Xylphone and Marimba Method - Book

I bought a music book to help to learn to play the Xylophone better. I've been playing two smaller ones for a few years to accompany the accordion but always looked at them like having another keyboard. This book really open my mind tonight at dinner.

Check out the great Marimba the girl has to play, just her size. The chamber be low the notes you hit amplify the sound. Mine do not have these, these are the real thing.

All these images seem to open fine. I wish I knew why some do and others do not!

Playing Medley of Strauss Waltzes

By Eric Stefani

Teacher Dave Caballero

Tuesday August 10 2010

12 - 12:30

Throughout the piece (and throughout the book for that matter) the left hand plays a

"MINOR CHORD"

using the far left pinky to play the "third" of the chord using "5" the fifth finger.

This is used several times in this particular piece of music.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1) Learning inversions and shapes- The song uses "inversion" during the beginning, middle and end.

2) Starting on the 9th measure the left handed bass notes use fingering "3" and "4". Learning his important point enables the accordionist to play this difficult passage. The usually way of playing the left hand is thrown out.

3) The "grace-note" during this section falls on the "second beat" but the performer who practices this song for many days will be tempted to play it on the "first beat" since is has got his hands full with the left hand.

4) Measure 22 calls for much of the same, the treble clef is calling for eight notes and eight rest but since the accordionist is so concerned with hitting the correct notes (on the left hand "3" and "4" and now "5" with the "G") it is very difficult to play correctly.

5) Page 2 is the most "non- musician" people friendly part. Who can forget Yosemite Sam yelling at Bugs Bunny to the part correctly until he has to go play it and the dynomite egnites.

6) The accordionist must learn to play "Die Fledermaus" soft to loud while also staccato.

7) The third measure on page 3 of this piece (page 35) the accordionist must use the "3" and "4" fingering on the left hand in order to resolve the chords on measue 5.

8) The next section makes the accordionist learn to jump in octaves within the same melody. It is very difficult to learn but can learn over time.

10) Page 4 changes a third key signature with a "trill" that is very difficult to play while the left hand plays a separate rythm.

11) "Tales from Vienna Woods" is probably the most difficult section placing graces notes between harmonic melodies that cause anxiety for the accordionist.

12) Coming out of the ending of this passage is particuar difficult with the left hand playing the lead and the left jumping around with the "4" and "2" finger.

13) Page six has some odd timing things going in the right hand harmonies. But one may notice the left hand bass notes remains on "C" for eight measures straight!

14) "8va" is placed on 4 out of the 5 pages so watch for those. Miss them and you have to start over.

"Captain Please" ERIC STEFANI

Here is a song I wrote in 1996 which has classical feel and it was never notated so I've been trying to rework this song. It has lyric and it is told from the point of view of the crew speaking to a Captain of a ship.

"Precious" - Eric Stefani

I wrote a song early this year that I still like. It's a waltz but it has "odd" timing in the bass line. Has a 'carnival rhythm' feel and the melody is percussive. It works best with drums, but should sound good by it's self if play correctly.

There is a KOMEDA sound that uses the almost the same feel.

Piano Music: "Musette" J.S. Bach

Here's a piece of music I've been on for two weeks. The song should be played on an organ, that's what Bach wrote it on. The piano wasn't invented yet, only harpsichord and organ. The "G" hanging throughout make it sound like a drone like the sound of a bagpipe.

The third line of music is a handful but if you get the fingering and have the "Treble Clef" memorized you can concentrate on the harmony in the left hand.

Notes from the teacher include playing the music slowly in 'broken time' until you understand the 'fingering' and the 'timing' and 'harmony'. Left hand should be played equal volume. It is important to practice this way.

Chord Placement

UnPredictable Chord Placement

"La Vie En Rose"

The placement of chords on this song jump ahead rather than land in predictable places. This allows the following chord (if it's the same) to not last as long, and then make room for it to change into something else sooner.

Predictable Melody

This song like "Blue Danube" (not French) is very recognizable and the listener can predict what the melodies follow by what they've heard previously. But for the performer, since it's written so predictable, they can easily get lost in the music and hit the wrong notes if not paying attention!!!

Early Methods Printing Music

PRINTED MUSIC

My big question is how did they "Type Up Printed Music" in the 30's and 40's. It may have bee hand written but you can see the newspapers use to set up each individual character and slide them to hang together before printing.

I actually remember reading they did the same thing but would do several 'layers' in order to get all the information able to read.

Engraving process

http://parlorsongs.com/insearch/printing/printing.php

This makes sense to be able to copy the music by engraving so that there is more than one original and the musicians can all get a copy but this is not "Type-Set" like I've seen on old music.

I read that copper plate etching was also the most promising technique but the print will be reversed and also the image will be backwards!

100 Classic French Songs

100 Classic French Songs

In my pursuit of learning more about the music of "Amelie" I downloaded "100 Classic French Songs". Wow, I found myself liking every track. Full orchestra with French Vocal. Track 2 "À Saint-Germain-des-Prés" has the Leo Ferre humming through the instrumental section, laughing and making all this strange noises. Very entertaining! I've got to learn French understand what it is they are singing about!

Book: Sounds of STAR WARS

Ben Burtt Sound Designer and Recording Man

I picked up a new book title the "Sounds of Star Wars". While pages in the book have pictures pointing out the part in the film you can trigger the sounds with a button from all six movies. Truly entertaining. Plus each sound is by it's self without the dialogue or music.

"Padam"

This song was given to me by my teacher, it's a minor waltz, straight forward french piece.

La Vie En Rose

"L'autre Vasle D'Amelie"

Valse D'Amelie

This song is one of my favorite's from the movie "Amelie". I've been working on playing it for 5 days but having trouble with the fast eight note, or whatever you call them. It's really a tricky section. Maybe my piano teacher could help me?