Happy September Piano Friends! Lately I have been posting a lot of classical sheet music, so today I thought I would offer something popular. I watched Sleepless in Seattle lately and was reminded of how much I like the song Bye Bye Blackbird. In the movie, the little boy Jonah’s mother used to sing it to him when he had nightmares, and the song is featured throughout the movie.
I have arranged Bye Bye Blackbird for Advanced, Intermediate and Easier-to-Play (not exactly for the earliest beginners, but will be a comfortable challenge for those who have been playing for 6 months or more.)
ADVANCED
The Advanced arrangement is available for only a year, so print it now!
I have made a demonstration video of how an advanced player might approach my arrangement. Notice that I am keeping strict time with my left hand accompaniment, but I play the right hand melody with a rubato jazzy feel. With popular music, especially jazz, you don’t necessarily have to play the melody exactly as written, but you do want to keep a constant beat with your left hand.
INTERMEDIATE
For Intermediate players, both hands stay in time, and there are fewer notes and chords:
EASIER to PLAY
Beginners might like to try this arrangement I call “Easier to Play” because nothing is EASY when you are first learning to play the piano. There are so many notes to learn when you are a beginner! Just take it slowly, learning a few measures at a time.
I hope you or your students enjoy playing one (or all!) of these arrangements. Bye Bye Blackbird has been recorded by Joe Cocker [excerpt from Sleepless In Seattle], Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Miles Davis and so many other artists!
September has always been the time for new beginnings: new classes, new clothes, new school supplies, new projects, the bountiful Fall harvest, and the gradual drawing back within our homes and ourselves as the climate cools. Besides loving the stunning colors of Fall I enjoy the quiet time between the busy summer and holiday seasons because it can be an optimal time for focus and intention. If you are like me, “more piano” has always been at the top of my Autumn to-do list. Remember that cognitive science shows that short daily exposure to a challenging skill reaps better rewards than one long practice session per week. Try to play for at least 10 minutes per day, at least 5 days per week, to keep progressing.
What are you playing now? Leave us a comment below so that we can support your practice! Are there any pieces you plan to study this Fall? Hope you are staying safe and cool wherever you are. With love and Music, Gaili
P.S. If you are new to this blog, welcome! I am a veteran piano teacher of 35 years! I post free sheet music every month, arranged for beginning to intermediate piano students, plus posts to motivate and inform. I have written piano instruction books specifically for adults 50+ (UpperHandsPiano.com), younger adults and teens (PianoPowered.com), Songs of the Seasons piano sheet music books for seasonal classical and popular favorites, and my latest piano/guitar/vocals books called The Music Remedy – sheet music collections to restore and revitalize the spirit. Check out my books on the websites above, or click below to view them on Amazon.com. Thanks for your support!
I absolutely love that even the advanced arrangement is written so clean and clear- I LOVE having sheet music for 50+, I feel like it was written just for me! Everything I have played that you have posted is easy to understand and so enjoyable to play! Thank you so much for all you do!
Wow, thank you Nicole! I so appreciate your comment and I’m glad you are finding my arrangements easy to read. That is definitely my intent- to create arrangements without the extra non-vital fluff that just obscures the notes. Thanks for making my day 🙂
I love how you described fall as “the quiet time between the busy summer and the holiday seasons.” That’s exactly it for me too, but I’d never put words to the feeling. Just reading that makes me feel relaxed. Thank you for all you share for free. This song is lovely!!
Thanks Anna, I’m so glad my words helped you to feel relaxed. We all need to remind ourselves to slow down and breathe deeply. I can’t wait for the cooler weather and the slower pace of Autumn. Thanks for your sweet comment
Ooh, I’m really looking forward to this one. I watched “Sleepless in Seattle” recently and found the score so moving.
Oh that’s great! Yes it’s one of those films I like to watch every few years. And I love the songs in it- besides Bye Bye Blackbird I love Jimmy Durante singing Make Someone Happy and As Time Goes By, Ray Charles singing Over the Rainbow, Gene Autry singing Back in the Saddle Again, and so many other great songs! Hope you enjoy the arrangements. Best, Gaili