I enjoy reading from the fakebook. It is so very easy to expand your repertoire. What is interesting to do is to record in midi and print out the notes that you are playing. It is scarey seeing all those notes in the bass and treble clef.

What is also nice is that you can change your style easily. For example you can break up the left hand for variety. As you mentioned, there are many different techniques. The journey gets very exciting once you start to catch on as you are now doing.

Barb