BOTM BOTM March 2017: Die Moritat von Mackie Messer

[nigeld]

Meanwhile back at the music. The drummer and pianist disappeared, probably into the bar or to chat with the bridesmaids. I don't know either. It's probably the painkillers.

Mac the knife bass guit clarinet.wav - Box

Sounds like the saxophone player disappeared too.
Good thing there was a good clarinettist around!

I would be more than happy if I could play a single instrument like that.

 

[trimmy]

I would be more than happy if I could play a single instrument like that.

Me too !

 

[Rob Pealing]

Meanwhile back at the music. The drummer and pianist disappeared, probably into the bar or to chat with the bridesmaids. I don't know either. It's probably the painkillers.

Mac the knife bass guit clarinet.wav - Box

That should bring the bridesmaids to you, just hope they leave the drummer and pianist behind.

 

[Tiberius]

Ok, this is difficult, personally I'm finding this probably perhaps the most difficult one I've tried yes, maybe just me? The key changes are tricky, at least in the version I'm trying. So it starts off in the middle (No sharps or flats), then it goes all the way to the top (7 sharps), everything sharp, even if it doesn't have a sharp (Ok, I get that means it just goes to the next note); then it comes down sorta half way back (2 sharps), then down below where it started (3 flats), then back up again (4 sharps), then down again (one flat)...I'm lost by now 🙂

Can't play this without cheating yet, so not one take. Also I didn't have time to wet a reed, so halfway through I swapped to a fibracel reed (you can hear it's a lot 'brighter'). Started off sight reading, then ended up just winging it. Oh, and had to kick wife's dog's our near the end 🙂

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97346875/Mac the Knife20170310.mp3

 

[Rob Pealing]

Ok, this is difficult, personally I'm finding this probably perhaps the most difficult one I've tried yes, maybe just me? The key changes are tricky, at least in the version I'm trying. So it starts off in the middle (No sharps or flats), then it goes all the way to the top (7 sharps), everything sharp, even if it doesn't have a sharp (Ok, I get that means it just goes to the next note); then it comes down sorta half way back (2 sharps), then down below where it started (3 flats), then back up again (4 sharps), then down again (one flat)...I'm lost by now 🙂

Can't play this without cheating yet, so not one take. Also I didn't have time to wet a reed, so halfway through I swapped to a fibracel reed (you can hear it's a lot 'brighter'). Started off sight reading, then ended up just winging it. Oh, and had to kick wife's dog's our near the end 🙂

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97346875/Mac the Knife20170310.mp3

I believe it is fairly common for this to be played modulating by a semitone each time round, and yes it is difficult. I think you have made a pretty good attempt. I am sure some of the more experienced players will be along to offer help.
@Tiberius It is going C, C# ( i.e.Db) D, Eb etc.
Have a look at the version that I find on Musescore, it is in the original post.

 

[Tiberius]

...It is going C, C# ( i.e.Db) D, Eb etc.

I'm using the track from Johnny Ferriera, yeah I think it's doing exactly that. I'd just got used to the concept of AABA, where the song changes key part way through, now this one does something totally different, it changes and keeps changing 🙂

As I say, it starts in the middle, with no flats or sharps, that's C (I've hear piano players refer to it as 'middle C', so I guess that's what I'm calling it, it's in the middle, no sharps, no flats). Then, it just goes on a journey, sharpening and flattening different notes. It's interesting, but probably a bit beyond me at the moment.

 

[Rob Pealing]

(I've hear piano players refer to it as 'middle C', so I guess that's what I'm calling it, it's in the middle, no sharps, no flats

Middle C is the C in the centre of the piano keyboard, frequency 256 Hz. Try keeping a picture of the Circle of Fifths pinned to your music stand, I find it and my tutor's "Cheat Sheet" no end of help.

 

[kevgermany]

Middle C is the C in the centre of the piano keyboard, frequency 256 Hz. Try keeping a picture of the Circle of Fifths pinned to your music stand, I find it and my tutor's "Cheat Sheet" no end of help.

And it's not what sax players think of as middle C. That's lh2, no octave on whichever sax you play. I prefer the piano definition, it's pretty much universal - except for the idiosyncracies of sax players.

 

[Colin the Bear]

I thought middle C was called Middle C because it's in the space in the middle of bass a treble clef.

 

[Ivan]

I thought middle C was called Middle C because it's in the space in the middle of bass a treble clef.

I think you thunk right

 

[nigeld]

Middle C is the C in the centre of the piano keyboard, frequency 256 Hz.

256Hz is "Scientific Pitch".
In standard A=440 pitch, middle C is 261.6 Hz.

The fact that it is in the middle of a piano keyboard and also in the middle between the bass and treble clefs is presumably no coincidence - it's halfway between the left and right hands of a pianist.

 

[Ivan]

it's halfway between the left and right hands of a pianist

What's halfway between a pianist's hands is his or her business

 

[Tiberius]

Ok...so I covered keys with my teacher, and as expected, I was thinking this totally wrong 🙂

I considered C as in the middle, coz it had no sharps or flats, and sharps are higher, and flats are lower, so I always thought of C as key 0. Then, I thought the next key had one sharp, the one after that had two sharps etc. And going the other way, key -1 would have one flat etc.

So, in my way of thinking, this song was jumping all over the place, key 0, key 7, key 3, key -3...etc.

But...actually in music terms, this song just goes up half a letter each time. C - C# - D...etc.

I got it now 🙂

Still can't play it, but I got it 🙂

**edited for typos

 

[Colin the Bear]

You might find a few piano lessons useful. The saxophone isn't the most sympathetic instrument to come to music to for the first time. Things are easier to see and understand on a keyboard. Theory is easier to explain with all the notes laid out in front of you.

 

[Tiberius]

A good idea, I think I will go down this route...as long as piano players don't also get GAS? I have a vision of the stables filling up with piano's...

Actually, just after xmas, I bought a Yamaha ypt- 240 keyboard...coz they were on 'special offer' in the local shop...it's sitting on a table behind me with a 'you're never too old to play' book on it. But yeah, lessons, good idea.

 

[Tiberius]

...The saxophone isn't the most sympathetic instrument to come to music to for the first time.

We played the recorder at school...well, ok, I think it was only one lesson, I also had 2 (I think) clarinet lessons, then the teacher left and the school never replaced him. The new teacher was only interested in singing, so music lessons became singing lessons and I was told to 'sing better' 🙂 I guess things are better now, but music lessons in the 1970's were pretty dire tbh.

I never really got it. Kids who like maths, do maths; kids who like sports, do sports; etc. But most kids like music, but at least in my day, we hated music lessons...how did that work?

Sorry, rambling off topic again, I'll finish breakfast and go do something useful 🙂

 

[Jeanette]

I never really got it. Kids who like maths, do maths; kids who like sports, do sports; etc. But most kids like music, but at least in my day, we hated music lessons...how did that work?

I get that I loved music growing up but hated the lessons, must be down to the teachers I think, or maybe I just wasn't yet ready to be taught.

Jx

 

[Ivan]

A good idea, I think I will go down this route...as long as piano players don't also get GAS?

I take piano lessons and @Colin the Bear is right that it helps musical understanding and possibly left hand coordination

Piano players are subject to the same forces of GAS as any musician but they're limited by space as well as expense

Keyboard players, however, can indulge GAS until the end of time: stage pianos, combo organs, midi keyboards, synthesisers, amplifiers, accessories, frequent upgrades and tweaks thereof and many vintage models that may deliver nostalgic sounds at the cost of the owner needing to learn basic electronics, to read schematics and to master soldering skills...

 

[ac30kev]

Colin's idea is a really good one. Piano lessons are the most easily understandable for learning music, IMO.
Even though I can't play one...
With regards music lessons in the 70's, I think it was more a case of we didn't want to learn it then, but had to.
Now, we want to and so take it in more.

Well, some of us (not including myself) do... which is why I play by ear.
Because I'm lazy.

 

[Colin the Bear]

There seemed to be so many more things to get to grips with in younger years.