I bought Scott's book Ragtimify back in 2013 (I still have it in my Google Drive). It helped me land a job at a local piano bar, because I came up with some stride covers of a couple of pop tunes on the spot for the owner. That bar kept me afloat for probably 3 or 4 year.
@@ScottBradlee I'm really glad you got to see my comment. I might not be playing in piano bars anymore (I'm a software engineer now) but I'm certain I'm not the only person you've inspired. I don't know if it's possible for me to understand how big of an impact you've had, but hopefully you get a taste. 🤎 (Also I do still play and have a TikTok)
He's a great teacher! Ragtime seems like a super intimidating genre, but he made it easy to understand and still fun! Now let me go give it a try and see what I think... 😅
@@christianwouters6764 I agree. I'm intimidated to the point where I believe that if one has not been doing this style of playing since they were young then it's almost impossible. Some can even do it with their eyes closed.
4:33 In my mid sixties went to buy a lathe for engineering, while there was asked whether I wanted to buy a piano. Ok, both my parents were very good piano players. I wanted to play ragtime like my father but not hard classical like my mother. First time on piano went through grade one of sons school book, next day did the second book grade.2. Went to an old piano teacher who said she never met anyone who picked it up so quick. Went to another teacher who wanted me to play at a concert which I did. After 3 months of playing started to play Lizt Hungarian Rapsody No 2 , the hardest version. Showed a concert pianist the sheet music who said that after 25yrs of playing he couldn't play that and I would end up in the looney bin trying. He was right the first 4 pages went ok but then realized the rest was too hard for me so ended up playing Rachmaninoff Prelude in C Sharp Minor which was much easier to play the whole lot. When I tried to play ragtime I was baffled to find I couldn't even play the easiest versions. Put that down to my engineering brain type restricting me to structure and conformity. Gave up altogether as ragtime my preference, was beyond my capabilities. Now 75yo haven't played fpr years, but after seeing this vid will give it another go. Thanks Scott.
I'd like to comment on the bass part of the music as instructed on "Ragtime 101". As a totally amateur Ragtime piano player of about 45 years, I have found that for the bass notes in the left hand, it sounds so much better if they are arranged into a semi-melodic line. If you just go back and forth, back and forth, oom-pah, oom-pah, oom-pah, that tends to get old in a hurry. I don't know how I can explain this, but I'll try. In the key of "C", if you hit an octave C in the bass, then a C triad in first or second inversion, then go back down and land on an octave E then hit E-flat then D then a G7 chord then go down and land on a B then G-A-B and back to C, you have formed a bass line. In your demonstration of the second strain of Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag", that can be heard there. Not necessarily the notes that I suggested; there are many possibilities in creating such bass lines. In "Gladiolus Rag" (a rather difficult piece to play), he gets into even more of that. Another trick in creating a bass line is to keep that oom-pah left hand going but move the octave notes in the bass down (or up) stepwise. So, you can go octave C - C triad chord, octave B-flat - C7th chord, A - F triad chord, A-flat - A-flat 7th chord (actually an “augmented sixth”) then down to G. This forms a bass line that moves slower but is still highly effective. Joplin did this near the end of the second strain in his classic piece “The Cascades” - another very difficult piece to execute successfully. Then when he goes to his third strain, the bass notes in the left hand get absolutely nuts. I practiced that for YEARS and I’m not sure I ever fully mastered it so that it sounds good. The secret is to practice it slowly. I once had a piano teacher who was an outstanding, professional Ragtime piano player and he told me, “if you can play it well slowly, you can play it fast” or, more accurately, “a tempo”. Please don't take my comments as any sort of criticism. I was just trying to share some ideas - that's all. Regards, Fred M. Cain, Topeka, IN
This is such good info, thanks Scott/Pianote. Being able to play several ragtime pieces is my dream. I only know the poor man's Entertainer and at the moment working on the easy winner...
Now I know I just have to throw my piano out because I'll never be able to do this!! :-) Just kidding - I love Scott Bradley and PMJ, and can entertain myself on the keyboard.. I can make myself think I sound great after a few beers if the accompanying MP3 is loud enough..
Great video. I have been trying this style and playing some ragtime pieces from books. My right hand feels very relaxed and comfortable. However, my left hand feels a lot of strain and tension. How can I avoid that? Thanks in advance.
Roland Digital Grand, interesting. sound really good on my computer speakers. So, premium acoustic upright or this Roland Grand which one based on sound ?