Recommend some good piano music

Oink

Hey folks,

Lately I've been spending some quality time with with my piano, and I'm starting to get a bit more comfortable and to find my way around the keyboard.

At the moment I'm working on some Rufus Wainwright, REM, Tom Waits, but what I need now is some good ideas to keep me going, and ideally some quality sheet music.

I'd like to try my hand at some funky/jazzy/soulful stuff a la Gil Scott-Heron, Motown, or more recent yet soulful stuff, but I'm struggling to find ideas and/or sheet music. (I'm not holding my breath on the sheet music...)

Can anyone suggest anything?

Thanks!

Captain Iggy

I'm no expert in the genre but I am taken away by a track by Yann Tiresen called 'Comptine d'un autre été - L'aprés midi' (I think that's the correct title anyway). It was on the Amelie soundtrack.

Sorry - at work so can't post YT vid

actuallylike

All the Yan Tiersen's piano work on Amelie are really nice to play, also Maxence Cyrin has some amazing pieces, modern songs transcribed to piano ranging from Pixies to Aphex Twin, really nice and relatively easy to play, pm me if you want his sheet music

iamnothim

Pretty much anything by randy newman will keep you on your toes. fantastic stuff to listen to and play. i found a pdf of his entire works somewhere online before, cant remember where. it's a pretty big file though.

Or, if you want to go down a more improv route, maybe check out Liam O'Maonlai. You wont get sheet music, but just watching how he constructs progressions and melodies has taught me a lot. Here he is at the ruby sessions (playing my piano!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ouf2brXEsiM

Another favourite of mine is Chuck Leavell, played with the stones and the allman brothers among others. Probably one of the best blues rock players in the world. Here he is playing the top gear theme tune, part of his instructional dvd. i ordered it last week but it hasnt arrived yet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qK84Q1C-JI

Oink

Huh... It's not exactly what I was looking for, but it does sound very original, that's for sure.

Hearing Where is my mind on the piano was kind of surreal I have to say... I might give this a shot. I might try and sing as well on this one, it should sound...different.

Thanks, 'ppreciate that !!


EDIT: Thanks iamnothim, I think I need to check out Chuck, there's some good stuff in there!

Rigsby

How about some Billy Joel ? Here is a link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4nQB3V10i8&feature=related

or maybe some Steely Dan :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMLV05lqsx8

D'Agger

Regina Spector and Paulo Nutini songs would sound brilliant espicially the following - hope its what you're looking for:

iamnothim

Some more (i like the idea of this thread)

Keith Jarrett - more down the improvised jazz route, but this guy is truely amazing. check out his Koln concert album. He completely makes up everything as he goes along!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPqK1JJOFxw

Some more Chuck Leavell - he's playing piano on this live clapton track. Think eric gives him a shout out towards the end

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9jiRXrhkcw

30 blues piano licks on youtube! if you like chucks style, you should check out the series of instructional videos on youtube which talk you through 30 different blues licks. seperate video for each with backing track/sheet music etc all there. here's the last video of the series which compiles a few of them together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDfHyWfad7Y

and here's the whole series... http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=A74168618A2BD66A&search_query=30+blues+piano+licks

You might also like Oscar Peterson, one of the blues/jazz greats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIkQNti8_EU

stovelid

I agree with Billy Joel. A lot of his stuff, especially the earlier period, has loads of great piano.

iamnothim

PaulieC wrote: »

Regina Spector

Ah yes! Seconded on Regina Spektor, she's quality.

Or... here's meeeeee! (playing piano, not singing) we made a bollix of the intro, thus all the laughing around the start

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V_0_sH46Co

D'Agger

iamnothim wrote: »

Ah yes! Seconded on Regina Spektor, she's quality.

Or... here's meeeeee! (playing piano, not singing) we made a bollix of the intro, thus all the laughing around the start

That's some quality backing music really liked it!!

Regina Spektor FTW is right!!

Oink

Great input so far, I appreciate that guys!



-Regina Spektor is a definite maybe… I'll check out more of her songs
-Paolo Nutini… Too much focus on the voice, and I can’t sing like that, so I ‘m afraid the song wouldn’t come out as much…
-Keith Jarrett and Oscar Peterson – Not a hope man! Ain’t touchin that for another 5 years at least !
-Blues licks from Expertvillage.com: I like Expertvillage, I think I’ll be spending a lot of time viewing their videos

Jack L!!!! Not there’s something I can work with!!! Went to a couple of his gigs this year, had a great time
But I can’t play like that, let alone work it out by ear… I don’t suppose there’s any sheet music at all at all to give me a chance?

dasdog

Maybe try early 70's Stevie Wonder for funky/jazzy/soulful stuff...more synth based but the concept is the same.

Oscar Peterson was so good I doubt most people could reach the level he was at after a lifetime of devotion.

iamnothim

What gigs were you at? He has two piano players and we alternate between the gigs. The other guy, Alan, is waaay better than me too. He can play seriously fast.

I dont have sheet music, but I can tell you the chord progressions for virtually all of his songs.

Oink

Thanks. Stevie Wonder, definitely a good idea. Dammit I wish I could play superstition. I'll get there yet.

EDIT:

Just listened to "As"... got chills down my spine...

ppdub73

This thread is not complete. Until know. There is only one piano player worthy of mention. ELTON JOHN. In my opinion, the greatest piano player, singer/songwriter ever. Period. If you want any pointers, let me know.

Kevster

Elton John is indeed a great piano player. I guess that's why they call it the blues is a perfect example. Here are my recommendations regarding 'pianos':

Guns n' roses - November rain
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x29c6p_guns-n-roses-november-rain_music


Pyotr Tchaikovsky - Piano concerto #1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbsvPMbC55A


Michael Nyman - The heart asks pleasure first
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dPS-EHl-FE


Queen - Bohemian rhapsody
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irp8CNj9qBI


Jerry Lee Lewis - Great balls of fire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bB5xL577r4


Vanessa Carlton - 1000 miles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwkej79U3ek


Tori Amos - Cornflake girl
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1db7r_tori-amos-cornflake-girl-us-version_music


Scarlet - Independent love song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7dyXfHcYw8

Oink

Ah come on lads, seriously . Tchaikovski ???? How the hell do you expect me to pull that off?
And 1000 Miles, Cornflake Girl... What would my GF think :eek: ?

I do appreciate the input though. Any more ideas on the funk/soul/jazz side of things? Anybody know where I can find some good sheet music for Sly and and Family Stone, for example? (don't mind paying)


Thanks!

EDIT: I'll check Elton John, thanks. THere must be some good stuff in there. Probably not very funkaaaay though...

Oink

iamnothim wrote: »

What gigs were you at? He has two piano players and we alternate between the gigs. The other guy, Alan, is waaay better than me too. He can play seriously fast.

I can't remember the dates exactly, but it was in the Olympia.

iamnothim wrote: »

I dont have sheet music, but I can tell you the chord progressions for virtually all of his songs.

That, my friend, would earn you a bottle of quality stuff, at the very least !!!!
I won't ask you to go through every single song, so what I'll do is I'll pick some songs, will get the basic chords etc., and then will get in touch. So it won't be this week anyway.

Cheers!

I love Boards.ie!!

ppdub73

Elton not funky, well check out the first clip. And if you can do the solo on the second clip... http://youtube.com/watch?v=bA6gT-QI3dg&hl=en&gl=US&client=mv-google http://youtube.com/watch?v=EiRZYqGHn6Q&hl=en&gl=US&client=mv-google

Kevster

Oink wrote: »

Ah come on lads, seriously . Tchaikovski ???? How the hell do you expect me to pull that off?
And 1000 Miles, Cornflake Girl... What would my GF think :eek: ?

I do appreciate the input though. Any more ideas on the funk/soul/jazz side of things? Anybody know where I can find some good sheet music for Sly and and Family Stone, for example? (don't mind paying)


Thanks!

EDIT: I'll check Elton John, thanks. THere must be some good stuff in there. Probably not very funkaaaay though...

Sorry, I just saw the words 'piano' and 'music' and then got carried away. The best of Elton's songs for the purpose you want is probably candle in the wind, but that's even pushing it a bit I think.

iamnothim

Oink wrote: »

I can't remember the dates exactly, but it was in the Olympia.

If it was last november then yeah, i was on that gig. Infact, the video I posted earlier was from the cork opera house the following night. We had a big gospel choir onstage with us for those two shows, lots of fun!

Oink wrote: »

I won't ask you to go through every single song, so what I'll do is I'll pick some songs, will get the basic chords etc., and then will get in touch. So it won't be this week anyway.

I have them all stored on my laptop for myself so it's literally a case of copy & paste. Although, you'll have to decipher my way of noting things down

Georgy Boy, to pick a popular example, looks like this:

Artist: Jack L
Song: Georgy Boy
Primary Key: C# Major

Intro
C# F#

Verse
C# F# x8
D# F#

Chorus
C# G# F# x3
G# F# C# G# F#

ReIntro

Verse

Chorus x3

Finish
C#

Oink

Thanks mate. In fact my problem is not so much figuring out the chords (unless they're really 'out there'), it's turning what I'm playing into a proper accompaniment.

For example: Running to Stand Still (U2). Not much to do there, just slap the chords down, job done. But if I do that with Georgie Boy from beginning to end, I kill the song dead.

Dunno. Maybe I'll have to do it the aul' fashion way, sit down with the CD player, some blank staff paper and a pen, and a week later I'll have figured out one or two fancy riffs I can manage to spice up the song...

iamnothim

ah, i know what you mean.
i try use chords as the base and improvise around them so that I dont have to write anything out. just mess with triads and arpeggios in the right hand while holding the chord roots and rhythms with your left. throw in 2nds and 4ths for spice etc

haha, sounds like a recipe

Kold

I liek piano music A lot of these are simple enough but gorgeous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_HG__6exOE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wIbylO24gE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G5uDSakNjY

This one might be sort of hard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3IK47qOXoA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuPJPUG5OBk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBFXJw7n-fU

iamnothim

Kold wrote: »

This one might be sort of hard

I was able to play this back in my classical days. It's sad that I've forgotten most of it, should really pick it back up. I can still just about scrape my way through the first movement of the pathetique sonata, but only at push

Oink

iamnothim wrote: »

ah, i know what you mean.
i try use chords as the base and improvise around them so that I dont have to write anything out. just mess with triads and arpeggios in the right hand while holding the chord roots and rhythms with your left. throw in 2nds and 4ths for spice etc

haha, sounds like a recipe

Yeah, I figured that's what you did. It's always like that isn't it, you write down a few chords, and then the music just happens somehow in between the chords (Provided you've worked hard enough, and long enough).

Ah well I'll get there eventually!

odonopenmic

How about some Scott Joplin? That rag-time stuff is great for building up little riffs and runs, has great grounding in blues and jazz which will help with funk stuff, and there is a huge amount of sheet music targeted to various skill levels which you could easily pick up. I think I found the sheet music online last time I looked for, though that was several years ago.

Joplin did the soundtrack for The Sting, in case you're looking for examples. Computer is acting very funny today so I can't seem to pull from YouTube.

Good luck!

Oink

Oops. simulposting.

@Kold: I'm going to pretend I didn't even hear that Beethoven thingy. It'd take me a year of sundays to learn it... Good one though.

I like 14 Avril though, it could be a nice little one to relax when I need a break from the one I'm working on at the moment: My Favourite things (Coltrane):
http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0056326

odonopenmic: Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it. But somehow Joplin doesn't really work for me. it's a bit happy-jumpy (for lack of a better word). Then again I don't know much of his stuff, so I'll definitely check it out.