Composition Assignment 1...

For our first composition assignment, we are two pick two pieces of music, analyse them, and use features of the two pieces of music picked to compose our own piece.

Right now, I am uncertain over which pieces of music I'm doing.  Which, really, I should stop.

I am definitely doing at least one of the pieces on a song by the band "The Dear Hunter".  TDH, in my opinion, are the perfect band; the mix so many genres together, it's unbelievable.

They've recently released a 9 EPs, spanning 34 tracks (ish), based on the colours seen in the colour spectrum (The EPs are titled 'Black', 'Red', 'Orange', 'Yellow', 'Green', ' Blue', 'Indigo', 'Violet' and 'White'.)  Each EP, while released simultaneously, each sound completely different from the one which precedes it, as well as any of TDH's work in their previous three albums; which is, I suppose, why I love them as much; they're diverse; a modern alternative/prog rock band who incorporate so many things I dare not list them.

Anyways, one of the songs I'm planning on doing is a song from one of their earlier albums, "Act II: The Meaning of, & all things regarding, Ms. Leading" (their first three albums are part of a 6 act long story which frontman Casey Crescenzo has written; think of it as a film/book in music form) prior to the colour spectrum, "The Lake and the River", a 10 minute long song which has so many contrasting ideas in it, it shouldn't work, but it does; the whole thing fits together perfectly.  Explaining it won't do it any justice, so I'll link it here and ask only that you listen to the whole thing from start to finish, like any patient musician should do with any piece of music!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MHd28VJo_M&ob=av2n

What I'm learning

Got myself learning a couple of wonderful tunes, which are simple enough to play! Or they will be once I practice them a bit more.  It's good hearing yourself playing something you've always wanted to play; the first of the two being what I mean.

The first one is a piano alone version of Freddie Freeloader, by Miles Davis.  It's the version in the Associated Board Grade 5 Jazz book.  It's only Grade 5, but I'm not sure if there's much in terms of Grade 7+ Jazz Associated Board pieces, but I'll have a look.  Apparently, graded jazz books are more difficult than their classical counterparts [eg. An Associated Board Grade 5 Jazz book may have pieces which are technically closer to those found in a Classical Grade6/7 level book.  Not that I'm saying classical is easy.  At all.  Hah.

I could have easily made a solo piano version for it myself with enough work, but didn't.  Now that I've been shown a version made just for piano though, with the sheet music, I've motivation to start playing it.

Here's the original version, from Davis' critically acclaimed album "Kind of Blue" (known to be "the greatest jazz album of all time".  Personally, I wouldn't agree (as I haven't heard that many jazz albums yet) but from what I've listened to in the jazz world so far, it's an album I keep finding myself coming back to.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6nbxwwxjcw

The other is a slow waltz piece, which has a classical influence though is still technically "jazz".
It's slow, easy, and lovely to play.  I'm mainly learning it so that once I begin to improvise properly, I'll have a song to improvise into.  Much like the player here [he's not me] has done;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_4uOarDEzE

I'll upload videos of myself playing these once I get them learnt properly and have started improvising at a level in which I'm happy at.

It's just occurred to me...

...that I compared something to Celine Dion in the last post.  I did that without thinking.

wat.

From Nothing to Everything

I've started getting lessons finally.  Hurray!  My teacher, Steve Grossart seems like he'll be fantastic.  Right now, I've been tasked with going over all of my scales, strengthening the modes and playing everything else in Swing timing.  Along with that, I've been given two tunes to learn, so that once we start improvising, I'll have something to solo and improvise into, rather than just soloing over random comped chords.

Still no idea what I need to do for my assesment, though.  Which is a worry.

I'm playing keyboards for Sonic Thrill,. an 80s-esque metal band at their EP launch this Thursday, which should be tremendous amounts of fun.  I've missed playing in a band.  Sneaky PEtes, Thursday the 6th of October.  I would say "get there", but it's sold out, hah!  

Also, I've began playing piano for the college's Glee club.  Which, when the ball gets rolling, I'm hoping will be lots of fun.  So in the space of a week, I've gone from having nothing to play to having every song ever written to play.  Or close enough...

And I dunno if you've heard it, but Florence and the Machine have a new song on Youtube.  Parts of it made me think of Celine Dion, and various ballads from the 70s onwards, and it has a basic as hell chord sequence (which isn't a bad thing, but it's unusual for her) but I loved it the first time I heard it. 

Also, Thrice have a new album, Major/Minor.  Need to get that listened to.

I should really be banning myself from listening to contemporary music until my head's filled with nothing but jazz, but I have next to no self control.  Which isn't a fantastic trait to have as an aspiring musician...