Randy Newman playing acoustic piano and singing “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” from the movie “Toy Story”. This video was recorded live at the Macworld convention in 2008. The song is about two of the film’s characters Woody and Andy, and their strong friendship. Randy Newman, as always, does a great job in delivering a clear message in his song, along with his special vocal style and keyboard playing.
As a piano teacher, here in Portland, I also work with students who are learning to accompany voice with their piano playing, as well as learning composing and songwriting. I often use songs like this to use as examples of how to work with a strong foundation of melody and chord structure to build a song that is memorable, well written, and to the point.
Randy Newman grew up in Southern, California where he began taking piano lessons when he was 6. After moving to in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the age of only 17, Newman started his illustrious career as a songwriter. His influences include blues and gospel, the music he loved when growing up. His songs, many of them controversial, often take the form of a parody of individuals who are socially intolerant, such as his song “Short People”.
For decades, Randy Newman has been making music, singing and writing about the culture around him. He has composed music for numerous films, including “Ragime”, “Toy Story”, “The Natural”, “Maverick”, “Awakenings”, and “Bean”. Newman’s inspiring film scores and songs have earned him awards from the Academy Awards, Emmy, Oscar, and Grammy organizations. The world of American music has been greatly influenced by Randy Newman’s music.
Many of my piano students love playing New Age music. It can be learned fairly quickly and is lots of fun to play. The music flows with a relaxed, evolving soundscape. New Age piano music often brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the listener. It gives students an exceptionally natural connection to the piano. For a piano teacher, this is a perfect kind of music to give students to sharpen their focus on their listening skills.
Getting started with piano or keyboards lessons might be something you have been thinking about for a long time. The quickest and best way to get started is with private, individual lessons. You will learn everything you’ll need to know to become a proficient piano player. Reading music is not such a mystery when you have all the parts broken down in a simple, easy to understand progression. You can learn to play classical, pop, new age, folk, blues and more.
Learning to play piano will give you an extraordinary skill. Playing piano and keyboards will make you more creative and boost your confidence to master challenges. Kids or adults will not only have fun, but will gain tools for self expression and accomplishment. Learning to play piano can be a wonderful and satisfying experience. You can learn to play music from Bach to Beethoven to the Beatles. There is an entire world of classical, folk, pop, blues, jazz, and new age music.