Piano notes The ChainSmokers — Takeaway Sheet Music
Illenium feat. Lennon Stella.
Here is a new song in my piano sheet music archive. The original amateur improvisation of a tune. This sheet music is created in a transformative manner. Plus music notes in the arrangement doesn't copy any existing material.
Piano Player Ability Rating: Advanced
To print piano sheet music save the direct PDF
Practicing tips.
Song is written in a non-binary verse-chorus form. It has many parts that got to be played differently.
This song follows the traditional model for the EDM form. Its rhythmic basis is sustained throughout, so the LH’s principal duty will be to provide a rock-steady dance footing.
The underlying dotted rhythm is also a signature of The Chainsmokers, and especially the obsessive, compulsive side of their music.
Articulation
Clarity and precision in articulation are essential.
Your tone should be warm and gentle to avoid over-done your playing. To sound quietly, keep your fingers close to the keys and do some firm practice from the knuckles.
Accent every note, varying the accents each time you play. Once played lightly and up to speed, the ornament should flow naturally. It’s worth trying out this technique for the entire song.
Take note of the expression markings. Among the hardest facets of piano playing is controlling a lightness of attack when playing forte coupled with playing at a faster speed.
Chords patterns can become repetitive if not coloured imaginatively and played with rhythmic poise.
Right Hand
Listen to the actual track as you begin to learn the arrangement, in order to balance parts in left and right hands.
In playing any piano transcription of a song, the aim is to give the impression of a singer (the RH) that is being accompanied by a pianist (the LH). Imagine a duet between a band and a singer so color the two hands differently. Coordinating the parts may take some time to organise convincingly.
The RH here plays a melody (topline) doubled in octave (since bar 8). Practise slowly at first. To begin with, play the highest notes by itself to develop a confident mastery over the weaker 5th finger. Once the RH top line has settled, add the second-voice accompaniment with a thumb. Your thumb should do little more than brush the lower note in a small circular movement. Because the second voice is played by the stronger finger, it can be difficult to keep the right balance of power.
Look at the bars 30-32 where the topline is missing. Do not play these bars with equal weight, this is likely to obscure the melody. Treat them as a quiet accompaniment.
Don’t forget to bring dynamic colour to your performance quickly moving from piano to forte; play every new part with different volume:
The intro is sprightly and energetic, requiring careful articulation. The RH acciaccaturas should be short and snappy, with the harmony sounding on the beat.
Verses demand a different tone-colour. Give the melody in the RH a beautifully graded, warm tone. Use slightly flatter fingers and imagine that you are trying to pull the sound from the keys rather than striking at them. Articulate tenderly. Guard against any urge to over-project and over-state. Think in long lines, not short phrases.
The pre-chorus (bars 25-32) brings a harmonically strange and hauntingly beautiful transition. At the little bridging passage at 30-31, let the music die down and relax, and make a natural ritardando to bring back the first theme at bar 32.
Save a full weight and depth of tone for the choruses (starts with bar 33). Aim to sculpt the chorus so that it emerges as a thing of real beauty, shapely, nuanced and expressive. Think about the destination of lyrics phrases; remove the hand completely during pauses in singing. Keep the phrases as long as possible. Pedal carefully in this section.
The coda (bar 42 to a repetition of the pre-chorus) requires a full tone and a slight deceleration; place the last chord with a rich, powerful sound and a decisive touch. Shape the bars in order to make a beautiful, yet brief, crescendo. Note the dynamic contrast between pianos and fortes. The dialogue between the two hands at this point is crucial.
Left Hand
After getting familiar with the RH, focus on the LH. This is one of those pieces where the bulk of the practising will be devoted to an accompaniment. The LH is generally soft throughout.
Feel free to arpeggiate the LH chords especially if you can’t stretch your hand yet.
Get your hand in position for each chord before playing it.
A relaxed wrist will help you to balance chords so that all three notes sound at the same time.
Make full use of the pedal when calculating how best to present band’s ingenious harmonies. Be brave, and leap straight in with practising bars 33 to the end.
Avoid tension in the wrist and hand (a danger with repeated patterns) by releasing the muscles swiftly. Practise the LH alone here to ensure a rich and mellow bass.
Pedal
This piece certainly benefits from the added warmth of the pedal, but keep control of your pedalling and listen carefully for any smudges. Using one long pedal held for a whole bar creates a fabulous resonance.
Use the sustaining pedal to colour chords without obscuring the melodic passage work in the RH. The Takeaway should sound light, in the tradition of the light-minded EDM genre; it will not benefit from being bathed in pedal.
More Piano Sheet Music from The ChainSmokers
Free and easy piano sheet music with direct digital preview of music notes.
All credits go to songwriters. The arrangement in sheet music is transformative.
Here is a new song in my piano sheet music archive. The original amateur improvisation of a tune. This sheet music is created in a transformative manner. Plus music notes in the arrangement doesn't copy any existing material.
Piano Player Ability Rating: Advanced
To print piano sheet music save the direct PDF
Practicing tips.
Song is written in a non-binary verse-chorus form. It has many parts that got to be played differently.
This song follows the traditional model for the EDM form. Its rhythmic basis is sustained throughout, so the LH’s principal duty will be to provide a rock-steady dance footing.
The underlying dotted rhythm is also a signature of The Chainsmokers, and especially the obsessive, compulsive side of their music.
Articulation
Clarity and precision in articulation are essential.
Your tone should be warm and gentle to avoid over-done your playing. To sound quietly, keep your fingers close to the keys and do some firm practice from the knuckles.
Accent every note, varying the accents each time you play. Once played lightly and up to speed, the ornament should flow naturally. It’s worth trying out this technique for the entire song.
Take note of the expression markings. Among the hardest facets of piano playing is controlling a lightness of attack when playing forte coupled with playing at a faster speed.
Chords patterns can become repetitive if not coloured imaginatively and played with rhythmic poise.
Right Hand
Listen to the actual track as you begin to learn the arrangement, in order to balance parts in left and right hands.
In playing any piano transcription of a song, the aim is to give the impression of a singer (the RH) that is being accompanied by a pianist (the LH). Imagine a duet between a band and a singer so color the two hands differently. Coordinating the parts may take some time to organise convincingly.
The RH here plays a melody (topline) doubled in octave (since bar 8). Practise slowly at first. To begin with, play the highest notes by itself to develop a confident mastery over the weaker 5th finger. Once the RH top line has settled, add the second-voice accompaniment with a thumb. Your thumb should do little more than brush the lower note in a small circular movement. Because the second voice is played by the stronger finger, it can be difficult to keep the right balance of power.
Look at the bars 30-32 where the topline is missing. Do not play these bars with equal weight, this is likely to obscure the melody. Treat them as a quiet accompaniment.
Don’t forget to bring dynamic colour to your performance quickly moving from piano to forte; play every new part with different volume:
The intro is sprightly and energetic, requiring careful articulation. The RH acciaccaturas should be short and snappy, with the harmony sounding on the beat.
Verses demand a different tone-colour. Give the melody in the RH a beautifully graded, warm tone. Use slightly flatter fingers and imagine that you are trying to pull the sound from the keys rather than striking at them. Articulate tenderly. Guard against any urge to over-project and over-state. Think in long lines, not short phrases.
The pre-chorus (bars 25-32) brings a harmonically strange and hauntingly beautiful transition. At the little bridging passage at 30-31, let the music die down and relax, and make a natural ritardando to bring back the first theme at bar 32.
Save a full weight and depth of tone for the choruses (starts with bar 33). Aim to sculpt the chorus so that it emerges as a thing of real beauty, shapely, nuanced and expressive. Think about the destination of lyrics phrases; remove the hand completely during pauses in singing. Keep the phrases as long as possible. Pedal carefully in this section.
The coda (bar 42 to a repetition of the pre-chorus) requires a full tone and a slight deceleration; place the last chord with a rich, powerful sound and a decisive touch. Shape the bars in order to make a beautiful, yet brief, crescendo. Note the dynamic contrast between pianos and fortes. The dialogue between the two hands at this point is crucial.
Left Hand
After getting familiar with the RH, focus on the LH. This is one of those pieces where the bulk of the practising will be devoted to an accompaniment. The LH is generally soft throughout.
Feel free to arpeggiate the LH chords especially if you can’t stretch your hand yet.
Get your hand in position for each chord before playing it.
A relaxed wrist will help you to balance chords so that all three notes sound at the same time.
Make full use of the pedal when calculating how best to present band’s ingenious harmonies. Be brave, and leap straight in with practising bars 33 to the end.
Avoid tension in the wrist and hand (a danger with repeated patterns) by releasing the muscles swiftly. Practise the LH alone here to ensure a rich and mellow bass.
Pedal
This piece certainly benefits from the added warmth of the pedal, but keep control of your pedalling and listen carefully for any smudges. Using one long pedal held for a whole bar creates a fabulous resonance.
Use the sustaining pedal to colour chords without obscuring the melodic passage work in the RH. The Takeaway should sound light, in the tradition of the light-minded EDM genre; it will not benefit from being bathed in pedal.
More Piano Sheet Music from The ChainSmokers
Free and easy piano sheet music with direct digital preview of music notes.
All credits go to songwriters. The arrangement in sheet music is transformative.