Re: Thomas's Performances - NEW Liszt Moments Musicaux D.01 - Page 39

by lepianoman Thu Sep 25, 2008 12:44 am

Thomandy wrote:Hm.. What has happend to the posts?? Well, Ill repost this then.........

Scott Joplin -

"Never Play A Ragtime Fast..."

Started about 6weeks ago, or in other words 30-35ish hours. So, hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think if you havnt already?! Some posts are mysterious gone

Maple Leaf Rag - Scott Joplin

Really nice! And I'm seeing some progress since the earlier videos. This piece obviously took a lot of hard work. Good for you, I see it is paying off for you. And that you're having fun with this. This is also one of the first pieces I ever learned when I was beginning. Oh you copycat. Except in copying me, you seem to just be outdoing me Smile

Here's some feedback.

There are a couple of things you do really well with this piece. And by really well I mean it's unheard of for a beginner to do these things.

1.) I turned on your piece and went to get some salad dressing. I seriously thought I had turned on a recording of Joplin by accident - just without the grace notes he normally adds. I ran back like "huh?" and saw you playing. Not only did you pick a great tempo, not only is the right hand doing it right, the really impressive thing here is your left hand. That is what made me pull a U-turn. Most beginning pianists are so busy with the right, they relatively neglect the left. I notice you are doing staccato top notes in the left and bringing out the bass notes also in the left hand. That is textbook, perfectly in style. Joplin (and the stride pianists after him) didn't use much pedal. They just play the top note short to give themselves plenty of time to get back to the low note.

Your use (or non-use) of pedal is outstanding. The top note is staccato, the melody in the series of bottom notes is brought out. Wonderful. Like I said, unheard of in a beginner.

Now in some places it's a bit confusing because you use pedal, especially in the octaves descending chromatically in the second section. There instead of being clean, the pedal makes the sound mushy. I think it would be less confusing if you dropped the pedal here. Because the rest of your playing is so clean and in style, this part particularly stands out.

2.) Cell work. Each melodic section is a cell. Many of these cells or melodies repeat themselves. One of the trademarks of a beginning pianist is playing each section the exact same way. This is not what you want to do. If you play CDC twice in a row, all top pianists will play the first CDC one way, and the second time a second way. This is something you do really well. You don't do it every time, so that's something you could do more methodically. But the fact that you do it naturally is just outstanding.

Another thing you do well is playing each section of music with a different feel and volume (each section is composed of cells). This is another thing that very few beginning pianists do well. I've been playing for 7 years and I'm still pounding that in my brain. Again, you could be more methodical about this, but the fact that you do it in two or three sections is already amazing. This effect will improve even more if you work to get a precise idea of the musical character you want each section to have.

Lots of other good things going on too - there's good rhythm, good melody. This is pretty danceable, could be a little more I suppose, but I was dancing in my chair to this. Thanks so much for sharing all your hard work. I hope to see more soon, perhaps on page 21 Smile

by lepianoman Thu Sep 25, 2008 1:02 am

I'm so impressed by your use of tempo in those Zelda songs. It slows down in such a nice way. Perfectly soothing. Have you played any instruments before this one? Excellent work!

by Thomandy Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:17 am

lepianoman wrote:
Here's some feedback.

There are a couple of things you do really well with this piece. And by really well I mean it's unheard of for a beginner to do these things.

1.) I turned on your piece and went to get some salad dressing. I seriously thought I had turned on a recording of Joplin by accident - just without the grace notes he normally adds. I ran back like "huh?" and saw you playing. Not only did you pick a great tempo, not only is the right hand doing it right, the really impressive thing here is your left hand. That is what made me pull a U-turn. Most beginning pianists are so busy with the right, they relatively neglect the left. I notice you are doing staccato top notes in the left and bringing out the bass notes also in the left hand. That is textbook, perfectly in style. Joplin (and the stride pianists after him) didn't use much pedal. They just play the top note short to give themselves plenty of time to get back to the low note.

Your use (or non-use) of pedal is outstanding. The top note is staccato, the melody in the series of bottom notes is brought out. Wonderful. Like I said, unheard of in a beginner.

Yeah, I used about 1 hour every day the least week ONLY training the dynamics. I also keep the dynamics in mind when I learn the piece and practice it. I have some recordings of it, and I "copy" the things I like. Im not to bold yet to make the piece perfectly my own interpetation, but I try to not just listen to one recording so I get different input on how I like it best Smile

lepianoman wrote:Now in some places it's a bit confusing because you use pedal, especially in the octaves descending chromatically in the second section. There instead of being clean, the pedal makes the sound mushy. I think it would be less confusing if you dropped the pedal here. Because the rest of your playing is so clean and in style, this part particularly stands out.

Well in the recording I got here at home the pedal is pushed down on the second octave when the octaves descendes chromatically there and lets go after the last witch is pretty fast Smile

And I must ad that the mp3 is a lot Cleaner cause MoveiMaker scars the sound, and is pretty noticable at parts if you got both recordings Razz

I see your point though Smile

lepianoman wrote:2.) Cell work. Each melodic section is a cell. Many of these cells or melodies repeat themselves. One of the trademarks of a beginning pianist is playing each section the exact same way. This is not what you want to do. If you play CDC twice in a row, all top pianists will play the first CDC one way, and the second time a second way. This is something you do really well. You don't do it every time, so that's something you could do more methodically. But the fact that you do it naturally is just outstanding.

CDC?? hehe - Well I dont think I do it naturally, I have been practicing it, but not out from a theoretical point of view. I just notice that this is the way the pros often do it when I listen to recordings on Youtube. So feks:
The part that repets 3 times in this piece; I have practiced to use pedal different and play ff vs p different. So not as you say naturally, that would be cool, but I have infact practiced that. But I will sure get more methodical about it Smile

Thanks!!!

lepianoman wrote:Another thing you do well is playing each section of music with a different feel and volume (each section is composed of cells). This is another thing that very few beginning pianists do well. I've been playing for 7 years and I'm still pounding that in my brain. Again, you could be more methodical about this, but the fact that you do it in two or three sections is already amazing. This effect will improve even more if you work to get a precise idea of the musical character you want each section to have.

Yup, same answer here Smile

I practice it but Ill try to do it more methodical if my skills want it to work, hehe Smile

lepianoman wrote:Lots of other good things going on too - there's good rhythm, good melody. This is pretty danceable, could be a little more I suppose, but I was dancing in my chair to this. Thanks so much for sharing all your hard work. I hope to see more soon, perhaps on page 21

Yeah, I use a metronome in my practice, and this is the acording to the sheets the way Joplin Would have wanted the tempo. And Joplin like ragtime at the right tempo: "Never play ragtime fast..." are his genious words Smile

Thank you for a great review Smile

Its really apriciated since Andrew didnt say anything, but also I knew this was at a pretty high standard. I perfected it for 2 Extra weeks before I posted it just to get everythin the way I wanted it. Usually I just rush to the rec-state-of-mind once I can play it at the right tempo, but also this time the tempo was something I worked on with a metronome all the way to the last day before recording.

I play it slow and the step by step adding 3-5 bpm until I cant play it "perfect" and then pics up the next day, then I can usually work my way up some bpm extra, and tada... I got myselfe the correct tempo Smile

I can actually play this a lot faster, but then the chances of errors is way higher, and then its not in the Joplin-Spirit Smile

Thank you

Reviews is great for my development Smile

by Thomandy Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:23 am

lepianoman wrote:I'm so impressed by your use of tempo in those Zelda songs. It slows down in such a nice way. Perfectly soothing. Have you played any instruments before this one? Excellent work!

Thank you

I love Zelda Smile

hehe
No, I have never playd any instrument. I barly learned 3 grips on a guitar at school. I remember though that I was very good at telling the notvalues and tempo-things when we did "hit the table - thing" on school. The teacher did: dam dam dam dam
And I usually could tell what notes she would simulate and so on... But never any instrument Sad

I really wish I had though, but the interest never was there either so if I had been pushed I might not have played today. Smile

by CripKilla Fri Sep 26, 2008 1:34 am

Thomas, what about Song of Twilight? it will be awesome cause it is relative easy so good for a first tuts! lol!

by Admin Andrew Fri Sep 26, 2008 3:22 am

THOMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.....

Smile

I'm SOOOO impressed!!! You played this piece outstandingly well! (I'm sorry I didn't comment sooner (i didn't notice you posted it up until JUST now, I've been waiting and wondering when I would get to here this rag!)

1st of all, I'm absolutely! amazingly! positively! completely! impressed!

You picked an excellent tempo, your LH was extremely interesting and engaging. You had great changes in dynamical phrasing. I mean, it was just WOW, very good job, there were only a small number of bars where I thought it could've been slightly better. I'm very impressed is pretty much all I have to say! I cannot believe that you keep progressing so fast!

This time next year maybe I'll be the one asking YOU for tips! I know what your biggest key to success is though. I notice you're EXTREMELY detail oriented, you take time to add in the little things and get things right. An example of that is how you take the time to place objects in the video that reflect the title of the piece. It's those small details that put you over the edge of regular people. So keep that up!

Your Mark:93

by Thomandy Fri Sep 26, 2008 5:29 am

Admin Andrew wrote:THOMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.....

Hehe

Well I was hoping you would say something but I have been very lucky with your reviews so I didnt want to impose or anything asking you for a comment Smile

Well that sure put a smile on my face Smile

A big one!!!!! Smile

And a 93 was cool to get for sure. It makes me work a bit harder on those big pieces when I know you are right around the corner with a grade. Now that scary thougt will be that when I first have tasted the 90+ if I get 80s again, hehe...
But I havnt started any new big ones yet, no small ones either... Need the: *read and learn notes/pieces motivation* cause I have just played/practiced and composed the last month I think... Razz

Well Thank You!!! sunny

Ps: Great you notice the details. I try to not just put up pieces to show myselfe of, its cause there is an entertainer living inside of me, so the details is what could make my videos stand out in the whole Youtube-Ocean Smile

And I also focuse alot on the details in the pieces, at least I try to as best as I can to get every note as I want them, my main-problem at this point is that I cant play that good everytime I play!! I nailed that performance after 4 hours that day. But my acurasity is getting alot better so I hope that dosnt stops progressing, hehe Smile

That would make vids easyer to make If I could just do 93performances everytime I sat at the piano performing a piece Smile

hehe

Have a good weekend Andrew!! And thanks once again Smile

by Thomandy Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:42 am

This is the Mp3 of Maple Leaf Rag. Its the same as in the video at page 22 BUT a lot better quality since my MovieMaker mess the sound up a bit Sad

Maple Leaf Rag

by Amro Fri Sep 26, 2008 1:20 pm

Sorry, managed to delete your msg instead of quoting you Amro, but the bad link is fixed i hope and think:

Maple Leaf Rag

It should work now. I havent changed the link but I made the folder open to everyone, and I managed to hear it after I signed out so... Smile

Maple Leaf Rag

by Thomandy Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:29 pm

Thomandy wrote:Sorry, managed to delete your msg instead of quoting you Amro, but the bad link is fixed i hope and think:

Maple Leaf Rag

It should work now. I havent changed the link but I made the folder open to everyone, and I managed to hear it after I signed out so...

Maple Leaf Rag

by Amro Sat Sep 27, 2008 11:48 am

Thaaaaaaaanx ..
It's Great ..

Like a Star @ heaven

by Biko Sun Sep 28, 2008 11:39 am

Aw, Thomas, I love this. I love Ragtime infact, this is great. Im really imprssed. It's hard to beleive you only started this year. E-props.

by CripKilla Sun Sep 28, 2008 7:04 pm

Hey thomas how did you put the pedal?Every bar?

by Thomandy Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:57 pm

CripKilla wrote:Hey thomas how did you put the pedal?Every bar?

Hi =)

Nope, well.. I slightly have it down every bar, but I push down when I want to get a Wrrrom-effect. You can hear it in my playing where I do it, even better in the audio that I put up than the video cause the quality.

Was that an okay answer? hehe, cause Im not sure how to explane it Razz

Like at:
Sect A: 0.6 and 0.8 and 0.12 ect
Sect B:0.47 and 0.49 and 0.52 ect
Sect C: 1.44 and 1.46 and 1.54 ect
Sect D: I use very little pedal, but I use a bit more now actually than in the rec, but not much. This should be very light and a littlbit faster I feel than how I played it...

Maple Leaf Rag - Scott Joplin

by Thomandy Sun Sep 28, 2008 9:08 pm

Biko wrote:Aw, Thomas, I love this. I love Ragtime infact, this is great. Im really imprssed. It's hard to beleive you only started this year. E-props.

Heu

Thank you calumnisdead/biko, hehe =)

by Thomandy Wed Oct 08, 2008 3:05 am

Haha - Well I decided since I havent posted anything in a long time, that I should post my OLDEST performance and MY VERY
first song/piece to learn.

Facts:

Played KEYBOARD for 19 days
Practiced 5 days before recording

and yeah -

and It really sucks... sort of Very Happy

Love shine a light

by Admin Andrew Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:10 pm

hahah

the keyboard is hilarious! it's fun watching old school performances!

by Thomandy Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:35 pm

Admin Andrew wrote:hahah the keyboard is hilarious! it's fun watching old school performances!

Hehe, yeah Smile

Its fun for me cause I actually got ALL my pieces on tape Very Happy

:D So Im planning a 1year progress video maybe before christmas Smile

That would be a cool thing Smile

I think My Joplin wont be pushed of the list right away. I got a bit problems finding motivation to learn these days, but... Aah well, new piece is recorded this sunday I think! Smile

by VictorCS Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:30 pm

I like the stickers lol!

by Thomandy Mon Oct 13, 2008 10:26 am

VictorCS wrote:I like the stickers

Hehe

by Thomandy Mon Oct 13, 2008 10:36 am

Finally back with a video Smile

It took to long to make since I tried to use Sony Vista 8 for the first time, and bla bla bla Smile

hehe

Here is it:

Moonlight Sonata 1ºmov Adagio sostenuto - Beethoven

Ps: I know its slower than the regular 6min ish, but thats the way my interpretation is and the way I prefer to play it Smile

by Amro Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:35 pm

Ahooooooooha ...
Wow wow wow !!

The Piece I'm Dreaming about Very Happy

I LOVE this piece ...

GREAT PERFORMED ...

Thanks & Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep Going Very Happy

by VictorCS Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:19 pm

I think it was great play'd, I actually lulz a bit when you lit the lights ^_^

That's what you do when you get a girl over,
lit some lights and play on the piano.

I'm not the biggest fan of this piece tho...

by Fryderyk Tue Oct 14, 2008 3:16 pm

I loved it well played, not a fan of the interpretation though, also its not the same to play this on an acoustic piano with pedal than with this piano but thats a minor detail, anyways it was very well played, also i hope no one tells you that the name Moonlight sonata is false, its actually "Quasi una fantasia" ( this is not the name actually its just a phrase Beethoven puted on the first page to state that this isnt in the regular sonata form) , but hey im only telling ya please dont take it wrong, the Moonlight name was given by a poet who just randomly stated a connection between the moonlight and the sonata but Beethoven never actually agreed to it because he was dead Razz

, yeah i always thought i played this first movement of the Sonata wrong and i always was studying everything about it so hard so thats why i know lots of things, does your keyboard have touch sensitivity?

by Thomandy Tue Oct 14, 2008 3:56 pm

VictorCS wrote:I think it was great play'd, I actually lulz a bit when you lit the lights ^_^

That's what you do when you get a girl over,
lit some lights and play on the piano.

I'm not the biggest fan of this piece tho...

Hehehe

Yeah, I thought that was a cool tuch, of course Cheezy, but hey, a little something extra to not just be the: Another Moonlight Sonata Video on youtube Smile

Thank you btw Smile

Why not a big fan?? Well, not everyone can like everything alike, that would be extremly boring! Smile

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