Except for the sound mazes that are becoming increasingly popular with the advent of complex composition programs on computers, most songs in Western European Civilization-- a concept that I defend and still consider valid-- with a big future-- are encoded with Roman Numeral chords. Once you understand the secret code, you can do the song and know what you're doing. Knowing what you're doing gives you a big advantage in life because then you can play around the situation and always know how to get back to where you came from. You're grounded. Here is the secret chord code for Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
I - v - bVII - IV - I
See if you can hear the chord changes and identify when each of the Roman Numeral chords occurs in the song-- they occur repeatedly over and over and over and over and over again. You should be able to get it. This is the longest song ever made.
More discussion of the issue of secret chord codes in
Flintstones cartoon became famous in the 1960s and a full scale real-life movie was made several years ago. I watched the movie for the first time on Thanksgiving Day. The most famous cartoon of my childhood came to life with real actors and renewed my interest in the quite-sophisticated big-band theme song. First, here's the intro to the original cartoon.
Now here's the updated movie version
Here's a chord chart I found online that we'll use for this lesson that you can grab and print out.
This lesson will be continued in this discussion along with theme songs of a few other movies I watched on Thanksgiving... along with piano version-- easy and more advanced-- with some of my own work on the piano if I can.
There can be many ways of considering Thanksgiving-- as it's understood in the United States-- and Canada and throughout history before Europeans settled in North America-- but at least the Pilgrim settlement in 1623 can act as a conversation starter in your household. From there, the debate can go on-- using google as your guide-- and be sure to have calming music playing in the background-- piano music by George Winston.
Doing a Youtube search using keywords 'thanksgiving' and 'piano" yields the tune "Thanksgiving" by George Winston. I don't know much about this composer/pianist but in the interest of Thanksgiving today, let's consider Winston's piece-- appropriately named-- and his particular style.
Continued (If you're reading this in email, the video/music is here...) with longer Youtube tracks by George Winston for your background music today... THANKSGIVING
Over the years of my playing the piano, I discovered slowly and inconclusively that my brain has been literally altered by my music playing-- using mostly piano. I didn't realize that about myself until much later in life. There seems to be-- now that I have hindsight-- a specific area of the brain not merely dedicated to understanding sound and pleasing sound combinations but a way that this musical brain area seems to inform all other areas of the brain.
I spent 6 years of childhood in Stratford, Ontario where my Dad worked for the electric power company there-- and just found a nice videolog of Avon Park in Stratford, posted to Youtube that's very good-- except that the sounds are raw. (embedded below). That's ok in one way- but I'm acutely aware of the potpourri of sounds that leave a disconnected sense. I might try to create a sound track, at the piano for it.
First, here I am at the head of the picnic table in 1966 with my brothers and sister-- Joe to the left, then Kevin, Christine and Paul on the right-- Mom having taken the photo with her Brownie camera and Dad having been at work that day. I recall Joe specifically wanted an action shot of him taking a bite on his sandwich. He had a keen "action visual sense" even at that age... about 7 I think. Are we all reincarnations of previous people? Why else would I already have an acute sense of sound and music? Why would Joe already have an acute awareness of "action photos"?
That photo was just north of the Stratford-Upon-Avon River-- and our Mom would take us there many times, with Dad being there sometimes too-- on the weekends. It was a very nice park. I think all cities should have a park like this. Now watch the video clips of the same park today. I recall many of the bridges and scenery in the following Youtube. Pay special attention to the sounds-- because if you want to play music on the piano, you want to develop an acute awareness of sound-space and sound-composition in general. It's the awareness of sound that really creates the ability to make piano music. Now enjoy a 20 minute auditory and visual "walk in the park" as I might have experienced it in 1966...
I'll continue to develop this topic in the discussion forum here... Continued... STRATFORD
I listened to Goetz in the 1970's on a Buffalo, New York radio station late at night in the basement of my parents home in Niagara Falls, Ontario. I recorded the broadcasts on Phillips cassette tape and collected lots of tapes. After I left home, I lost contact with those tapes and with late night jazz from Buffalo. My dad had "lent me the car" to drive down to Buffalo sometimes to listen to those late night concerts by Dizzie Gillespie and Stan in person-- and others. I drove alone-- everyone else in my high school was into the local basketball team. So thanks to Dad for the car on those weekend nights. Buffalo was a favorite place of mine-- especially the used book stores... Buffalonians competed with Torontonians for the "best" of everything-- a friendly competition I understood since I got to know the streets of both towns. But most of all, I got to know the music. And that includes the following which you can now enjoy via Youtube and great Internet-- the revolutionary media device that may save more than music-- it may help save our souls if used right. - Rick Potvin
There are a lot of music and piano education videos on Youtube and a lot of piano lesson websites now, in 2013-- compared to the late 1990s when I started considering teaching partly online. However, like anything else, 90% of everything is not very good. Here's a short video about lines and spaces that I think is a little better than most because it's so straightforward. The connection between our actual lessons and this website isn't yet established but I'm working on it. Try this, if you're a beginner- simply as a media-sample.
I don't think anyone died in 9/11-- it was faked with video tricks. Here's a 12 minute review of of the propaganda "they" created in 2001-- over a decade ago. The short song I created is posted immediately after that review and uses the same chord changes as used in the propaganda piece. I used a Yamaha keyboard with a DJ rhythm and a Korg digital piano. I created the lyrics on the fly as I played. I had listened to Simon Shack and Ab Irato the week before who discussed the 9/11 fakery in some detail. The lyrics of the song follow after that. Enjoy.
x
9/11 Was Not Real - Lyrics and Music by Rick Potvin, 2013
The Charlie Brown Christmas special created by cartoonist Charles Shultz with music by Vince Guaraldi has to be one of the best known and loved TV creations of all time. I meet kids today who ask for "the Charlie Brown song" and do the "head dance" in their seats at restaurants where I play-- and this is 40 years after its creation! What makes certain songs timeless? Je ne sais pas. Here's a lesser known but still better than average recognized tune from the same show, "Skating"-- followed by my rendition-- which always got more applause than other songs, on average, at Shangri-La, Golden Buddha and George's. I think it must be the 3rds, and the melody.
I don't really agree with Nelson's lyrics here--- that of a guy travelling "the world" and "having a girl in every port". However-- it is true that no matter where I've travelled in Canada and the U.S, I recall mini-romances that give life to this song for me. Given that his name is similar to mine and given Nelson's Garden Party was one of my favorite tunes from the 70's, I think I can pull this off honestly. Maybe you be the judge.
The utterly fantastic Internet with Youtube is all but taken for granted these days but I'm old enough to recall, painfully, what it was like without these media. For a mere search and mouse click, any composer's music can be found now-- complete with beautiful camera panning over the orchestra. I'm in the mood for a little serious music today and Mahler's 5th Symphony creates just that feeling that resonantes with me at this time. Maybe you'll enjoy it too. This is a 1 1/2 hr. concert... with lots of drama and timpani drums, french horns and wild changes in volume. After listening to ELO in the last entry, it seems fitting to continue the orchestra theme into this realm.
I don't merely think it's my so-called "opinion" that this is a superior band... I think it IS a superior band in the general scheme of things and reality in general. Check it out yourself. I hear my neighbour playing pounding nonsensical rap, frequently-- and I have to tell you-- there "is" something beyond relativism and opinion because what he's listening to is disgusting and low compared to ELO. Merely considering the comlexity of chord changes and harmonies alone-- you've got something here with ELO that transcends most of the garbage that passes for music in 2013. This is as a reunion concert performed in 2001 of a group that became famous for their flying saucer record album covers in the 1970's when we still had tariffs to protect our industries.
I started a new thread in the discussion & notes area this morning that I've been meaning to do for some time-- but because the topic is boring-- I've not gotten around to it till now-- that is-- pracising scales. The only way to get something done is to find a way to make it interesting in my opinion. And so it must be with scales. Given todays lighter and relatively inexpensive keyboards and pianos with hundreds of "voices", not to mention drum-patterns, the old fashioned piano conservatory must give way to a more entertaining way to educate yourself in scales and arpeggios. To begin, I found this appropriate Disney clip from the cartoon Aristocats, dealing with scales and arpeggios. Click on "continue" after the video to view more ideas about scales that I think will help. (If you're viewing this in email, see the video by clicking on the title of this post above.)
I've been watching economics news this morning, and of course-- it's all bad. But it led to a tune surfacing in the back of my mind-- a tune that spoke to the fighting spirit of American freedom as originally conceived by the Founding Fathers-- one National Bank for all-- with the American System of national development spread worldwide. It's always darkest before dawn-- and as Reagan used to say-- It's morning in America. So this Monday Morning, Stars and Stripes Forever dawned on me-- as a way to start today with the Lowery Organ sound... (if you got this in email, click on the title above for the video at the blog entry).
Continuing our study of the soundtracks put to useful and educational documentaries, here's a TLC documentary on the Egyptian pyramids and the Sphynx-- 20 minutes. Pay particular attention to the sountrack here-- probably mostly created with synthesizer. The soundtrack includes lots of sounds effects. The music itself evokes mystery, of course-- consistent with the topic.
I've been thinking about jingles in ads again lately In piano lessons, I've taught students The Room Store song with good effect. It's a bit of comic relief from the serious side of lessons. Here it is.
[Embedded video won't appear in email version-- click on the title for complete blog post]
Play it again and, this time, sing along...
C
We put it all together
F C
And save you more
G C
At the room store.
If you google "jingles" + "room store", there are substantial results that will lead you, presumably a student of the piano, to a whole new world of musical possibilities. Imagine a live concert at a stadium, for example, where the band played 10 to 20 second songs off their latest album consisting of nothing but jingles-- excellently performed with appropriate applause at the end. Funny, no?
A critic of local TV jingles in Phoenix wrote: "Commercials with jingles that can get forcefully stuck in your head, leaving you unable to shake their hauntingly annoying melodies. ". [+]. For a critic, that's an excellent accolade in FAVOR of jingles. He willingly admits that they get stuck in your head-- a mark of success for a songwriter.
There are an increasing number of recordings available, online, that recreate the orginal song retuned to A=432. There is an extra dimension of spaciousness and resonance available there. A=440 is too high for that natural resonance. The 432 gives familiar songs new life. I'm not sure if I tuned my piano and keyboard down to 432 or not. (If you're seeing this in email, click on the title above for videos).
SING ALONG SHEET---available on Google free with search on [johnny b goode chords]
Johnny B. Goode
Chuck Berry
A
Deep down in Louisiana, close to New Orleans,
A
Way back up in the woods among the evergreens,
D
There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood
A
Where lived a country boy named Johnny B. Goode
E
Who never ever learned to read or write so well,
A
But he could play the guitar just like a ringin' a bell.
CHORUS:
A
Go! Go! Go, Johnny, go! Go!
D
Go, Johnny, go! Go!
A
Go, Johnny, go! Go!
AE
Go, Johnny, go! Go! Johnny B. Goode
He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack,
Go sit beneath the tree by the railroad track.
Old engineers would see him sittin' in the shade,
Strummin' with the rhythm that the drivers made.
When people passed him by they would stop and say,
'oh, my but that little country boy could play'
CHORUS
His mother told him, 'someday you will be a man,
You will be the leader of a big ol' band.
Many people comin' from miles around
Will hear you play your music when the sun go down.
Maybe someday your name'll be in lights,
Sayin' 'Johnny B. Goode tonight''
CHORUS
With the price of gold rebounding due to the new Fed Chairman's indication that big bank "stimulus" bailouts will continue-- and the continued Chinese buying of absolutely astounding amounts of gold on the world market, the old tune Silver Threads Among the Gold came to my mind. I thought it would be entertaining, appropriate, timely, useful, funny (in a dark-humor sort-of-way) and interesting to hear a Chinese performance of this old American tune-- in Kareoke format no less.
News from a Google search on "chinese gold" this morning includes this....
LOWREY ORGAN STUDENTS might find this Youtube'd version by Rob Kleinsmith instructive. The tune is relatively easy to play and always slow, so it's perfect for beginners. Thousands of muscians have recorded it and there is plenty of history involved. So it's worth learning. The artist you're about to hear is not on a Lowrey but on a "Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ". I'm pretty sure we can get that sound duplicated on the Lowrey.
Further Discussion here-- possibly with my renditions if I have time. Certainly you're welcome to post YOUR rendition. It's easy if you have your own Youtube account, a camera, a Lowrey organ and a little time today. Posting in my forum doesn't require a login. SILVER THREADS AMONG THE GOLD
VIDEOS in the news about China and gold... 'China is taking a leap forward to control world ...
Nice, eh? "Awesome!" I'll be toying with Moonlight Sonata over the next few days. We'll look at chord change and various voices on the digital pianos and keyboards that can be used to create "new" versions of Moonlight Sonata based on the Roman Numeral chord changes.Discussion thread for this post-- to which you're invited to post! No log in- light & reasonable editing.... Click: MOONLIGHT SONATA
More great new topics for our piano/keyboard/organ students this morning include updates as follows: For LOWERY Organ owners--- these videos by a British Lowery retailer are excellent. LOWERY ORGAN LESSONS - Various topics starting with Prestige Organ Sounds. For the whole family-- especially with a piano or keyboard in the house-- PIANO COMEDY with Youtube uploads of Victor Borge. I still think all these available clips of concerts are astounding. Who takes the time and effort to upload them? Yet there they are! Related Youtube suggestions after my selected one will keep you laughing for hours.
Amazingly, complete movies are now viewable on Youtube. For DOROTHY'S STUDENTS currently in Book 11, we recommend the viewing of the complete MUSICAL movie-- "The Sound of Music".
For the more esoteric minded piano student, I would direct your attention to my investigation into the 432 Hz frequency that is being promoted as the better tuning for A-- as opposed to the world wide adopted 440 Hz. The current thread I'm developing is a chaotic but you might be stimulated to think in this direction by following my lead. Post your own thoughts! No log in required.
For CHILDREN 5 to 8--> Know these nursery rhyme songs well enough that you can play them on your keyboard. It helps to listen to these Youtubes. Know your notes! SIMPLE PIANO MUSIC For VIDEOGAME FANS - Watch this 10 year old play the Super Mario Theme on piano. MARIO THEME Finally, check the list of latest posts below for topics I've looked at recently. There's something for everyone interested in music but most especially piano, organ and keyboard students. Below that, you'll see an alphabetical index worth exploring with fuller subject lines than a normal index.
Children's nursery rhyme songs are vastly under-rated in their value for teaching. Thanks to Youtube, they're making a come-back through free online instructional video. Anyone looking to teach piano lessons to children should really be considering these all time children's tunes. They have lots of rich history, many of them allude to tales from old Europe and have moral lessons embedded in them, or they might allude to historical realities that can be more fully looked into later. The fingering and chord changes, along with rhythmic skills needed to sing and play these tunes are quite substantial, actually. Listen to one of my favorite tunes from childhood, now... I'm a little Teapot.
After listening to that, you might be inclined to want to sing along-- a first step to playing it.... which is natural. In case you didn't pick up all the lyrics, here they are... I think they match up fairly closely.
I'm a little teapot Short and stouts Here is my handle Here is my spout When I get all steamed up I just shout Tip me over and pour me out
I'm a very special pot It's true Here's an example of what I can do I can turn my handle into a spout Tip me over and pour me out
I'm a little teapot Short and stouts Here is my handle Here is my spout When I get all steamed up I just shout Tip me over and pour me out
I'm a very special pot It's true Here's an example of what I can do I can turn my handle into a spout Tip me over and pour me out
Continue on to the forum where I'll post more childrens' tunes and where YOU can post tunes as well. xNURSERY RHYME SONGS
I don't think it's essential to include Youtube videos in piano instruction for children but I also think EDUTAINMENT -- a combination of education and entertainment helps a lot. Here's an example of what I think is useful to parents looking for useful internet programming for their children or for paid teachers in the business of teaching youngsters. At the same time, anything good enough to teach children piano with is useful for adults and seniors as well.
Here's a humorous classical-interpretation of the famous tune made famous by Diana Ross-- in 1978-- "I Will Survive". When I read the lyrics, it's hard to imagine the situation since it's the woman kicking a guy out of her place of residence sort of like "Hit the Road Jack". I don't understand why these women get to kick their guy out of their living quarters. It's all feminist stuff it appears to me-- but the songs became popular anyway and from a musical standpoint, they're interesting. In the following version, I guess the guy is kicking his woman out-- reversing the idea. All this assumes cohabitation out of wedlock which is supposed to be quasi-legal in the first place-- so it's all crazy in a world-gone-mad. Lyrics are at the bottom of this page.
..I WILL SURVIVE... by Gloria Gayner
--------------------.................
*from 'Love Tracks' (1978)*
Intro:
E7
Verse 1:
AmDm
At first I was afraid, I was petrified,
GCmaj7
Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side.
Fmaj7 Bm7b5
But then I spent so many nights, thinking how you did me wrong,
Esus4E
And I grew strong; and I learned how to get along.
AmDm
But now you're back, from outer space,
GCmaj7
I just walked in, to find you here, with that sad look upon your face.
Fmaj7
I should have changed that stupid lock,
Bm7b5
I should have made you leave your key,
Esus4E
If I had known for just one second, you'd be back to bother me.
Chorus 1:
AmDm
Go on now, go; walk out the door;
GCmaj7
Just turn a-round now, 'cos you're not welcome any more.
Fmaj7 Bm7b5
Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye?
Esus4E
Did you think I'd crumble; did you think I'd lay down and die?
AmDm
Oh no, not I; I will sur-vive,
GCmaj7
Oh, as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive.
Fmaj7 Bm7b5
I've got all my life to live, and I've got all my love to give,
Esus4E (Am)
And I'll sur-vive, I will sur-vive, I will sur-vive...
Interlude:
AmDmGCmaj7, Fmaj7 Bm7b5 Esus4E
Verse 2:
AmDm
Only the Lord could give me strength not to fall apart,
GCmaj7
Though I tried hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart.
Fmaj7 Bm7b5
And I spent oh, so many nights, just feeling sorry for myself,
Esus4E7
I used to cry, but now I hold my head up high.
AmDm
And you see me; somebody new,
GCmaj7
I'm not that chained up little person, still in love with you.
Fmaj7 Bm7b5
And so you felt like dropping in and just ex-pect me to be free,
Esus4E
Well, now I'm saving all my loving, for some-one who's loving me.
Chorus 2:
AmDm
Go on now, go; walk out the door;
GCmaj7
Just turn a-round now, 'cos you're not welcome any more.
Fmaj7 Bm7b5
Weren't you the one who tried to crush me with goodbye?
Esus4E
Did you think I'd crumble; did you think I'd lay down and die?
AmDm
Oh no, not I; I will sur-vive,
GCmaj7
And as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive.
Fmaj7 Bm7b5
I've got all my life to live, and I've got all my love to give,
Esus4E (Am)
And I will survive, I-I-I will sur-vive.
Break:
Am, Dm
Chorus 3:
AmDm
Go on now, go; walk out the door;
GCmaj7
Just turn a-round now, 'cos you're not welcome any more.
Fmaj7 Bm7b5
Weren't you the one who tried to crush me with goodbye?
Esus4E
Did you think I'd crumble; did you think I'd lay down and die?
AmDm
No no, not I; I will sur-vive,
GCmaj7
And as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive.
Fmaj7 Bm7b5
I've got all my life to live, and I've got all my love to give,
Esus4E (Am)
And I'll sur-vive, I will sur-vive, I will sur-vive...
Interlude:
AmDmGCmaj7, Fmaj7 Bm7b5 Esus4E
Verse 3:
AmDm
Only the Lord could give me strength not to fall apart,
GCmaj7
Though I tried hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart.
Fmaj7 Bm7b5
And I spent oh, so many nights, just feeling sorry for myself,
Esus4E7
I used to cry, but now I hold my head up high.
AmDm
And you see me; somebody new,
GCmaj7
I'm not that chained up little person, still in love with you.
Fmaj7 Bm7b5
And so you felt like dropping in and just ex-pect me to be free,
Esus4E
Well, now I'm saving all my loving, for some-one who's loving me.
Chorus 4:
AmDm
Go on now, go; walk out the door;
GCmaj7
Just turn a-round now, 'cos you're not welcome any more.
Fmaj7 Bm7b5
Weren't you the one who tried to crush me with goodbye?
Esus4E
Did you think I'd crumble; did you think I'd lay down and die?
AmDm
Oh no, not I; I will sur-vive,
GCmaj7
And as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive.
Fmaj7 Bm7b5
I've got all my life to live, and I've got all my love to give,
Esus4E (Am)
And I will survive, I-I-I will sur-vive.
Interlude:
AmDmGCmaj7, Fmaj7 Bm7b5 Esus4E
Chorus 5:
AmDm
Go on now, go; walk out the door;
GCmaj7
Just turn a-round now, 'cos you're not welcome any more...
(Fade)
Hope you enjoyed that this morning. You can find Youtubes further suggestions above at the end of the video or... see Igudsman and Joo again--- with full orchestra doing I Will Survive-- and more versions including the original one ... found in the following discussion thread. I'll include my own interpretation, links to the chord charts and other ideas that can help you play this song on your keyboard, piano or Lowery Organ-- or any organ for that matter-- or a kazoo. CLick on the yellow link... xI WILL SURVIVE.
