funny warm up songs
April 19, 2019 3:22 PM Subscribe
What are some songs I can "warm up with" on keyboard before a show to amuse myself and others? difficulty: not actually a musician.
I'm going to be playing a keyboard in a bunch of shows with a new wavey/punk kinda band. I'm looking for some ideas for songs to noodle around on as we're setting up, for checking levels, etc. But! I'm not a musician and can't play anything other than single notes at a time (luckily that's all I need to be able to do for this band!)
I'd love to find some songs that would be easy enough for me to figure out in advance and play as a warm-up. Things that might be recognizable to some and/or get a chuckle. Any genre will be considered. Ironic or goofy is fine but not required.
I'm going to leave out details about the potential audience in order to avoid sounding like a dork. I'll be embarrassing myself on a Microkorg and literally at the level of "I have a cheat sheet telling me what notes the keys are". I don't really know modern pop songs so probably not so much of those, and I'm also not so interested in modern indie stuff. As one very specific example, I'll probably be learning the intro to this. And no need to tell me how to play things at the moment! I'm just looking for ideas.
Thanks!!
I'm going to be playing a keyboard in a bunch of shows with a new wavey/punk kinda band. I'm looking for some ideas for songs to noodle around on as we're setting up, for checking levels, etc. But! I'm not a musician and can't play anything other than single notes at a time (luckily that's all I need to be able to do for this band!)
I'd love to find some songs that would be easy enough for me to figure out in advance and play as a warm-up. Things that might be recognizable to some and/or get a chuckle. Any genre will be considered. Ironic or goofy is fine but not required.
I'm going to leave out details about the potential audience in order to avoid sounding like a dork. I'll be embarrassing myself on a Microkorg and literally at the level of "I have a cheat sheet telling me what notes the keys are". I don't really know modern pop songs so probably not so much of those, and I'm also not so interested in modern indie stuff. As one very specific example, I'll probably be learning the intro to this. And no need to tell me how to play things at the moment! I'm just looking for ideas.
Thanks!!
You could play typical learning-how-to-piano music - Ode to Joy, Chopsticks, that sorta thing.
posted by divabat at 3:50 PM on April 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by divabat at 3:50 PM on April 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
I feel like the opening of Europe's The Final Countdown would be a good addition.
posted by General Malaise at 3:53 PM on April 19, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by General Malaise at 3:53 PM on April 19, 2019 [6 favorites]
Frogger Theme can be played on mostly black keys (start on B♭).
posted by rhizome at 4:10 PM on April 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by rhizome at 4:10 PM on April 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
axel f theme song from Beverly Hills Cop?
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 4:34 PM on April 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 4:34 PM on April 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
Just pick a famous progression. There are dozens that will feel familiar to most audiences.
I am a big fan of the ‘sensitive punk’, 4 bars of 4/4, it goes:
Amin, F, C, G, -or-
vi, IV, I, V
It is used by Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Offspring and Natalie merchant and Joan Osborne, etc.
Just hit that root note with your left index finger and noodle over the relevant notes with your right index finger; it’s a great two-finger jam recipe.
Bonus: flip it into I-vi-IV-V, and it becomes a classic 50’s Rock feel that can also serve as psychedelic and rockabilly, etc.
TLDR: I think you will be best served with a few patterns that cover zillions of songs loosely, rather than specific songs in a specific key.
posted by SaltySalticid at 4:39 PM on April 19, 2019 [5 favorites]
I am a big fan of the ‘sensitive punk’, 4 bars of 4/4, it goes:
Amin, F, C, G, -or-
vi, IV, I, V
It is used by Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Offspring and Natalie merchant and Joan Osborne, etc.
Just hit that root note with your left index finger and noodle over the relevant notes with your right index finger; it’s a great two-finger jam recipe.
Bonus: flip it into I-vi-IV-V, and it becomes a classic 50’s Rock feel that can also serve as psychedelic and rockabilly, etc.
TLDR: I think you will be best served with a few patterns that cover zillions of songs loosely, rather than specific songs in a specific key.
posted by SaltySalticid at 4:39 PM on April 19, 2019 [5 favorites]
Rugrats Theme Song
posted by bleep at 4:54 PM on April 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by bleep at 4:54 PM on April 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
? & the Mysterians - 96 Tears is instantly recognizable and pretty easy to pick out.
posted by bcwinters at 5:23 PM on April 19, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by bcwinters at 5:23 PM on April 19, 2019 [2 favorites]
Axel F, Pop Goes the Weasel, Blister in the Sun, melody part of Heart and Soul
( these are things I would jam on the bells in marching band when the drums were playing the cadence. )
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 5:42 PM on April 19, 2019
( these are things I would jam on the bells in marching band when the drums were playing the cadence. )
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 5:42 PM on April 19, 2019
Take me out to the ball game.
posted by borkencode at 7:36 PM on April 19, 2019
posted by borkencode at 7:36 PM on April 19, 2019
I feel like theme songs are definitely the way to go here. Depending on your audience, anything from The Brady Bunch to Duck Tales to Spongebob would work—theme songs with lyrics are your best bet, because you plunk out a couple notes of the melody and half the room's ready to sing along.
posted by mishafletch at 10:18 PM on April 19, 2019
posted by mishafletch at 10:18 PM on April 19, 2019
The Jeopardy Thinking Music
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 5:12 PM on April 20, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 5:12 PM on April 20, 2019 [1 favorite]
As per SaltiSalticid above, it might make sense to learn a couple standard forms and elaborate from there (IME while learning them you will constantly discover things like "Oh, that sounds like the theme from Beverly Hills Cop!").
The Romanesca form is easily transposed and instantly recognizable - Greensleeves and Pachelbel's Canon in D both make use of it, and there are simple versions in just about every beginning piano book.
You could also learn twelve bar blues in a couple keys, a structure which is still surprisingly prevalent in pop.
96 Tears is a great suggestion - it's simple, nearly everyone knows it, but most people won't necessarily know who/what it is.
posted by aspersioncast at 9:41 AM on April 21, 2019
The Romanesca form is easily transposed and instantly recognizable - Greensleeves and Pachelbel's Canon in D both make use of it, and there are simple versions in just about every beginning piano book.
You could also learn twelve bar blues in a couple keys, a structure which is still surprisingly prevalent in pop.
96 Tears is a great suggestion - it's simple, nearly everyone knows it, but most people won't necessarily know who/what it is.
posted by aspersioncast at 9:41 AM on April 21, 2019
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posted by Thorzdad at 3:32 PM on April 19, 2019 [1 favorite]