The Maestro Online
Rhythmic Strategies in Piano Improv and Piano Covers
Paradiddle Piano Lesson via Smoke on the Water Piano Cover
This blog is the beginning of a short project of online piano lessons looking at how to create more succinct rhythmic characters in improvisation and a greater sense of character and individuality in piano covers.
For the first piano cover lesson we are looking at using drum rhythms to influence piano patterns via Smoke On the Water. Our first pattern is a paradiddle, which is drummers rudiment that alternates which hand leads. A simple paradiddle, which I use here, is RLLR LRRL.
Paradiddles can be used as quavers (eighth notes) or semiquavers (sixteenth notes). In this instance, the right hand leads in the first half and the left hand on the second. Of course, I can’t resist adding my usual blues notes and some good major/minor third twists! Saying that, the main melody for the chorus does exactly that.
Here’s my Smoke on the Water Piano Cover:
Latin Piano Lesson via Hold Back the River Piano Cover
Here’s the second lesson connecting piano improvisation with rhythms and drum kit patterns in order to further develop strong characters in improvisations and personal individualised piano covers.
Ever wondered what Hold Back the River might sound like if it was in more of a latin style? Have a root-5th bass, followed by a drop to the fifth an octave lower. Then, add a syncopated right hand. Sprinkle in a few 7ths, particularly major 7ths, and you have more of a sizzling latin flavour.
Finally, here’s my piano cover of Hold Back the River. It was a challenge adding the Latin style and keeping the sincerity that James Bay creates in his performance. I tried to maintain the gentle style and emotions whilst having a Latin groove beneath.
Robin Harrison, The Maestro Online, is an experienced piano teacher, vocal coach and organ teacher in all styles for all ages and at all levels.
If you would like online pop piano lessons and to be able to make your own piano covers of chart hits: www.the-maestro-online.com/pianolanding Current offer: Book 4 x 30 min lessons and get 1st free.
@JamesBay
Don't Fluke the Uke Lessons - Popular Songs Course using I-vi-IV-V chords
Nothing like starting with a ukulele & Uke lessons: cheap, compact and easy to play! However, what if you feel like it is not quite as easy as you thought? Perhaps you feel that you can't play enough of your favourite pop songs? Amelia, BBC folk awards finalist, has the Uke lessons to make you sound awesome really quickly!
Don't Fluke the Uke - Pop/Folk Singing and Uke Course
A popular songs course using the I-vi-IV-V chords
Amelia is an award winning folk singer from Teesside, UK. She constantly tours the UK and abroad as a folk singer, although she is hugely influenced by jazz and a range of pop-rock bands.
She rapidly become a song writer as well as singer. Her first song led her to be a semi-finalist in the BBC Young Folk Awards (2017). Amelia participated in workshops with Nancy Kerr (who gained 2015 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards "Folk Singer of the Year") and James Fagan (Australian born folk musician famed for his Irish Bouzooki playing, who married Nancy and they won BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 'Best Duo' in both 2003 and 2011, as well as forming the "Sweet Visitor Band"). As a finalist in the awards, Amelia's song was released on the folk awards album.
Since then, Amelia has become a full time singer, touring all over Europe including Berlin, France, Finland, Prague, Austria, Mexico, Russia and is continually getting more invites.
She has had several favourite moments in her career, particularly when she has been invited to support bands and singers that she has grown up admiring such as Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel (British Glam Rock band from the early 1970s). She also recalls being selected for the English Folk Expo Artist Mentor Programme 2021-2022, performing at Cambridge Folk Festival, Focus Wales and many other key folk events, as well as having her songs performed on BBC Radio 6, BBC Radio 2, RTE1 in Ireland, and winning UKE Magazines best newcomer.
Amelia has mainly been a live performer, but has recently completed recording her first album with Bill Ryder-Jones (English songwriter and producer who has worked with the likes of The Arctic Monkeys and Paloma Faith).
Amelia's Uke and Vocal Masterclasses are so relaxed and supportive. There's plenty of her actually singing in these masterclasses. She is an absolutely joy to listen to both as a singer and as a person.
Don't Fluke the Uke - Popular Songs Course using I-vi-IV-V chords
- Hold and Tune
- The C Major Chord
- How Many Patterns?
- Am, F and G7 Chords
- Changing Chord Strategies
- Blue Moon (Frank Sinatra)
- I Like the Flowers (Folk)
- Same Chords, Different Song:All I have to do is Dream (Everley Brothers),I Will Always Love You (Dolly Parton/Whitney Houston), Stand by Me (Ben E King), My Girl (The Temptations).Baby (Justin Bieber).All I have to do is Dream (Everley Brothers)
- Same Chords, Different Order:If I Were a Boy (Beyoncé), Read All About It (Emeli Sandé)
- Singing and Playing, Performance Anxiety
- Appendix, Exploring Other Songs
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