PIYW #8 — Meta Feedback

rsl12 · 2026-04-16T04:28:10+00:00

June 15, 2026 EDIT: "Play 'How Long Blues' Your Way" is now live! Click to listen. You can continue to use this thread to discuss your preparation of the piece, or to discuss any other matters regarding Play It Your Way. PIYW #8: Play "How Long Blues" Your Way Play It Your Way is a quasi-monthly event for beginners, professionals, classical, jazz, or pop pianists and everyone in between! We are starting work on "How Long Blues" by Leroy Carr. Use the links below to find the sheet music you like, and when you are ready, post your performance in the submission thread. Perfection is not expected! Previous PIYWs: PIYW #5: Play Haydn's "Divertimento in G Major" Your Way PIYW #6: Play "Lean On Me" Your Way PIYW #7: Play "Over the Rainbow" Your Way Full List of Previous PIYWs Thanks to WieWaldi for this month's selection! Please suggest pieces for future "Play It Your Way" events by using the suggestion box. The theme of the next PIYW (to be announced in April) is Classical, but feel free to submit good ideas across all genres. Guidelines This is not a contest! It is meant to be a casual and fun event. You can use this thread to discuss your preparation of the piece, or anything else related to PIYW. To submit a recording of your performance, go to the submission thread. All PIYW submissions will remain hidden from public view until June 15. However, there is no deadline for when you need to submit your performance. Although most participants submit their recording before that date, you may submit at any time. Use the recital schedule to plan your participation in future recitals! "How Long Blues" by Leroy Carr (1928) From Leroy Carr - The Bluesman Who Behaved Too Well: Carr was the most influential male blues singer and songwriter of the first half of the 20th century, but he was nothing like the current stereotype of an early bluesman. An understated pianist with a gentle, expressive voice, he was known for his natty suits and lived most of his life in Indianapolis. His first record, "How Long — How Long Blues," in 1928, had an effect as revolutionary as Bing Crosby's pop crooning, and for similar reasons. Previous blues stars, whether vaudevillians like Bessie Smith or street singers like Blind Lemon Jefferson, had needed huge voices to project their music, but with the help of new microphone and recording technologies, Carr sounded like a cool city dude carrying on a conversation with a few close friends. Carr's lyrics were carefully written, blending soulful poetry with wry humor, and his music had a light, lilting swing that could shift in a moment to a driving boogie. Rather than Smith's vaudeville jazz combos or Jefferson's idiosyncratic country picking, Carr sang over the solid beat of his piano and the biting guitar of his constant partner Francis (Scrapper) Blackwell. The outcome was a hip, urban club style that signaled a new era in popular music. Links to Sheet Music / Lead Sheet You are not limited to only the music linked below. Feel free to find or create your own version. You do not have to complete or perfect the piece to submit it, and don't be afraid to simplify or shorten the piece. Improvisation, backing tracks, and backing humans are all allowed. Sheet music (Listed easiest to hardest): https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0095235 https://musescore.com/user/39593079/scores/15915238 https://musescore.com/official_scores/scores/6940448 https://christianssheetmusic.com/products/how-long-blues https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0043017 https://musescore.com/user/188849/scores/1009141 https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0095173 Lead Sheet (another thanks to WieWaldi for providing so many sheet music links!)

twocats

diretonic y'all could sing 😜

diretonic

WieWaldi I have no doubt, whatever you do, it will sound amazing.

A highly reckless assumption!

diretonic

twocats y'all could sing 😜

I can be quite certain you'll be thankful I didn't try. (...but how about you?...)

twocats

diretonic I can be quite certain you'll be thankful I didn't try. (...but how about you?...)

I don't know this song and am not particularly interested in learning it! I'm skipping this month's PIYW. Otherwise I might consider subjecting you all to my singing again 😂

Sophia

twocats y'all could sing

In my case, that would guarantee several key changes. That's why I would never expose you to my singing 😋

rsl12

diretonic

Start quiet and get louder.
Start sparse and get busier.
Key change.
The more I work on it, the stiffer I seem to become. I’m definitely in the ‘not enjoying this’ phase.

If you add "start slow and get faster" then you have all of my ideas!

I hope you're not stressing. Everyone is saying how they know your submission will be wonderful, based on your past submissions. But I want you to know I think there's a chance your submission will be a disaster, and that's okay. This is supposed to fun, so don't worry if it's not perfect.

rsl12

By the way, we have two submissions so far: @TC3 and @Sophia. More than "Over The Rainbow" had 10 days before the deadline!

Sophia

rsl12 don't worry if it's not perfect

Right! If all else fails, just randomly bang keys with your fists while singing. It just might sound good 😃

TC3

twocats I'm singing. Don't say I didn't warn you ...

twocats

TC3 I'm going to pretend that it's because I suggested it! 😆

TC3

twocats Yes, let's go with that. 😃

rsl12

About two more days left to get your submissions in! I just submitted, so we have three so far.

WieWaldi

Don't know if I am able to make it in time. I can play about 80% with 80% tempo at 80% reliability.

Wait... 80%³ = 51%

This means I've done only roughly half of the work 😱

rsl12

You can use infinite takes, so your chance of recording a perfect take is 100%.

WieWaldi

rsl12 infinite takes

rsl12 Not true. After 30 minutes, the battery of my camera is drained.

WieWaldi

Okay, just made a recording. It has a few flubs here and there. But I think I will say FINITO to H L B. Just need to do the video cut and upload it...

This will take a while, I'll try out something new for the video edit - fingers crossed

Sophia

WieWaldi Okay, just made a recording.

Simonb

I have submitted a recording. Last minute.com as always!

Cheers

rsl12

"Play 'How Long Blues' Your Way" is now live! Click to listen. You can continue to use this thread to discuss your preparation of the piece, or to discuss any other matters regarding Play It Your Way.

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