WOW!  How awesome is that! Amazing Grace happens to be my all time favorite song!  I hope TIMEC will see your blog and tune in to this video.  I'm going to copy the URL and send it out to all my friends.

Thank you for sharing this Amazing Grace-ful man.

I'm blocked from it. What is the jist?

That video does bring up a very interesting point: using nothing but black keys puts any tune into a minor scale, which is predominantly used in specific cultures around the world. 

From a musical standpoint, the penatonic scale can be used at any place on the keyboard, and oftentime is. 

That being said, I've always liked "Amazing Grace" no matter what key it's in.

Simply BEAUTIFUL!!! Love it!!

WITBEE:  It is a video with a black gentleman talking about how all the "slave" songs can be played on only the black keys on the piano.  Amazing Grace (words) were written by a white slave ship owner who may have heard the melody from the slaves below deck.  Evidently the songs rights indicate words written by:  (white guy) can't remember his name - melody:  unknown.  It is an amazing video

Amazing Grace was written by John Newton (wonderfully portrayed by Albert Finney in the movie "Amazing Grace").

As Witter said, he was a former slave trader who adapted the song from the slave's own songs.

Video is from one of Bill and Gloria Gaither's Homecoming series. Shot at, I believe, the Ryman Auditorium. Love the stories, love the songs and traditions carried on by 3 sometimes 4 generations of gospel singers.

Ellis - music is math.  "Amazing Grace" can be played in any key and anyone with an untrained ear probably wouldn't know the difference.

However, from a cultural standpoint, the use of the "minor" black keys does have significance.  In fact, there's a song that I remember playing in my high school band titled "Korean Folksongs" which utilized the same minor pentatonic scale which the gentleman in this video plays.

Is it the TD Jakes version? I've seen that one.

I see.  I always preferred to play songs in a key that I could sing in (usually the major keys--had a hard time with some of the minor keys.)  I have utmost respect for people who can sing in any key.  No one would want to hear me sing in any key, though!

That is a great story.  No wonder the song is so powerful. Thanks for the link.

Ellis - I'm the opposite way.. I love the minor keys best.  I don't play or write music as much as I used to, but when I do, it's almost always in the minor melodies.

I think my preference for major keys is less a reflection of personal taste and more a reflection of my inability to sing.  I grew up in a musical household and we sang all the time, so that's probably while I still find myself humming along with almost every song I hear.  I often find myself off-key (again, with the minor keys) and it often takes me several bars to get back on track again.  In general, though, I really think I prefer the minor keys, especially in classical music.  It's probably because I can't sing them.

This was an awesome (and informative) way to start my day!  Thank you, SCR.

 I loved it!

Amazing Grace is one of my favorites....