Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum December Bar

Woot first time I get to start a bar

Got home tired from work and recorded this on first try...not trying for anything really, just a relaxing thing to do after a long day. Short and sweet, hopefully somewhat like the original...

http://www.box.net/shared/1gflvunkza

Hi Van,

A very enjoyable listen - well played also. The LH part sounded quite tricky.
p.s. what is the name of the piece - I like it

Van - Very nice! That is a Paul McCartney tune isn't it?

Hey Van, very nice...

Like b528nf7, I think I know it, but can't place it...(not a comment on your playing but on my memory or lack thereof).

TOTALLY OFF TOPIC....

Anyone else see Bill's name (b528nf7) and think of Sharon? It gets me every time.

Thanks guys, it's Love by John Lennon. There's a second verse and a couple of iterations, lol I should stop being lazy and sit down and do the piece in entirety. The LH is a pretty simple arp in the original, Euan, this is just how I improvised :p

Excellent playing Van. I like the mood you created, perfect for the song. It was nice and relaxed, smooth, and had a great subtle rolling feel you created with dynamics and accents.

Great job.

Beautifully played. Very snooth and soothing, Thanks for sharing. Gaby Tu

Whoops, that was Smooth, not snooth. Gotta watch what I type. Gaby Tu

I'll jump in. Here is a cover of a 1971 Don McLean tune.

Vincent

Van, where have you been?

Van, that was easy on the ears - really good mood and feeling throughout. And a great song.

Bill, excellent, beautifully done. Yet another McLean song that really grabs me, even though I'm a bit mystified by the lyrics. Can we look forward to American Pie next month? BTW, where's your little friend this month?


My piece is George Gershwin's Prelude II. I have always loved this piece, and used to play a very simplified version by ear. When I asked my teacher if he had an easy-piano arrrangement I might be able to play, he pulled out the original Gershwin score and encouraged me to tackle it. I had to simplify it a bit, since I only have two hands, and only five fingers on each! The center section (rhythmic part) is played cross-handed, which was a new experience for me.

http://www.box.net/shared/hojkxo96ob

Ed

Riddler/Ed - Fantastic! You captured the bluesy, syncopated style of this piece perfectly. Nice job with the tricky rhythms.

She was hiding upstairs - I think she has given up trying to stop me from playing.

Bill, I have always thought that this piece, which I always thought was called Starry Night, was very sad and moving. Your version is quite nice (even though you left out a good deal of the piece) .

Van, that is very enjoyable. At first I thought it was going to be Wayfaring Stranger. The intro bears a certain resemblance. I am not familiar with the song, but I like it.

Riddler, I have tried to play this piece, and I know those rhythms are devilishly tricky. You did a great job on it.

These were all great!

But Riddler - I aspire to this kind of music some day. I'm at the piddlin' around with honky-tonk and a little western swing stage, but this was terrific.

Cathy

Wow, everyone sounds fantastic this month so far. Bill, I'm really impressed how you're able to sing and play so well all at the same time.. Not many people can accompany themselves like that.

Well, hope nobody minds another sentimental old ballad:

Somewhere My Love (Lara's Theme)
http://www.box.net/shared/gzere4zl3p

Note: I held off on adding in the strings until the end of the song.

Elssa - lovely piece beautifully played - where did you say you used to play professionally?

Dennis - really nice that you comment on everyone's efforts, but aren't you overdue for a submission of your own?

Question: when I click on the "play" button in Box I've started getting this message: "Stack full at line 16" and the piece won't play (I have to download to listen). Does anyone know what this means and what to do about it?

Regards, JF

Elssa - This is Awesome - I hate to use that overworked word but in this case it is appropriate. Your playing has a harp-like quality that is really unique and beautiful.

Van - you created a beautiful and moving mood. Too short though!

Bill - Out of all your pieces to date (and I missed several piano bars), I like this best. May be it's the high bell like RH, or some of the low LH bass notes, or may be it's the more sentimental mood you put in - you pulled me into this performance more than any other. I also quite like that you happened to not be looking at the camera. (May be you just had to look at the score continuously for this one! :p )

Riddler - very cool harmony and rhythm.

Now that you mentioned it, I won't be able to see Bill's name withOUT thinking of Sharon!

Elssa, as usual, you sound like a full orchestra, and a good one at that, expertly conducted. You really have mastered the art of adding fills in all the empty spaces, and your endings are perfect.

To me, Bill's name, b528nf7, looks like something out of the random character generator I use to create passwords.

Pardon my ignorance - can't help asking - who is Sharon?

Thanks to all for listening and for the kind comments.

Ed

hi friends...
seems like time is accelerating for me lately..
a day feels like an hour

this is an audio painting, and perhaps I added too many colors..
http://www.box.net/shared/r2lit6agv2

wanted to seewhat it would feel like to play guitars.... not sre this works either
http://www.box.net/shared/k6iklr7anr

Indeed, it is. I promise you will have to suffer through one soon, I hope.

What's up everyone! Long time no see(or in this case talk to lol)! I know it's been ages since I posted anything, and sad to say, my piano playing has been put aside for most of the year due to my nursing school. I still do try to play just to try to keep the rust away as much as possible. Anyways, just wanted to drop by and post a quick song I managed to record today.

It's from the anime Bleach, and is entitled "Going Home." It was originally meant to be played on the guitar, but I found it sounds decent on the piano too lol! Anyways enjoy!

Going Home

Nicely played z32 and it's good to see some posts from you again.

I bet it sounds nice on guitar too, but I guess that's another forum!

Nice piece z32 - enjoyed that.

2 questions: (1) are you the z32 who posted a number of recorded pieces from Alfred Book 2 on the OP of that thread? If so, they were very well played! (2) fearing that I'm showing how far out of the loop I am, what is anime ?

Regards, JF

z32 - I'm not familiar with this tune but I like the romantic feel and emotion of the piece and your performance. Very well played!

Is the echo a function of your DP settings or did you add it to the recording?

Thanks for the comments everyone! Glad you enjoyed it!

To JF, yea those were my pieces in the Alfred's thread(thx again for the kind words), and anime is short for animation, which is the term used to describe animated shows originating from Japan.

To b528nf7, yep those settings are all directly from my DP. I use a "Hall" setting to make that sound.

Gaffster,
Hi, it's been a while - I've missed several piano bars.
I don't know what "drone-ship" means, but it's a very interesting piece. It's quite mesmerizing.
Very dynamic and high energy "guitar" piece. I especially like the harmonies around the 1:00 point. But then around 1:10 the whole piece suddenly transformed to something else and I didn't get it!

Z32 - very happy to hear your playing again. You always make everything sound so wonderful, expresive and professional.

Ellsa,

BEAUTIFUL!!!

The simplified theme by Russian composer Alexander Borodin:

The Polovetsian Dances

As adapted into the beautiful popular standard from the Broadway musical "Kismet" and sung by Tony Bennett in his prime:

Stranger in Paradise

Enjoy & regards, JF

Great job, Elssa. You continue to sound better and better.

The first is really not my kind of thing, although I can certainly appreciate the effort that went into it. The second piece is, to me, much more satisfying. Nice, if somewhat unconventional, job!

John Frank - Great song choice nicely played. I like your slightly uptempo treatment of this piece. Well done.

It's good to see you back, z32. i don;t know this piece, but it's really quite nice. Great job.

Nice job, again, JonhFrank. I think Bennett is still in great voice today at eighty or so. I have several of his more recent recordings, and they continue to be quite satisfying. In particular, I have really enjoyed his duets with kd lang. Their voices just fit together perfectly.

Sigh, finally managed to have time to record a video. Pretty busy in school nowadays, and practice time drastically went down.... It took me so long to learn this song T_T

Enjoy guys..

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

Hi Yang,
Nice to see you again. Glad you still manage to play some, despite school. (How do you like college - UCBerkeley, is it?)

Here's one of my recent compositions this month:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ6_Q-422ow&fmt=18

If you like it (or my style/playing) lemme know i'll be sure to post more when I write them

Thanks,
Phil

Great job Yang! I always loved that song! Gotta give it a try sometime! Inspiring performance! Love your piano btw!

Gaffster,
I am really like the first one, make me think about Startrek, serious music, exellent job!

Phil,
Geez, you're amazing. I also watched "Dream about you" on YouTube - you sing too! Wow!

I hope you get "discovered". May be you should audition on "America's Got Talent!"

I am very curious what your musical background is. If you care to, you can post in Tell us About yourself Thread .

Nice piece, Yang. The lack of practice time does not show.

Phillip, I am amazed at your talent. If you should decide to pursue a career in music, I'm certain that you will achieve great things. This is a beautiful piece.

Really enjoying this month's bar.. keep it up


Van...can't tell you how much i liked that...ok, i just did

Bill...I hate you (but only because of Vincent).. It's as easy as eating a bowl of soup for you..

Riddler...
You nailed it.. and it's longer then my normal three minute trheshold...and i had to loop on it whilst mio vino fine
now i have to learn that one too.... dammit mannn

Elssa..
You fly like a butterfly......
That is granmama's fav tune..and one of my fav movies..brava

z32.. so sublime... and polished.. perfection..


JF...The Polovetsian Dances.. that's an unbelievable melody and my brother was over, in time to hear it from my humble studio and was so happy I learned that one and I had to admit it was you. Dam, cant get a break.. he wasn't impressed with my bennie and the jets either..

PianoN00b... That was really inspired.. liked the mirror trick..

Phil Mills.. I liked your setup and true that.. the best songs just appear from nowhere... well maybe that came from somewhere..that is really beautiful..

Writing furiously this week... tunes have been rattling around in my cranium...and so if you are really, really bored..

sorry, I always wanted to learn Linus and Lucy.
http://www.box.net/shared/o91nfjlmn5

kinda a primitive thing..warning-no piano, but some percussive cello
http://www.box.net/shared/prvtkvl9dx

recorded while being conceived, obviously needs
some work- all strings..and so very slooowwwwww
http://www.box.net/shared/1j5kqfjibg

Rosanna...
Me too, I have been absent for a while...
so hmmm..let's hear what you have been up to. After all you did introduce some of us to a whole new genre...

Hey Gaffster,
cool tunes, as usual. I like the 2nd piece most, may be because it's "primitive"!

I have been just dabbling the last several months, without seriously applying myself or polishing anything, so I have little to show for. I have missed listening to several months of piano bar too. I will be without a piano, while away from home, for Xmas too. As I mentioned in a different thread, my new year resolution is to un-rust the finger joints.

Hey everyone. Just wrote a new song! Still workin' on a title but I just watched the saddest Smallville episode EVER and wrote a soundtrack to the sad parts and made a little movie of it :p I'll post it up here when I finish up the video editing tomorrow.

Gaffster, your version of Linus and Lucy (if we can call a total improv a version) is really quite nice. I enjoyed that. The other two are not my cup of tea as we say. Probably more a reflection of my musical shortcomings than any fault of yours, though.

I know we are all looking forward to hearing this one, Phillip!

Sorry, wrong forum!

Can't wait to hear/see the new video.

Schubert - Impromptu Op. 90 No. 4

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?ohwqe24im1o

This is one of a few pieces that I've been improving and keeping up all the time since I started learning piano (14 months ago + I had keyboard/synthesizer lessons as a kid).

Overall I'm quite happy with it, but maybe you can hear I sort of overplayed this piece.
I can't make some of those fast phrases sound the way I want it to. It's either my technique or my digital piano (Roland HP-201) that is holding me back at this speed.

Some little mistakes and one big one.

babama, that is, in my opinion, a beautiful performance. Your little mistakes are unnoticeable unless one is following along with the score. At least I couldn't hear them. Wonderful job!

I finally posted that new song I told you all about. My camera broke so you won't see me in this one but there's Smallville clips to go along with it. SO SAD!! lol. Lemme know what you think about the new song "What May Come"

Phil

Here's the link LOL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOefuyFbB90&fmt=18

Phil, that was just awesome! Your music goes straight to the heart. You have such a wonderful gift, thank you for sharing it with us.

Thank you!

I posted an audio version of this piece before but here's a video I recorded of myself playing the piece.

Opus 36 by Dustin O'Halloran

I actually changed the web-cam audio with an audio recording directly from the digital piano instead so the audio quality is much better than my last recording.

Thanks for watching!

bamama,
Such a classic piece - always a joy to listen to. That was quite a performance you gave us there - recital worthy!

Phil,
I have never watched Smallville so I cannot make full sense of the last part of the video. However I must say that your music pulled at my heart strings 100 times more than the supposedly tragic video. You have such beauty and heart coming out of your music - I am floored everytime by your talent!

AnthonyB - Very pretty piece of music. I enjoyed it.

Phillip, that is a beautiful piece. Your composing is surpassed only by your playing.

Rosanna: Wow, that's so flattering that you think that of my music Thank you so much!

Dennis: You're much too kind!

Hi Phil, you might try posting in the Pianist Corner (Non Classical)as well, and Pianoworld has a Composer Lounge.

babama, I haven't been too up to date with everyone in this board lately, so this is the first time I've ever heard a piece from you, but WOW, that was just mind blowingly beautiful! Such delicacy and yet confidence with your playing!

Phillip, I used to watch a lot of Smallville, but I haven't seen the last few seasons, although I did catch this episode you used. That was really great! Lots of emotion in that song! Great composition!

Anthony, that was a touching piece! I love these slow pieces! Great job!


Alrighty, well since it's vacation time for me, I've had a lot more practice time so I managed to learn this new piece, and get a decent recording. I think this is the most challenging piece I've had up to date, but I simply had to learn it no matter what. Saw it in youtube a while ago, and instantly fell in love with it. It's entitled "The Spruce" Sibelius Op.75-5. Hope you enjoy!

The Spruce

z32,
this is such a different genre from the anime pieces, and you played it every bit as beautifully. I haven't heard this before, but I can see why you fell in love with it. It's a gorgeous piece. Happy Holidays.

Haha yea thanks Rosanna! Yep I think this is as "classical" as it'll get for me lol! New stuff indeed lol!

[Shamelessly copied from the my post in the Einaudi thread because some people might ignore that thread (for shame!)]

Another new video for YouTube.

This time it is me playing I Due Fiumi. This song (not this performance of it) was the first one I played for the ABF Recitals here. Along with that this was the second Einaudi song I learned how to play.

At this rate the only song that I can play that I don't have a video of is Limbo. Looks like I've got some learning to do.

I decided to record and post this one to give aw2pp some inspiration to keep playing the piece and hopefully we'll get to hear it someday. For all I know he'll keep it tucked away until the next recital.

Without further delay...

I Due Fiumi

I replaced the webcam audio with direct from the piano audio again but I might have been a slight hair fast on the audio sync but it looked close enough for me.

Love the major sevenths, z32.

z32, great job on The Spruce. It sounds very challenging indeed. I am not familiar with the piece, but your interpretation is really moving.

Erik Satie, Gymnopedies No.1

This was the first classical piece I ever learned years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW2OcUItra8

AnthonyB

Your playing in "I Due Fiumi" was beautiful! good job.

Phil,

Love it!

I've taken two weeks of vacation for the holidays, and of course I'm using this time to play the piano.

This is something I came up with earlier today. It's by no means complete or anything, just messing around. The MP3 was made directly from the Pianissimo virtual piano software that I'm currently trying out:

http://www.box.net/shared/ak5up1bn9c