Synth-DIY Yahoo! Groups Archives

Thread

Re: piano accompaniments (and Happy Holidays)

2002-12-22 by Carol Beigel

I know this may seem a far-fetched reply to the matter of piano 
accompaniments, but I just finished reading a book, "How to Play the Piano 
Despite Years of Lessons" which is available on amazon.com.  Although I have 
loved and listened to music all my life, I only recently discovered there 
were patterns to it.  To me, it was like knowing how to read literature for 
many years then discovering there is something called grammar and phonics!

Anyway, this very easy to understand book explains the basics of music 
construction and how piano arrangements can be made.  It will take you 
through the process of creating a piano accompaniment from a melody line and 
chord notation. In the absence of chord  notation, it will teach you how to 
find and play a good sounding chord to go along with a melody.  It explains 
rhythm and bass line construction, too.

I have always wanted to be able to listen to music and write down what  I 
heard; especially if I couldn't find the sheet music.  I am a terrible piano 
player but not discouraged in my quest to make music.  Since learning that 
J. Lawrence Cook made over 20,000 player piano rolls during his career with 
a hole punch and razor blade sitting at his kitchen table, I figure I could 
make at least a few attempts using sequencer and scoring software to make 
some midi files for my disklavier. Perhaps this book might be helpful to you 
as well.

I have so enjoyed this list and playing the music files so many of you have 
uploaded to this site.  If ever there was a special time of year to own a 
disklavier, this is certainly it!  May all of you have joyous holidays and a 
prosperous new year!


Carol Beigel
crbrpt@...


>From: "frogspit100 <scottha@...>" <scottha@...>
>Reply-To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [disklavier] Re: piano accompaniments
>Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 03:50:58 -0000
>
>Oh, excellent question! As a flutist (never flautist) that is exactly
>why I bought my Disklavier. There is a market, apparently, for those
>of us who wish to play along on other instruments with our piano.
>Authors and Yamaha please step up.....
>


_________________________________________________________________
Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online 
http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963

RE: [disklavier] Re: piano accompaniments (and Happy Holidays)

2002-12-22 by Douglas J. Miller

Dear Ms. Beigel,

Thank you for the wonderful email about learning piano / music theory! You are so right!

If folks would stop and consider how easy playing the piano is once the "phonics and grammar" of the keyboard is learned, ;they would not be as frustrated with trying to learn. Of course, finding a qualified piano teacher with the expertise and personal interest in the history of both Eastern and Western theory is a challenge, even for those with a musical background. The best way to find a teacher is to locate a referral service that screens teachers. The Music Teacher Association of California and the Certificate of Merit program are also a good way to start a systematic search for the most qualified professional music teachers.

I too have been experimenting with software and converting files for the Disklavier, and I'm amazed at the flexibility and capability it has for creating accompaniments and performing pieces that otherwise would cost a hefty cent. (Not to mention the availability of live performances by various artist on the same pieces.)

Who are you, and from where do you hail?

Douglas Miller

Show quoted textHide quoted text

-----Original Message-----
From: Carol Beigel [mailto:carolrpt@...]
Sent: Saturday, December 21, 2002 7:59 PM
To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [disklavier] Re: piano accompaniments (and Happy Holidays)

I know this may seem a far-fetched reply to the matter of piano
accompaniments, but I just finished reading a book, "How to Play the Piano
Despite Years of Lessons" which is available on amazon.com. Although I have
loved and listened to music all my life, I only recently discovered there
were patterns to it. To me, it was like knowing how to read literature for
many years then discovering there is something called grammar and phonics!

Anyway, this very easy to understand book explains the basics of music
construction and how piano arrangements can be made. It will take you
through the process of creating a piano accompaniment from a melody line and
chord notation. In the absence of chord notation, it will teach you how to
find and play a good sounding chord to go along with a melody. It explains
rhythm and bass line construction, too.

I have always wanted to be able to listen to music and write down what I
heard; especially if I couldn't find the sheet music. I am a terrible piano
player but not discouraged in my quest to make music. Since learning that
J. Lawrence Cook made over 20,000 player piano rolls during his career with
a hole punch and razor blade sitting at his kitchen table, I figure I could
make at least a few attempts using sequencer and scoring software to make
some midi files for my disklavier. Perhaps this book might be helpful to you
as well.

I have so enjoyed this list and playing the music files so many of you have
uploaded to this site. If ever there was a special time of year to own a
disklavier, this is certainly it! May all of you have joyous holidays and a
prosperous new year!

Carol Beigel
crbrpt@...

>From: "frogspit100 "
>Reply-To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [disklavier] Re: piano accompaniments
>Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 03:50:58 -0000
>
>Oh, excellent question! As a flutist (never flautist) that is exactly
>why I bought my Disklavier. There is a market, apparently, for those
>of us who wish to play along on other instruments with our piano.
>Authors and Yamaha please step up.....
>

_________________________________________________________________
Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online
http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963

To Post a message to the group, send it to: disklavier@YahooGroups.com

To Post a private message to Todd Muncy, the group's founder and moderator, send it to:
disklavier-owner@...m

To reach our group's web site go to:
http://Yahoogroups.com/group/disklavier

Todd's family web site was completely rewritten in June 2001 and contains some fun disklavier content and links to midi sites among other things, The url is:
http://MuncyFamily.com

THINKING OF LEAVING THE GROUP?
If you are thinking of unsubcribing because you are getting too much mail, go the the web site and change your email delivery option instead. That will fix the problem, while maintaining your access to the group. If you insist on leaving us completely send a blank email to:
disklavier-unsubscribe@...

Know someone who wants to join? Have them send a blank email to:
disklavier-subscribe@... or give them this link:
http://Yahoogroups.com/group/disklavier/join

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

RE: [disklavier] Re: piano accompaniments (and Happy Holidays)

2002-12-22 by Carol Beigel

I am the grown-up version of the 6-year-old who fell in love with my piano 
teacher's player piano.  It would take me another 30 years before I bought a 
broken one to take apart and restore.  To this day, I am awed by the 
simplicity of the design of the 5-valve air motor that sent a constant air 
pressure through the tracker bar that played the paper rolls.  How five 
little bends in an axle could be so brilliant!

I spent 10 years rebuilding pianos, using a Pianocorder vorsetzer to test 
and break in the new strings.  Those Pianocorder cassette tapes were the 
first translations of the paper piano rolls into electronic form.  The 
vorsetzer was a collection of 80 pinball solenoids hanging upside down that 
would play the piano keys.  The thing was adjustable to any keyboard height, 
and also played the pedals.

Eventually, the global economy made rebuilding American pianos not very 
competitive with new Asian piano prices so I became a field tuner/technician 
for a Steinway dealer for the next 9 years of my career.  I have been 
happily self employed for the past 6 years here in the Washington, D.C. area 
with a specialty in electronic midi player piano service - especially the 
Disklavier.  I own a fine Yamaha U1 upright piano with a MarkIIXG 
Disklavier.

My baby grandson seems to have more than a casual interest in my keyboard 
and piano.  When he stays over we always have to play the Disklavier before 
he goes to bed.  So I am motivated to learn more about music and how it is 
made in hopes of encouraging perhaps the next little Mozart!

Carol Beigel
crbrpt@...

>From: "Douglas J. Miller" <douglas@...>
>Reply-To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>To: <disklavier@yahoogroups.com>
>Subject: RE: [disklavier] Re: piano accompaniments (and Happy Holidays)
>Date: Sun, 22 Dec 2002 13:06:52 -0800
>
>Dear Ms. Beigel,
>
>Thank you for the wonderful email about learning piano / music theory!  You 
> >are so right! . . .
>
>Who are you, and from where do you hail?


_________________________________________________________________
Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. 
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail&xAPID=42&PS=47575&PI=7324&DI=7474&SU= 
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RE: [disklavier] Re: piano accompaniments (and Happy Holidays)

2002-12-22 by Douglas J. Miller

Dear Carol,

Thank you for your reply. I work in the Steinway dealership of Los Angeles, and after spending the first seven years of my life working in Human Resources, working for Steinway has been a breath of new life to me. I was a Piano major in college, and have found that working with music teachers and focusing on education has been a most rewarding path.

I have performed pieces on the Disklavier and orchestrated them on the Clavinova, then played those files in the PianoDisc system, (we have one installed on a Steinway model B in our showroom). I can send live performances to my parents in Montana. The Disklavier is truly a superior tool for both teaching and entertainment.

Best Wishes,

[Douglas J. Miller] -----Original Message-----
From: Carol Beigel [mailto:carolrpt@...]
Sent: Sunday, December 22, 2002 2:07 PM
To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [disklavier] Re: piano accompaniments (and Happy Holidays)

Show quoted textHide quoted text

I am the grown-up version of the 6-year-old who fell in love with my piano
teacher's player piano. It would take me another 30 years before I bought a
broken one to take apart and restore. To this day, I am awed by the
simplicity of the design of the 5-valve air motor that sent a constant air
pressure through the tracker bar that played the paper rolls. How five
little bends in an axle could be so brilliant!

I spent 10 years rebuilding pianos, using a Pianocorder vorsetzer to test
and break in the new strings. Those Pianocorder cassette tapes were the
first translations of the paper piano rolls into electronic form. The
vorsetzer was a collection of 80 pinball solenoids hanging upside down that
would play the piano keys. The thing was adjustable to any keyboard height,
and also played the pedals.

Eventually, the global economy made rebuilding American pianos not very
competitive with new Asian piano prices so I became a field tuner/technician
for a Steinway dealer for the next 9 years of my career. I have been
happily self employed for the past 6 years here in the Washington, D.C. area
with a specialty in electronic midi player piano service - especially the
Disklavier. I own a fine Yamaha U1 upright piano with a MarkIIXG
Disklavier.

My baby grandson seems to have more than a casual interest in my keyboard
and piano. When he stays over we always have to play the Disklavier before
he goes to bed. So I am motivated to learn more about music and how it is
made in hopes of encouraging perhaps the next little Mozart!

Carol Beigel
crbrpt@...

>From: "Douglas J. Miller"
>Reply-To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>To:
>Subject: RE: [disklavier] Re: piano accompaniments (and Happy Holidays)
>Date: Sun, 22 Dec 2002 13:06:52 -0800
>
>Dear Ms. Beigel,
>
>Thank you for the wonderful email about learning piano / music theory! You
> >are so right! . . .
>
>Who are you, and from where do you hail?

_________________________________________________________________
Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*.
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail&xAPID=42&PS=47575&PI=7324&DI=7474&SU=
http://www.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/getmsg&HL=1216hotmailtaglines_addphotos_3mf

To Post a message to the group, send it to: disklavier@...

To Post a private message to Todd Muncy, the group's founder and moderator, send it to:
disklavier-owner@...

To reach our group's web site go to:
http://Yahoogroups.com/group/disklavier

Todd's family web site was completely rewritten in June 2001 and contains some fun disklavier content and links to midi sites among other things, The url is:
http://MuncyFamily.com

THINKING OF LEAVING THE GROUP?
If you are thinking of unsubcribing because you are getting too much mail, go the the web site and change your email delivery option instead. That will fix the problem, while maintaining your access to the group. If you insist on leaving us completely send a blank email to:
disklavier-unsubscribe@...

Know someone who wants to join? Have them send a blank email to:
disklavier-subscribe@... or give them this link:
http://Yahoogroups.com/group/disklavier/join

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

RE: [disklavier] Re: piano accompaniments (and Happy Holidays)

2002-12-24 by Budds

Dear Carol,

Having had endless chats on email with you, I used to often wonder how
you had achieved such heights in knowledge on the technical aspects of a
piano. Thank you for sharing your past experiences. You have also
secretly fulfilled my inquisitiveness.

Sitting here in Sri Lanka, on the opposite side of the world form where
you are, I send my warmest wishes again for Christmas and may all your
wishes come true for you and your family in happy 2003.

Having started my project to restore my piano I am starting to get more
and more interested in the technical side of things. I am in the field
of  mechanical engineering and plays the piano and other instruments
only by ear and cannot read music. I started in school playing the
"Melodica" for the band and then the Trombone for the senior school
band. Ever since then I have been having Orgens and keyboards and
recently bought the piano. As there is not much technical support over
here I have to do things pretty much my self including the damaged
electronics side of my Disklavier. With your experience, how would you
advice to for one to start fresh in this field? May be with a piano
tuning course?  

Thanks again and
with best regards
Budds.
 
(Buddhika)     
Colombo
Sri Lanka

Show quoted textHide quoted text

-----Original Message-----
From: Carol Beigel [mailto:carolrpt@...] 
Sent: Monday, December 23, 2002 4:07 AM
To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [disklavier] Re: piano accompaniments (and Happy Holidays)

I am the grown-up version of the 6-year-old who fell in love with my
piano 
teacher's player piano.  It would take me another 30 years before I
bought a 
broken one to take apart and restore.  To this day, I am awed by the 
simplicity of the design of the 5-valve air motor that sent a constant
air 
pressure through the tracker bar that played the paper rolls.  How five 
little bends in an axle could be so brilliant!

I spent 10 years rebuilding pianos, using a Pianocorder vorsetzer to
test 
and break in the new strings.  Those Pianocorder cassette tapes were the

first translations of the paper piano rolls into electronic form.  The 
vorsetzer was a collection of 80 pinball solenoids hanging upside down
that 
would play the piano keys.  The thing was adjustable to any keyboard
height, 
and also played the pedals.

Eventually, the global economy made rebuilding American pianos not very 
competitive with new Asian piano prices so I became a field
tuner/technician 
for a Steinway dealer for the next 9 years of my career.  I have been 
happily self employed for the past 6 years here in the Washington, D.C.
area 
with a specialty in electronic midi player piano service - especially
the 
Disklavier.  I own a fine Yamaha U1 upright piano with a MarkIIXG 
Disklavier.

My baby grandson seems to have more than a casual interest in my
keyboard 
and piano.  When he stays over we always have to play the Disklavier
before 
he goes to bed.  So I am motivated to learn more about music and how it
is 
made in hopes of encouraging perhaps the next little Mozart!

Carol Beigel
crbrpt@...

>From: "Douglas J. Miller" <douglas@...>
>Reply-To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>To: <disklavier@yahoogroups.com>
>Subject: RE: [disklavier] Re: piano accompaniments (and Happy Holidays)
>Date: Sun, 22 Dec 2002 13:06:52 -0800
>
>Dear Ms. Beigel,
>
>Thank you for the wonderful email about learning piano / music theory!
You 
> >are so right! . . .
>
>Who are you, and from where do you hail?

_________________________________________________________________
Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. 
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail&xAPID=42&PS=47575&PI=73
24&DI=7474&SU= 
http://www.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/getmsg&HL=1216hotmailtaglines_addphot
os_3mf

To Post a message to the group, send it to:   disklavier@...

To Post a private message to Todd Muncy, the group's founder and
moderator, send it to:
disklavier-owner@...

To reach our group's web site go to:
http://Yahoogroups.com/group/disklavier

Todd's family web site was completely rewritten in June 2001 and
contains some fun disklavier content and links to midi sites among other
things, The url is:
http://MuncyFamily.com

THINKING OF LEAVING THE GROUP?
If you are thinking of unsubcribing because you are getting too much
mail, go the the web site and change your email delivery option instead.
That will fix the problem, while maintaining your access to the group.
If you insist on leaving us completely send a blank email to:
disklavier-unsubscribe@...

Know someone who wants to join?  Have them send a blank email to:
disklavier-subscribe@... or give them this link:
http://Yahoogroups.com/group/disklavier/join

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/