One of my two big piano playing goals is to be able to play from a Fake Book. This is music with simply the melody, usually on a treble clef, chords above - the pianist has to provide his own accompanyment. There's really no other way to learn how to do this other than sitting down and doing it. I have started with a collection of Beatles songs in a paperback. I know the melodies, and they are written in the key that the song is performed in. So these are not boiled down, in the key of C, big note arrangements.
Not so easy either. I enjoyed tinkering with For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite, and there are some rather tricky chords in it. Still, I can only manage blocking the chords in the left hand now.
Sightreading the melody is not such a piece of cake either, and finding the proper finger on each note is not happening with any great ease. This needs a lot of work. I forget what fingers are on what notes, look down to find out, then look back up and can't find where on the page I am playing from.
Nothing smooth, but, a few moments musical! Its like cracking a big drive on the golf course or sinking a long putt, something that makes sense, and the whole reason for doing this exercise seems worthwhile.
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