Is my carpet really that color? Yeesh. Well anyway, that's my baby. Part of me has always wanted to learn how to play piano and back on July 4th, I finally picked one up. I've wanted a new guitar for...well, about 8 years now, but I haven't forked over the dough. I figured this would be a more interesting and fun option for less moolah.
I didn't know how to play piano before I bought one, so I guess it was more of an investment than a purchase. Between playing drums, guitar, and dabbling on a bass, I was confident I could figure it out, though. I think I can hack it on just about any instrument given enough time.
I've been playing for just over a month and I'm pleasantly surprised at how comfortable I am with it already. I picked up a chord chart when I bought it and that was really all I needed. When I started, I took songs I knew on guitar and translated the chords to piano to get a feel for what my hands and fingers needed to do. I progressed from there by listening to and learning actual piano-y songs (that's a technical term). I played along with a song and tried to figure out the chords then pick up any other parts by ear. If I got stuck, I looked up the chords online. What will help the most now is simply playing. A lot. I need to work on the nuances and transitions (aka "noodling") that give a song its feel, but as far as chords go, I've gotten pretty decent.
So what have I learned? Here are a few tunes:
Ben Folds - Kate (just the opening so far), Gracie, Songs of Love (best version I could find)
Ben Kweller - Thirteen, Penny on the Train Track
Coldplay - Amsterdam, Fix You
David Gray - This Year's Love
Guster - Manifest Destiny
White Stripes - The Denial Twist
Van Halen - Right Now (ok, just the cool beginning part)
If I had to pick a fave, it would have to be Gracie. I looked up the chords, but figured out the high part by ear. It took a long time to be able to play both parts, and even more to play them simultaneously, but it was a very cool feeling when I finally got it. :)
What do I want to learn next? These:
Ben Folds - Landed, Not The Same
Billy Joel - Piano Man
Coldplay - The Scientist, Clocks, Trouble, Everything's Not Lost
Elton John - Tiny Dancer, Rocketman
Fiona Apple - Shadowboxer
Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
What are some of your favorite piano-y songs, readers? Anything in particular?
5 comments:
I just got chills (in that envious sort of way). You rock if you've figured out those songs. Keep up the good work.
PS How's Chia Homer doing? Better take pictures of the little guy before he's all growns up.
I can't help but picture that thing chanting "I am CHIA Homer! I am Chia Homer!" to itself.
Ok Ok, so it's just me chanting it to MYSELF.
I have pictures of the Chia Homer with a little "hair" on his head. They'll be up soon.
nightswimming by rem. anything by fiona apple. gotta get some billy joel in there, too. but not piano man. linus and lucy (the peanuts theme).
I have to confess, it would be cooler if Chia Homer only had the 2 'hairs' on top and the '/\/\' on the sides/back.
But I'm still pretty jealous.
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