LadyDpiano

How To Play I Look To You by Whitney Houston

I have always been a fan of Whitney Houston, a wonderful, talented lady and her song I Look To You is so beautiful and easy to play with familiar chord patterns in the Key of E. If you're not familiar with the song, listen to these beautiful voice clips by both male and female singers with piano background.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj3CdvZB2To
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLkLFbrnI-E

Whitney Houston
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwlEkiiREFA

Free Sheet Music For I Look To You
http://writtenmelodies.blogspot.com/2009/08/whitney-houston-look-to-you-sheet-music.html

I Look To You Chord Chart

(intro) E E/D# E/C# E/D#

E            E/D#
  As I lay me down
E/C#               E/D#
  Heaven hear me now
A                   A/G#
  Im lost without a cause
A                    B
  After giving it my all
E                   E/D#
  Winter storms have come
E/C#              E/B
  And darkened my sun
A                      A/G#
  After all that I've been through
A                    B
  Who on earth can I turn to

   E    E/D#
I look to you
          E/C#  E/B
I look to you
A                     A/G#
  After all my strength is gone
A               B
  In you I can be strong
   E    E/D#
I look to you
          E/C#  E/B
I look to you      Yeah

A                  A/G#
  And when melodies are gone
A              B
  In you I hear a song
          E   E/D# E/C# E/D#
I look to you

E                 E/D#
  After losing my breath
E/C#                       E/B
  There's no more fighting left
A                    A/G#
  Sinking to rise no more
A                    B
  Searching for that open door
E                          E/D#
  And every road that I've taken
E/C#           E/B
  Lead to my regret
A                         A/G#
  And I don't know if Im gonna make it
A                      B
  Nothing to do but lift my head

   E    E/D#
I look to you
          E/C#  E/B
I look to you      Yeah
A                   A/G#
  And when all my strength is gone
A                  B
  In you I can be strong

   E    E/D#
I look to you
          E/C#  E/B
I look to you      Oh yeah
A                       A/G#
  And when melodies are gone
A                 B
  In you I hear a song
          C#m
I look to you

  C#m/B                  A
(my levee's have broken, my walls have come)

Coming down on me

B             C#m
  (crumbling down on me)

All the rain is falling

     C#m/B              A
(the rain is falling, defeat is calling)

Set me free
   B                  C#m
(i need you to set me free)
  C#m/B                A
Take me far away from the battle

       B
I need you
Shine on me
    E    E/D#
I look to you
          E/C#  E/B
I look to you

A                     A/G#
  After all my strength is gone
A               B
  In you I can be strong
   E    E/D#
I look to you
     E/C#  E/B
I look to you      Yeah

A                  A/G#
  And when melodies are gone
A              B
  In you I hear a song

          E   E/D# E/C# E/D#
I look to you
Yeah
          E   E/D# E/C# E/D#
I look to you
Oooooooh
E
  I look to you

Piano Chords:

C#m/B play B C# E G#

E/C#  play C# E G# B

A/G#  play G# A C# E

E/D#  play D# E G# E

C#m   play C# E G#

E/B   play B E G#

B     play B D# F#

E     play E G# B

A     play A C# E

Another Chord Chart:

Stanza

E  E/D#  C#m  E/G#  F#m  E/G#  A  B  E  E/D#  C#m  E/G#  F#m  E/G  A  B

Chorus:

E  B/D#  C#m  E/G#  F#m  E/G#  A  B  E  B/D#  C#m  E/G#  F#m  E/G#  A  B

Bridge:

C#m  C#m/B  A  C#m  C#m/B  A  F#m  E/G#  A  B  E

I would add the octaves for a fuller bass. Try playing these chords over and over.

I love the bass walk down.

EE/ BEF#G#B

D#D#/ BD#F#B

C#C#/ BEF#G#B

D#D#/ BD#F#B

I hope you enjoy playing I Look To You!

All the best,

LadyD

How Do You Know Where To Start A Song?

Image via Wikipedia

Have you thought of this question and always wanted to ask: "How do you know where to start a song when someone requests that you play it in a certain key?" The answer to this question depends on a number of things.

First, you have to know the degree of the scale on which the song starts; it can then be transposed to any key. Let's say you've been playing a tune in the key of C, and the song starts on G (the 5th degree of the scale). When you play the song in another key it will start on the 5th note of that scale. (To be able to work in this way requires a knowledge of all the scales - 12 key's worth!)

Developing your ear is another very effective way to deal with this situation. To do this, practice hearing intervals; play a C on the piano, and try to hear the note of G (a fifth away). Check yourself on the piano to see how close you are. This should be done with all intervals (3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths, etc.)

Being familiar with the piece and knowing the beginning note and chord is necessary. If it starts on the I chord, you will begin on the I chord in any key; if it is the II chord the same rule applies.

To sum up, go back to the basics. Learn all the scales in 12 keys, and enhancing your ear by practicing intervals. Then, knowing the first note and chord, and its degree of the scale, you can transpose any tune to a different key.

* Great Music Resource:

Learn to Play the Piano By Ear

All the best,
LadyD

Beginning Jazz Piano Lesson

Image by GFX69 via Flickr

Beginning Jazz Piano Lesson

I found this great piano tutorial online. It is very helpful to start with a simple song like Twinkle, Twinkle and learn how to change the melody with your right hand and add those beautiful jazz chords to your left hand. Below you will find a link to a Jazz Survey. I do hope you will take the time to click your answer to this very brief, very short survey. Thanks so much!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JM5FFSN

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star:

* 3 chord song (C, F, G)
* Use diminished chords, 9th, 13th and minor7, major7 chords
* Change melody but keep the same rhythm
* Start 2 or 5 steps higher in r.h. but keep the same interval (distance between notes)

Keep improvising! Thanks for your time with this short jazz survey!
Click here to take survey

All the best,
LadyD