Without the added complication of notes, the focus can be on rhythmic exercises. Get your students to work on, and to build up, coordination skills away from the keyboard first. The emphasis must be on rhythmic security and the acquisition of fluent jazz playing skills, so it is a good idea to encourage practice which involves working away from the notation. London: Aurum.Ĭheck out the following games: Practice Tips Lang Lang (2009) Journey of a Thousand Miles: My Story. The music here (Top Cat!) speaks for itself. Read Lang Lang’s biography and discover the importance of the Tom & Jerry cartoons for him. Teaching StrategiesĪs the main element here is the rhythmic security and swing feel, it would be wise to do plenty of rhythm games to get that really taut sense of pulse into your student’s mind. Its effect is more to add resonance to the piano tone, for example on the first accentuated RH quavers. The demands on technique here relate to independence of hands and strong chord playing alongside an ability to play with a really taut sense of rhythm and pulse. Even an equal weighting between hands will create an effect which may overburden the RH lines. The textures between hands should be clearly defined.Ĭare should be taken not to over emphasize the LH dynamic.
![topcat cartoon character topcat cartoon character](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1a/85/f5/1a85f5c84a1bffde01196345f050022e.jpg)
There are a number of textural elements to the phrasing and each should be clear and independent of the other part - see below.
![topcat cartoon character topcat cartoon character](https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/t_share/MTc2MjQxNzY2MjUxNTA1NTQz/top-cat-cartoon.jpg)
TOPCAT CARTOON CHARACTER SERIES
Remember that a jazz style is not simply a series of accents, but that phrasing and shaping of the line is as relevant here as it is to classical music. There is a lot of detail here, and you may well be advised to listen not only to the original sound track, but to other swing band tracks, in order to get a clear feel for the idiom. This bright swing mood needs to enjoy a confident, up-beat tempo and a cheeky, not over-earnest approach. Independence of hands is important, so that the walking bass line is not disturbed by the RH syncopations, so be certain to allocate this piece wisely to avoid too much disappointment for a potential student who may not quite be up to the task. This will be a popular piece for many students, especially once they have heard the original version accompanying the cartoon titles.Īny students who do not have a particularly strong sense of rhythm may find this music a challenge. There are plenty of Top Cat episodes, such as this one, on You Tube, but you might be challenged as to how you ration your student's time spent watching the cartoons instead of practising the piece ! Check out further characters to the story here: Its lovable, central, roguish character, known as T.C. Top Cat gained its fame as a popular, animated cartoon programme in the early 1960s, first broadcast in 1961 on the ABC network.