How To Play “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum [Piano Tutorial/Chords for Singing]

[@PianowithNate]

🔷 A WHITER SHADE OF PALE chords and lyrics chart! echocitymusic.activehosted.com/f/304 🟡 SUPPORT NATE'S CHANNEL 🔷 5-Level Piano Course: www.pianochordbreakthroughs.com/ 🔷 Give Nate a Tip: www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=YWK4H7C57P2VE

[@robertakerman3570]

Never thought I could play this (newbie).

[@sheilamacdougal4874]

Which organ sound would you use on a digital keyboard?

[@jandebeer1508]

@@sheilamacdougal4874 I use the Jazz organ 2 on my Yamaha cvp 107

[@PianowithNate]

@@sheilamacdougal4874 Every keyboard is different in terms of what it offers for sounds...my advice would simply be to use whichever sounds best to your ear!

[@sheilamacdougal4874]

@@PianowithNate Yeah, and on the keyboard I'm using where temporarily located, they all sound like crap. I'm making do with the one called "church organ", which I find the least offensive and most organ-sounding; the beauty of the song manages to shine through despite the sonar limitations. Procul Harem's organist did a fine job on the original. Thanks for everything.

[@colleenkyde8793]

Thanks again, Nate. You make it so easy to follow and understand. I played piano some as a kid and the past few years got back into it. You are by far the best teacher on the internet. I'm old and you have given me hope for this. I'm having fun with it too. Keep them coming.

[@PianowithNate]

Oh wow, there's nothing I'd rather give then hope. Cheers!!

[@thelma-7777]

Great tuttorial and beautiful song, Nate, I think I missed something from what you said. Someone else played the organ solo, right? Well it's just a rhetorical question :) Telma (from Brazil)

[@laurawillmore5462]

Hey Nate, thank you. Do you have the mamma and Pappas all the leaves are brown?

[@teedtad2534]

Great! Nade is a good teacher because he names EACH keynote or chords by letters 🔠☑️ 🔠☑️ when played and keynotes light up when played! . counting is important too! .....🎉 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

thanks¡¡¡¡¡

[@presilavaldez676]

Hi Nate .. will you be able to do tutorials for the ‘out of the woods’ Grammy version Taylor performed live. Pls ❤and the ‘your song’ Tina Arena’s version ❤..

[@AriTavares-xx2tg]

Por favor; ensine onde colocar os dedos, ou em quais teclas, e quais dedos tocar para essa música. Obrigado

[@yayanlalalalala5260]

subscriber from phil. here!! can you please do a cover of leaves by ben&ben 😩😩😩

[@rleifert]

Thanks for your tutorials! Can I suggest "Best Part" from Daniel Cesar ft H.E.R. as the next song?

[@positivegradient]

Very high quality teaching :)

[@rh45sth62]

Nate, you're a star ! ⭐This is one of my all time favorites. Thank you so much, & great tutorial as usual.

[@PianowithNate]

🙏🙏🙏

[@andrealins3373]

Está bom, mas precisa de frases entre as batidas do piano.

[@peterbaker8629]

A very helpful vid - thanks a lot! Request: Since Gordon Lightfoot has just died, any chance you could do a cover of 'If you could read my mind'? I think you could very well do it justice.☸

[@landonwilson9531]

Can you do Stuck on you by Lionel. I can't find any good tutorials to learn one of my favorites. You're my only hope

[@johnedwardpiano]

I keep saying this, Nate. So many wonderful tutorials. I can't keep up. I love it. Hoe about Maybe I'm Amazed

[@rodsanchez3059]

Great video Nate, really appreciate how include some old school along with new songs in your tutorials. You must have an old soul! Thank you.

[@PianowithNate]

I do really love the older songs. People seem to have come to me for the older ones and then I keep getting more and more request for those songs, so I'm just going with the flow :)

[@ginopozzoli5897]

Complimenti,uno dei più semplici e chiari tutorial, bellissimo la parte con l organo.Grazie

[@markbarabas8015]

Such wonderful tutorials you offer, thank you! Could you think about making one that takes us through your process/procedure for transcribing the song and selecting the proper chords? That would go a long way to helping us develop skills to practice this....Mark

[@PianowithNate]

Thats a good idea! In terms of my thought process of how I arrange the piano playing from the underlying chords...that is what I teach in my Piano Chord Breakthroughs course. But I think a shorter video showing the broad strokes of my process making the tutorials...a "day in the life" sort of video could be very cool. I'll mull it over!

[@dandeluca5645]

Please do dear prudence

[@rhclvs]

i really love this song, thank you! can you do players by coi leray in the next tutorial?

[@jayswizzle57]

Great lesson as usual. I just watched a video where Mathew Fisher (the dude who wrote the organ solo) corrected somebody else on this song saying everyone gets the last 2 bass notes wrong. He said everyone plays A and B but it’s actually C and G. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJPIgHqnj9Sii6Msi=2xajK4KK0nb3CA2l

[@rodverdie]

👌👍

[@RobertHallman-z4c]

Nate - thank you for this and so many others. 2 requests here: both from R.E.M. Can you please attempt tutorials of "Find The River" and "Perfect Circle?" Thank you so much!

[@PianowithNate]

I'll check them out! Love all the R.E.M. songs I do know, but I'm not familiar with these

[@robertszello1935]

Great tutorial Nate, well illustrated too. After a few days it's coming on quite nicely. Cheers

[@PianowithNate]

Great to hear!

[@kylejohnson5595]

Yes! Love your choices in songs. I've been playing this one since I was a kid. So cool to see you do it.

[@watchthiscrap]

Wow, are you a professional singer?

[@PianowithNate]

Only in the sense that I sing while I teach, and teaching is my profession 😂

[@rh45sth62]

Just throwing another future tutorial suggestion out there - "I need you" by America ? It's such a melodic little song. Once again Nate, thanks for all your great work.

[@PianowithNate]

I was just thinking about doing some America!

[@Roblox5091]

please do a tutorial for yesterday by beatlessssss

[@PianowithNate]

Good idea!!

[@johnedwardpiano]

Yesterday would be incredible

[@jaimedelavega5595]

Hello there can you upload Ángels Among us by Albama , please thank you

[@stclare58]

Love it Nate! Having a great time with your course too!❤

[@PianowithNate]

Oh I'm so glad to hear that!!

[@laurawillmore5462]

I am sorry the song is California dreaming. Thank you

[@PianowithNate]

It's on my list! I will likely eventually do it...it is a hard one to sing solo since it's all about those interweaving harmonies, and I need to figure out what to do about that flute solo section...

[@mikeszy66]

You're seriously hitting my all-time favorite songs one right after another :)

[@PianowithNate]

😎

[@boldvoltage639]

Request: No Quarter. Zepp. Also, really great teaching, great pace for beginners.

[@PianowithNate]

Cool idea! Thanks for the kind words

[@coreykennedy2077]

Live like we’re dancing- Mura Masa

[@seanstott6168]

Thanks mate I really enjoy your tutorials IAM in Australia just what I needed to get back into playing piano God bless mate from seano pronounced shawno

[@PianowithNate]

Cheers!

[@klemdry4083]

Want you play "Promise me" by Beverley Craven 😊

[@eddiet2]

Before the stroke, I used to be able to play this one well. I'll re-learn it, thanks to you. I've entirely forgotten about this one. Thank you, Nate.

[@PianowithNate]

I'm so glad, Eddie! Enjoy :)

[@edsonmps1]

Muito obrigado. From Porto Alegre, Brazil.

[@williampaganucci1084]

Thank you Nate! I'm looking forward to learning this one. 🎹 👍

[@PianowithNate]

Have fun!

[@WideCuriosity]

A bouncing ball may have been nice over the notes, as sometimes when I lost where you'd gone back to, I found it difficult to find where we were. Apart from that, all I need to do next is grow a third hand ! Cheers.

[@PianowithNate]

Thanks for the feedback! Since I made this video I've been trying to do a little bit more highlighting so people don't lose their place. Cheers!

[@charlieharpman2107]

Heyyy Nate!!! Great song choice!!! What an amazing tutorial. It is very easy to follow as usual. You are very thorough. I have to say that during the organ solo that short middle line threw me off ( hey why isn’t Nate talking about the middle line? ) but then I understood 👍 it is great that you are so specific like with the walk ups!! Great tutorial and great version!!! 🎶😀

[@PianowithNate]

Thanks for all the kind words Charlie, and I'm glad it ended up making sense!

[@micman1000]

Nate.... totally brilliant.. as usual.... You are my number 1 goto for harmonically accurate arrangements.... so so important on this tune in particular. Thanks mate. You are THE MAN.

[@PianowithNate]

Thanks so much!! This is awesome to hear.

[@edward1955ful]

You need a chord chart to show your finger position for the chords.

[@pbw275731]

Wonderful, Nate! Thank you

[@DSMS-nu4vj]

Thanks Nate, very well done! I heard that John Lennon of the Beatles considered it his favorite song and listened to it frequently. Some consider it the best song ever written, as an indication of how popular it has been over the years. I appreciate that you included the organ part!. Paul Potts sings Senza Luce, a great operatic version of this piece, that does not get enough praise.

[@PianowithNate]

Interesting!

[@HARDDRlVER]

​@PianowithNate it's been said that when the song was released, John sat in the back seat of his Rolls Royce and played it for Paul. The song would always bring John to tears. As far as I know, A Whiter Shade of Pale was John's favorite song (and greatest song ever written), as God Only Knows was Paul's #1 pick. The song was actually a bit of a Bach-inspired composition as admitted by Gary Brooker (rip). The best live video of the song was recorded in Denmark in 2006. It's easy to see why it's such a moving song. A very moving live performance by Procol Harum kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaWZm6x7e8poja8

[@PianowithNate]

@@HARDDRlVER That's an awesome story! I have seen this live video it's great, I feel like his voice got a lot better with age!

[@DSMS-nu4vj]

@@HARDDRlVER Great reply and comments. Thank you and thanks to Nate for revisiting it and making a great tutorial!

[@muaddib8427]

@@HARDDRlVER As I know it was inspired by Air on G String and you can immediately hear the resemblance in the intro. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fX7OnoSim7R9es0

[@AdamJamesEarlyChasebliss-ru8tq]

As with so many pieces of music, the thing that makes it, really is the particular instruments, attitude, and atmosphere created in the original instance.

[@PianowithNate]

Totally!

[@pmarosi73]

Thank you. One of my favorites from my younger years. Now I will be able to play it at home.

[@PianowithNate]

Awesome!!

[@kycchau8462]

[@giovanniprofeta3699]

Thanks Nathan, one of my favorites! Give me some time to learn this one before uploading “Nights in white satin” by the Moody blues. That’s another one I know you will be covering very soon!

[@PianowithNate]

HA! Wow, that is a really good idea. It was not on my list, but it is now 😉

[@giovanniprofeta3699]

@@PianowithNate thanks for taking my request in consideration! Here comes another good one: “just a song before I go” by Crosby, Stills and Nash. That’s a catchy tune, one of their greatest.

[@WillyCRodr]

Muchas gracias

[@billhasty5197]

Love It. Thanks Nate.

[@bwalsh6992]

Turn the page ..great song easy too..

[@justin81706]

Yes!!! Thank you, thank you!!!

[@BregoDrummer]

Grazie Nate! Semplice da seguire e precisissimo sia nel canto che nell'esecuzione. Detto da un batterista spero sia un buon complimento!

[@RichardBaken]

Excellent lesson for a truly classic song!

[@chrcc6966]

Thanks

[@Berechtv]

Request lady in red please

[@peterlee1909]

great tutorial, thank you

[@PianowithNate]

Cheers!

[@ericaguirre98]

Outstanding performance and arrangement.

[@PianowithNate]

Thank you so much!

[@noahcr7234]

Hey Nate, thank you very much for this awesome tutorial. What is the organ sound called on your piano?

[@PianowithNate]

Hi! It's actually not coming from my keyboard, but it's a virtual instrument I am triggering in my recording software (Logic Pro) via midi. I think its a hammond but I don't have the session anymore to tell you the exact setting. I would recommend trying the different organ sounds on your keyboard and just picking the one that sounds the best to your ear!

[@noahcr7234]

@@PianowithNate Alright, thank you very much!

[@redwingone]

Nice job.

[@PianowithNate]

Thanks!

[@M.aGhzadeh]

This is nice

[@johnycat7373]

Superb. Thank you 🙏

[@PianowithNate]

My pleasure 😊

[@mary-annfaulks1771]

Would this be on simply piano.

[@PianowithNate]

Perhaps the song is! It likely wouldnt be the same arrangement

[@allannaiker2115]

Awesome 🎉🎉🎉🎉 Well done Trying to learn this amazing song Thank you for such detail and explanation

[@PianowithNate]

My pleasure 😊

[@НиколайПавлов-ж7ч]

Спасибо тебе,Nate! Всё просто и доступно...

[@tonyoppedisano9606]

Great job!!! Enjoyed it very much!!! Thanks 😊

[@PianowithNate]

Cheers!

[@davaxschinko]

Hey Nate...you're great!

[@PianowithNate]

Hey, thanks!

[@klemdry4083]

👏 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏 Great cover 😍 Great song 😍

[@taubclark]

And so it was on G7 or Am?

[@PianowithNate]

“And so it” on G7, back to C on “was”

[@betsyhaber3403]

Thanks!

[@PianowithNate]

Thank you !!!

[@M.aGhzadeh]

The organ solo is fire

[@georgebessette6115]

I love it Nate!

[@ytrichhalo]

Thanks for this. Very clear tutorial

[@PianowithNate]

Glad it was helpful!

[@patrickgracia627]

You make it so easy to learn so I am subscribing.!

[@PianowithNate]

Awesome - thanks for subbing!

[@bobd4083]

Great lesson. Thanks for posting!

[@PianowithNate]

My pleasure!

[@darrenshaw2154]

Love this song. Can’t wait to play it

[@PianowithNate]

Enjoy!

[@anotherdamnyankee3805]

I'm glad you sang the song even though the lyrics were a little difficult for your voice to handle.

[@Gottenhimfella]

Thanks for that, Nate, great info. Just one thing I've found might be worth mentioning for anyone trying to capture the haunting authentic plaintiveness of the original Hammond *in the intro* : If you're that person, and have access to a Hammond or clone, try this: Pull out the four leftmost drawbars for the top manual (or on the single manual), the ideal being 6886 (from left to right) where 8 is fully out: leave the rest fully in. The percussion should be on, either higher or lower pitch depending on the acoustics of the space. If you can, add generous reverb. Play *just the melody* of the intro on that keyboard. If it's a two manual organ, play the chords on the lower keyboard, using a softer version of the same sound. If possible, play the bass with the pedals, or have someone play it on some suitable bass instrument (failing both those, if you have a deep voice, try vocalising it). Lacking a two manual organ, another keyboard (even most cheap ones) will do fine for playing the chords. It should be about half the volume of the melody. A similar organ tone is suitable but not essential, as long as it blends in. A pipe organ sound may even work, if it is mellow toned. When you hit the first note in the melody for the intro, introduce it with a "grace note" a semitone below. Experiment with the duration of the grace note: it needs to be quite short but not ultra short. With the chords softer like this, it's not strictly necessary to the overall effect to play *all* the changes laid out in the clip. If you can play them super-smoothly, not releasing any notes you don't have to change from chord to chord, that's great; if you struggle with this, it sounds fine with a simplified progression: Just sit on the C chord for the first two bars, then two bars of F followed by two of G, then half a bar each of C, F, G, then one measure each of F and G.

[@PianowithNate]

Wow thank you for this! Very interesting. I admittedly have very little experience/expertise with Hammonds/drawbars. I'm sure others will find this comment helpful. Cheers!

[@TheColtssb41]

Why don't you just make your own video? It'll take up a lot less time!

[@Gottenhimfella]

@@TheColtssb41 for that to have any validity I'd have to be the world's slowest typist!

[@hkgrcch8434]