The Mellotron Group

I think part of the trouble is that the underlying tune isn't very interesting and doesn't really lend itself to that kind of florid development a simpler arrangement might be more effective. He does play very well. I bet he does practice at a couple of hours per day.

Writing as beginner/ intermediate pianist it is amazing the difference practising scales makes to playing, being a stubborn latecomer to the piano it took a couple of years for my teacher to persuade me to practice them, but it has made a huge difference to my playing.

Mark

--- On Wed, 4/7/10, Mike Dickson <mike.dickson@gmail.com> wrote:

From: Mike Dickson <mike.dickson@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Rick Wakeman - And You And I - grand piano
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, April 7, 2010, 4:56 PM







 



  


    
      
      
      



Rick Blechta wrote:



 

  
  
  On Apr 6, 2010, at 3:57 PM, Mike Dickson wrote:
  

  Interesting,
yes. My major gripe with RW though is that he has only one chop. It's
all so bleeding monotonous.

    
  
  

  In looking at it again, I see what you mean. I never went in for
his solo things, and now that I think about it, that's probably the
reason. He is very adept at arpeggios and scale passages, but in
listening to some of his other works, they rely on the same things to a
great extent. It's too bad he doesn't have someone who has his respect
who could challenge him to dig a little deeper, because it's obvious
that he is really musical. Makes me wish I'd spent more time with
scales and arpeggios!
  
  
  



The scales, arpeggios and the endless trilling bother me a
lot. I also reckon you could take any one fifteen second snapshot of
that particular piece and it would be instantly recognisable as
Wakeman. There is no space, no let-up, no room for breathing in it at
all. I'm sure prog-heads the world over think that's great as the
more notes it has then the better it must be but to me it's like
listening to a squalling kid who won't shut up so he gets the attention
he demands. It's all so needy.