I'm having a moan !!!!!!!!!!!
Prompted by a long and interesting conversation with two prominent keyboard/organ performers ..................In this day and age of the electronic (single) keyboard, why, oh why are the published albums of keyboard music aimed at the, shall we say "early grades". Why are there few, if any KEYBOARD albums that cater for the advanced player?
Some of my adult education class students have purchased books from an here-un-named series in which the melody lines are simplified beyond belief and the chords offered leave me climbing up the walls.
OK, it gives me material for teaching in that we can research the more accurate versions, experiment with more adventurous chords, but it is all too often found that some keyboard players are accepting these versions as "gospel" and not realising they are performing musical "howlers" (as recently heard at an organ society "members concert" - NOT at Blackpool Keyboard Club, may I add.
It could be said that there is plenty of material of an advanced nature to be found in organ albums and piano copies (and the now stale Kenneth Baker series', but these present the KEYBOARD player with much unnecessary material - i.e bass pedal lines, bass clef, too many staves and so on.
With all the professionals out there, would it not be an idea to consider some "performers arrangements" of well known standards, some tuneful modern pop music with adventurous right hands, somewhat juicier chords than 7ths and some really well thought out registration/rhythm changes etc., to stimulate the more advanced player, and give us teachers something to get our students' teeth into.
Examination Board material is available at higher grades, written by professional players but often composed uniquely for the exams and frankly is met with little enthusiasm by prosepctive candidates.
Also........I (and the other two conversants) are of the opinion that one of the contributing factors to the demise of the home ORGAN was that not enough home organists were prepared to learn PROPERLY and I mean P R O P E R L Y - i.e devote time and effort over a considerable period.
I have just taken on a new adult student. I find out that he has had one keyboard or another for the last 12 years, yet has never had a lesson (till he phoned me) and after 12 years of prodding, still cannot play ONE SINGLE TUNE !!
............and he expects me to teach him to play by ear. He has another think coming.
I have tried to encourage some of my more advanced keyboard students to move UP to an electronic organ - I may as well try and convert their religion !!
Why the reluctance to even have a go?
Dohhhhhhhhhhhhh!
I'm a pussycat really!
