Sufjan Stevens - No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross (piano)

Prepared piano and improvisation on Sufjan Steven's "No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross" If you can, listen on a good set of headphones or speakers-you can hear the hammer impact and rain in the background which really lends to the atmosphere of the song.
Piano tutorial: • Sufjan Stevens - No Sh...
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[@hpc1717]

While you do it very well with the other artists that cover, I do find it quite amazing how well you capture the "sufjan" essence....especially in this one with the dampen effect. Always look forward to your next release. Any chance you'd ever do Pink Floyd, The Smiths (or other new age tunes), or Iron & Wine? Either way, love all of your content

[@r1kk3rs]

I want to second the ask for Iron & Wine, or Calexico, or even better, any of their collab songs like In the Reins, Follow the Water, etc.

[@justindtackett]

Sometimes songs don’t translate to piano. Melodies and diction can get lost and cheapened. Not here. You not only captured the essence of this song. But made it new.

[@ThePassportRadio]

This song has changed my life, and your playing has added to the healing magic of this beautiful song. Please, could you post a brief tutorial to this gorgeous rendition? Sending care and gratitude!

[@heavypiano]

Hi PassportRadio. Thanks! I could put together a tutorial for you.

[@ThePassportRadio]

@@heavypiano I would love that so much. Thank you!

[@heavypiano]

@@ThePassportRadio here ya go! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ip3ZhJuDapWgr5o

[@bdastrup]

Your arrangement is so beautiful and what a lovely effect with the hammers dampened. Have you recorded other pieces this way?

[@heavypiano]

Thank you Benson. This is the first time I've dampened the hammers like this. I'm just using cloth napkins and painters tape.

[@DrewDienno]

@@heavypiano were you also using the soft pedal? love the echo

[@heavypiano]

@@DrewDienno Hi Drew. I don't believe I was using the soft pedal, just the effect from having the strings dampened.

[@ReverendGreenArt]

I seriously can’t understand how it took me so long to stumble onto your arrangements. Radiohead and Sufjan are two of my three favorite bands/artists. It would make my world to hear you do another Sufjan Stevens song - your arrangement of “Romulus” is breathtaking. Also, just want to mention that a friend of mine is moving and can’t take her piano, so she is giving it to me; I found your videos the day after getting the news and will now attempt to teach myself piano at 31 years old partly because of you. So thank you.

[@heavypiano]

Alex, thanks for your kind words here. I'm kind of a small "nobody" as far as the youtube world is concerned, but I'm glad you found me! I've really enjoyed sharing music here and hearing from others online. I'd be happy to do more Sufjan; I have a couple of videos planned for this week but hopefully will get some Sufjan out as well. Congratulations on the piano! Remember when learning it's a life-long goal: a marathon, not a sprint. Everyone learns at a different rate and there's no point where you've learned everything. Always something new to discover in music. Take care.

[@andreaballini7061]

@@heavypiano this is lovely... the song, the story and the interaction. my parents love you due to your radiohead covers and now that i see that you did some sufjan stevens too i'm willing to learn some of your covers so that i could sing them. thanks for everything

[@foliveira1632]

For curiosity, which is your 3rd favorite band? Because Radiohead and Sufjan Stevens are on my top 5 too

[@ReverendGreenArt]

@@foliveira1632 Animal Collective

[@PopDeOllie]

@@ReverendGreenArt Excellent taste in music!

[@bogscholar691]

Very nice! Definitely does the song justice. The dampened effect really helps capture the softness of Steven's vocals, well done!

[@aivinguyen3838]

you, sir, are truly gifted. i've listened to most of your radiohead and sufjan covers (some of my favorite artists) and you have an uncanny way of cutting to the core of the song. it's so evocative and frankly indescribable. i've yet to see any covers that come close to the emotions you convey through the piano. it's like watching a masterpiece being painted. us mere mortals are not worthy. thanks for sharing your talent with the world. it makes our gloomy place a bit brighter.

[@heavypiano]

Your comment made me smile. I've been very anxious and stressed recently so thank you for your kind compliments! I'm so glad I was able to share my music with you.

[@skychimera7631]

ugh beautiful

[@heavypiano]

thank you, tianran

[@gabrielledennis549]

your sufjan covers bring me sooo much peace. my cat named "Maple" also falls asleep to them.

[@theferretts2307]

Beautiful sound matey!!!!

[@stephen129]

I love this version and how you've prepared the piano. It sounds so pretty.

[@DrewDienno]

come on with these arrangements. criminally beautiful.

[@heavypiano]

Thanks Drew!

[@lucasforch]

Beautiful arrangement played with real emotion. Great job!

[@calebb8009]

Wonderful recording. Incredible piano tone.

[@heavypiano]

Thanks, Caleb!

[@lydiaortiz1827]

Beautiful, thoughtful arrangement. Thank you

[@heavypiano]

Thanks Lydia.

[@amypetersen3666]

This is beautiful. Truly.

[@liancemusic]

Beautiful. Love the dampening.

[@r1kk3rs]

Hola! My goodness your work is incredible. I've maybe teared up a little listening to a few. ;) In fact, I was wondering if I could use this song for my walk down the aisle in 10 days at my wedding. It's going to be small and in the mountains with no cell or wifi, and this would be perfect. Any chance you'd be cool with that and could provide a high quality audio of this for me to play? I'd be happy to pay. Thanks for all of the excellent music. Like others, I too have no idea how it took me until recently to find you as I listen to nearly all the bands whose songs you revamp in piano.

[@heavypiano]

Hi Erica, I'd love my music to be a part of your celebration. Send me an email to joshua at heavypiano dot com and I can get you an MP3.

[@r1kk3rs]

@@heavypiano Thank you! Signed up for Patreon with you last night! I'll email you. It will be coming from a null dot com address.

[@r1kk3rs]

@@heavypiano Hey friend! I sent you a message on the 12th but haven't heard back. Any chance I can get that MP3 tomorrow? It's the day before my weddin'! Email came from rickey at null net.

[@heavypiano]

@@r1kk3rs Hmm, I don't see your email and can't find you on my Patreon list, but I can send it to you if you give me your email here.

[@r1kk3rs]

@@heavypiano 4str4l at gmail is the Patreon account. Other email is from rickey at null.net

[@JessPham09]

Plz do mystery of love song by him too!!!

[@yechanjung8849]

Now that I fell into your arms My only lover, give out to give in I search for the capsule I lost Drag me to hell in the valley of the Dalles Like my mother, give wings to a stone It's only the shadow of a cross I slept on my back in the shade of the meadowlark Like a champion, get drunk to get laid I take one more hit when you depart I'll drive that stake through the center of my heart Lonely vampire inhaling its fire I'm chasing the dragon too far There's blood on that blade, fuck me, I'm falling apart My assassin like Casper the ghost There's no shade in the shadow of the cross

[@DrewDienno]

I would -L O V E- to hear your take on Sufjan Stevens - A Dress Too Small.

[@heavypiano]

Adding it to my requests list, Drew.

[@DrewDienno]

@@heavypiano sorry, I meant A Size Too Small.

[@heavypiano]

@@DrewDienno oh, I gotcha. I think I figured it out after some googling.

[@bbaron1]

fantastic work

[@heavypiano]

Thank you, Conrad.

[@theredraddish]

I do not want to sound like a heathen, but i just caught myself turning off the original song by Sufjan just to put on your instrumental. I've also used your other Sufjan cover (mystery of love) to practice singing! The way you play the music is so soothing and yet so impactful.

[@heavypiano]

Very flattered, thanks for your kind comments, Jon.

[@theredraddish]

@@heavypiano i do think that you've more than earned the praise! May i ask if you're working on anything new lately?

[@heavypiano]

@@theredraddish Next video is going to be another Patron request of a Palace song. I need to tune my piano and have some time to record with the house empty-knock on wood I think I can do that tomorrow. Other than that I've been composing the score to a documentary and am also working on writing a piano track for an upcoming rap producer. Stay tuned for more arrangements and tutorials here though!

[@theredraddish]

@@heavypiano most definitely! Making a soundtrack for a documentary sounds amazing too :). If you ever end up not knowing what to do next, i'd love to hear more of your Sufjan covers!

[@heavypiano]

@@theredraddish Gotcha! I have several on my requests list. Now to find the time...

[@lilygreen436]

Now that I fell into your arms My only lover Give out to give in I search for the capsule I lost Drag me to hell In the valley of The Dalles Like my mother Give wings to a stone It's only the shadow of a cross I slept on my back In the shade of the meadowlark Like a champion Get drunk to get laid I take one more hit when you depart I'll drive that stake through the center of my heart Lonely vampire Inhaling its fire I'm chasing the dragon too far There's blood on that blade Fuck me, I'm falling apart My assassin Like Casper the ghost There's no shade in the shadow of the cross

[@gwn_1010]

This is such a great cover. It tugs on my heart strings hhhh. I was wondering if I could use this for a cover? I'll be putting your link and credit you on the vid. If that's okay. :)) But it's okay if you don't vibe with me using your vid! I just really like this vid a lot :D

[@heavypiano]

Go for it, I don't mind. Cheers!

[@ciosborn]

Lovely.

[@iframst]

Fantastic!

[@heavypiano]

As always, thanks for listening Isaac.

[@junkheadrooster]

Goddamn you beautiful sir

[@davidmurray9159]

This is one of the prettiest things that I have ever heard. Thank you! 1. Have you added reverb in a DAW or is that how your room naturally sounds? 2. Can I buy audio files of your music anywhere?

[@heavypiano]

Hi David, thanks! I added reverb in post, I just record in my living room at home and it doesn't have the greatest natural resonance. If you listen to my other videos you can hear what the piano sounds like normally. I do have my original music for sale online (itunes for example), but you can also download an mp3 of this from soundcloud. Take care!

[@peewa_2339]

heavypiano I really loved this. Do you think you can cove should of known better?

[@heavypiano]

@@peewa_2339Sorry I missed this request earlier. I'll add it to my list now though!

[@sunnysidesoviet]

Do you think you'd upload the audio of this to bandcamp or something? I'd love to be able to buy it!

[@heavypiano]

I'll stick it up on soundcloud with a download link. :)

[@sunnysidesoviet]

heavypiano I've been going through your videos and listening to all the Sufjan covers. if you decide to compile all of em into one album I'd super appreciate that too! But i understand you're a busy person so

[@myne4]

Just make a youtube playlist. You can make it public so that everyone can see them all in one place too.

[@sunnysidesoviet]

Yeah but the whole point was to have it on my phone so I can listen to it without an internet connection. And webrip services don't do justice to the audio.

[@cadenceroy6686]

does anyone know the basic chords to this song so i can maybe figure this out on my own? my eyes suck and can’t keep up with every movement being made in the video haha any help would be lovely. amazing work by the way

[@pseudofotograf]

windy beautifl

[@willthinnes844]

is there a reverb effect on this or just the dampening napkins?

[@heavypiano]

There is some reverb added in post.

[@hedgehogchaser2494]

Can you upload a tutorial on this one??

[@heavypiano]

I've added it to my requests list.