Beyond Middle C

"Forever young I want to be…” 🌅✨

We’ve just released our full long-form tutorial and arrangement for the absolute classic "Forever Young" is officially dropping!

Whether you grew up with Alphaville's iconic 80s original or fell in love with Youth Group's beautiful revival, this melody is pure emotional nostalgia.

Forever Young | Relaxing Piano Instrumental & Tutorial | Youth Group / Alphaville
https://youtu.be/b_k_xTcCNsU

🎹 Want to learn the piano techniques used in this arrangement? Check out our piano book here! "Master Contemporary Piano": beyondmiddlec.com/products/master-contemporary-pia…

#ForeverYoung #Youthgroup #PianoTutorial #BeyondMiddleC #90sNostalgia #80sMusic #AcousticPiano #LearnPiano

48 minutes ago | [YT] | 1

Beyond Middle C

One of my absolute favorite things to listen to on YouTube is ambient study music. I’ve gone through so many phases over the years: from lo-fi beats and Hogwarts library ambience, all the way to a cat purring next to a crackling fireplace. 😂

Recently, I’ve been diving deep into piano playlists, and it completely inspired me to create our own!

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been working on arranging and performing a series of solo pop piano covers to accompany the contemporary piano book I released last year. With the brilliant help of Kate, we’ve brought those arrangements together into a curated 1-hour collection.

We’ve remastered them into an ultra-relaxed, calming style, with the intention for listeners to use it as a peaceful backdrop for studying, deep sleep, or setting the mood for special occasions.

It is such a massive joy to be working on music releases again. If you’re looking for some familiar, nostalgic tunes done in a beautiful, easy-listening piano style, I really hope you’ll check it out!

Here is the link: https://youtu.be/COXd9cfA7aE

#BeyondMiddleC #PianoCovers #AmbientMusic #StudyVibes #SleepMusic #PopPiano #AcousticMusic #NewRelease

1 day ago | [YT] | 3

Beyond Middle C

"Say you'll stay, don't come and go like you do..." 🌧️✨

Take a nostalgic trip back to the late 90s with our brand new chilled piano instrumental cover and learning guide for Bic Runga's timeless masterpiece, "Sway."

We’ve stripped back the acoustic pop production to give this iconic track an intimate, deeply relaxed, and melancholic piano vibe; perfect for easy-listening, studying, or adding a unique acoustic touch to your repertoire.

Whether you're here to sit back and listen or pull up a stool to learn the arrangement note-for-note with our visual guide, we hope this one brings back some beautiful memories.

Watch the full video right here:
https://youtu.be/tHrpCeC0VDU

🎹 Want to learn how to play expressive pop melodies like this by ear? Grab our handbook "Master Contemporary Piano": beyondmiddlec.com/products/master-contemporary-pia…

#BicRunga #Sway #PianoCover #BeyondMiddleC #90sNostalgia #RelaxingPiano #PianoTutorial

4 days ago | [YT] | 2

Beyond Middle C

🎹 A New Chapter for the Channel

After almost two years, we've revived and rebranded the channel from Piano Productivity Peace to Beyond Middle C!

This new chapter has been a real team effort. Lachlan continues to arrange and create the music, while Kate has completely refreshed the visual identity of the channel - redesigning every lesson thumbnail and developing the look and feel for our new range of videos!

Our latest set of tutorials feature contemporary solo piano arrangements of classic and modern pop songs, designed to both inspire and help pianists develop the skills behind the music.

Each arrangement draws on the ideas explored in the book, Master Contemporary Piano. Rather than note-for-note lessons, they're demonstrations you can learn from, play along, imitate the ideas, borrow the techniques, and use them as inspiration for your own musical journey.

More than anything, it's been a joy to rediscover the process of making music, and we're excited to keep sharing that journey with you.

🎹 Explore our growing collection of piano arrangements:
www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

We're also excited about what's ahead. Over the coming months we'll continue building this new direction, revisit and refresh some of our older tutorials, and create plenty of new music and educational content along the way.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years - whether you've been with us since the Piano Productivity Peace days or have only just discovered Beyond Middle C. Your encouragement means more than you know, and we can't wait to share what's next. 🎹

4 days ago | [YT] | 6

Beyond Middle C

🎹 NEW VIDEO RELEASE 🎹
"I've found a reason for me... and the reason is you." ✨

We’ve just released a brand new, easy-listening piano instrumental and visual tutorial for Hoobastank's classic anthem, "The Reason."

For this arrangement, we stripped back the alternative rock edges of the original track to create a relaxing and uplifting piano arrangement.

This track was intended for listeners for relaxing, studying, sleeping or for ambient music for special events. If you're learning piano, you can learn the song via our visual play-along guide - imitate phrases note for note or use it as inspiration for your own creations! However you enjoy it, we hope this performance brings a little peace to your day 🙂

Today, let this melody be a reminder to be the reason someone else sees their own incredible worth. ❤️

Arranged and performed by Lachlan Court with visual design by Kate Harvey.
#TheReason #Hoobastank #PianoCover #BeyondMiddleC #PianoTutorial #EasyListening #RelaxingPiano #WeddingMusic #StudyMusic

https://youtu.be/sfNIQTrTK24

6 days ago | [YT] | 2

Beyond Middle C

Hi all, I've been a bit quiet lately as I've taken on a side project, and have just released a piano method book on Amazon; Master Contemporary Piano

It attempts to teach piano for beginners with contemporary improvisational approach leading up to learning to play from chord charts, and arrange / create chord progressions and melodies. I’ve tried to make the exercises super simple and short to follow on with so you can get contemporary piano skills to mastery as quick as possible. I’ve also organised it so you learn to play in all 12 keys throughout the course of the book. I’m super proud of it, and I’m hoping it resonates and supports more people to learn contemporary piano!

If you are interested in checking it out, the ebook will be free on Amazon from 12th-16th Jan. I’d love to hear your feedback - thank you :)

Affliate link to ebook here-> amzn.to/4gGjLb3

1 year ago | [YT] | 8

Beyond Middle C

Hey legends!

I really enjoy engaging with you all in the comments of my videos - so I thought I'd setup a facebook group so we can connect further and share some banter about music! If you are interested in joining search it up on facebook or click this link: www.facebook.com/share/PnPDxSRJTeB4puAN/

Hope to see you there :)

1 year ago | [YT] | 6

Beyond Middle C

Hey just a quick message to say my day job as a school music teacher is ramping up so I've been a little quiet on this channel. It's turning out to be an amazing year and we are working hard to create life-changing opportunities for young performers and techies!

I will come back to the channel eventually but just wanted to explain why you aren't seeing much content. For now, I hope you can enjoy working with what I've already put up, and feel free to reach out in comments - I'm always happy to whip up a quick short video if you have any questions or need further explanation.

Thank you all for your support ❤️

2 years ago | [YT] | 16

Beyond Middle C

I am preparing for a jazz swing improvisation video 'learn in the groove' style and I've gone down a rabbit hole and collected around 30 ideas for soloing over a 2-5-1-6 progression!!

Problem is, if I do the call and response style, 4 times per example plus the explanations it's going to be a long video getting close to 60mins! Of course I'll have chapters for navigation etc and my idea is that you can come in and out of the video as you please.

It has me thinking are the 'learn in the groove' lessons getting too long? Or is it easier to have everything in one video as opposed to multiple short videos? For me on YouTube it can be hard to find lessons that extend sequentially, or to find something within my skill level which is why I've tried to make these long and comprehensive - But tell me what you think :)

Regardless of results I'll probably see out this current plan and make shorter videos in future if that's the consensus.

Also I'll list the improvisation ideas for the current video I'm working on in the comments in case you want to add to the list lol

2 years ago | [YT] | 11

Beyond Middle C

Just looking at creating 1-5-6-4 BACKING TRACKS in 4 keys to support the new 'Master Pop Piano' video. I'm wondering whether to alternate between the MAJOR and the RELATIVE MINOR chord progressions in the backing track - but would love your thoughts!

Any other ideas please share below in the comments.

Video is here for those who are interested: https://youtu.be/srX4ExOcGeM?si=LSniE...

Thanks for your help :)

2 years ago | [YT] | 10