This installment features the Elton John/Bernie Taupin song "Yellow Brick Road" and the Justin Hayward (Moody Blues) song "The Voice".

I've been mainly a guitar player for most of my life but started getting more serious about the keyboards a few years back and was really enjoying playing tons of songs that were not practical on guitar including a bunch by Elton John but never Yellow Brick Road. The title song of an epic album like that. Ah, no. But,,, you know, it does have some cool piano parts so why not at least learn them. And so it began.

It's also a moderately complex song so I was also pleased to have captured a structurally complete version of the song. Even with the less than perfect keyboard stylings. I could have easily edited them out but decided to keep them in since the recording otherwise has no edits.

The other song this week, "The Voice" from the Moody Blues was another one that surprised me when played with just keyboard-and-voice. How could ANY Moody Blues tune work with a keyboard and singer? Nothing ventured, I found a lead sheet for the song and was pleasantly surprised to find that I could not only play it but my voice sounded a lot like Justin Hayward himself. I've not yet recorded it but have since started playing The Voice along with Tuesday Afternoon which is another one that suits my voice well and is musically similar.

Though I'd been sticking with a simple piano sound or piano with strings for these performances, I went with a more synthy sound on the Voice to fatten it up a bit. A couple of minor edits were required to put it over the edge but it was a wonderful vocal take so it was worth the extra time and expense.