YOU OUGHTA BE IN PICTURES
From the show "Ziegfield Follies Of 1934"
Little Jack Little & His Orch. - 1934
Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees - 1934
The Boswell Sisters - 1934
Also recorded by: Ray Conniff Singers; Sammy Kaye & His Orch.; Roy Fox & His Orch.; Eddie Miller & His Orch.
This arrangement is so easy to play.
Here's the chord chart I have, arranged by Phil Gaberman in the Key of C.
C F#dim
You oughta be in pictures,
Dm7 G
You’re wonderful to see,
Dm G
You oughta be in pictures,
C Dmsus4 G7+5
Oh what a hit you would be!
C C F#dim
Your voice would thrill a nation,
Dm7 G
Your face would be adored,
You’d make a great sensation
C Baug B7
with wealth and fame your reward;
Em G+ Em G+
And if you should kiss the way you kiss,
Em G+ A9
When we’re alone,
G Em Am9 D7
You’d make ev’ry girl and man
Am9 D7 G7
A fan worshiping at your throne.
C F#dim
You oughta shine as brightly
Dm7 G
As Jupiter and Mars;
Dm7 G Dm
You oughta be in pictures,
G7 Dm G7 C
My star of stars.
As 2012 nears the end, I wanted to wish you and yours Joy for the new year. I hope it's a year of praise!
With Love,
"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life."
-- Art Blakey
It's been a wonderful year, sharing songs with you. Wishing you the best
in taking your piano playing to the next level. Have a Merry Christmas!
Just in case you need some last minute music sheets, here are some links for free Christmas music
downloads, for those who read music notes. For others, just looking at
the key signature will help you determine the chord progressions. Those
playing by ear will listen for the tonal note, that dominant key note
they hear being sung throughout a song. In any case, fill your lives
with music. It just makes you feel good!
Many of you have asked for future posts on music theory instruction, altered chords, modulation and video tutorials from me. Thank you all for your many emails and encouraging comments. Stay tuned for an exciting New Year ahead!
Warmly,
"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life."
-- Art Blakey
As public school systems slash budgets and eliminate musical
education programs around the country, more and more parents are forced
to find private musical instruction for their children. For parents who
aren’t sure if the benefits of musical lessons justify the added expense
and hassle, here are seven of the scientifically-proven benefits of
music education.
Enhanced Abstract Reasoning Skills – Abstract
reasoning skills, which play a crucial role in the development of
mathematical and scientific aptitude, are markedly enhanced by musical
instruction, according to a 1997 study stating that early childhood
music education has a positive physiological impact. Children who
actively participate in band or orchestra, or who have pursued private
musical instruction, also tend to have higher math and science scores in
adolescent and teenage years.
Stronger Cognitive Processes – A Henrich Heine
University study reported findings that exposure to music enhances the
cognitive process, boosting language and reasoning abilities. After
studying the undergraduate majors of medical school students, noted
physician and biologist Lewis Thomas also discovered that 66% of music
majors who applied to medical school went on to be accepted, the highest
percentage of any group.
Higher Standardized Testing Scores – On average,
students with musical instruction and performance experience scored up
to 57 points higher on verbal portions of the SAT and 41 points higher
on the math portion than their peers with no musical background,
according to the College-Bound Seniors National Report: Profile of
SAT Program Test Takers. Princeton, NJ: The College Entrance Examination
Board, 2001.
Increased Likelihood of Finishing High School and Attending College
– Several studies, including one conducted in Florida in 1990,
indicated that music, art and drama programs in public schools helped
children to feel more involved with their school, and fostered a sense
of community with like-minded fellow students that positively influenced
their decision to stay in school. Similarly, a 2007 Harris Interactive
poll suggests that 88% of those holding graduate degrees have a
background in music education.
Reduced Likelihood of Drug and Alcohol Abuse – The
1998 Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse Report revealed that
secondary students who were actively involved with band or orchestra
reported the lowest current and lifetime rates of drugs, alcohol and
tobacco use. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has also issued a list
of factors they believe could reduce the risk of adolescent and teen
substance abuse; among them was success in school and involvement with
school organizations. Children who are active participants in band,
orchestra and other musical activities may face a significantly lower
risk of addiction.
Greater Self-Discipline – A paper entitled “Music
Linked to Reduced Criminality”, which was released by MuSICA Research
Notes in 2000, examined a group of Rhode Island natives from infancy to
age 30. The study discovered a significantly diminished arrest rate
among those who had been involved in music and musical education. The
dedication, determination and willingness to sacrifice free time for
practice and performance fosters a strong sense of self-discipline in a
child, which may lead to a lower likelihood of anti-social behavior.
Increased Confidence and Self-Esteem – Developing
and mastering new skills dramatically boosts kids’ confidence and
self-esteem. Through musical instruction, children are constantly
learning new skills, improving them, and sharpening them to excellence.
Whether your child is enrolled in private music instruction, or is
fortunate enough to attend a school that still offers a music program,
the benefits of a music education are undeniable.
Thanks Carol for the valuable information from your article.
Piano Diana will be taking a break next Monday, Christmas Eve, but wanted to take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas and many blessings for the New Year!
Keep playing those beautiful Christmas songs, posts from my other blog, LadyDpiano.com
Tejas Nair Photography Silent Night (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I found a great artist through Neil A. Kjos Music Company. Larry Minsky published some great music, Jazz Impressions Of Christmas. In this particular book that was written in 1997, he's listed 6 songs for Level Five. I thought I'd share the easiest song to learn first, Silent Night.
First, let me tell you a bit about the composer.
Larry Minsky attended Queens College in New York and received his B.A. in political science. During this time his interest turned toward music and he studied theory and composition with Sol Berkowitz at the Aaron Copland Music School in New York. After graduation he made music his choice of career.
Larry's active professional career included performing in many rock bands, jazz bands, and in restaurants and clubs as a soloist. In addition to performing at famous New York restaurants and hotels, including the Waldorf Astoria, Larry also performed with his own band called "Rhapsody." Concurrently, he continued to study both jazz and classical music with top New York instructors.
Larry lives near Orlando, Florida, where he teaches private students and continues to perform. His article on teaching jazz piano was published in the December 1993 issue of Clavier. His books Language of Jazz, Shades of Jazz, Impressions of Jazz, Reflections of Jazz, and Images of Jazz are published by the Neil A. Kjos Music Company.
So, here are the chord progressions to Silent Night.
C6/9
Silent night, holy night
G13 C6/9
All is calm, All is bright
F6/9 C6/9
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child
F6/9 C6/9
Holy Infant so Tender and mild,
G13 C6/9
Sleep in heavenly peace,
C6 G13 Abmaj7 Dbmaj7 Cmaj7
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Let's take a look at these chords and see what you're playing here.
L.H. / R.H.
C6/9 = EGAD/G
G13 = FABE/D
C6/9 = EGAD/G
F6/9 = F/ACDG
C6/9 = EGAD/G
F6/9 = ACDG/A
C6/9 = EGAD/G
G13 = FABE/D
C6/9 = EGAD/C
C6 = A/EGC
G13 = GF/BEG
Abmaj7 = AbEb/GC
Dbmaj7 = DbAb/FC
Cmaj7 = CG/EGB
Enjoy playing this great song at this special time of year!
Warmly,
"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life."
-- Art Blakey
A six-part fugue from The Musical Offering, in the hand of Johann Sebastian Bach. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
At Christmas time, I often listen to Handel in the background while writing posts. I have always loved all genres of music, especially jazz but I find classical music so relaxing while I'm typing. Now, some of you have asked me about German composers, so I thought I would talk about that here.
Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Wagner wrote some of the most famous classical music. Even people who are not musicians recognize their melodies - like the theme from Beethoven's 5th Symphony or Moonlight Sonata. For centuries, composers all over Europe learned from the music of these great German masters.
One of the first German composers that we know about is Hildegard von Bingen, a nun, who lived in the 1100s and composed mainly church hymns that had one line of music (this is called monophonic music).
During the Medieval times, Germany had singing poets called Minnesingers. They sang about love, and were like the French troubadours. Starting in the 14th century, the Meistersingers took over the tradition of singing poetry and even started poetry-singing schools across the country.
A new style of music called polyphony became popular in Germany during the early 1500s (the Renaissance period), mostly in church music. Martin Luther led a movement called the Reformation, which created a split with the Roman Catholic church and a big change in German music. Professional choirs usually sang in the catholic church services, while the congregation would sing hymns in Protestant church services. These hymns had beautiful, easy to sing melodies. Some of them were even based on folk tunes. This was also when the organ became an important instrument.
Baroque
German baroque composers were often influenced by Italian music. German baroque composer Heinrich Schultz studied in Venice for two years and brought back many Italian musical styles. He wrote the first German opera Dafne as well as lots of church music. Georg Philipp Telemann and Johann Sebastian Bach were two other important Baroque composers in Germany. Although they did not travel to Italy to learn composition, they studied works of Italian masters and were inspired by their style. George Frideric Handel was born in Germany although he later went to Italy and England.
1700 and 1800s
During the 1700s C.P.E. Bach (one of the sons of J.S. Bach) helped German music change from the Baroque to Classical style. He was the author of an important book on keyboard technique, and Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven were all influenced by his ideas.
Ludwig van Beethoven wrote some of the most famous German melodies, including the Moonlight Sonata, Fur Elise, Symphony No. 5, and the Ode to Joy in his Symphony No.9. Beethoven's music shows the transition from the Classical to the Romantic era. His early works are Classical in style, while later compositions are Classical in style, while later compositions use more Romantic ideas. Many composers were influenced by Beethoven's magnificent symphonies and other works.
The Romantic Period produced many great German composers. Their music is emotional and full of lyrical themes and more complex harmonies. Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn, Johannes Brahms, all wrote piano, instrumental, chamber and vocal music and symphonies.
20th Century
At the turn of the 20th century Richard Strauss (no relation to Johann) was popular. Strauss wrote orchestral tone poems in a style influenced by Wagner, and Mahler composed intricate symphonies. Other important composers of the 1900s were Paul Hindemith, Carl Orff, and Kurt Weill. Vocabulary
monophony: music with only one line - a melody with no accompaniment.
polyphony: music with two or more melody lines. (Used in Medieval and Renaissance music.)
Big Wilson wrote an article about how to accompany yourself. I wanted to share it with you in its entirety. I thought it was pretty upfront and straight forward about knowing chords and then putting them together in chord progressions. That way, you can find your way around songs. So, who is Big Wilson? Watch the video and he plays a quick lick at the very end .
You Can Accompany Yourself
"If you are a singer, either professional or amateur, I assume that you know the major scale... Do Re Mi Fa Sol, One Two Three Four Five, or No Nee Nay Nee Nah. I assume that you can find middle C on the piano. Given these two assumptions, you can accompany yourself while you sing.
My daddy used to play piano for silent movies. He started at the Binghamton Opera House. He taught me a few chords, and called them "changes." The first chord he taught me was B Flat Major. The first "change" was an E Flat Major, and the second change was an F Seventh. Using these three chords, he ripped into a ragtime version of "Nearer My God To Thee." It was great, and I was hooked.
I spent lots of time at the piano learning and finding new changes, until I could play well enough to put myself through college. I then went into radio and television, often calling on the piano for background to commercials. In those days record artists would visit DJs, and I would get them to sing live. I've had the pleasure of accompanying Steve Lawrence, and Edyie Gorme, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Ella Fitzgerald and others on my radio and TV shows. It was a thrill for me.
Many singers have said to me, "I wish I could play like that, and accompany myself." Therefore, I have devised the most simplistic method of learning to read guitar chord symbols, found on most sheet music. So, if you have the sheet music to the songs you want to sing, you can quickly learn to accompany yourself on the keyboard. You will not be a great piano player. but you will be a fine accompanist.
Let's start with a look at chords. All chords are based on triads. They are either Major, Minor, Diminished or Augmented.
All major triads contain the one, three and five.
All minor triads contain the one, flat three and five.
All diminished triads contain the one, flat three and flat five.
All augmented triads contain the one, three and sharp five.
Unless otherwise indicated, all chords are built on the major triad.
The symbol for a minor chord is a small m. Example: Cm.
The symbol for a diminished chord is a small circle. Example: Co. (Yes, it's a very teeny circle)
The symbol for an augmented chord is a +. Example: C+.
C = 1 3 5
Cm = 1 b3 5
C dim = 1 b3 b5
C+ = 1 3 #5
If you can read simple treble-clef melody notes,
you can play your favorite popular songs using "Play Piano With Fake Book" system.
Master the following:
*Can't Help Falling In Love
*Smoke Gets In Your Eye
*Never on Sunday
*Edelweiss
*Chariots of Fire and more
Using "Play Piano With Fake Book"
Also, you may be interested in:
Mastering Piano Accompaniment
Step-By-Step Guidance How To Accompany Somebody On The Piano
30 Days Money Back Guarantee www.HowToAccompany.com
All the best,
"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life."
-- Art Blakey
English: The first chord to Bridge Over Troubled Water on Piano. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This moving, modern day spiritual was introduced in February 1970. By March of that year it sold a million copies, by April two million copies had been sold by the year's end, sales had reached five million. It won an unprecedented six Grammy awards in 1970 and the album is still one of the best-sellers in music history... Words and music by Paul Simon, 1969.
This is one of my favorite songs by Paul Simon. I can think of tons more... how about you?
Paul Simon wrote this about providing comfort to a person in need. It
started as a modest Gospel hymn but became more dramatic as he put it
together. Speaking in the documentary The Making of Bridge Over Troubled Water,
Simon said, "I have no idea where it came from. It came all of the
sudden. It was one of the most shocking moments in my songwriting
career. I remember thinking, 'This is considerably better than I usually
write." For more information, visit http://www.songfacts.com
4/4 Time Signature
Moderato, not too fast, like a spiritual
CFC
When you're weary, feeling small,
FBbFCFCFCF
When tears are in your eyes, i will dry them all;
CGAmGFC
I'm on your side. when times get rough
C7FDG
And friends just can't be found,
C7FF#dimCA7sus4A7F
Like a bridge over troubled wa-ter
E7Am
I will lay me down.
C7FF#dimCA7sus4A7F
Like a bridge over troubled wa-ter
G9G7C
I will lay me down.
When you're down and out,
CF
When you're on the street,
BbFCF
When eve-ning falls so hard
CFCF
I will comfort you.
CGAmG
I'll take your part.
C
When darkness comes
C7FDG
And pains is all a-round,
C7FF#dimCA7sus4A7F
Like a bridge over troubled wa-ter
E7Am
I will lay me down.
C7FF#dimCAmF
Like a bridge over troubled water
AmE7AmD7
I will lay me down.
FAmFFmCFCFCFCF
Sail on silvergirl,
C
Sail on by.
FBbFCF
Your time has come to shine.
CFCF
All your dreams are on their way.
CGAmG
See how they shine.
C
If you need a friend
C7FDG
I'm sailing right be-hind.
C7FFmaj7D9CAmF
Like a bridge over troubled water
EE7AmD9
I will ease your mind.
CFFmC
your mind
CFC
When you're weary, feeling small,
FCFCFCF
When tears are in your eyes, i will dry them all;
CG G C
I'm on your side. when times get rough
C7FD7/F#G
And friends just can't be found,
CFF#dimCsus A/G A7susF
Like a bridge over troubled wa-ter
E7Am
I will lay me down.
CFF#dimCsusA/GF
Like a bridge over troubled wa-ter
GC F/C C F/C C F/C
I will lay me down.
C F
When you're down and out,
CF
When you're on the street,
CF
When eve-ning falls so hard
CFCF
I will comfort you.
CG
I'll take your part.
C
When darkness comes
C7FD7/F#G
And pains is all a-round,
CFF#dimCsus A/GA7susF
Like a bridge over troubled wa-ter
E7Am
I will lay me down.
CFF#dimC/GAmF
Like a bridge over troubled water
Am/EE7AmD7 C/G
I will lay me down.
FAmFFmCFCFCF/C
CF
Sail on silvergirl,
C
Sail on by.
FBbFCF
Your time has come to shine.
CFCF
All your dreams are on their way.
CGAmG
See how they shine.
C
If you need a friend
C7FD/F#G
I'm sailing right be-hind.
C7FF#dimC/GAmF
Like a bridge over troubled water
Am EAm
I will ease your mind.
C C9 F D/F# C/G Am
Like a Bridge Over Troubled Water
F E7 Am D9 C/G
I will ease your mind
***
Key of D (Bridge Over Troubled Water)
Intro: D D9 G A7 Fdim D G A7 D G D G
D G D C G D G
When you're weary. Feeling small. When tears are in your eyes
D G D G D
I will dry them all.
A Bm A D D/C# D7
I'm on your side ohhhh when times get rough.
D9 G E A
And friends just can't be found.
D7 D9 G A7 Fdim D Bsus4 B7 G F#7 Bm
Like a bridge over trouble water, I will lay me down.
D7 D9 G A7 Fdim D Bsus4 B7 G A7 D G D G
Like a bridge over trouble water, I will lay me down.
D G D
When you're down and out. When you're on the streets yeh.
C G D G D G D G D
When an evening falls so hard. I will comfort you ohhhhh.
A Bm A D D/C# D7
I'll take your part ohhhh when darkness comes.
D9 G E A
And pain is all around.
D7 D9 G A7 Fdim D Bsus4 Bm G F#7 Bm
Like a bridge over trouble water, I will lay me down.
D7 D9 G A7 Fdim D Bm G Bm F#7 Bm
Like a bridge over trouble water, I will lay me down.
E7 D G G1 Gm D G D G
D G D G
Sail on silver girl. Sail on by.
C G D G
Your time has come to shine.
D G D G
All your dreams are on their way.
A Bm A D D/C# D7
See how they shine ohhhhh and if you need a friend.
D9 G E A
I'm sailing right behind.
D7 D9 G A7 Fdim D Bm G Bm F#7 Bm
Like a bridge over trouble water, I will ease your mind.
D7 D9 G Gmaj7 E7 D Bm G F#7 Bm
Like a bridge over trouble water, I will ease your mind.
E9 E D G G1 Gm D
Waltz for Debby (1964 album) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Bill Evan's sound was marked by the use of tone clusters and chords voiced in intervals of fourths. One of his most-loved compositions is "Waltz for Debby," a beautiful jazz waltz which integrated complex harmonies with a soft, flowing melody line.
Bill Evans joined Miles Davis in 1958 and together they influenced the development of modal jazz. He was also a pianist most at home in a trio, one in which he would often feature "collective improvising." His melancholy, sensitive lyrical melodies played over rhythmically and harmonically complex song structures, created some of jazz's most memorable music.
Play the song, Waltz for Debby in 3/4 time signature, moderate and subdued.
