New Members CLUB MIX!

alexx88

Thanks so I much! That will be SO helpful!

MikeClarke

Club Mix Vol 2 - We Luv Chords homework:

Chord: C Suspended 2, Story: Two Hang On, Formula: Minor 2nd/Maj 4th (?), Feeling: Suspense, Function: Focus (?)

alexx88

MikeClarke Love the graphic!!

RuthPower

MikeClarke Wonderful! This is great Mike! Love the graphic and the story - the formula min2 + maj 4th is correct - technically we call it a 'perfect 4th' - same as we call a 5th a 'perfect 5th' - and that name is only because we don't have major and minor ones! Just perfect! 😄
The Function is 'unstable' - but I also like 'Focus' too! Because it makes you think about it doesn't it?
👍👍👍

RuthPower

ANNOUNCEMENT: The next New Member's CLUB MIX is tomorrow - that's Wednesday morning here in NZ, but for those of you a day or so behind, it's Tuesday avo/evening. Details to join are in the email. See you there! 😀

MikeClarke

Been going through Club Mix Vol 2 - Chords. This has been a 'lightbulb' module for me. Although I knew there were lots of chord variations, as a 3-chord (maybe 4 now and again 😆 ) guitar strummer, i'd been able to get by with a I, IV,V progression and capo to change the key. This module has been great, i'm starting to get a real understanding of music and how different chords can invoke emotion and tell the story.
I've been going through Ruth's lesson a few times and making notes for each of the chord symbols, still to get a cartoon/picture for them, but just learning about the different feelings/function of each has been a huge aha for me.
Thanks Ruth, just sharing my rough notes, really enjoyed the module. :👍

RuthPower

MikeClarke Mike! This is such great news! I'm so pleased this has led you toward a better understanding of chords! This will give you a greater appreciation for the music you hear as well, and hopefully inspire you toward creating some musical emotions of your own by choosing specific chords - ultimately, writing your own compositions!

RuthPower

New Volume 4 SIDE B 'Comping' is now uploaded to the member's area - find the replay, the pdf and your assignment here: https://school.pianopicnic.com/courses/the-creative-pianist-offer/lectures/38196978
@MikeClarke @alexx88 @Gerry

MikeClarke

Vol 4 'Comping' - Challenge/Assignment:

I would luv to say I've been digently practicing my piano daily and playing lots of pieces. The reality is that I'm still having a a ton of fun just being part of Piano Picnic, making live lesson/sessions, however a few family things been going on the last few weeks put practice on hold. (Good news is that family (my two daughters) fine).

So! LOL, this weekend i realised that Vol 5 of Club Mix is starting tomorrow and i had done nothing with the Vol 4 assignment 😆 It's rough, it's raw, done in one take but i've done it. My steps taken were: 1. purchased a lead sheet off 'Music Notes', 2. Simplified it into a 1 page lead sheet with just the main chords, and then practiced, practiced, practiced............... The melodic lick is simple, but for me, it's a step forward🙂

I wanted to video me actually doing it in one take, (webcam played up) so it's just a photo (can you spot the Piano accessories inspiration 😄 )and audio recording.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JQqaGUlwyjokh7misp0uUSeWvRm8GDuQ?usp=sharing

All the best, Mike

RuthPower

MikeClarke oh my gosh Mike you DID IT!!! This is fabulous! It might feel simple but the act of putting a riff between the chords that isn't necessarily in the sheet music is a HUGE step! So many people are not able to do this, even pianists with years of experience playing songs from sheet music– the idea of just playing chords and inserting their own riff is completely alien - so now you're on this journey of making music your own - and it's a big step forward!
Thank you for sharing - and I love the pic with the _play it like you mean it__ mug!

Glad that your daughters & family are fine - hey sometimes, or actually often, there is much going on in our lives and piano is the last thing on our mind - but kudos to you for carving out some time for it. 🤩

alexx88

Great job, Mike! Love your Roland! I could tell right away what it was before I even zoomed in. I love Rolands.

My keyboard is an RD-2000.

MikeClarke

alexx88 Thanks Alexx, yes i'm luving the RD88, the 2000 must be epic. I've also got a Roland acoustic amp & other items in my guitar journey, all their products seem good, my daughter had a Roland keyboard in the early 2000's, still has it i think. I started off with an M-Audio 88 keystation when i joined Piano Picnic, which was nice enough, weighted keys etc but once i got hooked on Piano Picnic I was keen to get a good digital piano, narrowed it down to a Juno DS-88 like Ruth's, an FP30X and this RD-88 as I wanted the ivory feel & good key action. They didn't have any Juno in stock, tried the FP30 and then this, instantly fell for this model, it just felt so good. I'm just using the Grand Piano tone, haven't learnt how to find other Scenes/Tones, plenty of time for that in the future.
Really nice to hear you've got the Roland-2000, sounds like i made the right choice 😃
All the best, Mike

RuthPower

MikeClarke @alexx88 oooh we got ourselves a Roland club!!! 😄

alexx88

MikeClarke The RD-88 is a great choice. You won’t regret it. I mainly keep mine on Grand Piano too, but some songs I’ll switch things up. The scenes/tones can be a black hole lol. I’m sure if I spent more time with them it would be second nature.

MikeClarke

RuthPower 😆 👍

MikeClarke

alexx88 Thanks, good to hear🙂👍

RuthPower

I've been so busy with the new membership this week I forgot to check in - how did you guys find the Chord Progressinos Club-Mix this week? What stood out for you? 😄

MikeClarke

RuthPower

Hi everyone, I liked all of the Chord Progressions coaching, however for me; the Variations stood out. I'm familiar with the I,IV,V for guitar/country/Bluegrass music, but along with Ruth's songwriting course, see the potential for exploring the other progressions, 'optimistic' pessimistic etc and also the minor variations. I'm getting exposed to so much great theory on Piano Picnic which is instantly understandable the way Ruth presents it. Lots to learn, but really enjoying it, 🙂

alexx88

I did this one before the Club Mix sessions began, but this time I looked at it from different eyes & ears. This time I was paying attention more to which progressions will work well together for the purpose of fills & transitions when I'm making a song my own or for songwriting. I usually just go by the feel & sound, but I wanted to think of that process in a way that would be more next level, even if the choices are the same, I want to consciously think of it that way.

RuthPower

@MikeClarke and @alexx88 love how you've both taken the information to apply directly to Songwriting – isn't it cool how something we thought was so boring (theory) makes all our creative stuff that much cooler!?! 😄
Alexx - hows the song going that you've been working on?

alexx88

RuthPower I think it's pretty much done. There are a couple of transitions from section to section I want to make final decisions on, then I need to play it through a few times to smooth it out, versus playing a section or two as I'm working on it, & record it. I also want to to type it out as a chord sheet & write it out in notation. The notation will be just to have as in a "I wrote a song," I'll never use it though. I'll just use the chord sheet.

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