Book 5: Interviews

So, as required by the assignment sheet of this project, I needed an interview. And what better person to interview than my piano teacher, Mrs. Lena (Don't ask for her last name. I only ever remember my mom referring to her by anything but her Chinese name, so that's all I know). I have the questions as well as the answers below. The answers mostly aren't all her direct quotes unless specifically put in quotations as most are just my notes from the interview in sentence form.

1. What is your history with music?

"I started playing piano when I was 8 years old. It was a special privilege to me as not many families even owned piano's at the time where I lived (China). I played often and didn't really think about practice as practice. Playing piano to me was more like playing rather than practicing. I went to college for music, before marrying my husband, and moving here. Then I began teaching piano and performing occasionally. Mostly I just teach now."

2. How did you get intro transcribing music?

"Back then, we couldn't go onto the internet and find sheet music for any song like you guys do today. Sheet music then was contained within expensive books that you had to buy. There often weren't many songs in there. So, I decided trying to learn songs by ear that I heard from either my teacher, or tunes hummed by people. I started writing down what I had heard. I didn't know that I was actually transcribing music until I moved to America.

3. What is the importance of learning this skill?

"I think that it was more important in my time because there wasn't really any other way to be able to plays songs that you wanted to play. But it is still important to you as it adds to your musical ability. Anything that can add to the ways that you can use the piano is good for you. This is especially good as it trains your musical ear."

4. Do you have any tips for new transcribers? 

Pick songs that you really want to play over songs that you simply think will be easy. "My first songs were simple tunes because they were all I had at the time, but you should be able to do much more." Find the melody first, as this is most of what you will remember from the song. By getting the melody, it will make getting the harmony much easier. Also, don't be too worried about getting all the details at first. Just go through the song. You can always go back and add what you want once you have the basic composition down.  

5. Are there any songs or types of songs that you would suggest beginner transcribers start out with?

Simple jazz songs usually are good. Really anything without many key changes and accidentals are good for beginners. 

6. Do you have any tips to improve the rate and quality in which I can transcribe something by ear?

Practice. "When I first started, it took me many tries until I got the tune from the piano to match the tune from my head. It will take some time, but it gets easier because you begin to develop a sense for the sounds."