So, while many of the pianists and other musicians here (myself included) love classical music and know how much it helps to play it, I got around to thinking. What if we have a thread (perhaps stickied? Maybe? Please and thank you?) that gives pieces to work on certain aspects of technique, or just give a list of pieces in progressive difficulty? Perhaps noting what difficulties there are so a pianist can go to this thread and pick out a piece to use to work on a technique.
Below a horizontal rule I'll manage the list. Though we may want to establish a difficulty rating system, but I'm not too sure about that.
Your thoughts?
(By the way, I'm enclosing one piece in the list)
"Verdanturf Town (Pokemon R/S/E)": To improve balance between the hands, bringing out a cantabile melody, legato thirds and chords.
"Dream of the Shore Near Another World" (Chrono Cross)- Improving coordination between the hands, often involving playing the accompaniment with both hands
"Linbeck's Theme" (TLoZ: Phantom Hourglass): Leaps in the left hand, melodic articulation necessary in the right.
"Loading Screen" (Poképark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure): Basic note reading
"Cinnabar Island" (Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver): Basic note reading
"Battle! (Wild Pokémon)" (Pokémon Red Version & Blue Version): Chromatic runs
"Fear of the Heavens" (The Secret of Mana): Improving arpeggios
I would definitely approve of something like this. Whenever I go to play a song from any franchise besides Super Mario, I never know where to start. This would help people like me to have the ability of choosing new songs to play that are either in our difficulty range or help to improve a particular skill, as you mentioned before. I'd love to have something like this stickied. Someone, please?
I would love a thread like this. I've been looking around trying to find songs that would help me improve on playing more accurately, but where would I even start?? Here of course!
Oh, so stuff like "this piece has large leaps, fast runs, polyphonic texture, etc. etc. etc."? That could be helpful.
About your example, Verdanturf Town, there's also a couple of places with legato thirds and chords. Could be somewhat of a challenge for a beginner, I think.
Great idea for a thread. I have a couple of sheets for examples, both being superbly arranged:
Chrono Cross - Dream of the Shore Near Another World (Brawler4Ever, Bespinben):
Improving coordination between both hands since you have to play the accompaniment with both hands at certain times. Bringing out the melody, not too hard since it is in the soprano and often in octaves.
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass - Linbeck's Theme (Olimar12345):
Left hand leaps, Right hand melodic articulation.
You can add these to the OP.
I love this idea!
I likey.
Some things I thinked:
- Kinda goes without saying, but we should only include pieces in the list if they meet current quality standards (everything so far does, anyway).
- People have had some oppositions to difficulty levels in the past so we should associate a piece with a particular skill rather than a number.
Sheets to feature:
- Basic reading notes
- "Loading Screen" (Poképark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure)
- "Cinnabar Island" (Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver)
- Chromatic runs
- "Battle! (Wild Pokémon)" (Pokémon Red Version & Blue Version)
I have a couple for more advanced players:
"Gusty Garden Galaxy"(Super Mario Galaxy)"
Various techniques for intermediate/advanced players such as: Reading and playing in a key with lot's of flats (Db-major). Jumping Left Hand. Balance between melody and rhythm (Right hand Left hand). Control over different dynamics. Articulations. Octaves.
"Victory Road" (Pokémon R/S/E):
Reading 12/8 meter. Different Dynamics. Octaves, mostly in the right hand. Fast runs in the left hand. Multiple voices.
Cool, thanks everyone. Adding these in now to the OP.
Formatting question- should we organize these by technical skills or by piece, listing the technical skill after?
By piece. The skills required for each piece differ, so I don't quite see a good way to organize them by skill. I guess ideally, it'd be a table.
Alright, thanks. Will see if I can format it neatly and make it look like a table.. Is there a way to do that?
Quote from: Pianist Da Sootopolis on September 06, 2015, 08:52:11 PMAlright, thanks. Will see if I can format it neatly and make it look like a table.. Is there a way to do that?
| Song Title | Skill |
| "Verdanturf Town (Pokemon R/S/E)" | To improve balance between the hands, bringing out a cantabile melody, legato thirds and chords. |
| "Dream of the Shore Near Another World" (Chrono Cross) | Improving coordination between the hands, often involving playing the accompaniment with both hands. |
| "Linbeck's Theme" (TLoZ: Phantom Hourglass) | Leaps in the left hand, melodic articulation necessary in the right. |
| "Loading Screen" (Poképark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure) | Basic note reading |
| "Cinnabar Island" (Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver) | Basic note reading |
| "Battle! (Wild Pokémon)" (Pokémon Red Version & Blue Version) | Chromatic runs |
Maybe something like this? Idk, very basic example with a very basic BBCode table. Don't even know if you can make more complicated or not.
Quote from: TheMarioPianist on September 06, 2015, 09:48:24 PM| Song Title | Skill |
| "Verdanturf Town (Pokemon R/S/E)" | To improve balance between the hands, bringing out a cantabile melody, legato thirds and chords. |
| "Dream of the Shore Near Another World" (Chrono Cross) | Improving coordination between the hands, often involving playing the accompaniment with both hands. |
| "Linbeck's Theme" (TLoZ: Phantom Hourglass) | Leaps in the left hand, melodic articulation necessary in the right. |
| "Loading Screen" (Poképark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure) | Basic note reading |
| "Cinnabar Island" (Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver) | Basic note reading |
| "Battle! (Wild Pokémon)" (Pokémon Red Version & Blue Version) | Chromatic runs |
Maybe something like this? Idk, very basic example with a very basic BBCode table. Don't even know if you can make more complicated or not.
Well analyzing the code gives me an idea of how to do this but I have no knowledge of any code XD
Thanks though, I'll see about implementing that soon.
Mysterious Woods (Link's Awakening): Three hands
Quote from: Maelstrom on September 07, 2015, 08:35:49 AMMysterious Woods (Link's Awakening): Three hands
I'm looking at that sheet, and there's a DS al fine and no fine..
I may add it though, I'll look over it and stuff.
I'm not a pianist, but I found "Fear of the Heavens" from Secret of Mana a great way to learn how to make arpeggio's in Reason. The way I see it, it could be a fun song for a piano player to learn arpeggio's? :)
(Ow, and every sheet I use is a great way for me to finally learn how to read notes ;D )
I'll add it. This thread could use a revival..
I just signed up yesterday, so every thread is new to me ;) If you need more resurrections, just let me know ;D
Quote from: LCKTR on November 06, 2015, 11:13:35 AM(Ow, and every sheet I use is a great way for me to finally learn how to read notes ;D )
This made me realize that virtually every piece on the site helps learn music in some way or another. I think a project like this is far from mandatory; but if you catalogue every sheet we have on the site; arrange said list by skills, title, etc; and print out the resulting book; let me know.
I also thought that it would be awesome if some members (not mods cuz they already have tons to do) put together like an NSM history book. It could include major events such as the termination of the old site, domain change, etc. Also, it could have names of some known arrangers of each time period. Maybe short little bio of accomplishments too. I feel like this would be an awesome thing for NSM to have.
I can help out with the NSM history book, if there's any help I'm able to lend to something like this
I know if I start it I'll end up dropping it by accident but I can help if someone else takes charge
Quote from: JDMEK5 on December 01, 2015, 10:24:59 AMI also thought that it would be awesome if some members (not mods cuz they already have tons to do) put together like an NSM history book. It could include major events such as the termination of the old site, domain change, etc. Also, it could have names of some known arrangers of each time period. Maybe short little bio of accomplishments too. I feel like this would be an awesome thing for NSM to have.
I was planning to do this but as a soap opera
Quote from: NocturneOfShadow on December 01, 2015, 01:40:17 PMI was planning to do this but as a soap opera
XD No we would need to do this soon so we can interview those who have been around since the jurassic period. :P
Quote from: JDMEK5 on December 01, 2015, 10:24:59 AMThis made me realize that virtually every piece on the site helps learn music in some way or another. I think a project like this is far from mandatory; but if you catalogue every sheet we have on the site; arrange said list by skills, title, etc; and print out the resulting book; let me know.
I feel like this wouldn't be feasible for one book, seeing as we have thousands of arrangements on the site. Averaging them at 2 pages each (which is probably nowhere near the actual average) makes 2,000 pages; a monumental print.
Instead, I think we should do them by game series. Something like; "NSM Pedagogy; Pikmin Edition" or something like that.
We should also probably have one "standard" book to compare all those to, with preferably 20-30 arrangements.
Then the Pikmin edition or pokemon edition or whatever can be books of only pokemon music.
Just some thoughts!~
Quote from: Pianist Da Sootopolis on December 01, 2015, 03:40:15 PMI feel like this wouldn't be feasible for one book, seeing as we have thousands of arrangements on the site. Averaging them at 2 pages each (which is probably nowhere near the actual average) makes 2,000 books; a monumental print.
Well yeah. I think you set your base standards way too high sometimes lol. What you suggested is plenty.