I can't thank all of you enough for all the sage advice you have given me to my former "Transposing" post--both here on the SZ Forum and via e-mail. So, consider this a communal thank you for taking the time to answer my query and assist me in learning something new. I feel as though I have gotten a great music lesson from the "experts" and I know it will help me in my efforts to continue trying to become a "musician". I will be deleting my original post shortly; so I have taken this opportunity to write a new post to let you know how much I appreciate you all! Great friends and colleagues are the lifeline of this tremendous source of musical knowledge and fun. And a special thanks to Nigel for his continued efforts to keep this site alive!

Personal regards and cyber hugs to you all from

Ted Rose

TED...... PLEASE leave that wonderful page of lesson intact for awhile! I want to print it out & I am sure others will want to at least read it.

My Sat. a.m. gig awaits me now!

Thanks for your consideration & to all who supplied the information....Thank you for the great education you always supply when asked!

ELIZABETH

OK, Elizabeth!!!!! Have no fear!!!

I will leave the post here, as you requested. My only reason for formerly having decided to remove it was to make room for someone else and simply make the Forum list of posts a little shorter. I didn't realize there might be others--such as you, and perhaps other readers, too--who wanted the provided information, too. So, thanks for the advice, and I promise now NOT to remove the original post at all!

Ted

Hi ted,

Hope you're keeping well.

I'm amazed that nobody has yet mentioned the 'right hand'. ! - Having regard to the fact that we're talking here about 'EAR-PLAYING' (without the use of any written music), any theories expounded about improvising from one key to another, must surely include what you do with your right hand. ?

The chord-work one uses to travel from one key to another, will always be dependent upon the right hand improvisation. And because each one of us will use different chord-work, the right hand improvisation will be of paramount importance.

All of which means - that ear players will differ vastly in their actual keyboard or pianistic playing skills, and as such, play in different keys anyway. Resulting in the fact, that because of varying playing skills, no two players will travel the same route. - Someone who can only play in the keys of say C and F (and there are many thus inclined), will quickly learn a route from C to F, and possibly back again. But the route taken, and possibly very regularly used, will be totally different to the route taken by someone who can, and does, play in 8/9 different keys.

So, there aren't really any golden rules for key-changing. It's all a matter of - what keys you're travelling from/to - How many chords you want to use to get there - And what you do with your right hand.

My best wishes to Annie.

Colin.

Hello Everyone,

I've been following this posting with interest as I have printed copies of BRIDGES - FROM: 'C', 'D' 'F' 'G' and 'Bb' but not from 'E' (isn't it always the case eh?

Like Elizabeth I thought I would make a print so just highlighted the 'answer' part of this posting and although the wording printed o.k. the actual 'Eb etc., is shown as a red squiggle. I repeated it again and got the same printout.

After several tries, I discovered the red part of this Forum prints exactly but the blue parts do not. Anyone know why this is please?

Audrey

Hello Audrey (and all!),

I am curious as to HOW you are attempting to print the posts from the Forum? I have never had a problem getting the items I want to save--both red and blue boxes--to print, just as they were written, with no "red squiggles" in the result. You mentioned that you "highlight" the section you wish to print, but what do you then do? What I do is I highlight the sections I want to print, then click the right mouse button to get a pull-down menu, and, from that menu, choose "Copy". Then I open a Note pad or Word pad, which will be blank, again click the right hand mouse button, and, from the pull-down menu, select "Paste." The article or section I had highlighted then appears, without squiggles, and I can then print it from the Note or Word pad itself. Let us know if this is what you do and perhaps we can then help solve your problem. If this is not the technique you use, try it this way. Maybe someone else has another way to print, too. Good luck.

Ted

Hi All,

Like Ted I highlight the section I wish to print, but then from the top menu I select File, Print, Selection, then Print. Works just fine.

Len

LEN..... How do you "Higlight" just what you want?

I just > (go to) my print icon & print out the whole thread or a page or two....

AUDREY.... No red squiggles on my print out.. that only happens when I use the "spell-check"....

TED.... Thanks for honoring my very ardent plea not to remove your posts!

My gig was great as usual & got the post printed following!

ELIZABETH

COLIN.....

Your contribution here is great! Thanks!

I agree with your saying that "all ear-players will differ vastly in their actual pianistic or playing skills...that no two players will travel the same route."

In my experience, I find this to be true amoung the players who are readers as well.

About knowing the "correct" progression of keys... Among the many great enjoyments I experience in playing is that my "ear" and fingers seems to know what the next key "should" be if there are no symbols to show me.... even on music I have never played before....

The right hand often travels around to add a note or few here & there that does seem to enhance the melody, at least to my ear.

My tendency is to just follow my inner guidance as I play and ENJOY! Sometimes I just sit & play whatever sounds good to me...no music in front of me & no specific tune in mind. It sounds pretty good though a second chorus of the same sounds does not happen! Guess I could sequence it & learn it eventually!

ELIZABETH

COLIN.....

Your contribution here is great! Thanks!

I agree with your saying that "all ear-players will differ vastly in their actual pianistic or playing skills...that no two players will travel the same route."

In my experience, I find this to be true amoung the players who are readers as well.

About knowing the "correct" progression of keys... Among the many great enjoyments I experience in playing is that my "ear" and fingers seems to know what the next key "should" be if there are no symbols to show me.... even on music I have never played before....

The right hand often travels around to add a note or few here & there that does seem to enhance the melody, at least to my ear.

My tendency is to just follow my inner guidance as I play and ENJOY! Sometimes I just sit & play whatever sounds good to me...no music in front of me & no specific tune in mind. It sounds pretty good though a second chorus of the same sounds does not happen! Guess I could sequence it & learn it eventually!

My absolute highest priorities are to ENJOY all that I do...moment by moment, and to bring joy to others moment by moment as well.

ELIZABETH

I agree with much that has been written here on transposition. I would like to add my view.

With a background of Guitar and chords I rely on the left hand to guide the band and enhance the melody. (Right hand) I understand that many organ players follow the bass pedals and allow the bass line to select the proper chords.

My school of thought is that most people can hum or whistle a melody so I do not give that much thought. The more you just kinda search for the melody the more proficient you become. After a while you just think the note and find it on the keyboard with no other thoughts present.

Not so with chords, (Harmony) Your left hand is telling the keyboard where to go. It is also flavoring the harmony to add color to the song. Five foot two can be played a two-step or a jazz tune and it is not just the style that you change --you also select chords that flavor the type of music/style you are playing.

Having said that let me go back to transposing. Normally the repeat bar or bars at the end of a song gives a perfect introduction to the song in the key that it is written. Change that repeat bar to the new key and you are now modulating to the new key. Do we have anyone here who have no clue how to transpose?

Transposing puts the song in the correct range so that a singer is comfortable.
Transposing puts a solo instrument in a key, which enhances his instrument.
Transposing takes the boredom from the song. it adds interest. The song Mack the Knife would lose a great deal without transposing. (Modulating)

Any of this help, I’m just shooting darts.

Playing by ear is the end, it is where music loses technology and gains feeling. It expresses much of what we are. After a year or two it is fun seeing how have changed the song from the original. Aaaaah!

John C.