Beginners blues/boogie/rock discussion

Sophia · 2024-05-29T17:17:55+00:00

I have always been fascinated by boogie woogie, but of course I am limited by my very limited piano skills 😃 However now that I'm in the second Alfred book,...

Sophia

<trip down memory lane> It was in the old PW forum that I mentioned wanting to learn boogie woogie some day. I had tried some tutorials, but they all showed some guy playing the same left hand pattern for 3 weeks on end, while watching TV, eating dinner, or using the washroom. Yeah, right. I'd die of boredom (and RSI) first. And also, if I wanted to stay married, that was not going to be an option 🤣

Then rsl12 mentioned that you had submitted a blues recital piece, and that I should ask you what method you use. Of course to me, you were the King of Blues - a Very Advanced and Important Performer and I was just a bloody beginner. I didn't even know I was a bloody beginner until Christian told me so, in fact. Either way, I was much too shy to request an audience with The King...

But somehow I ended up using the same method... and we ended up as buddies...

hebele

WieWaldi forcing users to upgrade when they try to re-install? I usually give benefit of doubt, but this is just too convenient for them.

If you hadn't mentioned, I wouldn't notice that you have changed the software. I think you already figured out similar set of features. Also I disagree about the performance, it is proper and nice.

WieWaldi

hebele Thank you very much. Btw, this lesson contained a lot of that "Play E_b instead of E when on F7" rules. And honestly, it still drives me crazy and it caused a lot of mistakes during practice.

hebele WieWaldi forcing users to upgrade when they try to re-install? I usually give benefit of doubt, but this is just too convenient for them.

I faced this kind of business practices with other software already. But as long I was able to keep the installation files, I could continue to use the old version together with the old key. Except in case of a major failure when I was not able to boot the PC again and needed a reinstall before I could deinstall the software properly. But even then there was a possibilty to reset the registration key for free.

But in this case, the installer is checking the server if there is newer version available and prohibits the setup of the old version. It automatically updates.

Anyway, with free software you get rid of so many troubles regarding a reinstall on another PC, if something happened. And you often get even more support from the community than the experts of a monetized product are willing to offer.
I just hope, DaVinci stays free, but as long I keep the installation file, I will be able to use it for a long time.

Sophia

hebele Also I disagree about the performance, it is proper and nice.

Right?! So modest…. I too liked it very much.

WieWaldi I just hope, DaVinci stays free

I read somewhere that the big professionals (read: Hollywood) use it. It’s important for DaVinci to stimulate as many people as possible to learn about the software, so expectations are it will remain free for hobbyists. I sure hope so… It’s really incredible how much they include in the free version! I haven’t even touched a fraction of the options.

Btw congrats on your new computer 🙂

Sophia

One week onwards, and still only three variations into the blues lesson. It's a very pleasant one, I absolutely love the smooth and lush sound. It took me a long time to get the LH used to the chords. It's very easy to just plonk it down, but by using the finger pedalling method it's possible to make it sound rich and blend in smoothly with the RH, like Christian plays it (ok, not THAT good, but... better than the bloody beginner I was a year ago).

As usual he does some evil, tricky things with counting and my memory keeps playing tricks on me as soon as I try to wean myself off the sheet music. But... I'll get there. Someday 😁

WieWaldi

Oh yes - the LH. He switched from a repeating pattern to a beatiful chord progression. I remember it took me ages to get familiar with. But it pays off, it sounds really nice after learning. I rewatched my vid and figured out, I did no finger pedaling. 😱
Why did you not teach me earlier, what finger pedaling is, Sophia??!?
Anyway, I am expecting nothing less than a great video from you, I expect it smooth and lush and I expect that you to finish the lesson with the beautiful ending, that you will learn. And don't forget to foot-pedal it properly. You can try with your ears, too. But in our beginners stage, I strongly recommend to use the foot.

Go go go go go Sophia, the blues train is rolling

Sophia

WieWaldi Anyway, I am expecting nothing less than a great video from you, I expect it smooth and lush and I expect that you to finish the lesson with the beautiful ending, that you will learn. And don't forget to foot-pedal it properly. You can try with your ears, too.

No high expectations there at all, right?

WieWaldi And don't forget to foot-pedal it properly

Yes boss!

WieWaldi

Good girl

WieWaldi

@Sophia I don't want to make pressure, but I can play the 1_st chorus of boogie woogie lesson 1; very slowly. Only four more to go. Okay, I admit this was a very easy one. Actually very easy after our blues lessons, but Christian said the main difficulty of boogie woogie is the high playing speed.

Happy Easter!

Sophia

OMG... there is no stopping him. Help! @hebele! what can we do to stop this racing train?!? We're trailing behind, buddy!

hebele

Sophia I like the piano train and the trainspotting cat. But you get no help from me. I am neutral on this or rather I support both sides 😀.

I concur that boogie woogie just levels up this thread. But also you talk about your own creations. Meanwhile I am just panicking about a piece that I want to prepare for PT recital 😱

WieWaldi

Sophia Hahaha. "WieWie" is so brilliant for a steam train 😘Would it be possible to change the railroad track to a piano keyboard?!?

Sophia - I have been creating some super cute patterns of my own, with much trial and error of what sounds right. <proud!>

Can't wait to hear it. (Whatever you mean with pattern... (LH-pattern / or a lick / or maybe a riff / or a chunk?)

Sophia I need to learn to write music though,

Get familiar with Musescore. In the beginning you will hate Musescore, because it seems cumbersome. You need to get used to it, it costs really some time. But it is really powerful, it is free, and it is one of the big three, making it one facto standard. And after you got used to it, you will be able to do everything and I doubt the commercial software is then any faster to operate.
And you can make musescore play your notation, very easy to check if your notation is the same what you played on the piano.

Sophia

Ok, I have some news of my own too (not as spectacular): I am almost halfway my lesson now. Four licks mastered out of eight, plus the ending. But that is not all - I have been creating some super cute patterns of my own, with much trial and error of what sounds right. <proud!>

I need to learn to write music though, because as soon as I add one of my own, the next day it's forgotten again. But at least that gives me opportunity to add a new one every day, even prettier than the previous one. I hope to include a few of those with my lesson - but it'll still be a while

WieWaldi

Sophia Four licks mastered out of eight, plus the ending.

Seriously, this is about 60 to 70 percent. Making the LH chords autopilot is worth two difficult licks and the ending. 👍

Sophia

hebele But you get no help from me

Whaaaaaa! Not fair! Us bloody beginners need to stick together against those fast moving pros! Especially since they venture into boogie woogie and declare it EASY!

All jokes aside - good luck with your recital piece 🙂 Is it going to be a lesson from the blues course or something else altogether? I have my piece recorded already - from the Alfred book (as a farewell gesture) 🙂

WieWaldi

hebele But you get no help from me. I am neutral on this

Ahhhh - that's the best attitude. ❤️ Staying neutral as long as you support @Nightowl and me telling, that Sophia is annoyingly talented.^^

hebele I concur that boogie woogie just levels up this thread.

Sure, we do a lot of Blues. Boogie is in the wings. And Rock n'Roll will follow up later - promise. Don't forget this thread is named "Beginners blues/boogie/rock discussion"!

Good luck with your PT recital piece. Play slowly, really slowly, maybe with metronome. When it is error free and stable, start to ramp up the speed bit by bit. And don't panic, 20 more days is a lot of time. I'm sure you will be successful.

hebele

Sophia and WieWaldi as usual I am exaggerating. It will be fine. It is Tchaikovsky's "Old French Song" which is pretty and (more importantly) easy. I am just trying not to massacre it completely. A bit of massacre is fine 🙂

MandM

WieWaldi
I agree, in the beginning it takes a little to learn Musescore, but after a while it is going much faster. Recently, I had to enter a couple of songs and it was not too bad. I enjoyed being able to play the songs back and even have a metronome along with it.

Sophia

WieWaldi Would it be possible to change the railroad track to a piano keyboard?!?

Challenge accepted!

WieWaldi

MandM In the latest version, they added a new input method. They display within an empty bar all quarter note positions (maybe even all eigths, maybe even customizable) and you can select the note position. No need to fill up with rests before the desired note position. I have played only a tiny little bit with that new input method, but I think it comes real handy when you are used to it.

MandM

WieWaldi I like that feature and will try it out when I enter my next score.

Sophia

Oh thanks for the tip on Musescore! I was installed on my old computer, but I never used it. It's installed on this one too now. Now why does this feel so much like homework?! 🙁

WieWaldi

Sophia Now why does this feel so much like homework?! 🙁

It is just a trick to slow you down. You know, we _{(the not so annoyingly talented)} need to dig deep into the bag of tricks.

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