Raw Performance After Learning Short Piece

Hi everyone,

So after doubts about my memory began to set in, I decided to do a challenge. I wanted to find out if I can still learn a short piece in a few days. I needed to choose something that I absolutely haven't played before, preferably a composer I have yet to play. And this piece I could listen to a recording and be able to get what the heck is going on.

So, here presenting my raw performance of George Gershwin's Prelude No. 2.

And how many days did it take me to learn it? About 2 days and 2 nights…

Conclusion: sleep does work.

P. S. I didn't go for perfection / performance, this is just raw.

Used instrument: VI Labs Modern D, with close, side and player mics blending to taste, stereo image at -40% width, reverb is small piano room at -86.0 and reverb width at 50.00. No EQ was applied.

gershwin-prelude-no-2.mp3

I love the gentle way the first and ending parts sound; it feels much more like 1930's blues than I've ever heard it before. All that's missing is vocals from Bessie Smith. 🙂

QuasiUnaFantasia All that's missing is vocals from Bessie Smith. 🙂

Thank you! Yes, I love the jazzy vocal qualities of this prelude, a specialty of Gershwin's in my opinion.

Sounds amazing, both interpretation-wise as well as sonically. Great feel and touch!

Since @QuasiUnaFantasia asked you in the other discussion, I am also interested how you learn new classical works, do you read them using Braille Music Scores and are those easy to find? Is there any software that can somehow turn a visual score into a Braille one? Maybe with AI that will become very easy? Or do you learn aurally? I know from @dore_m that you have very good perfect pitch, so maybe you just listen to audio recordings and is how you learn those pieces? It would be really interesting to take a glimpse at your music world 🙂

CyberGene Well, I mainly learn by ear, though I do know a bit of Braille notation. But I find Braille music to be rather slow for me. So yes, I learn aurally.

David Lai wow, that’s very impressive!

I agree, it's mind-boggling! I can more or less play certain easy tunes by ear, but complicated classical works, like sonata's with notes coming in thick and fast by the thousands! That's really awe-inspiring. I simply don't hear the music carefully enough to have a prayer at picking up all those details.

CyberGene wow, that’s very impressive!

Thanks. I've been doing it since very young. I depend on my hearing and memory. Repetation is my key, too.

David Lai Conclusion: sleep does work.

So does this mean you're not completely over the hill?

Nice!

I remember meeting @David Lai for the first time last year and describing that in my childhood I refused sheet music and arranged by ear. Later I realized how gifted David is with this - he was extremely gracious in listening to my story. I embarrassed myself unknowingly.

Jane So does this mean you're not completely over the hill?

Haha, I certainly hope not! And I think I'm discovering that. 🙂

dore_m I embarrassed myself unknowingly.

Um… maybe I didn't get the memo, but you certainly didn't embarrass yourself. It's good to learn things about ones' friend, right? I consider that very open sharing.

David Lai Thanks for sharing. Your playing and the Modern D sounds like a glorious match.

johanibraaten Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yeah, being a New York D, I had to learn something by an American. 😉