Poseur to Composer

On August 17, 1959 one of the best selling and most critically acclaimed jazz recordings of all time was released. What serendipity that on the same day, 60 years later, I finally played the opening chords to this epic classic!

Yes, my latest Fiverr gig was completed and the midi file of So What (the first 28 seconds of it anyway) was delivered. I opened the midi file with MuseScore software, but that only shows me the musical notation. Musical notation doesn't indicate what octave the treble and bass clef notes are in, or what the root of the chords are. I want animations of the keys and chords being played, like this:

Screenshot of Piano From Above. Photo by Derplet, available under the CC-BY-SA licence.

Turns out I need software called Synthesia... and $29 US to unlock the ability to view your own songs. Fortunately for cash-strapped me I found a free open source alternative called Piano From Above. Once I opened the midi file with Piano From Above, I could see falling notes like manna from heaven. I finally see how to play those otherworldly opening chords from Bill Evans.

Turns out I was playing the bass clef and treble clef in different octaves, thus never getting the harmony right.

Until today.

I found a jazz keyboardist on Fiverr. For a small fee he records an instructional video showing how to play any song on the keyboard. I contacted him and asked if he could show me how to play the first 28 seconds of So What. Not the whole song, just the intro. He agreed and I ordered the gig.

That was four days ago.

Yesterday morning he messaged me: he was sick and delivery would be late. He has not been heard from since. No delivery, no updates. I messaged him this morning but he has not replied. I'm starting to think the assignment killed him. Those ethereal, otherworldly opening chords have a body count!

Don't believe me? Last month I reached out to three piano/keyboard instructors. I asked if they could teach me the intro for So What and a price estimate for the service. Two never replied back. One did and enthusiastically agreed to teach me via email. He would send me diagrams and a video of how to play it.

Then he went dark for a week. When I asked for an update, he backed out.

Today another keyboard instructor bites the dust!

I'm giving it another try on Fiverr. A composer took the gig this morning and promises to deliver a piano midi in five days. Part of me hopes he just makes it out alive.