rediscover my piano skills

Really this should be “improve my sight reading skills.” Because my piano skills never left me. I can play chords and melodies just fine.

However my sight reading chops are extremely rusty. By improving that I will inherently improve my piano skills at the same time.

I’m working on a new piece called “Erik’s Satire,” which is taken largely and inspired by the late, great Erik Satie. I love the play on his name. It’s challenging b/c the left hand plays a steady 8th note pattern while the right hand is doing lots of fills and runs. I’ll post it when I get a good take. I’m thinking about having my roomie play violin on it.

At my grandfather’s service we sang, “Just As I Am,” and “Just A Closer Walk With Thee.” He loved old hymns.

I am making my own verions of both tunes. On “Closer Walk,” I am doing it in the style of The Meters. I’ve loved The Meters for years. Their soul and musicianship are so inspring to me. My version leans heavily on their song, “Hey pockey a-way,” yet at the same time has a little of my own flavor.

The piano part took a while to get but it’s coming along well. We are talking about the Neville brothers here! When it’s done I’ll post it on my myspace page.

I wrote this after seeing Imogen Heap and Jeremy Enigk. It’s dark but it’s really cold and pretty too. There are some mistakes but I’m too lazy to go back and fix them right now.

Go here: http://myspace.com/jamitupyourmusic and listen the track “hoo doo.”

After seeing Jeremy Enigk and Imogen Heap within several days of each other I’ve got enough inspiration to get back to the keys. Last night I wrote something that reminded me of Erik Satie actually. It was cool.

I’m going to be exploring that instrument, I want to get intimate with it.

on the piano! Not sure why; just felt the urge I guess. A little Drummer Boy, I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas, O Come, O Come Emmanuel…

I’ll be ready when the season actually gets here..

who plays the piano very well, actually, and apparently he taught himself. He’s recently played for me a couple of things he wrote himself, and they were both amazing. This is actually discouraging instead of encouraging (as far as my own skills go), and I’m not sure why. I think I can be easily discouraged, and the fact that he taught himself to play and is actually very talented and creative is a little intimidating. However, then I think about how I taught myself to play the guitar, and that didn’t seem hard at all to me. I feel like it’s different, though. I’m not sure why.

Listening to Ben Folds rocking out really makes me want to re-learn piano. Why is this goal so elusive? I think it’s because it’s inconvenient. How often are you around a piano, randomly? How often are you around one long enough to get anything done? How often are you around one in circumstances that are condusive to that kind of practice?

That’s all I’m saying.

So, I was guitar shopping with my friend yesterday because he is left-handed and, like, no one carries many left handed guitars if they even carry any at all… so.. but anyway, one of the music stores we went to offers piano lessons! So I might take one or two before I leave the country. Just to see how much I really remember. We’ll see though, cuz they’re $23 a piece and I think that’s expensive. At least, it’s expensive for me.

yeaaahhh

I took piano lessons from age 6 to 13. I played many classical pieces from Beethoven, Mozart to Bach. I also did the guild which is where you play for someone and they grade you. That was very tough for a kid. Recitals were rough too.

One of my other goals on here is to learn, “Moonlight Sonata,” so this goal goes hand in hand with that.

Plus what better way to meet ladies than by playing a romantic song on the piano?