'It Don't Mean a Thing if it ain't Got That Swing' - Ellington. This was recorded first in
'It Don't Mean a Thing if it ain't Got That Swing' - Ellington. This was recorded first in midi format, and annotations added later. It was improvised in the quirky style that is sometimes used by such people as Harry Connick Jr, Jessica Williams, and of course Monk- with the deliberate 'stumbles' in time, the cluster discords that sound like mistakes, and the deliberately stilted time. I tried to copy this simple, primitive, naive style. Also, I have small hands, so the stride style is simplified with no stretches, and can be played with the Left Hand root and chords contained within an octave. A clearer to see video in stereo, is downloadable at http://www.bushgrafts.com or try the Higher quality version here - http://youtube.com/watch?v=XYMjBQz-CaM&fmt=18 - but why do Youtube raise the original volume level to cause clipping on the higher quality version of the video - if the original video was OK, surely that can be controlled when converted?
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Added: 2 days ago
Views: 322
Taking a Chance On Love - improvised solo piano lesson. This is another midi file created
Taking a Chance On Love - improvised solo piano lesson. This is another midi file created some time ago that I have reconstructed as an instructional video. It was done after listening to the great pianist/conductor Andre Previn's version on his solo piano Album 'Andre Previn Plays Songs By Vernon Duke' - but is not a transcription - I just stole some of his basic ideas! (like the little repeating figure at bars 8 - 16, the abrupt key change at bar 26 and the 'Stop time'thing on the out chorus.) I have annotated it - experimenting with labelled arrows to more clearly define the music being referred to. The transcription was created from the piano solo using a computer program. Be careful taking too literally the note values if you are reading the transcription. A free-to-download better quality version of the video(that can be clearly read - and without the clipping that Youtube has seemed to add to the audio) is at http://www.bushgrafts.com A printable PDF version of the transcription is on my instructional DVD (details on the above website). Click on http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=V7HT_sLr9Xk&fmt=18 to see the Youtube video in better quality
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Added: 1 week ago
Views: 710
'Alone Together' - Jazz Piano Lesson. Another of my recycled/updated live played midi fil
'Alone Together' - Jazz Piano Lesson. Another of my recycled/updated live played midi files from my site at http://home.wanadoo.nl/dougmckenzie/ This my latest attempt to create a lesson on a video. This time, as well as the audio, piano view, scrolling transcription, chords and annotations, I have added as a separate view the leadsheet I used that scrolls along in sync with the improvised piano. Because so much is happening on the screen, you may want to download a free, much clearer to view stereo version and the leadsheet from my website at http://www.bushgrafts.com Also on my instructional video (see details on my website) there is a printable pdf version of the transcription, and also a bass/drums backing track to play along with.
If you have a fast connection and want to see this in high quality video to see the notes clearly click on this - http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=OqIwIr8HwR4&fmt=18 There are lots of versions of this song on youtube - most played in this key.
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Added: 2 weeks ago
Views: 1,295
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'I Fall In Love Too Easily' - Jazz piano lesson. I was hoping that this might be in stereo
'I Fall In Love Too Easily' - Jazz piano lesson. I was hoping that this might be in stereo - I don't think it is though! The stereo version is on my website at http://www.bushgrafts.com along with a leadsheet and a transcription. It is quite different from my other recent uploads - almost classical in its simplicity. I got the idea from hearing a version by Dutch Pianist Harry Happel. The song which, in its usual form, has been recorded by lots of jazz pianists, is transformed by using the sort of chord scheme used by 'classical' composers of piano music - the ostinato type left hand figures, the use of pedal tones, the logic of a descending bass voice, and the minor key. I used a simple leadsheet, and improvised the bass figures as I played, so they may not be absolutely perfect. As it was my intention to play it as an accompaniment for a female singer, it has been played in a key that would suit the usual female range, and not in the usual key.
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Added: 3 weeks ago
Views: 1,304
'For All We Know' - accompanying a jazz singer. You can download a stereo, much clearer
'For All We Know' - accompanying a jazz singer. You can download a stereo, much clearer version at http://www.bushgrafts.com/jazz
If you have a fast connection and want to see this in high quality video to see the notes clearly (and improved audio), add the letters &fmt=18 straight after the existing internet address line above.
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Added: 1 month ago
Views: 718
Never Let Me Go - accompanying a jazz vocalist. Another great song to play. I have added t
Never Let Me Go - accompanying a jazz vocalist. Another great song to play. I have added the notation view. You can download a stereo, much clearer version at http://www.bushgrafts.com/jazz.
If you have a fast connection and want to see this in high quality video to see the notes clearly (and improved audio), add the letters &fmt=18 straight after the existing internet address line above.
My apologies to non piano players for all the comments. To those who are interested in the commentary, you may have to pause and read any of the comments that you might find helpful, because they fly by rather quickly!
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Added: 1 month ago
Views: 724
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'I've Never Been In Love Before' - Michelle Benjamin with Doug McKenzie. Great song by Fra
'I've Never Been In Love Before' - Michelle Benjamin with Doug McKenzie. Great song by Frank Loesser. Michelle sings a clever vocalese chorus. Choose the 'Watch in Higher Quality' option for a clearer view of the piano keyboard. For a full stereo version (the audio on this is still not really very good) go to http://www.bushgrafts.com/jazz
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Added: 1 month ago
Views: 942
If you have a fast connection and want to see this in high quality video to see the notes
If you have a fast connection and want to see this in high quality video to see the notes clearly (and improved audio), add the letters &fmt=18 straight after the existing internet address line above.
'Beautiful Love' lesson - solo and trio jazz piano. This is another recycled midi file of mine from my midi site at http://home.wanadoo.nl/dougmckenzie/ The piano part was completely improvised, and I have resisted the temptation to correct some of the flaws that I can now see. I have generated from the midi file a video lesson with notation, piano view , chords and lots of text comments added to explain some of the techniques used. You may need to download (free) a better quality clearer stereo version from my site at http://www.bushgrafts.com I have put a pdf file of the transcription on my instructional DVD. The details are on the website above.
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Added: 1 month ago
Views: 2,138
'Turn Out The Stars'( Bill Evans) - accompanying a jazz singer. Unfortunately, the vocal
'Turn Out The Stars'( Bill Evans) - accompanying a jazz singer. Unfortunately, the vocal was recorded at too high a level, and some of the clipping was hard to fix. The piano was simultaneously recorded as a midi file so that the clear keyboard view could be generated with chord symbols. The accompaniment was totally improvised. A much clearer and easier to read version is downloadable from my website at http://bushgrafts.com/jazz If you have a fast connection and want to see this in high quality video on youtube to see the notes clearly (and improved audio), add the letters &fmt=18 straight after the existing internet address line above.
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Added: 2 months ago
Views: 1,615
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