Before we get on board the London Eye, I want to point out that if you only read these articles in the email text, you miss some of the graphics.
I didn’t realise this until a couple of weeks ago, and forgot to mention it in “How Many Ps?” last week.
Please always click on “View The Post” at the bottom of the email, or just go to my website and look for the “Humoresque” tab. All the Humoresques are there, with the most recent one at the top, so you can always re-read any of them if you feel like it.
In “How Many Ps?” there was a table showing how Posture and Poise are different. This table didn’t show up in the email, but it was really helpful in understanding how these two Ps work together.
So if you only read last week’s Humoresque in the email, I suggest you take a look at the table by checking out the actual post on the website.
Which means, from now on, “View The Post”!
Ok, now let’s find out more about the London Eye!
The London Eye is a cantilevered observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames. The “cantilevered” bit means it’s supported by an A-frame on one side only. It takes you 135m up in the air (443 feet) and the diameter of the wheel is 120m.
It has 32 air-conditioned sealed glass capsules, each holding 25 people, who can sit down or walk around inside.
Each rotation takes around half an hour, with the wheel moving at a slow 0.6mph.
It was first opened in March 2000, and was originally intended to be temporary, marking the start of the new millennium. But it proved so popular it is now permanent.
It attracts around 3.5 million visitors a year, and is the most-visited tourist attraction in London.
From the top, and on a clear day, you can see Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral and even Windsor Castle, which is about 30 miles away.
There are set opening hours, and the wheel does not rotate when it’s closed to the public, although the lights are kept on until late, creating a very atmospheric sight.
You get on and off the wheel as it moves slowly past you. It doesn’t stop for you, you have to board it as it passes.
It’s that last bit that concerns Humoresque. Getting on and off the wheel as it moves along is easy enough because it’s travelling so slowly. It would be much harder to do if the wheel went by more quickly, although agile people would still manage.
In music, there’s something called the Groove. In the opinion of many musicians, this Groove is the most important thing in the performance of any piece of music. Some would argue with that statement, and bring forth concepts of Meaning, Expression, Musicality or Tone.
These aspects are all vital too. What is music without Meaning? How can you deliver Meaning without Expression? What contributes to Expression, if not Tone? I agree, but all these aspects are lost if you miss the Groove.
The Groove is hard to define. Playing in time is part of it. Playing with a regular beat (or pulse) is part of it too. The inherent rhythm and style of the music are also features, yet none of these things defines it. The Groove is ineffable: you have to feel it.
Whenever we play with the metronome, and frequently when we play without it, we “count ourselves in”. This means you count one or two bars, either aloud or in your head, before you start to play. This helps you feel the pulse, the tempo and – hopefully! – the Groove. The Groove is there, sliding through the air, waiting for you to board it. When you do, it will take you for a ride, and you will experience panoramic views, not of London this time, but of music.
Think this is fanciful?
Take a look at this video of two people improvising music together. They’re creating it as they play, listening and responding to each other.
The keys player starts with a simple rolling chord progression, setting up the tempo and the mood (Mood is a strong part of Groove, and so is Feel. But these are hard-to-pin-down words!)
The bass player joins in, laying down a repeating pattern of notes, called a riff. He plays this into a machine called a loop station (the pink box on the table), and the loop station will then play the riff on repeat.
The bass player is also a trumpeter!
With the keys player continuing his Groove, and the bass riff rattling through the loop station, the trumpet can now join in, improvising and “jamming along” with the piano. They each give the other space to do interesting things, or they play together by listening intently and responding.
In this way, the music gets a life of its own.
The Groove sometimes deviates from the pulse. With live drums, or when playing solo piano, you can sometimes be a little in front of or behind the beat, and this gives energy and flexibility to the Groove. We might call the Groove “rhythmic subtlety + expressive nuance”. Even so, this definition leaves a lot to interpretation. It’s not very precise. But then, music is all about interpretation, isn’t it.
The Groove is the energy and life-force of the music. It’s there, waiting for you to jump on board and be swept along.
When the Groove is fully alive and driving, your audience will tap their feet, nod their heads or get up and dance! Then again, with a gentle Groove, your listeners will be transported to islands of tranquility, or taken to emotional heights and depths. Music can move people to tears. This isn’t just down to the Groove, of course. You do also need the Meaning, the Expression, the Musicality and the Tone.
But without the Groove, the music would be lifeless.
Even if you are at the very beginning stages of your piano playing, try to get the Feel and the Mood of the music you play. If it’s a lively piece, give it energy. If it’s slow and calm, reduce the energy level and concentrate on making a beautiful sound. At all times, keep in mind the Meaning of the music you’re learning, and hop on board the Groove every time you play. It’s always there, always turning, just like the London Eye!
PS: when I checked out the video of the jazz duo on YouTube, I had a look at the comments underneath. There weren’t many, but one person wanted to know where the two young men got their t-shirts! He’d clearly grasped the point of the Groove!
Humoresque = a whimsical or fanciful piece of music. Be whimsical, be fanciful, but play in time!