The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    I remember, as the "problem child" of the music dept, I refused to play the required harmony and counterpoint exercises on the piano that all other students happily did. I would turn up with my nylon string guitar and a tape recorder playing the pre recorded left hand parts (on the guitar). Upon seeing all the difficulty I was creating for myself, my tutor asked "Why don't you just play the damn piano like everybody else?". Now, I wasn't prepared for this question as I'd never really put it into words before, but what came out to my surprise was something like "Because it's not really an instrument, its more like a machine! " When pressed to explain further I offered: "I can't trust an instrument if I can't touch the thing that produces the sound. What's worse is that he piano even hides the mechanism responsible for producing the sound. On top of that, it does not respond to individual touch like a guitar or violin - everyone can produce the same sound when playing a single note!" etc ... Regretfully, the entire room full of piano players did not defend piano playing such that I might have been cured of my delusion .

    So I went through life being a non player, despite owning a piano, and even teaching people how to play it! (including my wife who is learning how to comp to jazz tunes). Strangely there is still a part of me that rejects any temptation to play it myself, despite the fact that I actually listen to, and admire, great piano players more than I do guitar players.

    I don't have to ask you if you think it's weird, I know it is !

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

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    Quote Originally Posted by grahambop
    Of course some pianists wish they could be guitarists.

    Attachment 68104
    enduring memory of going to see Herbie live was watching him walking out to encore Chameleon with a keytar and a massive shit eating grin.

    After an acoustic jazz set...

  4. #28

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    Don’t think anyone has mentioned Kurt Rosenwinkel



    A friend recalls him coming after hours to a jazz night he was curating. Kurt just sat down at the piano and played a solo piano set.

    I wonder if he gets a bit tired of guitar sometimes?

  5. #29

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    I made peace with the piano finally when I fronted a band on piano. Later on, I added organ, clavinet, and Rhodes to the setup.

    Do this--and leave the guitar at home--and it will force your hand(s). It's actually quite worthwhile.

    [DANGER] You might find, as I did, that you love the B3 more than the guitar.

  6. #30

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    Quote Originally Posted by christianm77
    Don’t think anyone has mentioned Kurt Rosenwinkel



    A friend recalls him coming after hours to a jazz night he was curating. Kurt just sat down at the piano and played a solo piano set.

    I wonder if he gets a bit tired of guitar sometimes?
    This great tune, one of my faves from Star of Jupiter seems to have been conceived on piano:


  7. #31

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    did Bickert play any piano ?

  8. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by princeplanet
    I remember, as the "problem child" of the music dept, I refused to play the required harmony and counterpoint exercises on the piano that all other students happily did. I would turn up with my nylon string guitar and a tape recorder playing the pre recorded left hand parts (on the guitar). Upon seeing all the difficulty I was creating for myself, my tutor asked "Why don't you just play the damn piano like everybody else?". Now, I wasn't prepared for this question as I'd never really put it into words before, but what came out to my surprise was something like "Because it's not really an instrument, its more like a machine! " When pressed to explain further I offered: "I can't trust an instrument if I can't touch the thing that produces the sound. What's worse is that he piano even hides the mechanism responsible for producing the sound. On top of that, it does not respond to individual touch like a guitar or violin - everyone can produce the same sound when playing a single note!" etc ... Regretfully, the entire room full of piano players did not defend piano playing such that I might have been cured of my delusion .

    So I went through life being a non player, despite owning a piano, and even teaching people how to play it! (including my wife who is learning how to comp to jazz tunes). Strangely there is still a part of me that rejects any temptation to play it myself, despite the fact that I actually listen to, and admire, great piano players more than I do guitar players.

    I don't have to ask you if you think it's weird, I know it is !
    My old guitar teacher hated the piano due to being forced to learn it at his music conservatory. He kept one in his house - purely for tuning his guitar he claimed lol- but I don't recall ever hearing him or his wife playing it whilst living next door to them...

  9. #33
    well since writing this there was this whole pandemic thing, I sold a pedal steel guitar that I am fairly certain I won't be learning in the next 4 years, bought an Epiphone 339 and a Casio PXS-1000. I love both of them so much. Highly recommended.

    The Casio piano sounds unbelievable for the price. And feels perfect.

    I'm just working on Bach which is a pleasurable way to spend 1/2 and hour every other day or so. Some Anna Magdalena and a Chorale. And a Niels Frahm piece I love. But I'm learning a lot. I was working on an invention which was a bit too hard for me. I'm aiming to be the greatest interpreter of Bach's beginner piano works by 2040.

    Seriously though playing through the chorale, it's a brain fuck in the best way.

  10. #34

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    Ted Greene was a student of harmony but I think he specifically stuck to the guitar ?! For the very reason that he wanted to try and make it as harmonically sophisticated as the piano ?!

  11. #35

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    Dizzy Gillespie always said to see the entire spectrum of music ?one needs to learn the piano!

  12. #36

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    I've tried playing piano since I was a kid. I can play certain pieces but my main stumbling block is independence
    I even gigged on keys, but that was just for certain parts in the Zappa tribute, I was mainly on guitar and mallets

    Guitar doesn't really require the independence that piano does, you' re usually playing the same note with the left and right hands.
    I learnt Blind Blake style ragtime on the guitar, which is pianistic. I do okay with that, but with piano, no.
    I can play some complex Zappa pieces on keys like Uncle Meat etc, but anything requiring full independence in the bass is a struggle.
    I even gigged on drums for a few years, that might've helped a little heh

    "A man's gotta know his limitations." , a famous person once said.