I am desperately searching for cello music (or a midi file) for Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow. I can find the sheet music for guitar and piano, but nothing for cello. I've also searched all over for a midi file to convert it on my own, but there's nothing in that version.
A good friend of mine is going to (hopefully) place this in my wedding next month if I can find the music. Please help!!!
Suggestion: to get the Israel Kamakawiwo'ole feel you'd need a cello and a ukulele. The uke would play the chords (just as on the original recording) and the cello would play the melody line. (You already have the chords on the guitar sheet music. Incidentally, the Israel Kamakawiwo'ole version is in C major, an easy key for cello, so there shouldn't be any problems there.) If you weren't able to get hold of a uke, a guitar with a capo a fair way up the neck would be a reasonable substitute. Failing that, it could be that a conga drum (!) would be the next best instrument to use.
A cello on its own just playing the melody, while it would be very nice, wouldn't have the same groove. The unaccompanied melody is quite slow; it's the uke that is giving the whole thing a "double-time" feel.
Yeah, I completely agree. I actually have another friend that's playing the guitar in place of the ukulele.
When you talk about the music and the key, are you suggesting that I can use guitar sheet music for the cello player? I just want to make sure I'm clear on that.
Essentially, the cellist needs to read the printed music of the melody line, preferably written out in bass clef (although, depending on his/her experience, a treble clef part may be OK).
The piano sheet music is very likely to have the melody in the treble clef (and intended for the pianist's right hand). There are possibly other notes in that right hand part: these would make sense on a piano but make the cellist's job just that little bit more difficult, reading-wise. Can you get the piano music to your cellist and get a response regarding its playability?
Guitar sheet music varies a lot. The part you have may or may not have the melody line written out. It's very likely that the guitarist would be happy to read chord symbols from the piano part ... but I'm doing a lot of guessing at this stage. One other "heads up" – the exact arrangement (of intro, verses, choruses, etc) may vary between the guitar and piano parts, especially if they came from different sources.
SO – Step 1 – I'd get the cellist to look at the piano music and take it from there.
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Other things to consider – how long does the music have to last? How flexible can the timing be? Eg: if this is a processional piece to accompany a 20-yard movement from A to B on a beach, say, you'd have arrived at "B" while the duet is still playing the intro! If it's for the signing of the register, the musicians may need a few other pieces up their sleeves.
searching...
