US 42475 "My Best Girl" Fox Trot - Lee Sims piano roll

A video of my 1912 Stroud Metrostyle-Themodist and "My Best Girl" (fox trot) played by Lee Sims. This roll is US - 42475. The song was composed by Walter Donaldson. Lee gives us some of his best tricks in this one; interesting modulations, triplets, key changes, excellent use of syncopation and a heck of a long roll (nearly 4 minutes). Sounds to me as if he liked this tune, or was merely showing off :) My apologies toward the end, there is a bit of note ciphering. The roll had some bridging damage prior to me owning it, and tracking went a bit screwy. This video was made with my digital camera and I added the audio from a digital recording. I hope that you enjoy! Comments are more than welcome!

Erik

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Player
• piano
• rolls
• roll
• Lee
• Sims
• Fox
• trot
• Jazz
• Blues
• Rag
• US
• 42475
• music
• Walter
• Donaldson
• United
• States
• AAErikCO
• Roaring
• Twenties

[RoyAMatson]

I sincerely thank you for sharing your interests, which I share, on YouTube. I am often amazed at how many people don't realise that the EXPRESSION CONTROLS, and some sympathetic interpretation, can turn a mechanical soul-less bashing out of punched holes, into quite pleasant music. The Pianola mechanism you have is capable of SO MUCH more! My suggestion, listen and PRACTICE!! Maybe you'll get to Carnagie Hall, like the old sayint!! Best wishes.

RAM, piano snob.

[AAErikCO]

I'm quite capable of using the expression controls, and I do, including on this roll. And I realize the piano is capable of quite a bit of sound and expression variation, but my digital camera and computer stick microphone franky...arent. I'm putting a lot more dynamics into this than is able to be hear.d. The digital camera I made this with only pics up one volume...LOUD.

Thanks for viewing, please see some of my other videos that have better quality (better audio and video).

Erik

[hotsickle]

:{) THE MUSTACHE WAS HERE

[AAErikCO]

You're always welcome here hotsickle :)

[hotsickle]

and Toto too ?

[AAErikCO]

And Toto too :)

[Yaledmot]

@AAErikCO Absolutely correct. Automatic Level Control in the cameras make expression useless on U Toob. My Beckwith has very nice pneumatic expression controls but everything comes out of the camera at one loud level.

[RoyAMatson]

Erik

Many thanks for your reply to my comments. YouTube is a wonderful site, but as you remarked sometimes the fidelity is lacking! As a "pianolist" myself, my goal is always to effect a natural, "human" rendition, and 99% of the rolls I play on my Bush and Lane Cecilian are reproducing rolls, with the end tracker holes shut off. Thanks for your explanatory reply, AND for putting your piano and music on YouTube! Duplicating a 'hand played' performance is my goal too.

Roy Matson

[coltello12]

Fantastic !!

[AAErikCO]

No problem, thanks for visiting!

[AAErikCO]

Reply Part 2 -

When I played Fowler's Hot Strut during a performance concert at my 'Classically aimed" university, I had them tappin' their feet, (in unfamiliar territory!), but I did it none the less; seems a lot of schools write off anything thats "contemporary"..