Rent: Vocal Selections
International Music Publications Product Details
by: Jonathan Larson
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$90.10
International Music Publications
Released: 1996-12-01
Avg. Customer Review: 
Media: Paperback
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Product Details
Rent: Vocal Selections
- Paperback: 104 pages
- Publisher: International Music Publications; 1996-12-01
- Label: International Music Publications
- Format: Import
- Studio: International Music Publications
- ISBN: 1843286335
- Average Customer Review: based on 23 reviews
Customer Reviews
Avg. Customer Review:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: RENT OBC vs. RENT the movie vocal selections 2006-10-11
Comment: This is a great vocal selection book, however, it only has 12 songs. RENT the movie vocal selections has 18. The music is pretty much the same in both, even though some of the words are changed in the movie book. I think the movie selection book is only $1 more and it's well worth it. If you are a hardcore RENThead like me though, you may prefer the OBC (original broadway cast) vocal book because it is more true to Jonathan Larson's original production.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Song by song from a piano expert 2006-04-22
Comment: Rent- Interesting. Most authentic in the Collins part
(Allison, baby...) and the JoAnne part (your new production manager...). Play the chords, not the melody
One Song Glory- In the OBC CD, the guitar does that little pluck then echo thing, which isn't great when you try it on the piano. The only complaint I have about this song is that I don't really know when to switch from 'plucking' the notes to actually playing the chords, etc.
Out Tonight- Not what I expected, but can still work. The song itself is very repetitive. Possible to add the melody line here. Takes some improv.
Another Day- Probably my favorite song to play in the book. It's very long, but written SO WELL. The part that I think is the weakest is 'I can't control....is just to be.' When you get to 'the heart may freeze' and 'there's only us' I would suggest playing the broken chordswritten on top. Sounds really good. Make sure to familiarize yourself with that part before you play, it can be somewhat hard.
Santa Fe- This isn't even a song, let alone can you put a piano in it. It needs a bass and drums. VERY DIFFICULT because you're not playing to sung words, most of the song is sung. I'd rather see La Vie Boheme in there...
I'll Cover You- Works a lot. My suggestion would be, in the beginning, to play the intro with your left hand in the bass and just play the chords, until Collins comes in, then play what's written. It's fun to play the reprise- Just slow it down, play the chords, add a little swing to it, and play some Seasons of Love.
Seasons of Love- If you ever want to play a Rent song at a party, a local benefit, or WHATEVER, get a group of friends together and DO THIS SONG!!! If you play it the way it's supposed to be (not really the way it's written) it will be AMAZING. Since the actual song involves a piano MAJORLY, that will make this much more impressive than something that should be played by a guitar. Keep playing the intro- works best without the melody.
Take Me Or Leave Me- Another song that works well with piano. The melody is a bit wierd, perhaps because it's afunky blues type of song. When you get to the part 'so be wise.......that I'm your baby,' it gets hard and doesn't make too much sense. Just keep working on it.
Without You- Melodic song, but very, VERY repetitive. Not one of my favorites. The melody is the same 1-5 (Do-Sol), it just changes key a couple of times. Simple, but you're playing most of it in bass clef, which adds some difficulty (some people can't read bass clef that well).
Halloween- Kind of hard to get the bass and the treble coordinated. Takes time and practice to get the beats right. Complaint- 'why our entire years....3-D imax of my mind' is not great. I like it though, but it's pretty short.
What You Own- Ehh...One of my favorite songs in the OBC CD, but doesn't do well here. Melody line can work in this song. You need to add your own chords, so become familiar with the song.
Your Eyes- Good, does really well on the piano. I like it a lot.
(Allison, baby...) and the JoAnne part (your new production manager...). Play the chords, not the melody
One Song Glory- In the OBC CD, the guitar does that little pluck then echo thing, which isn't great when you try it on the piano. The only complaint I have about this song is that I don't really know when to switch from 'plucking' the notes to actually playing the chords, etc.
Out Tonight- Not what I expected, but can still work. The song itself is very repetitive. Possible to add the melody line here. Takes some improv.
Another Day- Probably my favorite song to play in the book. It's very long, but written SO WELL. The part that I think is the weakest is 'I can't control....is just to be.' When you get to 'the heart may freeze' and 'there's only us' I would suggest playing the broken chordswritten on top. Sounds really good. Make sure to familiarize yourself with that part before you play, it can be somewhat hard.
Santa Fe- This isn't even a song, let alone can you put a piano in it. It needs a bass and drums. VERY DIFFICULT because you're not playing to sung words, most of the song is sung. I'd rather see La Vie Boheme in there...
I'll Cover You- Works a lot. My suggestion would be, in the beginning, to play the intro with your left hand in the bass and just play the chords, until Collins comes in, then play what's written. It's fun to play the reprise- Just slow it down, play the chords, add a little swing to it, and play some Seasons of Love.
Seasons of Love- If you ever want to play a Rent song at a party, a local benefit, or WHATEVER, get a group of friends together and DO THIS SONG!!! If you play it the way it's supposed to be (not really the way it's written) it will be AMAZING. Since the actual song involves a piano MAJORLY, that will make this much more impressive than something that should be played by a guitar. Keep playing the intro- works best without the melody.
Take Me Or Leave Me- Another song that works well with piano. The melody is a bit wierd, perhaps because it's afunky blues type of song. When you get to the part 'so be wise.......that I'm your baby,' it gets hard and doesn't make too much sense. Just keep working on it.
Without You- Melodic song, but very, VERY repetitive. Not one of my favorites. The melody is the same 1-5 (Do-Sol), it just changes key a couple of times. Simple, but you're playing most of it in bass clef, which adds some difficulty (some people can't read bass clef that well).
Halloween- Kind of hard to get the bass and the treble coordinated. Takes time and practice to get the beats right. Complaint- 'why our entire years....3-D imax of my mind' is not great. I like it though, but it's pretty short.
What You Own- Ehh...One of my favorite songs in the OBC CD, but doesn't do well here. Melody line can work in this song. You need to add your own chords, so become familiar with the song.
Your Eyes- Good, does really well on the piano. I like it a lot.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Pretty good vocal arrangement of songs 2005-09-06
Comment: Overall -- I am pretty pleased with this selection of numbers from RENT, the best show to ever hit Broadway. I was a little bummed that only 12 numbers managed to make it's way to this book, especially because some of them work -- and some of them don't.
Rent - The song Rent doesn't really work at all. There isn't enough on piano to do, so it just, simply, doesn't work. This one is probobly the most dissapointing in the book.
One Song Glory - It was relatively empty on the OBC (the backgroung music, I mean) so if it soudns bare on piano, I still think it works.
Out Tonight - I actually, for a rock song, think this one transcribe's excellently. It definately sounds different than the OBC, but it's a lot of fun to sing. And all I need to do is bring the key down 2 1/2 steps, change a few of the words, and it's fun for even this guy to sing. One of my favorites in the book.
Another Day - I haven't worked on this one too much, but it sounds decent enough.
Santa Fe - Can't for the LIFE of me think as to why they put this in there. It doesn't work on piano. To me, it barely even works as a song -- but I was dissapointed that this was included. Too much speaking anyway.
I'll Cover You - Pretty enough song, and it works on piano -- but more importantly .. you can use the chords, gospel it up, and there you have I'll Cover You: Reprise.
Seasons of Love - This works perfectly. I like it better when you don't include the melody line in the playing, because then, if you sing it, it is more authentic. I love singing this piece.
Take Me or Leave Me - I think it works better, again, if you don't play the melody line -- but this is another one that I think sounds absolutely great.
Without You - Very repetitive, but that's the nature of the song. It's a nice song, but I can RARELY get to the end of it.
Halloween - Pretty song, and it works on piano. But, as piano/vocal books go, the melody line played in the piano doesn't work, unless you aren't singing.
What You Own - I never play the treble line, I simply play the bass line and add more full chords through the song, and it works very well.
Your Eyes - Pretty song, and it works on piano.
Highlights:
Seasons of Love
Take Me or Leave Me
What You Own
Out Tonight
Rent - The song Rent doesn't really work at all. There isn't enough on piano to do, so it just, simply, doesn't work. This one is probobly the most dissapointing in the book.
One Song Glory - It was relatively empty on the OBC (the backgroung music, I mean) so if it soudns bare on piano, I still think it works.
Out Tonight - I actually, for a rock song, think this one transcribe's excellently. It definately sounds different than the OBC, but it's a lot of fun to sing. And all I need to do is bring the key down 2 1/2 steps, change a few of the words, and it's fun for even this guy to sing. One of my favorites in the book.
Another Day - I haven't worked on this one too much, but it sounds decent enough.
Santa Fe - Can't for the LIFE of me think as to why they put this in there. It doesn't work on piano. To me, it barely even works as a song -- but I was dissapointed that this was included. Too much speaking anyway.
I'll Cover You - Pretty enough song, and it works on piano -- but more importantly .. you can use the chords, gospel it up, and there you have I'll Cover You: Reprise.
Seasons of Love - This works perfectly. I like it better when you don't include the melody line in the playing, because then, if you sing it, it is more authentic. I love singing this piece.
Take Me or Leave Me - I think it works better, again, if you don't play the melody line -- but this is another one that I think sounds absolutely great.
Without You - Very repetitive, but that's the nature of the song. It's a nice song, but I can RARELY get to the end of it.
Halloween - Pretty song, and it works on piano. But, as piano/vocal books go, the melody line played in the piano doesn't work, unless you aren't singing.
What You Own - I never play the treble line, I simply play the bass line and add more full chords through the song, and it works very well.
Your Eyes - Pretty song, and it works on piano.
Highlights:
Seasons of Love
Take Me or Leave Me
What You Own
Out Tonight
Customer Rating:
Summary: Amazing! 2005-07-05
Comment: The music from Rent is so powerful. This book has a good number of the major songs. The music is not too hard to learn and the arrangements don't sound sparce. Definetely a good buy for any piano playing RENT fan.
Customer Rating:
Summary: You're What You Own... 2003-08-23
Comment: The essence of Rent was absolutely captured in this vocal selections book, with great songs such as "One Song Glory", "Another Day/No Day But Today", and "Your Eyes", included, however I was disappointed to see that songs such as "Over the Moon", and my personal favorite "La Vie Boheme" were not included. Guitar chords above measures in the music make easy for a non-piano expert such as myself to play the songs and sing along. Now this is not an original broadway score, and some songs sound awkward on the piano, but once a person is set with just sitting down at the piano to have fun playing their favorite Rent songs, this book is perfect.