this is a sort of book club study group
I made the petition some months ago and someone stepped up and is really making his presence felt
so far no one here is a great reader just adults trying to improve on our reading and sharing the same appreciation for the book intermediate book "Pieces To Grow On" by steinway and sons if you can get this book join us on a musical journey 'share your playing of the pieces get critiques give critiques ask for advice training tips

I find that I am a lot more contientious of my practice if I know i have to submit a piece for a review from my peers.

it steps up your game I can tell you already my playing is taking an upturn
so go buy the book or if you have it already dig it our your closet and lets share and grow to gether.

this was my first humble offering to the club

book club entry one

Hi Manduru,

Was wondering what happened to you. I'm glad you're still here.

Would love to do this book with you--especially since I had to drop my "Alfred's Group for Adults" book class. Unfortunately, I may have to rest my arm for a couple of months if I'm ever going to get rid of my tennis elbow.

I was just thinking yesterday that as soon as I'm better I'd like to make a more concerted effort to integrate blues and jazz styles into my playing. I found the best theory book I ever found for learning to play jazz chords from a lead sheet, and its written by the only person I know of who writes fake books with two sets of chords so you can see the variations and understand the structure better. It's also the thinnest book on jazz theory I've ever found, without seeming to skimp on any of the basics--which also makes me like it. It's called Voicings for Jazz Keyboard, by Frank Mantooth, and I was making good progress with it for a few weeks before I stopped playing. But studying and playing easy jazz arrangments would be a great way to work through it before tackingling the actual fakebooks and and attempting to improvise on them.

If I can't play, I'll still follow the thread with interest and may buy the book to study and follow along with the members playing while working on my theory book to learn the voicings.

Thanks for another great contribution to the forum.

....Oh, I almost forgot. I listened to your piece and I thought it sounded beautiful. If they used it as a sample in the Amazon ad for the book, I'd probably buy the book even without knowing about the thread.:)

Thanks Maduro for turning me on to that book.
Here's my 1st:
http://www.box.com/s/co84sbhtahs46jpqym1s

Knotty, was that note for note as written or embellished? Either way, now I'll definitely be getting the book. My one complaint is that I wished you could have hummed a little louder. Your voice sounds nice.

Ha ha Starr, you're too nice with me. Yeah, that was pretty much note for note.

Yeah, I have this habit of humming. Sometimes, it's much worse !!!

Alright then,
here is the second piece.
Resolve:
http://www.box.com/s/rvn2pd5btkvmr1yf7b3z

I must apologize for the heavy foot taping. I had the mic set about 2 meters away, and I didn't think it would pick up that much vibration. I'll do something else next time.

The foot taping is very nice, it added texture to the music.

If put the mic close to the string, I think the foot taping will disappear.

>>If put the mic close to the string, I think the foot taping will disappear.
I think it comes through the floor. If I lift the mic from the floor, then it will go away. It's on a boom stand now. I guess that's why they call it "boom" stand?

I kind of like having it farther from the strings when it's quiet in the house. More natural reverb.

One of these days, I'll stick a hi-hat pedal to my left foot.

Very nice touch Knotty and what a beautiful sounding piano.
Were you playing someone's composition ? It was a gorgeous piece.
Your sight reading is obviously very good now to learn these pieces so quickly.

Thanks cus.
I'm almost level 5 in four star and there are 10. All within the last year! I started at level 3.
1 level for 6 months.... can't complain.
The 1st piece took 3 or 4 days,
The second took over a week.
It's still hard to stay focused. I am finding out that I read mostly intervals now, and not looking at hands, if I play 1wrong note, it usually triggers a disaster.
Unlike in jazz where we get to see the hands... this is a very different challenge for me.

These are from a book called jazz pieces to grow on.

Its clearly not sight read, but also this is not memorized. Somewhere in between, what most people do, I guess :-)

I am not sure that we should do the club in the open forum but instead should do it in a private forum
let me know guys what you want to do.

I noticed one person asked the question was this someone elses composition
which clearly show that the concept of the club is not understood and a club by definition means you are a member if you are participating

we of course are open to anyone who has the book
and wants to participate.
but to do it openly it will be hard to manage as we go throught
the pieces so far we have two members so I will discuss with the other membler and take i from there
but if you want to join please

PM me if you want to be apart of this study group book club

Hey, Knotty. Whose levels are these? Are they the levels of a jazz series of learning etudes? And did you just increase your level by going through them?
Also, I'm confused, you said you weren't playing the songs note-for-note and didn't memorize it so why then is it not sight reading but "something in between?"

Starr,

I've been doing a sight reading series called "Four Star".
I am awarding myself the grades.
I'm about to complete book 4. And then onto book 5. I started book 3 in March last year. They are very good books.

I call sight reading playing while reading for the first time.
While this is clearly played over many times.
But I don't have it memorized. I think I see blocks of notes and memorize how to play them. That's what I call "something in between". I don't have formal training, someone trained could probably explain it 100 times better.

Regardless, I am satisfied with Four Star and would recommend those.

Thanks, Knotty. It looks like it incorporates ear training into the process of sight reading--that's for me. It's also an old series so there's a good chance I might find some it in my local music store's bargain bins. There's always a ton of stuff there. BTW, I also read notes in groups and intervals horizontally and vertically, and I think that makes me more of a sightreader not less of one.

Knotty's dedication to the perfection of his craft is inspiring I have worked on this piece learned it forgot it and now I find myself trying to get it ready for submission and I find myself sorely lacking.

fortunately I already have piece three prepared so knotty wont get too far ahead.


this piece to me reminds me of a bach piece just in a jazz setting the way the right hand line just continues and continues
it is like a prelude .

I never thought about reading in groups but knotty has a good idea about reading in groups of four measures or memorizing in groups of four measures.

in any event I am going to spend the better part of tomorrow working on this piece and will try to submit it by tomorrow eveining.
so we can get ready to bring out piece three.

custard and starr
you really should join us the books are available on amzon for about 15.00

>>Knotty's dedication to the perfection of his craft is inspiring I have worked on this piece learned it forgot it and now I find myself trying to get it ready for submission and I find myself sorely lacking.

Maduro,
Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad to hear that this got you motivated somehow.

I am barely starting on the 3rd piece, probably will take a few weeks. I also think that it wil be a more interesting piece. But technically much harder too.

Great stuff, knotty. I really like "Resolve" and listened to your version a couple of times. I also agree that the unintended foot tapping adds to it. Would this piece be too difficult for someone like me who's just finishing up Alfred's All-in-One #2? BTW for those of you who don't have the book: the look-inside option on Amazon shows this complete piece. Sorry about busting the "club". Cheers, Oliver.

Thanks Tlh,

I'm not familiar enough with Alfred to answer this.
They advertise it as Easy to intermediate, starting with easy. I think someone with a few months of playing would be able to tackle it.
Maybe would have to memorize it all, but I think that's doable. If you're reading is really weak, then you could use one of the recordings here as a guide, and learn it by ear. But if you know the notes and rhythms, then you're good.

Would it be worth it? That's totally up to you.

I do think that the level is going to increase pretty quick in the book. There are other books that are easy to play. In the same Steinway series, you have simply elegant piano. nicely arranged, very easy to play, easy on the ear.
In another series, Simply Beautiful Piano is also easy to play. They are standards arranged for easy solo piano.

Here's the 3rd piece, called Joni's Alibi.
http://www.box.com/s/k5y1bhrpbsk7x92sntlp

I have the recorder several meters away, on a counter, and I can still hear the foot. I didn't even realize I was tapping it.

Gotta invest in some type of foam

Hey Knotty~
That was a fine tune, catchy melody, and good swing. I really like it.

Glen

Hey Glen,

I agree with you. I thought the 2nd tune was a bore but this one was interesting.

That was some great jazz playing, there, Knotty!

You are getting good on the piano... really good!

Rick

thanks Rick. I think in a few more pages, we have a boogie coming up. Maybe I'll be bugging you for some tips ;-)