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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 388
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I've just ordered that book, too. I'm glad so many people like it.
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Joined: Apr 2010
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I've just ordered that book, too. I'm glad so many people like it. I'm partway through it and it's really good - now, just need to put it into practice  I'm skipping over the parts that are really aimed at the full time performer. And laughing about how to get an ideal practice space ... to me that's one that doesn't have my daughter complaining
- Debussy - Le Petit Nègre, L. 114
- Haydn - Sonata in Gm, Hob. XVI/44
Kawai K3![[Linked Image]](/ABF_Medals/18xmedals.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](/ABF_Medals/medal_c_5.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](/forum/gallery/42/full/2466.png)
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Joined: Apr 2012
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This week, I have sight-read over 20 songs and all were with correct notes and rhythm. It may seem like a small step for others, but a large for me!
"Just practice diligently and you will do very well. You have five fingers on each hand just as healthy as mine."
~ J.S. Bach
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 388
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I've just ordered that book, too. I'm glad so many people like it.
eeee it just came. along with Edly's Music Theory for Practical People. Is it weird that I'm so excited about this?
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,239
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This week, I have sight-read over 20 songs and all were with correct notes and rhythm. It may seem like a small step for others, but a large for me! Well done! I wonder how many other people who think they can't sight-read attempted that much new material?
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,088
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Hi again,
Farm Girl, I'm playing the Waltz in A minor posthumous. I'm enchanted with it! YOu are so right about all the things I can learn from it - It has already helped a lot with my pedal skills and I see a difference in the left-hand being able to play more softly now too. It is fun to see these unexpected developments.
I know it is a long term project, and I am bound to have a few more stumbles before I get to play it all the way through with a level of satisfaction - but it is worth the effort!
Ben - what fun you had with your niece! I've had the "auntie" experience at the piano and wow, it is so much fun. I am looking forward to it again when I next visit my family......still months away....:(
Sand Tiger, you're really doing some serious work and it sounds like (for the most part) you are really enjoying yourself. You seem to be doing a lot more theory than a lot of us are, and also composing -that's very exciting!
After all this chat about the Musician's Way, I think I'll have to check it out!
I always learn so much from this thread.
![[Linked Image]](https://forum.pianoworld.com//gallery/42/medium/12291.png) 18 ABF Recitals, Order of the Red Dot European Piano Parties - Brussels, Lisbon, Lucern, Milan, Malaga, St. Goar Themed recitals: Grieg and Great American Songbook
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,753
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I have no major achievements to announce this week. I just keep plugging along! I did rediscover the metronome as a motivational tool, though. Yesterday I found myself totally unfocussed while practicing, so I turned on the metronome. Boy, did that bring everything into sharp focus. The little push from that constant click made me pay attention. For some reason, the pressure of the metronome really cements the notes in my head, and I learn more quickly. I made good progress on some sticky sections in the K545 Rondo, and it helped to test my memorization on a couple of other pieces. Using the metronome makes scales accurate and snappy for me. I have to admit, without using the metronome to test myself now and then, I get lazy!
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,382
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Just love reading the progress you're all making and the struggles to get there. Congratulations on each step Farm Girl (welcome back), SwissMS (moving that sewing machine), Racaredo (Back is ALWAYS accomplishment), Gomer (up to speed and I'm jealous), Obidiu (hymns and sight reading good for you), SamRose (a new piano is a romantic relationship), Casinitaly (Chopin waltz will be flying one day), SandTiger (you're investing time wisely).
Such great stories...Ben Piano, yesterday I watched one of our two year olds sitting with her dad (my son) at my piano and she was enjoying it so much...that is until her mother insisted on standing next to them "policing" her actions. "no that's too hard" "just one finger at a time" "play it softly". I did add my belief that the most important thing is that she enjoy her sound making. It's an accomplishment to contradict this particular mom. It is MY piano after all. :-)
I'm working on a Chopin Polonaise and piecing the sections together. I'm hoping to get it over half speed and that will mean my left hand is more relaxed. The accomplishment is that I think it's possible.
Last edited by WiseBuff; 04/09/12 08:18 AM.
[ ![[Linked Image]](https://forum.pianoworld.com//gallery/42/medium/17919.png) . Wise as in learner Buff as in Colorado Buffalo
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,610
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Cheryl, that's a beautiful Waltz. This is the first Chopin piece I have ever played in my whole life. I remember I was so in love with the piece that my teacher had to calm me down. I almost cried. You know, it probably had something to do with teen age hormone. She told me to settle down and study the piece. I write something that I remember below. It helped me to calm down. I practiced the measures repeated throughout the piece everyday and later added difficult section as a warm up exercise every day. She told me to hold your horses, watch what you are doing and don't get drenched into the surge of emotion the piece seems to stimulate... Well, you may not need the anti-teenage hormone advise any more, but I will give it to you any way... in case Chopin excites something within you...
"Measure 1 through 8 repeats 4 times with a little bit of variation. That's 32 measures out of 56 measures without counting the repeat. So, you know you can play more than half of the piece if you can play the first 8 measures very well. The tricky section comes in the middle. 17 to 24, 32 to 40. Use them as your warm up everyday, little by little." It did calm me down. Hope it works for you too.
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Cheryl, that's a beautiful Waltz. This is the first Chopin piece I have ever played in my whole life. I remember I was so in love with the piece that my teacher had to calm me down. I almost cried. You know, it probably had something to do with teen age hormone. She told me to settle down and study the piece. I write something that I remember below. It helped me to calm down. I practiced the measures repeated throughout the piece everyday and later added difficult section as a warm up exercise every day. She told me to hold your horses, watch what you are doing and don't get drenched into the surge of emotion the piece seems to stimulate... Well, you may not need the anti-teenage hormone advise any more, but I will give it to you any way... in case Chopin excites something within you...
"Measure 1 through 8 repeats 4 times with a little bit of variation. That's 32 measures out of 56 measures without counting the repeat. So, you know you can play more than half of the piece if you can play the first 8 measures very well. The tricky section comes in the middle. 17 to 24, 32 to 40. Use them as your warm up everyday, little by little." It did calm me down. Hope it works for you too. Dear Farm Girl, thank you so much for sharing that very special memory with me. (us !) ..... This is my very first Chopin too, and it has come at a time when I'm very emotional (for a lot of reasons) so.... yes, there is a bit of balance required. I can play the first 8 measures by memory, accurately - and just a little bit faster than a couple of weeks ago (sometimes even with my eyes shut  ) For me the really tricky parts are, as you said, bars 17-24, which I had looked at by myself but had trouble with. Just this past week I worked on them with my teacher and over the weekend I feel happier with my progress. Bars 32-40 somehow don't seem as "scary" as 17-24.. Bar 21 is the "killer" for me but even that is starting to seem like it will happen. There is something very very special about this tune - it touches emotional chords (pun intended) that somehow match with whatever mood you are in when you start to play. I've been making little benchmark recordings to see how my progress is going - as you know it is hard to realize where you are, objectively, while you're playing. Thanks again to you, and Jim, and everyone who is so encouraging - this is a great thread to start my day!
18 ABF Recitals, Order of the Red Dot European Piano Parties - Brussels, Lisbon, Lucern, Milan, Malaga, St. Goar Themed recitals: Grieg and Great American Songbook
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 699
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I got my grand piano this morning! Pictures and an audio sample are in the piano forum Here
Playing since age 21 (September 2010) and loving it more every day. "You can play better than BachMach2." - Mark_C Currently Butchering: Rachmaninoff Prelude in C# Minor My Piano Diary: http://www.youtube.com/sirsardonic♪ > $
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,095
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Congratulations Sam! Your piano looks terrific. I’m glad you got such a beautiful instrument.
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Joined: Mar 2010
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I got my grand piano this morning! Pictures and an audio sample are in the piano forum Here Congratulations! Your "baby" has a beautiful voice - may you spend many years making beautiful music together!
18 ABF Recitals, Order of the Red Dot European Piano Parties - Brussels, Lisbon, Lucern, Milan, Malaga, St. Goar Themed recitals: Grieg and Great American Songbook
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Joined: Aug 2011
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Yesterday afternoon I spent an hour tuning the harpsichord - for the first time - to Werckmeister III temperament. OMG. Today I've just been playing the usual pieces - especially the Purcell and Croft - and it just sounds so different! I'm loving the unequal temperament!
(I suppose I should try a meantone tuning too, for comparison. Maybe a project for next weekend.)
Currently working on: F. Couperin - Preludes & Sweelinck - Fantasia Chromatica J.S. Bach, Einaudi, Purcell, Froberger, Croft, Blow, Frescobaldi, Glass, Couperin 1930s upright (piano) & single manual William Foster (harpsichord) ![[Linked Image]]( https://www.pianoworld.com/forumpicts/MOYD_2011/MOYD_1.gif)
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Joined: Apr 2010
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Congrats Sam - what a beautiful piano. I haven't had a chance to listen yet. Sounds fantastic too - still very envious  about your ability to pick up tough pieces as if they were twinkle twinkle after so little time playing! Yesterday was the last day of spring break for my kids but my wife was at work - result: A full day of playing the piano That would be an achievement in itself but my realization was that I had almost zero pain or discomfort. The only niggle was slight shoulder pain occasionally but that's because I start slipping in posture. Fixed that and it immediately went away. I could never have played that long without discomfort a year ago. Relaxation, Alexander technique ... still a long way to go but so far, so far ...
Last edited by Andy Platt; 04/10/12 08:01 PM. Reason: Listened to the link.
- Debussy - Le Petit Nègre, L. 114
- Haydn - Sonata in Gm, Hob. XVI/44
Kawai K3
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,610
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Cheryl, after I read your post, I had to go to my piano and play the piece. It's as lovely as I remember. It's not a large work by any means but it's Chopin every bit of it. It's a crowd pleaser too. Your teacher may disagree with me but you don't need to play this piece very fast. The speed with which you can execute the toughest measure (say, it is 21 right now) should be your target speed when you start the piece. If you start too fast, you may find the measure 21 tricker than ever! From the write up in my music, I think I had a different spot I had trouble with. I hit wrong note at Measure 31 (should be B in the base). I must have mashed the notes between 33- 40, my note says "every note focus!!".
Eglantine, I am looking forward to hearing the newly tuned sound of the harpsichord.
Sam, thank you for the pic. It looks and sounds gorgeous.
Wisebuff, Polonaise, wow! I am looking forward to it. That's one of the pieces I would like to do someday. My list is growing every day.
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Eglantine, that is so neat that you are doing your own tuning. I'm trying to learn - (but at the moment I'm hosting the professional tuner, who is making my baby sing again!). Andy that is really fantastic. I find I can play for longer too now, but I still tend to play with a significant number of short breaks - but isn't it grand to be rid of the tension and pain! Farm Girl - my teacher is perfectly content with me playing this slowly - in fact she encourages me to go slowly! I also noted that B on page 2 - in fact I circled it and wrote B!!! I'm glad that you were prompted to pull out the music and play it again - we are really sharing our experiences now! (at different ends of the spectrum, but still sharing and I'm loving it! )
18 ABF Recitals, Order of the Red Dot European Piano Parties - Brussels, Lisbon, Lucern, Milan, Malaga, St. Goar Themed recitals: Grieg and Great American Songbook
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Joined: Sep 2006
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Sam, that is wonderful. I think that piano deserves you Eglantine - I love harpsichords. A friend of mine tuned his in 1/6 comma meantone and we played old Scottish music as fiddle/harpsichord duets. Wow, did they sing! PW is wonderful. It's where I've learned about relaxation and playing with ease, as Andy and cas are doing. What a difference it's made for me. Now if I can just learn to get the volume out of it that one of the other dance pianists does! Cathy
Cathy ![[Linked Image]](https://www.pianoworld.com/forum/gallery/42/thumbs/5540.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://www.pianoworld.com/forum/gallery/42/full/7820.png) Perhaps "more music" is always the answer, no matter what the question might be! - Qwerty53
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Not really an accomplishment, but... my piano is freshly tuned and I have 90 minutes before I have to go out ...guess what I'm going to do?
18 ABF Recitals, Order of the Red Dot European Piano Parties - Brussels, Lisbon, Lucern, Milan, Malaga, St. Goar Themed recitals: Grieg and Great American Songbook
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Enjoy your freshly tuned Piano, Casinitaly. What a joy!
The Chopin waltz in A minor is such a beautiful piece. Have fun with it. I have added to my long backlog of pieces that I would like to play. The more pieces I learn the more I want to learn!
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