Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum April Piano Bar (Before April 1 and No Fool'n!)

Bill, thanks for the nice interpretation of Whiter Shade of Pale. The tempo is spot on I think. Nice organ switch at the end. Nice how you can sing in rubato while keeping the piano in steady pace

>Here is my first video of my new Bechstein grand with my Q3HD. I am still experimenting with the best placement of the camera for optimum sound and video. I have not figured out how to control the reflection off of the polished ebony, and I am still trying to decide if it is better filmed from the right or left. This piece is called Bacarolle. It is one of what I call my "lonely piano" repertoire because it is something that is pleasing to most people and I feel comfortable to sit down at a piano in a hotel lobby or other venue and play it!

Nice playing and congratulations with your new Bechstein!
Regarding the cam position, I suggest the right side and open the lid. Try high enough so that the mics on the camera can 'see' most of the strings. That might give an even better sound and should reduce the haze in the image that you have now due to the bright light behind the piano (backlight).

Saranoya: Thanks for your comments. My teacher and I had a discussion about the legato and staccato…more than one actually! He has done some serious study of the baroque period, and he’s also a conductor. He felt that the staccato ---particularly the staccato in the left paired with the legato longer notes in the right – was a technique that I have to master. Given that I love baroque music, I’m inclined to agree with him.


StarrKeys: I hadn’t realized you were doing two recordings and combining – but still…. It is great to listen to you. And soon you WILL be doing it live! You should get someone to record your live performance for you! Thanks for your feedback on my piece. I think you are right, that the training I’m getting from the classics (and the Classics !) is a super foundation for someday being able to play whatever takes my fancy. There’s no doubt that I’ve got a great teacher who has really been drawing my attention to depths and details in even the simplest pieces.

BillM: Thanks for your feedback on my piece! I find it very gratifying that you hear the energy – I’m starting to recognize those certain moments when the music really flows, and though the results may be marginally less accurate, they are always more musical. I’m hoping that in the future these moments will improve in the accuracy department!

As for your Whiter Shade of Pale: I loved your arrangement. Funny, but someone was just talking about this piece in another thread this week. If you’d asked me just a few days ago which band had played it, I wouldn’t have had a clue. The husky quality of your voice adds to the performance and “feel” of this music, and I especially enjoyed the smooth switch over to the organ voice near the end – that was a lovely dramatic flourish.

Len Newman: Another who sings and plays! I am always so impressed. You made this sound like it was not too hard to play ---- which means that it is more likely pretty darn challenging and you’ve pulled it off beautifully. Thanks for your “professional” comment on my piece, I am delighted with that!

SwissMS--- Thanks! Yes, I think I've (to some extent- or at least for the moment) conquered the beast! As for your piece on your beautiful new piano - loved it. It has a lovely gentle lilt to it, it makes me think of little girls picking flowers on a hillside, with the breeze making the flowerheads dance in the wind. Charming!

Thanks for the advice, Wouter79! I will try it this way next time.

Blimey, you`ve got off to an early start . . .You`d be popular as bus drivers - NOT!!

So many great pieces already! I'll get back and give feedback on them shortly.

Usually I play pieces from sheet music collections. But this time I stumbled upon this incredible talent on YouTube, Eric Daniel, and he had his own arrangement of the piece I wanted to play. I liked Eric's arrangement much better so I decided to use it instead (the arrangement is available for download on his YouTube video). Thank you so much Eric!!!



[video:youtube]wIZbwia3Odg[/video]

Amaruk - This is absolutely fabulous video work, as usual. It is a lovely version and you played it well. I have been searching for a nice version of this piece. Thanks for the link!

Thanks. To be honest, the way I play it, it's an easy one.

Amaruk - a nice piece and, as we have come to expect, great video. Does anyone else hear, "and did those feet in ancient times" in the melody?

Anyone having trouble loading video from You tube via the blue box?

Can't get a video to load...

Saranoya the Burgmüller was so well done, I had previously worked on it but never was able to smooth it out. You played it beautifully.

BillM thanks for pulling this gem out. Haven't heard it in a long time. Your interpretation came out great.

Newman nice job, especially with the vocals. Everyone seems to be joining Bill...:)

SwissMS I really enjoyed this mellow piece...the Bechstein sounds great!

Amaruk great job as always...I like this piece too...you play so relaxed. Always an A for the video work.

Video seems to work now...here is a short piece called Sunrise on the Harbor.

Newman -- Thank you for the welcoming me back to the Bar. If the complexity of my arrangement fettered my vocal, the simplicity of yours did just the opposite. It made it take flight. Lovely job!

Amaruk -- I am stunned by the depth of your artistry. I thought you played it much more soulfully than the arranger --I tried to find the arrangement at his site but only found the lead sheet. I love cinema and music and you weave them together beautifully. Keep weaving.

SwissMs -- I love the calm serenity of your selections and playing. I could always count on you to provide a fine auditory experience, but I'm so delighted that now I can actually see you giving it. Your piano and even the white glow of the Alps encircling you in its aura are just how I pictured them.

[Mark, sorry I missed you, will get you on the next batch]

Starr Keys I think you Casio sounded great the way you played it here. Great playing and I really liked your arrangement. It is always great to hear you sing on your pieces like this. That is what makes this piano bar so special. Thanks for sharing this with us!

Wouter79 I never heard this piece before but I liked it and you play it great. It sounds like a quite difficult piece but you play it like it was super easy. Well done!!

slpianoproject Amazing is all I can say. The sound of your piano and the way you record it is top notch. Your playing is great and so is the way you use video to present your work. I really liked the split screen effects. Thanks for sharing!

Ladypayne I loved your Winnie the Pooh and Jesus I love Thee. Your arrangements work great this way!! Great playing and mixing it all together like this!!

Casinitaly Great job on this Handel piece. Flubs or not, it sounds great and I know that sometimes we put too high goals on ourselves so just enjoy your playing as you play really good!!

Saranoya That was absolutely wonderful!! I loved and I am sure that it sounded as great when you played it the day before during your recital. Well done and thanks for sharing!!

BillM I always enjoy your performances and when I saw that you were playing a cover of one of my all times favorites pieces, I got very excited. And you delivered as always!! I used to play this piece on piano eons ago but I never managed to capture the spirit of the song as you do in this performance. It is brilliant how you changed the sounds of your piano here. you got a magical piano that is for sure! Well done and thanks for sharing!!

Newman Another master piece from you Newman! Loved it! Is that your own arrangement? Well played and your voice is spot on as always!!

SwissMS That is a lovely piano you got!! Congratulations!!! It sounds great and you play this piece very well. I am looking forward to more videos from you with this fantastic piano. Thanks for sharing!!

Mark Great video with beautiful scenery that match this piece perfectly. Nice touch to end it with a fade to a picture of your piano. This piece is new to me but you play it great! Thanks for sharing!!

My offering this month is a beautiful hymn-like piece called "Love Ballade". It sounds like something composed by Schubert or Bach, but it was actually written and performed by Oscar Peterson. I am playing from the published score.

Love Ballade

Ed

Starr Keys ~ You have such a melodious voice, and I'm always so impressed with your intricate creative accompaniment, as well.

Bill ~ That was a great lovely arrangement, and I really love the Roland organ setting sound.. One of my favorite all-time songs

Well, here's a little tribute to my sweet kitty, Gwen (AKA Gueneviere), who passed over the Rainbow Bridge at age 18 recently. She always sat by me on the piano bench cushion, sometimes playing an ending note or two, and I'll miss her forever but am very grateful for our time together. :-)

MEMORY

Casinitaly’s comment about a ‘challenge’ got me thinking.

I’m about two weeks shy of having had my piano for two years. Which means I’ve been self teaching/ learning how to play it for two years now.

So I set myself a challenge for today, Easter Monday my time, to play Michelle as below. When I started out I said I didn’t need to learn how to play melody in the RH as I was only interested in vocal accompaniment.

Well, today, after about 4 hours of constant practice (with breaks) I got to do this and am pretty pleased with it.

Michelle
(instr)

I like that, it sounds almost like a harpsichord or an early piano!

Mark...- Sunrise. You gave this a very impressionistic feeling, freely played. The video accompaniment worked very well. Very nice!

Riddler - The ballade is a very beautiful piece. I like your balance between with hands with a subdued accompaniment and a singing melody.

Elssa - Sorry to hear about your kitty. It is so hard to lose a pet. Memory is a fitting tribute, and you gave it a rich, full arrangement. Very nice!

Newman - Nice job on the instrumental version. You had me humming along.

Amaruk: That was really a pleasure to listen to -and to watch! I think you're very clever to have put that video together and it makes a charming backdrop to the music!

Mark... Even without the video I believe my mental image of the music would have matched the brilliant sunrise and the more subtle wave shots.

Ed - that was hypnotically soothing - what a relaxing piece. A bit of trivia to perhaps take some of the surprise out of this type of music coming from one of our jazz icons....One of Oscar Peterson's first teachers was the student of a student of Liszt - (Peterson - Paul de Marky - Istvan Thoman - Liszt!)

Elssa - I love watching your hands move on the keys - and the music you make. Condolences on the loss of your Gwen -- I haven't had a pet for a very long time, but I remember how hard it is to lose one.

Newman-- I liked the instrumental version! Now you can make a recording with vocals mixed with instrumentals! woohoo!