This Blog has now moved

Hi Folks

If you have been reading or subscribed to this blog, thank you for sticking with me the past few years.

I have decided to move this blog to a new provider


The new blog can be found here [click]


Sincerely


Seaside_Lee

Its nearly recital time again!

Well its getting very near to pianoworld recital time and as usual I'm procrastinating. I'll get it done I know I will! I have sat down 4 times at the bench today and said "right Lee c'mon lets do it" and every time either the phone has rang or something has distracted me and today was going to be the day (grrr!)

So, I have decided I'm going to do it before I go to bed tonight so by tomorrow I will have it done

And then I can sit back, put my feet up and relax!


Lee

I really like this new piano course I've just bought!

Hi there folks

As you know I've been with Mike at pianomagic.com for over 5 years now. I've tried other things but, anyone who knows me or has read the previous post will know they all gather dust on my bookshelf!

Well there has been a lot of discussion about an amazing and relatively cheap piano course over in the Adult beginner forums at Pianoworld.com and what with me being a sucker for a new piano course an' all I just couldn't resist! however, I must admit to being rather skeptical before I clicked purchase because it seemed a bit too good to be true for the money?

I have had this course for a week and I have to say that along with pianomagic this is already shaping up to be one of the best courses I have ever seen and I recommend it to any of you reading whether you are just starting out, want to add a course to your pianomagic study or are interested in getting into jazz and blues (like me) its bloody fantastic!!

I wrote at pianoworld that I liked it and Robin Hall (the author) sent me a lovely email to thank me for recommending his course and even said he would be happy for me to link to his course from here so if you are interested :-

Click Here!

Along with pianomagic this one comes "Seaside_Lee Approved" (in other words it does what it says on the tin!)


Lee

Jan 2009 - Heather asks...

Hi Folks

To save me time writing this out ever again a member called Heather over at Pianoworld asked me these questions:-

"Hello Seaside Lee -

I was hoping you could answer a couple of questions for me.

Did you use Piano Magic exclusively for the type of playing you do?

Did you have any previous piano training?

How long have you been at it?

How long did it take you to see results using Piano Magic?

If you have used other methods, please let me know what they are.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer!

I like your playing

-Heather"

and this was my reply to her:

Hi Heather

1. Yes (although I own other courses and watch youtube for tips just like everyone else but, in the main Piano Magic is what I always end up doing) I'm comfiest playing that way and we are getting into deeper more tricky stuff as the membership is getting more advanced so the advanced discussions are too (which is once again bringing me on [Smile] )

2. yes I had a couple of years of lessons when I was a child. I tried traditional lessons for 6 weeks or so in my early 20's because I got the urge again but, I just couldn't stick to it (out of frustration) and that was where my mind was at with the piano (i.e. that it was something in life that I should have stuck with as a child but, didn't and therefore it was going to be a life long regret of mine!) until I googled 'play, piano by ear, lessons' 5 years ago and the rest as they say is history! LOL

3. I joined up in October 2003 so a little over 5 years

4. If you go to my blog and click on "Seasides Piano Journey" in the right hand column (thats my first blog post) In that post you will find my "hello" message to Mike at pianomagic dated Oct 01 2003 and the first piece that made it into the "recital hall" so, that was how I sounded after 4 months of pianomagic under my belt, take a listen and see what you think (aint as good as now but, not bad for 4 months I guess)

It took me a few weeks to start making progress but, my struggle with finding melody and trying to cure my inabililty to do it, is well documented in my blog and in my hundreds of questions to Mike that, you can read in the forums over there if you decide to join that is? (it was so bad that I named it "Seaside_Lee Affliction" and that is now a trade mark!! LOL)

5. I have tried other methods but they mainly gather dust on my bookshelf (even though I still cherish all of them and would never sell them because one day I'll get back to them I always promise myself) off the top of my head:-

Sudnow (love it gets you playing cocktail sounding lush full songs off the bat but, you really have to stick to it or it just gets forgotten. Swingin Barb has stuck to it and Markham too and they are brilliant!) doesn't help to play by ear though IMHO

Play Like Me - similar to Sudnow (kinda like Sudnow Lite) doesn't help to play by ear either IMHO

Pattern Piano - I can't sing so found it useless - probably great if you can sing and want to accompany yourself (which I would love to be able to do)

Pattern Piano Blues Licks - fun but drove me nutz!

Hear and Play, Gospel keys, the jazz one and others - heck they never stop offering me new stuff! LOL I have no idea how anyone learns to play by ear off of this stuff or learns to play off of it at all but, there are some fans so, its probably just me?

Scott The Piano guy, tips tricks 1 & 2, the christmas song, and Xmas special and subscribe to his you tube...gets you playing off of lead sheets love it but, he never digs in enough with his guests for long enough for me to pick up what they are doing!! grrrr!

Barry Harris 1 & 2 (I just don't get these videos at all they are beyond me and most stuff is teaching a full band how to do stuff??? but lord I love the way he plays - so frustrating to me

Quiescience music - joined never gave it a proper go so can't comment

Jamie Aebersold - Anyone can improvise, and various jazz play a longs watched briefly never dug in though to be honest

Patsy Carlsson Play piano overnight - gets you playing nice sounds overnight [Smile] doesn't get you playing songs though [Wink]

Rocket Piano - my worst buy (grrr!) I have no idea what is good about this? or why it gets voted as being so good?


How's that?


Lee

If you want to go to the thread here is the direct link (click):



That should save me having to type that lot out again LOL



regards

Lee

Last 2 videos of 2008

Hi Folks

Hope you all had a wonderful Xmas

Here's a couple of new videos (and they are going to be the last 2 of 2008)...expanding a little more on how I improvise and this time I'm trying to show how you can use your noodling/improvising to play through mistakes and how to make mistakes sound creative:-

Video 1



Video 2



Hope y'all have a lovely New Year


Lee

Adding Auto Rhythm To Our Noodling/Improvisations

Hi again folks

Okay it seems there is a small amount of interest with this stuff and a few of you are enjoying have fun with it?

If you have a digital keyboard then you can have some fun with your auto-rhythm, built in drum machine.

Video 1



Video 2



Video 3

Mixing 2 different chord progression together to give 2 sections to our song
Apologies, the keyboard was transposed up a half step!




To read some discussion about these videos please click this link to the:- "Pianoworld Adult Beginners Forum" [click]


take it easy



Lee

Noodling for Beginners - video lessons part 1 and 2

Hi Everyone

After posting my recent noodling session .mp3 I have had quite a lot of mail. One person even reckoned I was some sort of "freeeky genius" but, of course this is not true! LOL

I have had a few requests to explain how I do it so, I have bought myself a new video recorder this week and decided to make a video for y'all which I had to split into 2 parts as "youtube" only allow 10 minutes maximum.

These 2 videos are for those that wanted to know more and learn how easy it is to do

I hope you enjoy watching them and that they help you to spend more time having fun at your keyboard/piano.

DISCLAIMER: The singing isn't very good so don't be alarmed and keep young children away from the computer whilst watching this! LOL

I have checked with Mike over at pianomagic.com and he is happy that there is nothing in the videos that would tread on his copyright material (even if he is much better at teaching this kind of stuff as a small part of what he teaches over there)

Video 1:-




Video 2:-



For me this is a way to effortlessly practise my pedalling, control of velocity and rhythm and yes I know Mikes already told me its still a little patchy in places (slipping from 3/4 to 4/4...grrr!)


Hope they give you some ideas and of course if you'd like to learn more on how to do this kind of stuff and how to play piano by ear you can always come and join Mike, the gang and I over at pianomagic.com

EDITED TO ADD: A few more videos

These 2 are just for ideas and to try and get some feedback as to where I could explain things deeper or clearer for you

Video 3:




Video 4:



In these 2 videos I mention the "Circle of Fifths" just to prevent confusion here is a picture of the Circle of Fifths:-



If you take a look at the outside of the circle notice how the chords go E to A to D to G to C anticlockwise

Hence

** Eminor > A minor > D minor > G7 > C **




These last 2 videos are because Lenny over at Pianoworld pointed out that the angle wasn't helping him to see clearly enough what I was playing so hopefully this new angle is a little clearer for him and for you? however, its about the best I'm going to get off of this tripod without getting my big head in the way!

Video 5:




Video 6:




Till the next time, take care


Lee :)