Key colour. I tried to send a comment on key colour but seem to have failed again to post a message. But Colin says it all. However, I disagree with Alden; you should not be looking at the keys any more than a typist does. It is not their visual appearance that matters but their spatial position and what sounds they produce; so you should memorise their positions vis a vis your fingers. If you play C (or G), two keys higher will produce G (B), a major third, and another two keys up will give a fifth. Recognition of intervals and where they are to be found is surely the basis of musical understanding and keyboard competence. It is all done by feeling and listening, besides having the sounds already in your head. If you are weak at this play and sing a note, and then the next one (say a tone or a third), confirming it with the key and singing it again. Repetition like this will get you up and running in a few weeks. Need I add that you should do this slowly and thoughtfully. But above all, when you are doing this keep your eyes closed. If you work like this, playing from memory, you will find yourself lost in a world where nothing exists but your instrument and its sounds. If anyone opens the door you will jump! The best things in life, it is said, are done by feeling, and a competent musician gains both aural and tactile pleasure from playing. This is taking my practice time and I must stop. Michael P.S. Don't ever be afraid of failure. Through failures we learn what not to do, just as achievement teaches us what we should do.
-----Original Message----- From: hurdygurdy group [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 09 June 2009 16:39 To: hurdygurdy digest subscribers Subject: hurdygurdy - 5 new messages in 1 topic - digest hurdygurdy http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy?hl=en [email protected] Today's topics: * Tuning Diagrams - 5 messages, 4 authors http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy/t/04b9af2175e70b63?hl=en ============================================================================ == TOPIC: Tuning Diagrams http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy/t/04b9af2175e70b63?hl=en ============================================================================ == == 1 of 5 == Date: Sun, Jun 7 2009 4:32 pm From: Augusto de Ornellas Abreu That's why I prefer a G/C instrument so much easier for the pianist in me! On Mon, Jun 8, 2009 at 1:05 AM, Jon <[email protected]> wrote: > > And 5 of the 6 harpsichords I have built have black ebony naturals, > white bone flats/sharps: > > See here: > http://www.dragonflybridge.com/HubbardHarpsichord/HubbardHarpsichord.html > > So who decided to make naturals white anyway? I vote for ebony! > > Jon > > > > On Jun 7, 2:48 pm, Arle <[email protected]> wrote: > > They look right to me. That last key you refer to can be tuned to > > whichever of the two pitches you need. Some HGs have different > > arrangements at the upper end of the instrument. Mine, for instance, > > lack the key you asked about, but instead has its equivalent in the > > lower row. Doesn't really matter in this case, since it could be tuned > > as appropriate. > > > > Regarding the color of the keys, just pretend you're playing an old > > piano. Prior to 1900 or so, many pianos had the exact same color > > arrangement as on the HG. Seehttp:// > upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/FortepianoByMcNult... > > for instance. > > > > -Arle > > > > On Jun 7, 5:10 pm, Jon <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > So are these diagrams correct? What about the last (right hand) key, > > > upper row, C or C#, preferably C# for D/G hurdy-gurdy? > > > > >http://www.dragonflybridge.com/HurdyGurdy/Keyboard.html > > > > > I MUST get that piano image out of my mind and accept sharps on the > > > black (lower) HG keys and naturals on the white (upper) HG keys.- Hide > quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text - > > > == 2 of 5 == Date: Mon, Jun 8 2009 8:56 am From: "Cali and Alden Hackmann" >> I MUST get that piano image out of my mind and accept sharps on the >> black (lower) HG keys and naturals on the white (upper) HG keys. Or visualize them in whatever color you like: black, white, lime green, hot pink, violet polka-dots... The only person who should be able to see what color your keys are is the person sitting in front of you. If you're looking at anything, you should be looking at the backs of the keys. Alden (feeling opinionated today) Cali and Alden Hackmann Olympic Musical Instruments - hurdy-gurdies A & C Embroidery - boutique embroidery Bois de Mallorne - audio production stained glass, laser art "I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else." - Winston Churchill == 3 of 5 == Date: Mon, Jun 8 2009 11:23 am From: Felicia Dale Sounds to me like a case of too much learning and thinking and not enough being and doing. Try closing your eyes- that way the colors are moot. Felicia. On Jun 8, 2009, at 8:56 AM, Cali and Alden Hackmann wrote: > > >>> I MUST get that piano image out of my mind and accept sharps on the >>> black (lower) HG keys and naturals on the white (upper) HG keys. > > Or visualize them in whatever color you like: black, white, lime > green, hot > pink, violet polka-dots... The only person who should be able to > see what > color your keys are is the person sitting in front of you. If > you're looking > at anything, you should be looking at the backs of the keys. > > Alden (feeling opinionated today) > > Cali and Alden Hackmann > Olympic Musical Instruments - hurdy-gurdies > A & C Embroidery - boutique embroidery > Bois de Mallorne - audio production > stained glass, laser art > > "I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else." > > - Winston Churchill > > > > == 4 of 5 == Date: Mon, Jun 8 2009 12:50 pm From: "Colin" Must admit, I'd need a mirror to see the keys and watching the little end bits pop in and out is harder than just learning where the darn keys are (and distracting). Until mentioned here, I'd never have dreamed of watching them and, erm, it's also rather difficult to do when reading from music which restricts you a little :) That, of course, applies to most instruments and, if you also play something like a clarinet, makes you cross-eyed as well. Colin Hill ----- Original Message ----- From: "Felicia Dale" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, June 08, 2009 7:23 PM Subject: [HG-new] Re: Tuning Diagrams > > Sounds to me like a case of too much learning and thinking and not > enough being and doing. Try closing your eyes- that way the colors > are moot. > > Felicia. > > On Jun 8, 2009, at 8:56 AM, Cali and Alden Hackmann wrote: > >> >> >>>> I MUST get that piano image out of my mind and accept sharps on the >>>> black (lower) HG keys and naturals on the white (upper) HG keys. >> >> Or visualize them in whatever color you like: black, white, lime >> green, hot >> pink, violet polka-dots... The only person who should be able to >> see what >> color your keys are is the person sitting in front of you. If >> you're looking >> at anything, you should be looking at the backs of the keys. >> >> Alden (feeling opinionated today) >> >> Cali and Alden Hackmann >> Olympic Musical Instruments - hurdy-gurdies >> A & C Embroidery - boutique embroidery >> Bois de Mallorne - audio production >> stained glass, laser art >> >> "I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else." >> >> - Winston Churchill >> >> >> > > > > > > == 5 of 5 == Date: Mon, Jun 8 2009 3:57 pm From: Felicia Dale I must admit... I wanted to do a PS about how I was feeling opinionated today, too, but had to run off and do errands. I'll amend it to just plain grouchy, now! Sorry if I was too "pointy" earlier. Felicia. On Jun 8, 2009, at 12:50 PM, Colin wrote: > > Must admit, I'd need a mirror to see the keys and watching the > little end > bits pop in and out is harder than just learning where the darn > keys are > (and distracting). > Until mentioned here, I'd never have dreamed of watching them and, > erm, it's > also rather difficult to do when reading from music which restricts > you a > little :) > That, of course, applies to most instruments and, if you also play > something > like a clarinet, makes you cross-eyed as well. > > Colin Hill > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Felicia Dale" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Monday, June 08, 2009 7:23 PM > Subject: [HG-new] Re: Tuning Diagrams > > >> >> Sounds to me like a case of too much learning and thinking and not >> enough being and doing. Try closing your eyes- that way the colors >> are moot. >> >> Felicia. >> >> On Jun 8, 2009, at 8:56 AM, Cali and Alden Hackmann wrote: >> >>> >>> >>>>> I MUST get that piano image out of my mind and accept sharps on >>>>> the >>>>> black (lower) HG keys and naturals on the white (upper) HG keys. >>> >>> Or visualize them in whatever color you like: black, white, lime >>> green, hot >>> pink, violet polka-dots... The only person who should be able to >>> see what >>> color your keys are is the person sitting in front of you. If >>> you're looking >>> at anything, you should be looking at the backs of the keys. >>> >>> Alden (feeling opinionated today) >>> >>> Cali and Alden Hackmann >>> Olympic Musical Instruments - hurdy-gurdies >>> A & C Embroidery - boutique embroidery >>> Bois de Mallorne - audio production >>> stained glass, laser art >>> >>> "I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything >>> else." >>> >>> - Winston Churchill >>> >>> >>>> >> >> >>> >> > > > > > ============================================================================ == You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hurdygurdy" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] or visit http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy?hl=en To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] To change the way you get mail from this group, visit: http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy/subscribe?hl=en To report abuse, send email explaining the problem to [email protected] ============================================================================ == Google Groups: http://groups.google.com/?hl=en --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hurdygurdy" group. 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