Now, I know that during the Computer Blue performance in Purple Rain, Prince plays a small guitar solo rendition of Father's Song," the song that Francis L. is playing on the piano just before the performance. But I don't really get why he played it. And I think it's amazing that he could just hear it once and then be able to play the melody chords.

Why?

Why not!

What I ment to ask was how? I mean, P only heard it once, and it wasn't written down.

{NOTE: I already think my own thread's pointless.}

You know it's a movie , iow not real !
He probably had to try it a few times before he could play it

Apparently this is a part in the movie that is semi-biographical. Since he couldn't read music as a teen, he used to be able to pick up and play songs on the fly that he just heard. It's very mozart like but a true fact. I guess it's another reason he is cosidered a musical genious. Simply amazing!!! He kinda gives some insight into this in the article in drummer magazine where he states he used to hear songs on the radio and play to the beats on a cardboard box cause he didn't have a drum set. He did the same as a young boy playing the theme to batman on the piano. Guitar is pretty much a piece of cake for this guy. Knowing he plays pretty much every instrument under the sun, he can pretty much do anything.... If you read quotes from other artists... there simpley amazed when he invites them to paisley and he's able to play there music without blinking and eye. This talent will never be appreciated until his passing. Like most artists, the hendrixes, mozarts...talents weren't appreciated till they were gone. Unforuntate....

I can do that too , mostly , nothing to it if you play guitar for years
[Edited 1/13/05 8:49am]

Mrok said:

Sorry for the spelling... I did this quick cause i'm at work.

Its a movie...

Like the scene where he's Transposing Purple Rain into Piano in a matter of seconds just by hearing it
C'mon
Chords right and all?
it takes a few hours to get the whole thing right man

Does anybody have the link for Father's Song. There used to be one. I really like that song.

Miguel

My grandmother could literally hear a song and then sit down and play it on the piano, chords and all. She never had any formal training in piano - she just had the gift of music and of being able to play by ear. It was amazing.

I wish I had such a talent. I loved watching her play, it was like something instinctual just took over in her and she could do it. I think Prince is like that.

It's beautiful on the piano. I watched Purple Rain for the first time a few weeks back... I always loved the guitar solo on Computer Blue and never realised it was actually composed by his father until I read it in Purple Reign.

Would LOVE a link to it.

Luv4oneanotha said:

I learned to play it in about 10 minutest with the chords and all. I just have an ear for it so it doesnt take hours it's more like minutes. People who study piano by ear and the notes already know what chords are being played just by hearing them so that part was understandable.I think part of the reason he used his father's song was to (in a way) get back at his father for upsetting his mother in the pervious scene and also because it sounded so great and was a way for him to let his father's music be heard. In this movie he,like many young girl's relationships with thier mothers, (or at least mine) couldnt stand his father but also was very similar to him. So similar that he could understand his father and the things that he goes thruogh. I dunno this is just what I got from watching the film.

if u play guitar it's VERY easy to hear something and play it

Teighgirl33 said:

yah yah i play by ear as well and Purple rain is a simple gem to get in 10 min
but a couple a seconds?
no...
sorry
can't be done, lol unless you wrote the damn song
which he did lol

ITS A MOVIE!

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Do you mean a link to the sheet music for it?

I apologize if I sound ignorant I'm just not clear on what you are looking for, but I do have the sheet music for that song (I have the PR songbook) and could scan it for you if that would be helpful.

I think Father's Song is one of Prince's lovliest arrangements.There's a sadness in it that gets me everytime.

SnowQueen said:

That would be nice but what I'm actually looking for was a link posted many months ago. It was on this other artists web site. It made it sound like he's the one who actually recorded the piano part to it. There was an mp3 you could download. It sounded like the exact song from the movie.

I used to have the sheet music from the Purple Rain song book. Kick me, I think I lost it.

Miguel

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Ooooh, I see. I'm sorry I can't help you with that other link. I'd like to hear that mp3, too. I hope someone else can provide the link.

If you do want me to scan the sheet music from the songbook or whatever, please let me know. I'd be glad to do it.

Come on now, it ain't that hard to play by ear. Who said he got every note exactly the same as Francis L or Wendy & Lisa? The Kid already had it in his head and he just took off with his own version of it. As long as you aren't trying to hit it note for note (Prince doesn't read sheet music), playing by ear ain't too hard.

SnowQueen said:

If it wouldn't be too much trouble that would f*ng ROCK!!!! I can read music. Played sax for 6-7 years then gave it up. I like to play around with my keyboard. My email is on my profile.

Snowqueen, you are beautiful. If a gay man says that, you know it's a fact.

Miguel

Hey, Purple Rain is very simple, anyone with a half of a decent year can pick that chord progression in less than 30 seconds. It's kidna predictble.

i dunno know why but its brilliant! especially coming in the movie when it does wendy? yes lisa....

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

It's absolutely no trouble at all. I will scan and email the images to you later tonight.

My cousin played sax all during high school. She loved it. I've never played a wind instrument, only the piano. I tried flute once but it made me dizzy so I didn't continue. lol

And thank you Miguel. You are truly a sweetheart.

Mrok said:

ahh haaaa, had to hurry before the supervisor came by, huh???

***this is one of my favorite cuts from the movie...the take i got was that it was an extention of Prince & his father's talk about love & getting married, remember "U gotta girlfriend.....don't EVER get married" my ear playing says "Computer Blue" is "Father's Song" with a different tempo - same vibe on the chords...i play by ear 2 so can't say what the chords r....n the playing they definately 'feel' the same...only faster...yeah, that 'ear' of Prince's can either inspire u 2 work a whole lot more or consider just throwing n the towel as a musician....u can't imagine what it can B like growing up with someone with talent like that; i have a buddy from grade school with the same kinda talent=could play an instrument well the 1st time, re-play a song after 1 hearing, all that...with a timeless attractiveness & a 6/7/58 BDay 2!!!my world is so curious...they don't call B strangeButTrue 4 nothing

sexkitten04 said:

& If you sing, play guitar, bass, piano, & drums & are a brilliant songwriter, producer & arranger it's even easier.

Everyone made such a big deal of him playing purple rain on the piano after listening to the tape a few times. That's what musicians who play by ear do.

Father's Song in Computer Blue is BRILLIANT! His father is very key in what he's about. He saved all the money on shrinks and put it into the movie. Purple Rain is biographical.

The piano version of purple rain (via the movie) that he plays is Fantastic!! if someone has a link to that too, it would be awesome!!!

I like this part of the movie. Just after he is talking with his father about why he beat up Ma, and Prince is in awe of the song. Francis L asks "Do you have a girlfriend?" Yeah. You gonna get married? I don't know. Whatever you do, DON'T get married.

Next scene there is Prince jamming 'Computer Blue' and Wendy is simulating oral sex while Prince wears an eye mask. Now he is listening to his Dad about those women.

Btw, the version on piano in that segment of the movie is beautiful especially the part at the end with the beautiful chords after the melody. I have never heard Prince put that part in during live performances of 'Father's Song'.

Mrok said:

Yep...I 2nd everything u said. I don't even think Prince's "die-hard" fans appreciate his enormous talents. When you see extremely talented professional musicians and veteran sound engineers make comments about how "frighteningly talented" Prince is, you get a better understanding for his gifts. He will not be TRULY appreciated in his lifetime. Sad but true.