LilyFestre (calm down - take a deep breath - put the books in the closet for awhile.)

Like you I was classical in my training - however, aside from memorized performance pieces I was at a loss without some-sort of sheet music, ANY sort of sheet music was fine.

In a theory class it is frustrating to have vocalists get A's on intervals, and I had a hard time telling if the tone was even higher or lower.

However, ANY "pianist" "keyboardist" should be able to sit down and wizz-out Happy Birthday, or For He's a Jolly Good Fellow it is a shame to have the training and lack the ability to have a gang belt out Clementine without searching for a book.

EPIPHANY for me came with a two night, university extension class.
The entire world (almost) of western music is ONE, FOUR, FIVE.

Start with nursery rhymes, move to a couple simple tunes, pickout one new song a day; begin to add left hand and florishes (use half-step blues bends up or down) When you can do a hundred in the key of "C" take one and do it in C and then F and then G....(don't forget Bb - get it in early - soon you might find a sax wants melody) and try doing a simple one in ALL twelve keys...and then another in all 12, and another.

My sight-reading has gone to Hull.....Last weekend "Concerto in C," by some ghostly hand, slipped off the shelf and nosed its head under the door - gave it a run-through, I'm out looking for two oboes and French horns....or another pianist.

In the mornings I awaken to Public Broadcast Radio, they always have brief melodies as "bumpers" into new reports - as I stumble towards the kitchen - the keyboard is enroute - the challenge is to recreate that brief segway on the way to the coffee.

After the folk tunes, move onto the blues and shortly behind their heels you will find jazz creeping in.

HAVE FUN - it is NOT hard - it will take about three years before you are able to follow the sax/vocalist/clarinet lead in any key.

It will take about three days and you will be able to toast B-Days and Jolly Fellows in the key of C. (I,IV,V - one, four, five, - C, F, G)

My personal groupings are now:
Jazz Classics
Blues Classics
My Own Sh!t
Patriotic (big demand)
Folk trad
Folk ribald
Hymns
Christmas

At one point, I forbid myself from using ANY printed music for several months.

PLEASE -

Have Fun!!!

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Don't be angry with Bobert - his parent's ignorance became his loss - it is MUCH easier to learn by ear at our age than it would be for us to NOW learn classical with arthritic fingers, hemroids, blurred vision, halitosis, weak bladder, and memory loss. You and I have cavorted with genius and can step back in awe - while others are happy with only turkey and straw.