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My intention isn’t to discourage you for sure. But..there’s such a thing as musicianship.

You should define your goals. Do you want to be like a trained dog and be able to perform a couple pieces satisfactory – or do you want to become a real musician and a real pianist.

What is your reasoning for perfecting one piece? Is it to impress listeners? It will be short-lived when they request encores.

Bottom-line; until you reach a certain level of technique, you won't perfect any one particular piece of music. It can't be achieved by staying with one piece. A large variety of music is needed to achieve a respectable level of performance.

Your technique will be developed through years of practice, and mountains of music, not by mind-numbing repetition of a single piece.

Don’t be in a hurry to dazzle people. Rather set-up long term goals to become a fine pianist and a fine musician. Your listeners will be happier, and more important, you’ll enjoy music so much more.

Again, don’t be discouraged. Rather take the bull by the horns and set-up an affective practice routine.

Good-luck, John

Johnny-BOY You should define your goals. Do you want to be like a trained dog and be able to perform a couple pieces satisfactory – or do you want to become a real musician and a real pianist.

I have been playing piano for 30 years, professionally for over 25 years, and run my own restaurant business. I give 6 to 7 jazz concerts a year with the best Phoenix has to offer for the last 10 years plus other gigs through out the year. I play solo piano once a week at my restaurant for the last 3 years and is one of the busiest days of the week plus 2 to 3 times a month at the church I attend. I get calls to play my music around town plus I get paid for what I ask for, and every establishment that I've played for has called me back for more gigs. If I played liked a trained dog I do not think I could have achieved this and I would think this describes what a real musician and a real pianist is.

JOHNNY-BOY What is your reasoning for perfecting one piece? Is it to impress listeners? It will be short-lived when they request encores.

Some tunes I just love and when I practice this way I enjoy the result I get. I believe when I first heard Love Supreme by John Coltrane it took a while to really hear what was going on but I got it and sometimes playing all the possible changes and then some might be a little a challenge for those who are looking for a hook or something familiar to attract the listener. I do encores all the time. Sometimes when playing in a group we might play ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE or ALL BLUES for over 20 minutes but sometimes that is what it takes say what you have to say.

JOHNNY-BOY Bottom-line; until you reach a certain level of technique, you won't perfect any one particular piece of music. It can't be achieved by staying with one piece. A large variety of music is needed to achieve a respectable level of performance.

I made it a point to always have teachers both classical and jazz that not only teach well but have careers in music. When I play solo piano the most common comment is what a nice sound or touch. I play behind a wall and the music can be heard through out the restaurant and customers always come by and say I thought it was a record or radio playing. I KNOW OVER 300 PLUS TUNES. Been working on technique for over 30 years and I can play most styles of music.

JOHNNY-BOY Your technique will be developed through years of practice, and mountains of music, not by mind-numbing repetition of a single piece.

It can only be mind-numbing if you’re not using your mind.


Don’t be in a hurry to dazzle people. Rather set-up long term goals to become a fine pianist and a fine musician. Your listeners will be happier, and more important, you’ll enjoy music so much more.

I have accomplish most the goals I set for my self when I was 20 and starting out. I am 55 now playing what I want with who I want and having the time of my life. If I want to dazzle I can but I personally prefer a group sound you know where everyone listens to each other and works off that.
DPVJAZZ

Sorry DPV. I only meant to give you a possible new direction. I guess this statement from the original poster through me off (thought it was you); "I'm just a beginner-intermediate player"

Best, John

I figure as much since I was not really clear on my first post. Any way I agree with what you said because the first 10 years I did pretty much what you stated and it is great advice for the beginner. Your music always soundS good and I always enjoy when you share with us. If you ever come to Phoenix please drop by and maybe we can make some music together.
DPVJAZZ

Will do Dpv.

Best, John

Johnny-Boy, I know what you're saying. Being early on in my piano journey I certainly do need to get a lot of different tunes under my belt and get the different techniques each of them may bring. But I also think there is a lot of value, even for someone of my level, to really working one tune also.

I wasn't saying the goal of playing one tune a lot was to perfect it. I was saying that if I play it a lot and try to find new things to do, a new bass line, a new chord sub, a different voicing, whatever, it was really helpful because it made me think and it made me work on new things just so I didn't play it the same way all the time.

dpvjazz, I like what you said about "keep pushing and new ideas will eventually come". I really need to remember that. Too often I can't see another way of playing something, or just get in a rut, and do nothing to get out of it. I need to keep pushing.

I would spend months on a single tune, learning all the intricacies of it and then move on to another tune with completely different characteristics.

Then I realize that I can apply those same things I learned to any tune and I don't have to spend more than a few hours on a new one.

So in a way it's a combination. I have "learning" tunes for developing some skill, like unique voicings or unusual keys, or uptempo, which I will practice constantly, then the rest of the time, I would scan the Realbooks for tunes where I can easily apply what I know.

In general, I think I could not have done it any other way than the Bill Evans way. Certainly the fast way of grasping the big picture IMHO. Now I have a very deep understanding of some really complex tunes and makes tunes like A-Train seem like a piece of cake.