So You Wanna Tickle Those Ivories and Sing About the Concrete Jungle? A (Mostly) Serious Guide to Playing "New York, New York" on Piano
Alright, listen up, you jazzy cats and lounge kittens. You've got that Sinatra swagger, the city that never sleeps thrumming in your veins, and a burning desire to serenade your cat about it all – with your own two piano-playing paws. Welcome to your crash course in tickling the ivories to "New York, New York."
Step 1: Ditch the Sheet Music (Unless You're a Fancypants Prodigy)
Let's be honest, sheet music in this situation is about as useful as a taxi horn during rush hour. This ain't a Chopin nocturne, it's a smoky, back-alley blues for the Big Apple. You gotta feel it, smell the hot dogs, dodge the jaywalkers, and channel that energy into your fingertips. Think less Beethoven, more Biggie Smalls.
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Step 2: Learn the Chords (Yes, There Are Actually Chords!)
Okay, maybe a little sheet music wouldn't hurt. Just enough to get you started with the basic D major, E minor, and F# minor chords. Don't worry, they're not brain busters – even Jerry Seinfeld could probably manage them after a few Cosmopolitans. Just remember, these chords are your playground, your concrete jungle sandbox. Stomp on them, swing on them, make them cry "Taxi!" with every flourish.
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Step 3: Channel Your Inner Sinatra (or Liza, or Lady Gaga, We Don't Judge)
This is where the magic happens. Close your eyes, picture yourself in a dimly lit club, smoke swirling around your head, a fedora perched precariously on your cat's disgruntled face. Belt out that intro like you mean it, baby. Let the "I want to wake up in a city that doesn't sleep" roll off your tongue like a perfectly grilled Reuben. Own that melody, make it your own, even if your own sounds suspiciously like a kazoo on helium.
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Step 4: Improvise Like a Boss (or at Least Fake It 'Til You Make It)
Remember that playground we talked about? Time to swing from the monkey bars. Take those basic chords, throw in some jazzy seventh chords, maybe a cheeky chromatic run here and there. Don't be afraid to stumble, that's where the real magic happens. Think of it like navigating the subway at rush hour – sometimes you gotta weave, dodge, and maybe even break into a tap dance to avoid getting trampled. Embrace the chaos, baby!
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Step 5: Remember, It's All About the Attitude
You can have the fanciest fingers in town, but if you haven't got that New York grit, that "I woke up on a park bench and still smell like pizza" swagger, then it's all for naught. So strut your stuff, own your mistakes, and remember – even a wrong note played with enough gusto can sound like a siren's call in the concrete jungle. Go forth, tickle those ivories, and make that piano sing like it just got mugged for its sheet music. Now that's the New York way!
Bonus Tip: If all else fails, just play the intro over and over again. Everyone knows that part, and hey, repetition is the mother of… oh wait, wrong song. Anyway, just play the intro. It's catchy.
And there you have it, folks. Your (mostly) serious guide to tickling the ivories to "New York, New York." Now go forth, make those keys sing, and remember, if you can survive rush hour traffic, you can conquer this song. Just don't forget to tip the piano man… or, you know, maybe buy your cat a fedora.
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