What Music Are You Working On?

[kempedkemp]

I'd be interested to know what others are playing on their Clavinovas.

Do you use the built in styles with auto accompaniment?

Do you play along with midi-files?

I am a church musician. Tonight I played for a small group(18)of "senior" folk style singers who normally have guitar accompanists. Some of their repetoire is, well, kind of shmaltzy. I added rhythm to a few of the songs and they really grooved on it (especially the calypso with steel drums). One lady said she preferred the guitars so I switched on the nylon and got rave reviews. This is our Clavinova's first Christmas. They loved the Christmas Bells too! Oh what fun I had displaying the new instrument!

I've mostly been playing Christmas tunes on it. Have explored a few contemporary arrangers: Chip Davis, Liz Story, Heather Sorenson, Joseph Martin and Jay Rouse.

How about y'all?

Ed
---------------
CLP 170 Home
CVP 307 Church
II/22 Pipe Organ

[Scubacpa]

I'm still at the "learning" stage in terms of my piano playing. I'm in about year 3+ of my lessons. So I'm using it daily as "just a piano" to practice my lessons.

I usually spend another session per day just messing around and playing music that I enjoy (that is at my level). When I do that I use a huge Fake Book. So far every single song in the fake book (mostly contemporary and rock - Beatles, Elton John, Billy Joel, etc) is also listed in the music finder so I use that to automatically pick my voices and styles. Then use the auto accompanyment to play. I add an auto-intro and an auto-ending. I set the left pedal to start the auto-end.

I also have purchased a few of the Easy Piano series music books with accompanying midi file disk. I use that to learn some songs. I use the guide lights at first to struggle through it the first few times and get an idea of what's what. Then after I get it nailed I'll play the left and right hand with the orchestra in the background. That is a lot harder than the auto-accompanyment because if I get out of sync It neve sounds right. With the auto-accompanyment I can "make up" in the following measure and get back on track.

I'm not ready for paying customers yet, but I'm having fun.

I know I'm way behind most of you.

I also use it to record what I play so that I can listen back to it with full attention. That's when I realize how "not good" I am.

I also use it as a midi- juke box to just listen while doing other things. It's great now for christmas songs.

[MikeinNC]

At this season, a lot of Christmas music. I'm not an accomplished two-hand pianist so I use the programmed accompaniments. I have a collection of 8-10 "fake books" that I have accumulated over the years as a trumpet player so I have put together collections of songs from those books that I work on, probably 300 or so tunes. I enjoy matching the programmed styles to the songs. The "Music Finder" programs are usually just right but sometimes I prefer another style. I have them alphabetically arranged in binder notebooks according to style: ballads, up-tempo, slow waltzes, latin, rock & disco (well, not too far out), country, patriotic, polkas, old-time waltzes, gospel, show tunes. I have keys that I prefer to play in so I transpose and write out many of the tunes so they are more playable, for me. That's another whole side hobby. Each tune is notated as to settings that I use. So far this is all for my own amusement but once in a while I play so someone else can hear. While wintering in Florida, I have a weekly gig playing before bingo games...whopee...the exciting life of a retiree. All in all the Clavinova has added a whole lot of pleasure to my life. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.

[ClavinovaGuy]

I have a bunch of projects in the works. The most interesting at the moment is a cover of Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years". The song has lots of little intricate parts - I'll be doing all of it except the sax solo (and of course the vocals) on the Clavinova. I only play by ear, so I'm just playing along with an mp3 of the original.

[Scubacpa]

Yeah ... but you are a pro. I can only dream about making the kind of music you make. :mad:

[ClavinovaGuy]

Bah - you're too kind! My playing ability hasn't advanced much since I was about 14. I think I have a halfway-decent ear, though. But anybody can do what I do, with this instrument and a little practice.

[kempedkemp]

I wish I had a Clavinova back when I was a beginner! I mostly had to play on an out of tune upright and it was very painful sometimes.

It would be fun and easy to lay tracks for a beginner and then play back all sounding nice. Certainly does inspire one to better playing.

Now I don't have time to play with the rhythms and sound combinations. I have added brass, handbells and tympani to some of the service parts (accompanied by organ) and it sounds great but needs much mixing yet to all sound perfect. That is the hard part for me, big learning curve on the CVP307.

A word to you beginners... keep plugging, it will pay off. I've been playing for a little over 40 years. I remember the struggles. Now I can play all but the most advanced music, on sight, like reading a book with your fingers. It took many hours and not always fun.

Merry Christmas to all.

Ed
-------------
CLP170
CVP307
Pipe Organ II/22

[Scubacpa]

But I don't have 40 years to learn :(

[ericho]

I'd be interested to know what others are playing on their Clavinovas.

I'm in to improvising lately, for ours on end sometimes.

Do you use the built in styles with auto accompaniment?

yes, but no more than 10% of my playing time.

Do you play along with midi-files?

Never, I only use midifiles for educational reasons and recording my own stuff

Kind regards

Eric

[dbjorck]

Hi!

Do you use the built in styles with auto accompaniment?
I think I'm the odd one out in this group. I haven't used auto accompaniment more than perhaps 5 times since I got it a year ago. When I was an adolescent I had a Yamaha and used accompaniments all the time. But then for 15 years I've been playing only ordinary pianos, and so I actually use it more as an ordinary piano now.

Do you play along with midi-files?
Yes, I do. I find it great fun to have a real backing. Such as playing in a real jazz trio, or how about playing the piano part of Vangelis Chariots of Fire - great fun. I've been recording all the instrumental parts of Mozarts 21st concerto (Elvira Madigan), so I can play the piano part along with it. And currently I'm arranging an excerpt of Beethovens 9th symphony for four hands containing only my favourite bits of it, so I can play along with "the other two hands" (being my own). The Guide functionality is great for classical music. This type of thing is my main reason for buying the CVP.


It would be fun and easy to lay tracks for a beginner and then play back all sounding nice. Certainly does inspire one to better playing.
I do this with my student. I record her playing a piece, and then I compose and add some backing. Then I burn it all on a CD using my PC, so she can play it for friends and family. With time it has become an interesting track record of her progress as well.

Happy New Year!

Brgds

Danny

[pianomomma]

I've only had my CVP for less than a month, but so far, I don't use the auto accompaniment styles much. I use the rhythms though (great fun). I also like to play along with midi files. But I think mostly, I've been playing with the sequencer. I love playing a piano part, then adding a string track, and a solo instrument track, rhythm track and then taking out the piano or solo track and playing along live. I also use the sequencer to let me hear choral arrangements. I especially love when the accompaniment also includes parts for strings, or flute or horn or sometimes all 3. Put all of that together with the piano accompaniment and 4 part harmony....it blew my choir members away when they heard it. It's also fun to take out the vocal tracks and or maybe just one track (I'm an alto) and plug in the mic and sing along. I did this with a soloist right before Christmas. She wanted extra help with her part and this worked very well....it was like having the choir right there with her, except they weren't!

I'm learning something new everyday and am having a blast.

What I'm very interrested in doing soon is connecting my laptop to it and transferring my songs (or my students' songs) to audio CDs. Can anyone give simple directions on how to do that?

Thanks!

Christy
CVP305M

[Scubacpa]

Originally posted by pianomomma
What I'm very interrested in doing soon is connecting my laptop to it and transferring my songs (or my students' songs) to audio CDs. Can anyone give simple directions on how to do that?


You don't even have to go to that trouble. According to the spec sheet the 305 has an optical out. You can hook a CD burner right to the CVP (and skip the computer).

[pianomomma]

Now you've lost me Gary, LOL. Don't I still have to use my laptop, as that is the only way that I know to burn CDs? This piano teacher can talk music with ya, but you gotta keep the teckie stuff real simple!

[Scubacpa]

If you do a search using "optical" you will find lots of threads of people who are doing this.

Under FAQ you will also find the following:
----------------------------------------------------------------
· Can I make an audio CD directly from my CVP?
Yes! Many CVPUG members do this, and the result is stunning! All you need is to purchase a CD-R, commonly referred to as a "CD Burner." You can connect it directly to your CVP's audio output. First, save all of the songs you wish to record onto a floppy disk. Once you have all the files you want to record onto CD, then let your CVP play the files from the floppy disk as the CD-R records them onto your CD. It really is that simple. There are lots of good CD-Rs on the market, and any of them will do a fine job. The ones that are mentioned most often by CVPUG members are the Philips CDR-570 and the Pioneer PDR 555RW.
----------------------------------------------------------------

The above says to connect to the CVP audio output. But since you have a 307 you can connect to the "optical" out and get a pure digital to digital signal. Just make sure your recorder has an optical input, and of course you will need a cable that matches the input and outputs.

We are talking about a stand alone audio CD burner. Not the kind that is in your computer tower or laptop (and not a PC external burner either). It is a standalone system. These were available long before it was popular to put CD burners into PCs. I have one that I have had for a long time that I used for transfering my vinal albums and cassetts to CD (and to copy a CD that I had in the house to use in the car).

I just looked on Amazon and you can get a new one for about $140 (and up). Might be able find one even cheaper on Ebay. Just make sure it has the optical input.

[ClavinovaGuy]

Originally posted by Scubacpa
You don't even have to go to that trouble. According to the spec sheet the 305 has an optical out. You can hook a CD burner right to the CVP (and skip the computer).

You should be able to connect the Audio Out jacks on your CVP to the input on your laptop (you will probably need a Y-adapter (two RCA jacks into a 1/8" stereo plug). You'll need some recording software, too. Here's a free one:

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Once you have recorded your songs on the laptop, you can burn them to CD. You'll want to be careful with you recording levels so that they're neither too "hot" nor too faint.

BTW, I finished the cover of Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years" this morning. A friend of mine asked me to create a backing track for it - he's going to use it in his live one-man gig (he plays sax and guitar and sings). Here's the original:
http://www.bradprestonmusic.com/Music/still_crazy_orig.mp3

and here's my backing track, done on my CVP-209:
http://www.bradprestonmusic.com/Music/StillCrazyRough3.mp3

[pianomomma]

Thank you both for the instructions. It seems there's more than one way to accomplish this task. I'm going to try Clavinova guy;s way first, as I don't want to purchase more equipment if I don't need to. By the way, very nice job on the backing tracks for "Still Crazy". Would you mind sharing tips on adding the rhythm track? I feel like I need some drumming lessons...I always want to do too much and it doesn't sound right...so then I cheat and find a style that matches close enough and use fills, but that doesn't always work as well as I'd like either.

Oh and by the way, I started the new year off by playing and recording a Bach 2 part invention this morning (one hand at a time haha). Felt like cheating, but it sure sounded great and I've never "learned" an invention that quickly!

[ClavinovaGuy]

Thank you much - it was a lot of fun!

I was a drummer when I was young, so that probably helps some. But finger-drumming isn't all that hard - it just takes practice like anything else. The keyboard is set up pretty well for it - I play cymbals and toms with my right hand, and bass and snare with my left, typically, for a routine drum track. Often I'll play a main track like piano first (using the metronome), and then add the drums afterward. If your song recording corresponds to the correct time signature and BPM, you can use the Quantize function to tighten up the timing a bit (though sometimes this is a frustrating exercise).

[Scubacpa]

Originally posted by pianomomma
Thank you both for the instructions. It seems there's more than one way to accomplish this task. I'm going to try Clavinova guy;s way first,

Yes there is usually a number of ways to do the same thing when you are talking about technology. The advantage of the stand alone unit (particularly if you are a teacher and you want to record student performances, or you doing the piece for them to learn as a reference) is that the unit would just sit on top of the CVP and with the push of a few buttons the student could walk away from the lesson with the CD.

But try the other way first and see what happens.

[Yorkie]

Im teaching myself Grade 6 piano exam pieces on my 303 at the moment ive heard i can use cvp 303 as a primary instrument and still take Grade 8 examinations

[kempedkemp]

Excellent! Do you have a favorite composition or composer at that level?

I must admit, I do not often use the styles or accompaniment features on my 307 because it is used for church music. I have added handbells and tympani parts, and did use a rhythm style for some pop Christmas song that was Calypso.

I enjoy Debussy's music, especially dans l'eau. I cannot perform it but it is wonderful to listen to someone who can!

Do you memorize?

[Yorkie]

Originally posted by kempedkemp
Excellent! Do you have a favorite composition or composer at that level?

I must admit, I do not often use the styles or accompaniment features on my 307 because it is used for church music. I have added handbells and tympani parts, and did use a rhythm style for some pop Christmas song that was Calypso.

I enjoy Debussy's music, especially dans l'eau. I cannot perform it but it is wonderful to listen to someone who can!

Do you memorize?
No favorite composer-im so addicted to piano music - you are suppose to play one piece of music from each exam list ( 3 in all ),but im playing all of them !
Ive only got back into it after not playing for 22 years and only been playing again for 6 months but memorised the 1st page of "Corant " by John Loeillet already ! It sounds awesome in the strings+Harpsicord mode
If i could get my head round Grade 5 theory we'd be alright ( i shud have been on a degree by now if it wasnt for that !):PIANO:

[dbjorck]

Hi!

All these "grades" that US people keep bringing up - what are they?

Brgds

Danny

[Yorkie]

Originally posted by dbjorck
Hi!

All these "grades" that US people keep bringing up - what are they?

Brgds

Danny
They are levels of excelence issued to most piano students ( or any instrument).These are world recognised exam certificates issued by the A.B.R.S.M (Royal School of Music,UK).
Im fairly advanced at grade 5/6.The top basic Grade 8 carries " clout" in the classical music world as it can be used to go onto a diploma/degree and higher education.An exam result is not just purely a pass, its classed as pass/merit/distinction depending on what points you get in the exams.You can also check out the A.B.R.S.M web site for more info

[Yorkie]

Originally posted by Yorkie
They are levels of excelence issued to most piano students ( or any instrument).These are world recognised exam certificates issued by the A.B.R.S.M (Royal School of Music,UK).
Im fairly advanced at grade 5/6.The top basic Grade 8 carries " clout" in the classical music world as it can be used to go onto a diploma/degree and higher education.An exam result is not just purely a pass, its classed as pass/merit/distinction depending on what points you get in the exams.You can also check out the A.B.R.S.M web site for more info
Im actualy English from the uk

[dbjorck]

Hi!

I still have never heard of it, and yet I studied for two years to be a concert pianist at a university in US (Bachelor of Music, Major in Piano)!

Brgds

Danny

[Scubacpa]

We don't really use the term "grade" in the U.S.

[MikeinNC]

Actually, graded music lists are used extensively in the U.S. Most state Music Education Associations have very complete graded lists for solo and ensemble players on piano as well as all other instruments. These lists are used by students who participate in solo and ensemble festivals and are judged on how well they perform the music. The music is graded either from A to D, with A being the most difficult or, more often, from Grade 6 to Grade 1 with 6 being the most difficult. The lower levels are made up of music either arranged or "watered down" or written specifically for beginners. The upper levels are usually authentic compositions for the instruments, often composed by major classical composers. Extremely difficult music won't be on these lists because the lists are intended mostly for use by students not professionals. If you are an adult, these lists are very useful because they are a great source of potential music that you will enjoy studying. The lists are compiled by committees of music teachers that are expert on each instrument.

[Yorkie]

Originally posted by Yorkie
They are levels of excelence issued to most piano students ( or any instrument).These are world recognised exam certificates issued by the A.B.R.S.M (Royal School of Music,UK).
Im fairly advanced at grade 5/6.The top basic Grade 8 carries " clout" in the classical music world as it can be used to go onto a diploma/degree and higher education.An exam result is not just purely a pass, its classed as pass/merit/distinction depending on what points you get in the exams.You can also check out the A.B.R.S.M web site for more info
You also need to pass "Blxxxy" theory exams to progress to the next level,other than the practical ! ( i still can't see the point if you can read music).I would have been on a degree by now if it wasn't for that -that particular level of theory 22 years ago ( im now 37) was fairly hard

[kempedkemp]

Very good answer MikeinNC. I don't know how they do it in Copenhagen Danny, but at any university in the US you would have to perform at grade 6 to even be considered for a piano major. By the time you get to university, I think they drop grading the levels and only list the repetoire you must master.

I believe you can view a graded festival list at jwpepper.com, mostly used in secondary education here in the US.

[dbjorck]

Hi!

Which explains why I never heard of grades when I was a Piano Major at university in US.

Anyway, apparently you need to be careful about talking about the grades since it goes to 6 in US, but 8 in UK... I've seen several posts from people saying "I'm grade so and so"; but that doesn't mean a lot unless you happen to live in the same country, and this is an international forum. The grades are not an international standard used by everyone.

Brgds

Danny

[Scubacpa]

Well I'm wrong again .... not the first and won't be the last ! (but please don't tell my wife I admitted I was wrong :) )

I'm not that far up the scale. I have people asking me what "year" I am in and I say "year three" based on what book I am at in the Afred Adult Piano Method. But I have looked at other methods and year three in another set is not necessarily equivilent knowledge. (or course it's taken me 5 years to get to year 3 so its all meaningless to me).

[MikeinNC]

You are exactly right, dbjorck. I think you would find many of the same compositions on the most advanced graded lists, regardless of the state or country. Of course these lists ,which are made up for the purpose of adjudicating performers are like what they do in the Olympic skating contests. Higher level musical pieces contain lots of" jumps, spins and leaps" just to test the performers technique. Many of the lower level selections have just as much musical value, or even more, even though they are not as difficult technically. The lists are great resources for any life-long student of music (just as a good fake book is invaluable to pop-oriented musicians). University students are mainly interested in musical value and don't necessarily rely on lists except those given by their teacher.

[brncao]

Im working on Twilight Princess from the Nintendo WII. I hope it turns out good even though I dont own a cvp...yet. The CVP is a real time-saver. love the score built in.

[Yorkie]

Hi.
Iam now working on my own blues music,trying to end it on plagal cadences

[kempedkemp]

For your own personal enjoyment or are you going to share it with the world?

Would love to hear a clip of it Yorkie.

[Jaap]

Hi Yorkie and Ed,

"For your own personal enjoyment or are you going to share it with the world?"

Well, could I ask to wait with the world for some time and just to start
with this group : )) ??

Bye,
Jaap CVP 307.

[ClavinovaGuy]

I have a couple of tunes on my plate - I'm working on a backing track for "Summertime" that is patterned after John Coltrane's version, and also have to work out some keys for a friend's original song, kind of a prog-rock/fusion thing. I haven't played much in the past few weeks, taking a little break.

In a month or so I'll start working on a big internet collaboration project - a guy is putting together a cover of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" album, and I'm going to do some tracks for that.

And a friend's band is recording a CD later this year, and he asked if I'd play a couple of tracks on that as well.

[dbjorck]

Hi!

I'm not sure this was what the thread was actually originally about, but now after Prokofievs fifth symphony, I'm planning to record Don Giovanni by Mozart.

Brgds

Danny

[Yorkie]

Originally posted by kempedkemp
For your own personal enjoyment or are you going to share it with the world?

Would love to hear a clip of it Yorkie.

Here it is ( i hope).

Yorkie

[Yorkie]

Originally posted by Yorkie
Here it is ( i hope).

Yorkie
and a continuation.......

[kempedkemp]

Danny - where do you get all of your scores (I'm assuming you don't have them memorized by ear).

Very nice Yorkie... I liked version 2 with rhythm better.

[dbjorck]

Danny - where do you get all of your scores (I'm assuming you don't have them memorized by ear).
I'm so good I've never even heard the pieces. I just hear the title and then I make it up from there :D No, I use www.sheetmusicplus.com.

I like Yorkies first better.

Brgds

Danny

[Yorkie]

Thanks don't forget its more or less first attempt at writing my own stuff and still working on it

[pianogirl]

I am working on orchestrating the second piano accompaninment of a student level piano concerto entitled Concerto Americana by John Thompson. I will share with you the midi file. IIt is not finished and it may not sound right on you computer because I am using more that 16 midi channels and they tend to double over. I haven't figured out yet how to covert it so it will play right yet. But imagine if you will the excitement this gives to a student as they are overwhelmed with instruments that follow their lead.

pianogirl

[dbjorck]

Hi!

pianogirl, that's a nice arrangement. And nice that you finally post a creation. But how have you done it - not only can't a PC not handle more than 16 channels, the CVP is also only 16 channels...

Brgds

Danny

[pianogirl]

I started with the score in Sibelius. This was because I had a lot of articulation to incorporate in on each of the different instruments and the actual arranging was performed in Sibelius.

It's a lot easier to cut and paste parts within this program. The mixing I will finish both at the Clavinova and in Sibelius. Many tempo changes in this piece so I've had to mark each one. This is tedious.

As far as I know Sibelius utilizes more than 16 midi channels. That is how I can hear it through my computer/clavinova. However, when I copy this creation to disk and put it in my Clavinova it messes up totally the instruments. I don't know what is wrong.

Even though I have had my 307 since December of 2004 I am still getting acquainted with it. Although it's not from a lack of playing with it. Everyone in my family knows that. :D Thanks for the kind words.

pianogirl

[Carlo]

Generally speaking, leaving aside the commonest types of use of a CVP (e.g. playing along with a midi file, or using a style of accompaniment while playing a song from a fake book), these are my major interests in making music with my CVP:

(1) Using it as a grand piano, i.e. studying the classic piano repertoire (in particular, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, and Mendelssohn), and trying to reach a better level of interpretation on the Clavinova than I was capable of on my conventional upright (now sold and replaced by my CVP-307). Since I am particularly fond of Johann Nepomuk Hummel (to me, severely underestimated by current musicology experts), I put a special attention to the quality of sound and keyboard touch that can be obtained on the Clavinova, while studying his piano sonatas (not at all trivial in terms of required technique and interpretation skill).
(2) Producing and recording by myself four-hand sonatinas and sonatas, and playing along with them (either the Primo or the Secondo part). Although this may sound obvious, you can't physically play a lot of good music, if you don't have a friend sitting next to you at the keyboard. The Clavinova fills up this gap. I always have a lot of fun with this "use case".
(3) Trying to arrange and re-orchestrate (with more or less success, but I'm just an amateur) vocal excerpts taken from operas, in particular belonging to the "bel canto" period (i.e. Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Mercadante, young Verdi [well, for Verdi I'm very selective in considering him a "bel canto" author]). In this context, I've recently posted a personal elaboration of "Suoni la tromba" from the opera "I Puritani" by Vincenzo Bellini.