G-position????

[ranniks]

Please correct this beginner if his assumptions are wrong:

C-position: thumb of right hand (1) is on the C while thumb of left hand (1) is on other C??
G-position: thumb of right hand(1) is on G while thumb of left hand (1) is on the other G??

[ranniks]

Edit:

Left pinkies on C and G* Correct?

Doing a piece in G position and I was thinking: Why does it sound so horrible, it's better if my thumb is on the D than on the G. It makes sense now?

So basically it applies to everything? F-position is thumb on F while left is pinky on F and so on?

[hfmadopter]

Hi again ! Watch listen:  https://www.ehow.com/video_12143535_g-scale-piano.html

[ranniks]

Ahh, I see. Thanks David.

I got really confused when my practise piece sounde so horrible. I forgot something during my last piano lesson, but now I get it. It's kind of hard because I had to do left handed something that freaking looked like a C! But it was a D, on top of that, I ruined the g-position. But now I get it.

On a side note: I tried playing Fur elize......Needless to say, it went horrible. I couldn't even 'see' how some notes could be played from my position. Now I understand why I'm doing all these exercises; to prepare for the hard pieces.

[hfmadopter]

Ahh, I see. Thanks David.

I got really confused when my practise piece sounde so horrible. I forgot something during my last piano lesson, but now I get it. It's kind of hard because I had to do left handed something that freaking looked like a C! But it was a D, on top of that, I ruined the g-position. But now I get it.

On a side note: I tried playing Fur elize......Needless to say, it went horrible. I couldn't even 'see' how some notes could be played from my position. Now I understand why I'm doing all these exercises; to prepare for the hard pieces.

Just keep praticing, you will be fine in the long run. Fur Elise is worth learning, you will get to it in due time. So for now that time isn't here yet.

[ranniks]

In the meantime:

Advanced

Intermediate

Novice

Where does this song belong?

[outin]

This sonata is graded 6 on Pianostreet sheet music section. That is intermediate I guess.

My hands are completely clueless when it comes to Mozart, but I guess it's about the same difficulty as some of the pieces I play. So not so many years for you

[hfmadopter]

I want to say I did  that Mozart piece in my third year, maybe fourth year, memorized. I played it in an early recital and several of my teachers work shops. It's not overly difficult and quite pretty and pleasing to play, IMO. It has several repeating patterns in it so as you move along the theme or at least the execusion is similar. I did the Rondo as well. It's fun stuff !

[ranniks]

This sonata is graded 6 on Pianostreet sheet music section. That is intermediate I guess.

My hands are completely clueless when it comes to Mozart, but I guess it's about the same difficulty as some of the pieces I play. So not so many years for you

Thank you Outin! You can play Scarlatti.....So I'm willing to bet you can learn any difficult piece if you put your mind to it.

I want to say I did  that Mozart piece in my third year, maybe fourth year, memorized. I played it in an early recital and several of my teachers work shops. It's not overly difficult and quite pretty and pleasing to play, IMO. It has several repeating patterns in it so as you move along the theme or at least the execusion is similar. I did the Rondo as well. It's fun stuff !

Wow you have? David, you'd have to understand that such level of musical display sounds absolutely fantastic in my ears. It speaks of such technical know how. I mean, maybe the action is easy to perform, but the way it sings out is just fenomenal.

Would you say Ronda Alla Turca is more difficult or the K545? I want to learn both definitely. But of course in a year or 2 or 3 or how ever long it takes.

[outin]

Thank you Outin! You can play Scarlatti.....So I'm willing to bet you can learn any difficult piece if you put your mind to it.

Correction: I am trying to play Scarlatti 
But with his music I can connect. With Mozart's I just can't...

[hfmadopter]

Wow you have? David, you'd have to understand that such level of musical display sounds absolutely fantastic in my ears. It speaks of such technical know how. I mean, maybe the action is easy to perform, but the way it sings out is just fenomenal.

Would you say Ronda Alla Turca is more difficult or the K545? I want to learn both definitely. But of course in a year or 2 or 3 or how ever long it takes.

Long time ago now, but yes I did that piece. The Rondo I speak of is within K545, it comes off as almost a third movement. Some people end at the rest before the Rondo.

Alla Turka is a whole different piece of music and a grade level or two above this one.

When I say it was't overly difficult, I mean compared with level 8 and 9 work where you get a brain ache trying to get it all together , or I did and still do at least ( especially as my eyes got worse along th way). That K545 is a nice little intro into Sonatas and it's all about Mozart, very Mozart. To me it went together intuatively as I recall. I actually had forgotten all about that piece till you posted it here !
David

[outin]

You can play Scarlatti.....

BTW. You should look at K34. It's pretty and among the easiest of his sonatas. You could ask your teacher when you could start working on it. 

[ranniks]

Long time ago now, but yes I did that piece. The Rondo I speak of is within K545, it comes off as almost a third movement. Some people end at the rest before the Rondo.

Alla Turka is a whole different piece of music and a grade level or two above this one.

When I say it was't overly difficult, I mean compared with level 8 and 9 work where you get a brain ache trying to get it all together , or I did and still do at least ( especially as my eyes got worse along th way). That K545 is a nice little intro into Sonatas and it's all about Mozart, very Mozart. To me it went together intuatively as I recall. I actually had forgotten all about that piece till you posted it here !
David

The K545 is magical, you should definitely play it when you find the time! I can't wait until the day I'll be able to fill the living room of my home with the beautiful sounds of greatness.

BTW. You should look at K34. It's pretty and among the easiest of his sonatas. You could ask your teacher when you could start working on it. 

I might! I'm at the basics of reading music now. My teacher has me working on a piece that also requires the black pieces. Just two of them though.

I'm going to record me practising soon, so maybe the two of you can give me pointers based on that if it isn't asking too much, hehe.

[nystul]

I always felt like K545 is pretty easy to read through, so to speak.  There is nothing on the page that is mind-boggling to look at.  But actually playing it and working it up to speed... not simple by any means.

[outin]

My teacher has me working on a piece that also requires the black pieces. Just two of them though.

I got confused for a moment here... they are called black keys, not pieces 

[ranniks]

I always felt like K545 is pretty easy to read through, so to speak.  There is nothing on the page that is mind-boggling to look at.  But actually playing it and working it up to speed... not simple by any means.

^^

I got confused for a moment here... they are called black keys, not pieces 

Wow! Can't believe I said 'pieces' lol, meant black keys, lol.

Uhm, I'm having difficulties reading this sheet >.<. It has intervals with G7, Dm (d minor?), Am (A minor?) and such, it's kind of tedious since the last lesson we didn't have enough time to delve deeper into it. It's like trying to figure out a math equiation. I understand what's asked, but it's still tedious as hell!

Well, practise makes perfect!

[outin]

Uhm, I'm having difficulties reading this sheet >.<. It has intervals with G7, Dm (d minor?), Am (A minor?) and such, it's kind of tedious since the last lesson we didn't have enough time to delve deeper into it. It's like trying to figure out a math equiation. I understand what's asked, but it's still tedious as hell!

Which piece is it?

[hfmadopter]

The K545 is magical, you should definitely play it when you find the time! I can't wait until the day I'll be able to fill the living room of my home with the beautiful sounds of greatness.

I might! I'm at the basics of reading music now. My teacher has me working on a piece that also requires the black pieces. Just two of them though.

I'm going to record me practising soon, so maybe the two of you can give me pointers based on that if it isn't asking too much, hehe.

I bet it's been 32 years since I played K545 and back then I played it a lot ( as I said it was included in a reciltal and several work shops I used to attend) !  Yes K545 is a great piece though, not sure I need to revisit it.

[ranniks]

Which piece is it?

It's called: Heart and Soul from the Paramount Short Subject A SONG IS BORN. Words by Frank Loesser Music by Hoagy Carmichael.

At the top of the sheet I see a whole list f chords I think? It starts with C and above the C there is a little more than an actove worth of keys. I can see the c note twice and the g note twice as well, but the A note only once while I can see the A sharp once as well. This image of the keys is posted on each chord letter.

C
Am
Dm
G7
C7
Cmaj7 (C major 7? No idea what the 7 means)
Am7
Dm7
G9
C7
F
E7
A7
D7
Fmaj7
E7
A7
D7

Basically a list with images of which keys to press? Because there are stips pointing on a few nites. The c has a dot on the c, d and g note while the Am has a dot on the a, c and e note. The Dm has adot on the d, f and a notes.

So what am I looking at? I'll definitely find out wensday, but it would be nice to know what it is I'm looking at. Also, the bar lines below (the G symbol only, so only right hand movements) have the Am above some notes or the G7 or others etc etc.

Can you or David make sense of this?

[ranniks]

I bet it's been 32 years since I played K545 and back then I played it a lot ( as I said it was included in a reciltal and several work shops I used to attend) !  Yes K545 is a great piece though, not sure I need to revisit it.

You have no idea how much I value pianists who are passionate about their thing. I mean, to me it's pretty much dazzling that you have such a rich knowledge.

Have I told you the story about the math teacher who played mozart, bach, chopin and vivaldi for me? The thing that sort of got me started? Well, he was somewhat 60 years old (do not mind this at all, just stating facts) and he could play mozart, bach, choping, vivaldi, beethoven and most likely others too right out of his mind. He didn't even need a sheet. He told me he played since he was ten.

I can still remember the 'shining sun Mozart' as he liked to call him while he played one of his sonatas, hehe.

[outin]

Cmaj7 (C major 7? No idea what the 7 means)

It means a 4 note chord which is a triad added with a 7th (interval from the first "root" note). It sounds different. Try the C major chord (c, e, g) and then add a B. Listen to the difference.

You can use different kinds of 7ths to make it more complicated... The C7 chord has a B flat instead of a B. Your sheet has the pictures to help you figure out what to play but if you get into this chord stuff you'll be able to build them all yourself.

Am is the A minor chord. You make all kinds of interesting chords from both major and minor chords by adding/changing something to them. That's what all those different letters and numbers/symbols mean.

Damn! I did it again...I accidently modified my own post and deleted what I had written before  

So here's a new explanation:

The bar lines are the melody that you play with your right hand. The chords are marked above it to show what you play with your left hand to accompany the melody. You will use the pictures to figure out how to play these chords. Just play all the notes that are marked on the keys. You can just play the chords like that blocked or if you want more variation you can arpeggiate them or anything you can think of. You kind of improvise the left hand with the help of the information given on which chords are appropriate to the harmony.

I am very bad in explaining this, especially in English. You do need a better teacher

[ranniks]

It means a 4 note chord which is a triad added with a 7th (interval from the first "root" note). It sounds different. Try the C major chord (c, e, g) and then add a B. Listen to the difference.

You can use different kinds of 7ths to make it more complicated... The C7 chord has a B flat instead of a B. Your sheet has the pictures to help you figure out what to play but if you get into this chord stuff you'll be able to build them all yourself.

Am is the A minor chord. You make all kinds of interesting chords from both major and minor chords by adding/changing something to them. That's what all those different letters and numbers/symbols mean.

Damn! I did it again...I accidently modified my own post and deleted what I had written before  

So here's a new explanation:

The bar lines are the melody that you play with your right hand. The chords are marked above it to show what you play with your left hand to accompany the melody. You will use the pictures to figure out how to play these chords. Just play all the notes that are marked on the keys. You can just play the chords like that blocked or if you want more variation you can arpeggiate them or anything you can think of. You kind of improvise the left hand with the help of the information given on which chords are appropriate to the harmony.

I am very bad in explaining this, especially in English. You do need a better teacher

Keep on explaining please! So that list coressponds to 4-note chords? Single letters only 3-note chords and min and major 4 notes?

Also, the symbol of the bar lines is that of the right hand, it's the G key. Normally you have 2 bar lines on top of each other, one for the left hand, it has a C symbol and above it a barline for the right hand, it has a G symbol (not exactly a G though!).

G clef = right hand, right?

This sheet only has G clefs, what does that mean? I can slightly remember doing this exercise with my left hand with my teacher but not sure? He had a way to move chords with thumbs.

Please explain further!

[outin]

Keep on explaining please! So that list coressponds to 4-note chords? Single letters only 3-note chords and min and major 4 notes?

Not quite. Both C and Cm are 3 note chords (you must look at the picture to see how many keys to press). The number 7 means that you add a 4th note to the chord.

Also, the symbol of the bar lines is that of the right hand, it's the G key. Normally you have 2 bar lines on top of each other, one for the left hand, it has a C symbol and above it a barline for the right hand, it has a G symbol (not exactly a G though!).

G clef = right hand, right?

In this case yes, but not always. With this piece you play everything on the G cleft with your right and the chords with your left.

[hfmadopter]

Keep on explaining please! So that list coressponds to 4-note chords? Single letters only 3-note chords and min and major 4 notes?

G clef = right hand, right?

This sheet only has G clefs, what does that mean? I can slightly remember doing this exercise with my left hand with my teacher but not sure? He had a way to move chords with thumbs.

Please explain further!

Chord changes echo thorughout a piece. And just say you are playing the C major chord and add the 7 by playing a B as mentioned in Outin's earlier post ? There then are inversions of this and also arpeggiating that chord. In that case the B may fall someplace else on the key board but the effect will still be there. I know this is above your lesson at the moment just a heads up.

Also often you may find a sheet of music that is like a cheat sheet, one cleff only with the melody, then they indicate above what the chords are to be ( this is how accordian music is witten too). It's assumed that you know the chords, they are not written in a bass cleff but it's up to you to arrange the chordal structure. In other words you may play it in it's root position , you may invert it with a first or second inversion and play as a block, repeat it in rhythm etc. or you might decide to arpeggiate the cord and start it out inverted. Many ways to use chords and I'm referring to bass here. I often arpeggiate a chord by playing the bass root note ( C in this case) and playing the fifth not of the chord next and progress up the key board in that way, in time with the time signature.

You will get there, right now you are an empty sponge wanting to soak up everything at once. It may take several wringing outs, don't try to mop everything up at one time !
David

[ranniks]

Now I get it.....I feel so >..<

I mean, it said for example Dm above some notes, I should have understood it meant do the chords with the left hand >..<........

I need to have patience. The tiger within me (as my teacher beautifully says) is roaring out while the sponge in me () is wanting to expand too fast.

It's just that I don't seem to have enough to work on during practise. I think I'll work on tempo in the time I seem to have left. I play exactly an hour everyday and on the weekends a bit more.

[outin]

I mean, it said for example Dm above some notes, I should have understood it meant do the chords with the left hand >..<........

Exactly!
The rest should be easy to figure out. Executing it needs some practice. It's easiest first just to play a blocked chord (all the notes at the same time) every time you see the chord name above the right hand melody. Then you can experiment how to make it sound more interesting.

I need to have patience. The tiger within me (as my teacher beautifully says) is roaring out while the sponge in me () is wanting to expand too fast.

We had this discussion with my teacher yesterday...I also lack patience, if I don't get something immediately, I get frustrated... But we'll learn

It's just that I don't seem to have enough to work on during practise. I think I'll work on tempo in the time I seem to have left. I play exactly an hour everyday and on the weekends a bit more.

I think it would be good if you had more than one piece, I usually have at least 3. Sometimes it's stressfull, but at least I always have something to work on between lesson. Something easy enough that you can get ahead without the help of your teacher.

[ranniks]

Exactly!
The rest should be easy to figure out. Executing it needs some practice. It's easiest first just to play a blocked chord (all the notes at the same time) every time you see the chord name above the right hand melody. Then you can experiment how to make it sound more interesting.
We had this discussion with my teacher yesterday...I also lack patience, if I don't get something immediately, I get frustrated... But we'll learn

I think it would be good if you had more than one piece, I usually have at least 3. Sometimes it's stressfull, but at least I always have something to work on between lesson. Something easy enough that you can get ahead without the help of your teacher.

At first I would get frustrated and ponder upon the piece even when I would not be playing. I would tell myself I suck and will never get it; that's the vibe I got with Fur Elize. But rather than that I now practise hard and hard!

I got some of the chord pieces down! I can do the C, Am and F chord back to back. It's just switching fingers.

C chord = left pinky on C
Am chord = left middlefinger on C
F chord = left thumb on C

The G7 chord is rather hard. So I'll hopefully get help with that tomorrow. I havn't even had one 'scale' lesson orso 0.o so maybe I'm working ahead of myself by trying the chords.

Anyways, lots of fun.

A few lessons ago (weeks ago) when I mentioned that I wanted to play more classical pieces like the one he gave me on the first lesson, he told me I wasn't ready for them yet. That is absolutely true I believe. So I'll just trust my teacher and see where I am at the end of this year.