Just the Keys

Piano music is not an instant process: it requires hours of practice. Fortunately, practice done right can be just as fun as a real performance.

This album contains no less than sixty-three songs, raw and unedited, from my many piano practices. You'll hear all kinds of music, from classical to jazz, and listen to my unrestrained creativity (and perseverance, 😁). I hope you'll enjoy this little slice from my piano life.

CLIPS

SONGS SYNOPSIS

1. ALL ARE WELCOME (5:08): Originally by Marty Haugen, a driving and upbeat song about the openness of the Catholic Church.
2. ALL THAT IS HIDDEN (3:52): I have never listened to this song, by Bernadette Farrell, but it looked interesting, so I tried it. It feels like a normal pop "hymn," spiced by the suspense of the refrain.
3. AMAZING GRACE (4:48): A classic, taken in my classic, chord-heavy style.
4. AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL (3:18): Feeling patriotic? A quick rendition, again in my classic style.
5. AS THE DEER LONGS (TAKES 1-3) (4:42, 3:30, 5:51): Practice makes proficiency! This song is based on the folk tune O Waly Waly, and I really like its serene, trusting feel.
6. A TASTE OF HONEY (4:10): My kind of jazz: heavy, rich, emotional, with a bit of rhythmic flair to spice it up.
7. AUTUMN LEAVES (TAKES 1-2) (5:50, 7:10): Another jazz classic. The second take is representative here: desolate, flowing, with lots of broken chords and cross-piano action.
8. A VOICE CRIES OUT (6:43): A fun Advent song by one of my favorite hymn writers, Michael Joncas. It's strong and very moving.
9. THE BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC (4:46): Looser than but with the feel of a march, lots of variation.
10. 10000 REASONS (BLESS THE LORD) (TAKES 1-4) (5:43, 5:05, 4:05, 4:17): This is one of my absolute favorite faith-themed songs. It's one of my default songs to practice improvising, especially on the refrain.
11. CANTICLE OF THE TURNING (STAR OF THE COUNTY DOWN) (5:55): Is it an Irish folk song? Is it a rather upbeat take on the Magnificat? Why not both? A lot of the passion here came from imagining Mary singing it, but the upbeat comes purely from the Irish.
12. CHANGE OUR HEARTS (4:36): Another nice hymn: I often open a hymnal and start playing random songs from it. Lyrical and smooth.
13. CHRIST BE OUR LIGHT (7:16): Another song great for improvisation! Both the flowing classical feels and the fast upbeat feels made it into the song.
14. GATHER US IN (TAKES 1-2) (5:49, 4:57): Marty Haugen, and a little somber for an opening hymn. But I like it that way - I can pack in a lot of drama.
15. GEORGIA ON MY MIND (TAKES 1-2) (6:10, 6:26): Sentimental jazz song, leaning towards more of the classical. I've always had a special appreciation for Georgia, and hopefully some of that shows.
16. CHANT GLORIA (1:54): Originally Gregorian chant, adapted with a few chords. It's at least 1000 years old in its oldest form, and it's hard to improve on that.
17. GO MAKE A DIFFERENCE (3:48): A closing hymn this time, with a dogged driving beat powering the power chords.
18. GO OUT, GO OUT (3:48): Like Go Make a Difference in content, but more like 10000 Reasons in style. These newer, lyrical hymns lend themselves to improvisation.
19. I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES (4:08): I really like this song; it's one of the few that can get me emotional. Played in my classic style.
20. JAZZ REFLECTION (4:18): This was originally a lesson from Faber Piano Adventures. It sounds like so many other game soundtracks (Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger), in its lost, wistful feel. I upgraded it to my playing level.
21. LET ALL THINGS NOW LIVING (2:16): Simple, quick, clean, and cheerful.
22. LULLUBY OF BIRDLAND (TAKES 1-4) (4:28, 6:37, 4:45, 6:59): This is my favorite of the jazz songs that I've learned. It's originally written to have a fast samba feel, but I generally interpret it into the smoother classical I'm used to.
23. MIRACLE OF GRACE (BREAD OF LIFE) (4:38): Another nice, clean hymn, about the Sacrament of the Altar.
24. MISTY (TAKES 1-3) (4:55, 4:19, 5:09): If you can't tell by now, with jazz songs like this, I add a lot of classical reflux. This song is already in that flowing style, so there's more room for improvisation.
25. THE NATIONAL ANTHEM (6:22): Can't get more patriotic than this! And it takes well to the passionate feel I really like.
26. THE NEVER ENDING STORY (TAKES 1-2) (5:21, 6:14): Not all my playing is hymns and jazz. I took this song purely from memories of watching the movie. The refrain is so fun to play.
27. O BLESS THE LORD (4:04): Being on the same page as 10000 Reasons, and being so similar to its subtitle, it's sometimes hard to play this song without transitioning to the other. Nevertheless, this is a fun, joyful, fast song in its own right.
28. ON EAGLE'S WINGS (TAKES 1-2) (4:25, 4:48): I've liked this song for a while, but a lot of the inspiration for my renditions is more recent, coming from my listening to Boyce & Stanley, a great faith-themed song group. Very sentimental, for sure.
29. ONE SPIRIT, ONE CHURCH (4:17): This is a interesting fusion of new and old; the verse is a tweaking of Come Holy Ghost. It makes a nice balance between solemn and upbeat.
30. O SALUTARIS HOSTIA (4:07): Another Gregorian chant, for Eucharistic Adoration. I like to play this song by slowly adding notes to the melody each time I repeat it.
31. OUR GOD IS HERE (4:19): Yet another great opening hymn. This one crosses 10000 Reasons's freedom of improvisation with the upbeatness of Go Make a Difference.
32. (SOMEWHERE) OVER THE RAINBOW (4:46): Another song that has sentimental value. While technically jazz, I don't think the jazz renderings I've heard do the song justice.
33. ETUDE 5 (SIMPLICITY) (3:01): I am far from being perfect. This song, one of my compositions, was a bit too hard to play, and that comes out in the recording. Oh, well, practice makes proficiency.
34. STAIRWAY (MEDLEY WITH NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP) (4:35): This is an example of just playing and letting the melody flow. I intended to play Stairway to Heaven, but it took a while to take my brain off Never Gonna Give You Up.
35. TAKE AND EAT (4:35): This song has a very difficult key change every single time you reach the verse. Which is why I love it. Plus, the repetition for the verse is a plea for improvisation.
36. THE LORD IS MY LIGHT (6:35): Another soft hymn, with the same context as I Know That My Redeemer Lives. It feels more tranquil and more sentimental.
37. THERE'S A WIDENESS IN GOD'S MERCY (TAKES 1-2) (2:52, 2:45): By itself, a cheery hymn about the mercies of God. But it also sounds like my composition Etude 2 (Cheer), and so I've had fun weaving them together.
38. WE ARE CALLED (3:31): I take this song, by David Haas, as the standard by which I judge the sweetness of other church hymns. It's that sonorous.
39. WE WILL RISE AGAIN (4:14): The chord patterns on this song are unusual for a hymn, and I happen to know the countermelody by heart. That adds to the peaceful flow.
40. WHAT WONDROUS LOVE IS THIS (4:22): An older hymn. It has a surprisingly good beat to base a march-esque song on. That rumbling part you hear at 2:54 is really cool, too.
41. WONDERWALL (TAKES 1-6) (7:09, 8:18, 9:47, 6:15, 10:33, 6:21): This song is my absolute favorite to improvise on, especially compounded with Boulevard of Broken Dreams, with which it shares the basic chord pattern. Each song is special enough I had to give them unique names. Out of them, I think Mirus Murus is the best, with The Way I Do in second.
42. YOUR GRACE IS ENOUGH (4:19): This song has such a good melody line (good enough to defy all transcription, when I play it how I like it). Plus, the trick somber beginning is so fun.