LESSON PAGE. NIKOLAI
January 31
January 25 UPDATE
Now that you have your new computer, and you are interested in learning about production for audio and video synchronization, I am going to send you an assignment as part of your homework, that will benefit you directly.
Remember the recording session we did at Strathmore?
I recorded you with two cameras, and then the audio separately.
I edited the classical pieces on iMovie, using the footage from two different angles, then the audio that I recorded separately and I put the three of them together.
The result is what I sent to you and ended up posted on your website.
The jazz pieces are still pending to be edited, but they are much easier than the classical because we used very few takes. The classical were very complicated and I had to handle pages of descriptions of each different take we took. None of that for the jazz pieces.
Your homework will be to download the video and audio files that I will send you, and edit them on iMovie, then upload the final cut to your website through a YouTube link.
Your challenge is going to be:
Remember the recording session we did at Strathmore?
I recorded you with two cameras, and then the audio separately.
I edited the classical pieces on iMovie, using the footage from two different angles, then the audio that I recorded separately and I put the three of them together.
The result is what I sent to you and ended up posted on your website.
The jazz pieces are still pending to be edited, but they are much easier than the classical because we used very few takes. The classical were very complicated and I had to handle pages of descriptions of each different take we took. None of that for the jazz pieces.
Your homework will be to download the video and audio files that I will send you, and edit them on iMovie, then upload the final cut to your website through a YouTube link.
Your challenge is going to be:
- The video files will be very large. You can use them as is, or you can first open them on Quicktime and trim them so only the parts you are going to feature get loaded into iMovie. That way the files will be smaller and will not tax the equipment as much when editing.
- On iMovie you will need to make decisions on which angle you feature at what time, and use the footage from the chosen camera. You will practice merging footage from three different sources.
- The resulting work will need to be bounced (rendered) onto a mov. file that will need to be uploaded to Youtube, and then the Youtube link posted on your website.
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FILES SENT TO YOU THROUGH "WETRANSFER"
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January 24
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LOGIC PRO SESSION
Here is the mp3 of the first section I worked in. |
January 17
LOGIC PRO SESSION
Excellent work, Nikolai., I am VERY impressed of how much you have done in such short time using the application.
This lesson was mostly dedicated to strategy on preparing the tracks:
Rather than depending on Zoom sound, which is very compressed and poor, when you have created a sound you like, send me an mp3 of it so I can hear your result. I will be doing the same work as you from over here.
Excellent work, Nikolai., I am VERY impressed of how much you have done in such short time using the application.
This lesson was mostly dedicated to strategy on preparing the tracks:
- Reducing the number of effects by using BUS channels
- Creating markers to make your work flow better and keep your horizontal line organized.
Rather than depending on Zoom sound, which is very compressed and poor, when you have created a sound you like, send me an mp3 of it so I can hear your result. I will be doing the same work as you from over here.
January 10
- Consider purchasing an external hard drive to store your projects. Recommended SSD drive.
- Practice transcriptions to learn how to create the sound other composers have.
- Suggested by Nikolai: Hans Zimmer: "Interstellar"
- Assignment: select the music track, and trim a short clip of just a few minutes for the transcription
- Convert to mp3 and send me by email a copy of the short clip so we both have it. I will listen and tell you if it is doable. If it is too complex, we will need something less orchestral to start.
- Then we will both start creating the arrangement at the same time.
- Suggested by Nikolai: Hans Zimmer: "Interstellar"
December 6 |
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COURSERA:
BACH
Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue
Italian Concerto
PRODUCTION ASSIGNMENTS:
- https://www.coursera.org/specializations/music-production
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/producing-music?specialization=music-production
- First assignments already done. Continuing with the next assignments.
- Technique: Hanon, Burgmuller, Loeschhorn, Czerny-Germer
- Upload HANON to Nikolai website:
BACH
Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue
Italian Concerto
PRODUCTION ASSIGNMENTS:
- Waiting to tailor those assignments to those required by your coursework
- Baptist church contact. is it and report back on impressions you got
- Do not abandon your classical pieces. Goal is to have Chopin and Rachmaninoff performance ready in case you need to show them at an audition. At the same time we need to start working on one or two more.
- Prepare 4 to 6 Christmas songs arranged jazz style
- I will see if I can find you on that site and see if your profile looks good
- Home page. Enlarge name. Use Pages or Keynote to manipulate the text.
- Pending to upload to YouTube and then link the YT video to your main page.
- You can still enroll in the YouTube juries. You have until December 6. Follow this link:
- https://www.levinemusic.org/lessons-and-classes/areas-of-study/piano/piano-dept-perf-week-info-fall/
- Go to the section titled: Video Jury Submission Form
- Once you know what you are going to play, first let me know so I know how to prepare you for it, then enroll in the jury before December 6
- We need a plan: 1. Technique, 2. two jazz arranged tunes. 3. Transcription of a solo. We don't have time to prepare this (next time).
- 1. Technique: You can present one classical complete scale routine from level 7. Choose a key.
- 2. Tunes. Choose two of them. They can be regular standards you know how to play, or Christmas tunes from your gig list.
- They need to be arranged the following way:
- Play the theme beginning to end as written in the chart
- Two rounds of improvisation
- Theme beginning to end
- They need to be arranged the following way:
- You are going to analyze the chord progressions so to decide which scale matches each chord progression.
- The recording can be done just piano solo, or I can send you accompaniment tracks playing the bass and drums for the songs you have chosen. Then you would record your playing while playing along the tracks. Let me know which option asap, because I will not have a lot of time before I leave on my trip.
- 3. Transcription. This time we won't have time to prepare one, but we can have one ready for next semester.
November 29
COURSERA:
- Art of Music Production. Enrolled
- Waiting to tailor those assignments to those required by your coursework
- Baptist church contact. is it and report back on impressions you got
- Do not abandon your classical pieces. Goal is to have Chopin and Rachmaninoff performance ready in case you need to show them at an audition. At the same time we need to start working on one or two more.
- Prepare 4 to 6 Christmas songs arranged jazz style
- I will see if I can find you on that site and see if your profile looks good
- Good job uploading graphic material, photos, etc.
- Pending to upload to YouTube and then link the YT video to your main page.
- You can still enroll in the YouTube juries. You have until December 6. Follow this link:
- https://www.levinemusic.org/lessons-and-classes/areas-of-study/piano/piano-dept-perf-week-info-fall/
- Go to the section titled: Video Jury Submission Form
- Once you know what you are going to play, first let me know so I know how to prepare you for it, then enroll in the jury before December 6
- https://www.levinemusic.org/lessons-and-classes/areas-of-study/piano/piano-dept-perf-week-info-fall/
- We need a plan: 1. Technique, 2. two jazz arranged tunes. 3. Transcription of a solo. We don't have time to prepare this (next time).
- 1. Technique: You can present one classical complete scale routine from level 7. Choose a key.
- 2. Tunes. Choose two of them. They can be regular standards you know how to play, or Christmas tunes from your gig list.
- They need to be arranged the following way:
- Play the theme beginning to end as written in the chart
- Two rounds of improvisation
- Theme beginning to end
- They need to be arranged the following way:
- You are going to analyze the chord progressions so to decide which scale matches each chord progression.
- The recording can be done just piano solo, or I can send you accompaniment tracks playing the bass and drums for the songs you have chosen. Then you would record your playing while playing along the tracks. Let me know which option asap, because I will not have a lot of time before I leave on my trip.
- 3. Transcription. This time we won't have time to prepare one, but we can have one ready for next semester.
November 15
- Decision on whether you are participating in the juries this semester. Sign-up ends at the end of the week.
- You now have all volumes of "The Real Book". Also the "Jazz Fake Book"
- You have all the photos we did at the session now week ago. Work on your website
- Jazz pianist websites to find gigs: gigsalad.com and thebash.com. Create profile
- Christmas music for gigs. I can't scan my whole book, it has 210 pages. You will need to actually buy a fake book for Christmas music. Here below are a couple of songs and information about how to find the book.
All the assignments listed in the November 1 lesson are still active and I will ask you about them at our next lesson.
November 1
COURSES:
Find out if you will be following the Music Production Specialization, it looks like you can still do it free by auditing the courses.
Find out if you will be following the Music Production Specialization, it looks like you can still do it free by auditing the courses.
If the cost of taking the full course with certificate is $40 per course, I recommend paying the fee and having access to the full content, evaluations and final certificate.
It doesn't matter if you don't earn college credit. this is just teaching you knowledge and getting you familiar with the material, so when you actually major in this field, you know what you are getting into.
It is good to know there is a free version of Protools available to get through the course.
You may need a more powerful computer, though. The MacBook Air may be able to do the job, but you will need to be very astute at keeping the CPU from overloading. That alone is a skill everyone needs to learn sooner or later.
You may need a more powerful computer, though. The MacBook Air may be able to do the job, but you will need to be very astute at keeping the CPU from overloading. That alone is a skill everyone needs to learn sooner or later.
RECORDING ASSIGNMENTS: CHURCH MUSIC
- Traditional:
- Nr. 15. Recording was very well done.
- Playing it live at the required MM was not done, and if you want to get goes, you must do this part also.
- Contemporary:
- Nr. 693. Still pending.
- RECORDING -1- Solo piano at your tempo
- RECORDING -2- Garage Band with the following instrumentation:
- Classical guitar. Pan slight R
- Acoustic bass. Pan 0
- Flute (melody). Pal slight L
- Slight reverb
- Gospel style:
- Nr. 384. MM = 70. Still pending
- zWhat is written is what the choir sings. The piano needs to be more rhythmic than that.
- Instrumentation:
- Piano. Pan slight R
- Gospel organ. Pan slight L
- Bass. Pan 0
October 25
Your website looks great. Good job on the concise bio.
COURSES: Pending to enroll on one, possibly two courses from Coursers/Berkeley.
COURSES: Pending to enroll on one, possibly two courses from Coursers/Berkeley.
- Introduction to Music Production
- Find a second course after you start with the first one
- Traditional:
- Nr. 15. Metronome tempo 60 for half note or 120 for the quarter note
- Be able to play at that tempo for our next lesson, as if this was a paid gig.
- Record with Garage Band using a church organ sound at MM = 120. Pan = 0
- Add a trumpet descant Pan = slight right
- Add light church reverb
- Contemporary:
- Nr. 693. Your tempo is already fine.
- RECORDING -1- Solo piano at your tempo
- RECORDING -2- Garage Band with the following instrumentation:
- Classical guitar. Pan slight R
- Acoustic bass. Pan 0
- Flute (melody). Pal slight L
- Slight reverb
- Gospel style:
- Nr. 384. MM = 70
- What is written is what the choir sings. The piano needs to be more rhythmic than that.
- Instrumentation:
- Piano. Pan slight R
- Gospel organ. Pan slight L
- Bass. Pan
October 11
Look at jobs related to music that don't require college degree:
Practice:
- Campus coordinator for a music school
- Program coordinator
Practice:
- Classical: Chopin, Rachmaninoff and your composition
- Jazz: Someday My Prince, Blue Bossa, Take Five
- Talk to an advisor. Don't make decisions without knowing about credit compatibility for a program.
- Be sure anything you register for is compatible and will allow you to transfer the credit in to person learning
Courses to register and start studying:
Your new website:
New email address: nikolaigoussev@gmail.com
New temporary web domain: www.nikolaigoussev.weebly.com
Password to edit the website: txt Gabriel if you need the password.
New temporary web domain: www.nikolaigoussev.weebly.com
Password to edit the website: txt Gabriel if you need the password.
Finding work strategy
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Finding work in Philly:
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What do you need to prepare
- You will need time to practice because there is a lot of repertory you need to learn, PLUS you need to sharpen your reading skills, improvisation skills, and harmonization skills.
- You will need a website. Either you start creating one or I'll help you put a simple website together until you can do it on your own.
- You need a photo. I can help you if you come dressed for a photo shoot at your next lesson and I bring my camera.
- You need a demo. After you learn some of this repertory, you will need to record it and record it well. We can do that at our lesson and I can bring the equipment we need for that.
- You will also need business cards, even if they are simple looking. Some services offer them free as long as their logo is in the back of the card. Start with that, and check places like "Vistaprint".
- You will need to also have your sights focused on getting your college degree. This work strategy is JUST to pay your rent and your expenses, it is not your career.
Read this to know how to focus your search
One important factor is that jobs that are advertised, usually require a music degree in performance.
If you don't have a degree, at least you need to be able to tell your employer that you are a student working towards a degree. Some places will hire a "music student" because they have a smaller budget.
Jobs that don't require degrees are usually not posted, they pay less and they are found by word of mouth. You may need to talk to friends in Philly and find out if they know of churches that are looking for accompanists.
You will need to visit some of these churches in person and bring your business card. You will do very well in person because you present yourself very well, you are polite, and people will like you right away. Talk to the musician and let them know you are a music student available to help as a substitute, as choir accompanist, and if they get an opening, you are interested in that.
If you don't have a degree, at least you need to be able to tell your employer that you are a student working towards a degree. Some places will hire a "music student" because they have a smaller budget.
Jobs that don't require degrees are usually not posted, they pay less and they are found by word of mouth. You may need to talk to friends in Philly and find out if they know of churches that are looking for accompanists.
You will need to visit some of these churches in person and bring your business card. You will do very well in person because you present yourself very well, you are polite, and people will like you right away. Talk to the musician and let them know you are a music student available to help as a substitute, as choir accompanist, and if they get an opening, you are interested in that.
Jobs in church music: Steady Sunday |
Jobs as ballet accompanist |
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Steady Sunday brings steady pay, and is the best to pay your bills.
For this type of job, you may have to start at a small church that doesn't require you to have a degree in music performance, don't require to play the pipe organ, or having to direct a choir. Starting simple will get you the experience to move up into better paying jobs.
I was not able to find one in Philly without a college degree requirement. This one below doesn't requirer a degree but requires experience and to know how to play the organ. Principal organist at Holy Family Church. Philadelphia. Requires experience https://npm.org/job/holy-family-church-philadelphia-pennsylvania-principal-organist/ Jobs in church music: playing for weddings and funeralsThese jobs are not steady but they don't require a degree. You need contacts or a talent agent.
You also need a solid repertory of music that is played on weddings and funerals and know it perfectly. No mistakes are allowed on a wedding performance. I can provide you with all this, but you will need to learn it almost by memory because a lot of things happen while you are playing and you have to adjust to circumstances. Jobs in music production
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Here we could use your previous experience as a ballet dancer. You already know how rehearsals work and that experience would be in your favor.
Action: Contact a local ballet school in your area and ask an instructor what repertory you should learn if you want to prepare to work as a ballet-school accompanist.
Jobs in background musicYou will need contacts, or a talent agency to represent you and bring you gigs.
You will need a demo, a website, business cards, and ways to be easily found on the web. You will need to have repertory, songs you can play to cover about 2 hours of music. Teaching jobsHere is one in Chevy Chase, MD. Perhaps there are similar ones in Philadelphia. Notice that it does NOT require a college degree but to be enrolled as a student towards a degree.
https://www.ziprecruiter.com/jobs/chevy-chase-arts-academy-d908bd31/music-teacher-6d76f823?enc_campaign_id=e5c5742c&tsid=122004412&utm_source=channel-st&utm_campaign=id-644%7Csearch-Education+ |
Material to prepare for accompanying and church jobs
Here are some hymns you would likely find at a church service, both Protestant and Catholic.
Traditional choral hymns
Prepare the melody.
Inner notes not essential until you learn it well. Base your playing on structural chords
Arrange:
1- LH chords, RH melody
2- LH bass, RH mel + chord
3- Chord symbols
Inner notes not essential until you learn it well. Base your playing on structural chords
Arrange:
1- LH chords, RH melody
2- LH bass, RH mel + chord
3- Chord symbols
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Contemporary hymns. Written accompaniment
COMING SOON
Contemporary hymns. Chord symbols
Vertical playing versus more flowing accompaniment (LH = 1-5-8). More gentle than vertical
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Gospel / Spirituals style hymns
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You can swing the 8th notes
Reducing chords to essential motions Gospel-style movement of chords using the notes of the scale. Crawling chords LH can use a more rhythmic bass when chords and melodies are on the RH |
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Material to prepare for accompanying jobs
Classical Performance - related jobs. Audition material
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Draft program of study in chronological order:
Bach: C minor prelude and fugue (new) Beethoven: 2nd movement from the Pathetique Sonata Nr. 8 in C minor Op. 13 Chopin: Etude Op. 25 nr. 1 in A-flat Major (Aeolian Harp) (add-on: Chopin revolutionary etude) (add-on: Chopin F#m Prelude) List: Consolation Nr. 3 Rachmaninoff: Prelude Op. 23 Nr. 5 in G minor (Add-on: Rachmaninoff Prelude in D minor) (new) Debussy: Rêverie Goussev: L'Ouragan |
Strategy goals:
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Scales. Levine Curriculum Level Seven |
Level 7
Level 8
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March-22
Level Seven For next lesson, scale: B Major The progression for 2c and 3a goes like this: I – i – bVI6 – vi6 – IV64 – iv64 – I C - Cm - Ab - Am - F - Fm - C |
To order the book of scales: |
CZERNY-Germer |
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SCHAFER Sight-Reading. Volume 1 |
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CHOPIN. Prelude F# minorJuly 19
Still working on 4 against 3 as the main issue. |
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CHOPIN. Etude Op25 Nr1 "Aeolian Harp"July 19
Excellent musicality Keep melody finger-legato as much as you can reach with your hand Think fo the sound before you play it Phrasing Mirror notes right before the final arpeggio Attention to inner notes not to be too heavy when you are playing in "f" dynamic range |
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RACHMANINOFF. Prelude Op23 Nr5 Gm |
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Preparing a jazz background gig
July 19
Create your own index and save it in the computer
Create your own collection of charts, no fumbling around charts during the gig
Print all the material in case your electronic device fails.
Create your own index and save it in the computer
Create your own collection of charts, no fumbling around charts during the gig
Print all the material in case your electronic device fails.
Beethoven. Pathetique Sonata 2nd mov
Pending to attach the score
DEBUSSY. Reverie5/25
First page and a bit of the second page. Lots of light touch for the LH and very delicate phrasing for the RH. Here is some help for the 4 against 3: |
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Next repertory pieces
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SUGGESTED PIECES:
BACH Prelude and fugue Nr. 2 WTC 1 C minor (finished) MENDELSSOHN Songs without Words Op.30 Nr. 3 and Op.53 Nr.1 CHOPIN Prelude Op 28 in C minor CHOPIN Etude Op. 25 Nr. 1 "Aeolian Harp" (in progress) CHOPIN Etude Op. 10 Nr. 12 "Revolutionary" RACHMANINOFF Prelude Op23 Nr5 G minor (in progress) DEBUSSY Rêverie (on reserve) LISTZ Consolation Nr.3 (finished) Nikolai, if you already have your own scores, use your own instead of these ones. The scores I provide are just to save you time in case you don't have the scores yourself. |
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JAZZ tips:
II - V - I
2-5-1 in major key
Build the three left hand chords in the key of C Major: Dm7 - G7 - CMaj7
Scales for the RH:
Dm7 = D Dorian (same as C Major)
G7 = Option -1-: diminished arpeggio that contains the 3rd and 7th of the G7 chord (B and F)
Option -2-: diminished scale of the chord you are playing
CMaj7 = C Lydian, which is C Major #4 (F#)
2-5-1 in minor key
Build the three left hand chords in the key of C Major: Dm7(b5) - G7(#5) - CMaj7(9,13)
Scales for the RH:
Dm7(b5): C minor (natural)
G7(#5): C minor (harmonic)
CMaj7(9,13): C minor (melodic)
Build the three left hand chords in the key of C Major: Dm7 - G7 - CMaj7
Scales for the RH:
Dm7 = D Dorian (same as C Major)
G7 = Option -1-: diminished arpeggio that contains the 3rd and 7th of the G7 chord (B and F)
Option -2-: diminished scale of the chord you are playing
CMaj7 = C Lydian, which is C Major #4 (F#)
2-5-1 in minor key
Build the three left hand chords in the key of C Major: Dm7(b5) - G7(#5) - CMaj7(9,13)
Scales for the RH:
Dm7(b5): C minor (natural)
G7(#5): C minor (harmonic)
CMaj7(9,13): C minor (melodic)
Diminished scales |
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November 2
Send me the improvisation you mentioned at the lesson and I will give you my impression on how it can sound better (unless it is so good that there is nothing I can add) The 5 will be the chord producing the real tension. For this one here is a great trick: Raise one whole step up the note of the V7 For example, if G7, take A Build a Major chord from this note Example: A Major (A - C# - E) Each of these resulting notes are the root of the chord we will be adding to the G7 Examples: LH plays G7 while RH plays A Major (9, #11, 13) LH plays G7 while RH plays C# Major (b9, #11) LH plays G7 while RH plays E Major (b9, 13) |
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Link to Nikolai's Youtube Channel with his compositions
Composition "L’Ouragan" (The Hurricane)
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3/16
Analyze your chord progression just like we did today with Bach. Then decide how the different sections affect the way this piece will be played. Dynamics, introverted playing versus extroverted, structural section versus transition, how a transition will be played, as a tension that resolves or no tension, just taking you from one place to the next... etc. Write as much as you can and send it to me as a way to hold you to a deadline. Also, watch the enharmonies that call A# minor to whet really is Bb minor chord/section. You may need to re-name some notes around measure 9. 2/23 Feel free to send me pictures of the scores with your scribbles before committing to transferring the dynamics and phrasings to the editor. It will save you a lot of time. I will gladly look at them and give you suggestions. 2/17 Add all dynamics to your piece and send me a PDF with them before our next lesson so we can discuss them. The sooner before the next lesson the better so it gives me a chance to study the piece before we meet. 2/10 Score received and attached to the side for our reference. We will update this version as other modifications may take place. Next action: While I go through the piece to see how it sounds, you can start adding all the necessary details to make sure your intentions are clearly stated in the score. The first one is to figure out how to indicate which notes form the melody. |
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Pieces already on repertory and ready for performance
CLEMENTI: Sonatina Op.36 G Major. 1st movement
PASSED: CLEMENTI Sonatinas Op. 36
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Video with articulation example
Video practicing slow motion and regular motion
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PASSED. LISTZ. Consolation No. 35/5
Start section: Beautiful melody. Accompaniment could be a bit lighter 14 beautiful 15 attention to the notes 21 don't strike to hard 22 lighter 25 no bass Db 31 too hard a strike 33-34 excellent crescendo-deccrescendo 38 remember "pp" 40 and 41 more effect if you started pp earlier 43-44 LH needs to go into pp so melody on 45 can sing easily 47 Attention to accent 48-49 context is "p" 53 16th notes are an extension of the D half note, not a actual melody 56 very good 59-60 evaporate |
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BACH. Prelude and Fugue in C Minor WTC vol 1 (WTC 847)
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Prelude
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4/7
Still too focused on the individual notes. Let's try practicing phrase by phrase rather than the complete piece. One phrase: - Slowly, as slow as necessary - Bring out the leading notes (top and bass) - Think of the shape of the phrase (4 measures) - Record it as if it was going to be presented in public. Slow is ok but has to sound musical. - You are going to send me a recording of each phrase, but only send me your best. - For the purpose of learning the notes, practice from both ends. |
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