Book Help

[MarchHare]

Gentlemen:
Just want you to know that I still am enjoying my Yamaha P-125 keyboard.
You all helped me choose this keyboard several months ago.
Problem is , is that I've sort of hit a wall in my studies.
I'm up to page 106 in Faber's Adult Piano adventures and very much enjoying learning "Greensleeves".
Also working through Alfred's, Adult All- In- One course book. Having a bit of trouble withG7 chords due to damage to my left hand.
Triads of course are easy.
Problem:
Its beginning to get very difficult in concentrating on the lessons that don't sound like music.
I feel like I really,really need a book that shows music, with simplified left hand chord patterns.
Don't want one with everything written in C major for right hand. You know what I mean.
I just stuck "Metaphors For The Musician" in my Amazon cart. Primarily for inspiration.
Please help.
March...

 

[Tahitijack]

I'm just a beginner but let me offer a suggestion for those G7 and Gmaj7 chords. Have you tried an inverted chord to see if it is more comfortable for that left hand? Perhaps dialing it back a little to songs with simple I IV V chord patterns might help you get more musical with a song like Kansas City for instance. Even a Beatles song like Can't Buy Me Love is relatively simple to nock it out of the park. Good luck, I hope this is helpful. What ever you do....don't quit. Aloha

 

[Rayblewit]

I play G7 with just 3 fingers.
F G and B
Drop the D . . Keyboard recognises it as a seventh chord without the D because I added I the 7th note from root G.
Play 3rd inversion with F and G as one and short stretch to B.
Could be easier for your damaged hand.

BTW .. I play all my 7ths with 3 fingers. minors and majors. As long as you add in the seventh to the dominant and one other of the triad . Just experiment and try inversions.

Ray

 

[MarchHare]

Wow!
Thanks a lot Ray and Jack. This helps greatly.
I guess I'm still too new to know what works well.
Really need to find a decent book of songs that I can work on, as well as my lesson books.
Probably there is nothing that has light or beginners jazz.
There are so may old tunes out there that I enjoy. I'm always surprised to find that its a Jazz piece.
Stuck in the thirties or forties.
Watched too many Bogart, Astaire and Rogers movies.
Sigh...

 

[Tahitijack]

There are a lot of great easy to play songs from what some call the Great American Songbook among them As Time Goes By, Smile (Charlie Chaplin) and All The Way. Play on...

 

[Biggles]

Ray is spot on with his advice but can I ask a question?

Have you been working on chord inversions?

If not, then they are well worth spending time learning.

 

[Rayblewit]

Actually I was referring to ACMP. with left hand. The P125 is a DP. Does that play ACMP?
Are you playing ACMP March?

 

[Biggles]

Ray
The P125/121 are just digital pianos with no arranger functions so no ACMP onboard and they also have very limited onboard sounds.

 

[Rayblewit]

The P125/121 are just digital pianos with no arranger functions so no ACMP onboard and they also have very limited onboard sounds.

So I have given wrong advice to March.
The whole chord would need to be played to sound authentic surely? Iam asking, not stating
In the case of G7 . . The whole triad plus the seventh. Yes?

 

[MarchHare]

Many thanks Tahiti Jack.
Ordered from Abe Books.
I know that most of it is over my head, but I hope to find a song to work on.
Have to keep a carrot in front of this old horse.

Have you been working on chord inversions?

Just got to inversions in book number 2. Actually just yesterday.
I kind of have them figured out but have not really worked on them yet.
Treating your advice as golden. Thank you.
Ray and Biggles:
I probably should have went with a keyboard with ACMP because of the handicap.
Missing finger#2 and part of #3. (Sleep disorder meets table saw.)
I just went with the best keyboard in my price range that mimicked a piano.
No regrets.
I feel like I'm progressing. Just impatient and need to find more practice time.
I just maybe need a dominatrix standing in back of me, with a whip.
Mmm, nothing beats the smell of fine Corinthian leather.

 

[Biggles]

Keep working at it and you will get there and develop a practice and playing system that works for you.

The P125 will serve you well but eventually you will want more and there are quite a lot of keyboards out there with auto accompaniment and even simplified chord recognition.

As for a Dominatrix, your on your own with that.

 

[MarchHare]

Thanks very much Mr Biggles. All good advice.
Two more payments and I own it.
I'm off to practice.
Get the whip Morticia!

 

[Biggles]

Get the whip Morticia!

Too much information.