Sunday, August 24, 2008

No Air Music Notes

My friend once asked me, how do you 'play by ear'? Do you use your ear to hit the keys, and she giggled gleefully.

With my limited knowledge, I answered her that its a skill that you can transfer what music you hear to the piano keys and expressed it from there. I read somewhere that its a mysterious subconscious learning process we all have will have been integrating and working on how to make that tune sound right.

How do we play by ear? We need to pick up the tune. Better if you have the tune played in your head, in other words, familiarise yourself with it. Transfer the tune with your right hand for the melody keys. Then find the chords.

For most of us who played by ear, we only need to know the chords to play a song. Like the song, No Air, that I have included below, Play by Ear pianist can automatically play this song. So, for any fellow Play by Ear pianist, here's for you!

To listen to the song NO AIR.

*********************************************************************
No Air
In F#


Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air

Intro (F# E G#m B)

F#
If I should die before I wake
E
It's 'cause you took my breath away
G#m B
Losing you is like living in a world with no air
Oh



F#
I'm here alone, didn't wanna leave
E
My heart won't move, it's incomplete
G#m B
If there was a way that I can make you understand





F# E
But how do you expect me
G#m
to live alone with just me
B
'Cause my world revolves around you
F#
It's so hard for me to breathe


F# E
Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air
G#m
Can't live, can't breathe with no air
B
It's how I feel whenever you ain't there
F#
It's no air, no air


E
Got me out here in the water so deep
G#m
Tell me how you gonna be without me
B
If you ain't here, I just can't breathe
F#
It's no air, no air



(F# E G#m B)
No air, air
No air, air
No air, air
No air, air



F#
I walked, I ran, I jumped, I flew
E
Right off the ground to float to you
G#m B
There's no gravity to hold me down for real


F#
But somehow I'm still alive inside
C#m
You took my breath, but I survived
G#m B
I don't know how, but I don't even care



F E
So how do you expect me
G#m
to live alone with just me
B
'Cause my world revolves around you
F#
It's so hard for me to breathe

5 comments:

cakapaje said...

Salam ydiana,

Gosh! All this while I thought playing by ear means hitting the keys with our ears. That, would be a torrid thing to do if there's both, treble and bass notes at the same time ;)

Hehe...I'm just being naughty tonight. Takpe kan, saja nak mengusik :)

Ydiana said...

Salam Shah

Yeah...just like my friend trying to be funny! He he.. :p

And no problemo at all!

Chahya said...

The U tube video is no longer available lah when I clicked.

:( I can't read usic notes.

P.S I only get to voice mail calling the number u gave

Ydiana said...

Hi Chahya

Ok, I will check on the video.

Re my number, pls try again in half an hour. The battery went out.

Ydiana said...

Chahya

You were right. The video was taken out by Jordin herself. I've embedded another video of the same song...just for you! Live!

Enjoy!