|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The first time I heard George Winston play back in the early 1980's I was blown away. I didn't know why I liked this music. All I knew was that it made me feel good and that was enough. I didn't even play piano back then but something about this music seeped into me almost haunting me. The way he let the notes ring out and wasn't concerned with pop flavorings. A new sound for the time.
When I began to play piano, I wanted to know how he did it. How did he create this music? I read somewhere that his method was to create the chords first, then improvise a melody over them. Great, but what chords and how do you know where and when to play them?
I then realized that George wasn't really doing anything radically different than most classical composers who think in sections. Composing is all about using the techniques of repetition and contrast. Now in most of Winston's music, there is a lot of repetition going on with the contrast coming from the melody. The chords are repeated in certain patterns, the melody played on top, but there still is a framework operating here.
For example, if we take 8 measures of music and call it a (A) section, we have composed. We have taken chords, put them into some kind of order (no matter how tightly or loosely) and have composed. It takes a certain skill to keep the music fresh after a certain number of repetitions. This skill has to be practiced. It can not be taught. This is a doing operation. You can listen to music, but to learn improvisation and composition, you must do it.
Now the secret is this: You may repeat a section as many times as your interest remains with the music. As soon as you become bored in your improvising, so will the listener. For most, having one section isn't enough therefore we bring in the (B) section. This could be anything from 4 to 8 bars of new material. This new material is also repeated and eventually we return to the (A) section. When you start to think in sections, you can unlock the mystery of most music.
Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lesson s.html for a FREE piano lesson!
Have you ever dreamed of performing a piece you created... Read More
Piano arranging is the process by which you take a... Read More
Some of you may remember a book titled "Drawing on... Read More
The gong is one of the oldest musical instruments in... Read More
Remember when radio stations played great music?OK, before you accuse... Read More
In the late 1940's, the 45-RPM record replaced the 78-RPM... Read More
The idea originated with singer Jon Bon Jovi. Jon kept... Read More
So you want to be more creative when playing piano.... Read More
Most people look forward to the summer months because they... Read More
Mp3 music is audio that has been digitally encoded and... Read More
A while back, I wrote an article that compared flower... Read More
One of the Appalachian Mountain region's greatest contributions to the... Read More
Interested in making money while you're asleep, or making money... Read More
A while back I was driving along the Jerusalem highway... Read More
A soulful vibe along with an amazing voice is what... Read More
P2P file sharing programs are free. Period. But there are... Read More
Let's face it. The world will not end if there... Read More
Ever wonder what would happen if you mixed the progressive... Read More
Are you well past puberty and have always had a... Read More
Congratulations! Your singing has become amazing, and it's time the... Read More
Many students want to know how to improvise. What they... Read More
Guitar chords, (chords played specifically on a guitar,) differ only... Read More
ABA form is like a musical sandwich. You have the... Read More
It sounds like a side show, doesn't it? It does... Read More
There are essentially two ways to learn piano - note... Read More
Music is the art of arranging sounds in periodic time... Read More
There are basically two ways you can compose a piece... Read More
Jealousy ? do you feel it? Do you sense it... Read More
Feel free to download the entire manual detailing the mastering... Read More
The idea originated with singer Jon Bon Jovi. Jon kept... Read More
Back in the 90's we had a local Southern Gospel... Read More
After months of email and posts, we've finally compiled and... Read More
There are many things to consider when buying a new... Read More
Well, you love music so much that you have decided... Read More
There's a reason Apple Computer dominates the legal 99-cents-a-download digital... Read More
Would you like to pop in a CD and have... Read More
Mistake #1 - Thinking about what you're going to playA... Read More
I have always believed that success, in practically any subject... Read More
Different styles of music have different "sounds." We can all... Read More
Canadian Indie bands are dominating the music scene and it... Read More
Did you ever wish that it was your song playing... Read More
I bet your wondering all about the Micheal Jackson Trail.... Read More
Piano arranging is the process by which you take a... Read More
You CAN do everything.Repeat.You CAN do everything. What you cannot... Read More
Do you remember the movie, Groundhog Day? In this wonderful... Read More
Should you copyright your song? If you're a songwriter, sooner... Read More
There are essentially two ways to learn piano - note... Read More
As industry insiders, we sometimes forget that when discussing the... Read More
Not since the heyday of Dance/Pop Artists like Taylor Dayne... Read More
Rocket Piano is a very professionally done piano lesson package.... Read More
Music & MP3 |