Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Achievement of the week - what got you excited?

Andy, MaryBee, Cheryl, Malkin and Exalted, thank you for your feedback. I will ask her next time to help me figure out why I cannot do it. I actually like my teacher and respect her art. She explains what and how to improve things. It's just her expectation is higher. She is normally dealing with piano performance students (18 to 20) in her day job. These kids are winning competitions and accepted to excellent music schools and conservatories. They seem to be able to play short pieces (5 to 10 pages) in 3 weeks. I've been doing the Mozart's sonata for two weeks. It should not be a challenging piece to read. I get that. I read it through and put my fingerlings. But I could not play fluently and I looked at my hands. She did tell me how to read those patterns previous week. But I could not reflect in the next lesson. I have full time work + husband + two dogs. I think I need to ask her to lower her expectations on me. At the same time, I would like to show her what I can do. I hate to cow down. So I'm practicing the particular runs. So in a way she is getting results. Maybe this is one if her teaching tactic?

There was no real click, but a bunch of things taken together:

1. I stopped using a piano stool (non-adjustable) as it's just too high for the harpsichord. I started using a dining chair. This brought my arm down slightly to just the right level, which makes a huge difference.
As recommended by Couperin in L'art de toucher...

2. I started actually doing trills and mordents using 3 & 4 in RH, rather than avoiding it by using other fingers! It's all over, throughout the piece: Bb/A, C/Bb, G/F etc. So lots of practice.

3. I read around a bit. Found some advice online, found some exercises in books.
The advice was to also try a slight wrist turning action to help/support the finger action. This also did help a bit.
I also played the exercises, though not a lot. Must do some more.

4. I repeated step 2, a lot.

That's it really.

Eglantine, you make it sound so simple!
I haven't had much experience playing trills...I'll be interested in seeing what kind of challenges crop up once I start!

Thanks for the info!

Warlock you seem to be blazing through the beginner material at a remarkable pace, even for someone that is dedicating a lot of time and effort.

Eglantine, congratulations on the trills. I would like to learn that technique, but it feels so far away right now.

Week 51 : I memorize Misty Mountains Cold. I continue to work on it, and Canon in D. I still have Ashokan Farewell, my original Shadow and the new piece I am writing in F major in the rotation. From my note reading I have added Dixie, so the piece plate seems quite full with five pieces in the rotation and about an hour per day to work on things. I have a decent beginning and part C for the new piece, the connecting bars for part B don't seem as interesting. I play Misty and the new work in progress for two visiting friends. I clumsily muddle my way through with some sub par playing. I didn't do one of my more polished pieces, so I didn't feel much pressure. One friend's mom owns a Steinway grand piano and still performs in public. She is in her 80s.

I download two ear training apps for the Android tablet. One has a higher/lower game, another a match the melody game. I thought myself to have a slightly above average ear, but perhaps I was overrating myself. The ABF survey from May 2012:
http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1925828/1.html

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewanalytics?formkey=dEM3bk1RSm5jcnNIR0hCQ0psRXZ1ZFE6MA

has 27% playing by ear. However, that was yes or no, and there are varying skill levels. So I am well below that 27% but how far below? Tougher to guess that, because most pianists have some ability, even if they have spent zero time focusing on it. Also in the survey, 3% have a music degree, so those at the Arizona party were the best of the best, with four piano degrees in the group of eight, and the other four able to entertain them.

Have a good week everyone and keep the newspaper stories coming.

Sand Tiger - I'm just so determined to play! I'm enjoying playing so much! I even pulled out the Christmas Book and played songs I learned over the holidays just so I'm ready for next holiday season! Practice makes perfect!! My goal is to learn at least one new Christmas piece each month til December.

I had the recital today at the community college. It was originally scheduled 3/9 but it was moved up. I played my Brahms piece.  It went well.  I had two mistakes but covered up well. In fact, one of the cover up was kind of beautiful.  My goal was to play as musical as possible.  I was happy because I was able to play the famous repeat the best I could.   First time I emphasized the melody in the right hand over quiet / subdued triplets in the left hand, then second time brought up the counter melody in the left hand (the first note of the triplets). I was happy because i was able to do this. I almist cried when i heard the combination of the first notes of the triplets and melody going in the distance. The trplets sounded like aching heart trenbling over the faint melody. Of course there is much to be improved but I was happy. Also I changed the beginning dynamic to p from mf that I was playing for the ABF recital.  Actually some people came to me and said it was beautiful.  Thenbest part was the sight of my teacher - she was beaming with joy. It's the benefit of playing a piece which is really beautiful. I feel good tonight.  

Other people played, Chopin Nocturne in F minor Op 55 #1, Andante and Variations Op 83a Mendelssohn, G major Prelude WTC Book II, Petite Valse Op 45 #13 Heller,  Chopin Nocturne in E minor, Bach Partita #5 in G major Corrente / Sarabande / Preambulum, Chopin Prelude in c minor Op 28 #20.  Chris played Rachmaninoff Moment Musucaux Op16 #2. It was forlorn yet very beautiful.  I kind of like music with thick layers.  So that's the whole report.  

There was a Korean girl today who screwed up badly.  I felt for her.   Been there and done that. Where she played before she screwed up sounded beautiful.  I think she is musical.  But she left without mingling others.  It's all mental. You know. Years ago I did not have any self confidence.  I am going to share my thoughts with her next time. I don't want her to quit and I think she is on the berge of it.

FarmGirl - congrats on the recital!! Continue to work hard!!

FarmGirl, it sounds like your recital went fantastically well. Congratulations!

SandTiger - one more week !
Sounds like you've got a good rotation of different kinds of music going. I don't usually work on 5 at at time, but I like to have 3 on the go at various stages.

FarmGirl - wow. What a beautiful moment for you! What tremendous satisfaction! I think you're really getting a lot out of these special guest appearances!
I think the Korean woman will appreciate your insight - I hope she returns so you can talk to her.

Farmgirl

Congratulations. Your Brahms was already wonderful, but it sounds like you really brought out the subtleties.

Warlock, Cheryl, SwissMS and JimF, thank you. It was an incredible feeling. I have to admit that I'm liking this public performance thing. My fingers were shaking with sudden adrenalin charge, but it added extra something to the performance, passion or emotion whatever you call it. I did not take anything. I'm very grateful to the ABF community and it's supportive culture well manifested in this thread. I could not come this far (that's how it feels like to me). Thank you and good piano week for every one.

Farmgirl, that is fantastic. I looked up some of the old posts from the thread. Here is a quote from you after two lessons with the new teacher in August 2012.

My achievement of the week is personal rather than piano related, and as a result I have played very little piano. It will be that way for a couple more weeks. Then me and my piano will get through the tough times. You know you're safe with a piano and it will never break your heart.

Toastie, I was just thinking about you. I initiated a thread on the Composer's forum about a young man saying that he needed his heart broken again so he could write another song (Creativity and Moods). My music has gotten me through some very tough times. If there is no time for playing, listening can help as well.

Hello Piano friends! Sorry for this very long post- have a bit of a catch up to do... I have just been doing Piano practice- and it is going into dusk and I hadn't really noticed as had a tea light lit in a holder on top of my Piano. I have just drew the curtains and listening to Claire de Lune....oh to be able to play this. I LOVE Debussy. Watched Howard Goodall's programme earlier about how Debussy worked with the pentatonic scale- very interesting what he did with chords. I always wondered why when fiddling about playing the black keys only they had a sort of Eastern sound!

Regarding singing when playing- over a year ago I was making up tunes on my Piano and was sort of hearing singing and stopped thinking it was one of the fellow tenants in the hall ( I was in a shared house then) and it wasn't so I carried on and could still hear it... I then sang the notes I was hearing and found they fitted in with the tune. It is a while ago but I think I must have been hearing harmonies or something. Being a beginner I am not very good at describing things.


Anyway, forgive my rambling....I haven't an achievement as such but realised more things about what I need to do to practice more effectively- using the right fingers for chords/chord changes for one! Alfred's has the finger numbers on the sheet music so I have been playing close attention to it and am getting better at the blues piece on page 67 and Joy to the World. I am playing the blues piece slower than it ought to be to get the finger positions correct. I want to be playing correctly and up to speed for Friday's lesson!

Last night I dreamed I was playing Debussy-esque notes on my Piano- woke up then realising it wasn't true..sigh...

Well, I just found an ultra easy version of Claire De Lune sheet music online- looks simple enough for me so will print it and try it out. I can show it to my teacher.


Casinitaly and John- it's great you got positive feedback from others.





Ooh where's this to be found? I'm discovering the music of Clara at the moment and like Brahms as well!





I'm still getting that Andy! I always have shaky hands if anyone sees me “play”- even friends.







Thanks Saranoya. I don't manage an hour a day as yet due not always being at home to do it and it being too late at night sometimes but at least I try to get in 20 minutes most days. I think it was 40 minutes today. Piano had his Spring polish with Linseed oil and a new light cloth on his top- cream with embroidery I got from a charity shop a few months ago. I re arranged the framed composer portraits, little piano music box and candle sticks- he looks very nice! I talk to my Piano whilst practising LOL- like when I make a little progress and find I am getting a piece I'll exclaim: “I'm doing it Piano!”

I hope you get moved into your new home soon. Don't give up your lessons! I get things wrong all the time and am always playing badly yet I keep on with it. I'll tell my teacher I got better on something then proceed to show him and make a right mess of it. I have resolved not to tell him I'm any better now each lesson as I tend to jinx myself.







Oh dear Allard! I hope the tuner can make her better soon!





I'm the Dunce of dunces LOL- I'd probably play that Lamb wrong too as well. I make a mistake every time I play something it seems. But this afternoon I think I found out why- not just nerves but I appear to be holding tension in my fingers so they are stiff and too clumsy to move to the keys in the right way! I practised my pieces then fiddled about with chords and made up little melodies ( really for chord progressions...) and found my fingers loosening up and when I went back to the Handel I played it better. You have done well to now be learning Chopin!





Great Warlock! I'm still working on key signatures- any tips?





That is a brilliant achievement Eglantine! WOW, you have a Harpsichord! Have you got a piano also? Do you find them very different to play? Does a harpsichord feel different to play?







Mine has the patience of a saint! Never gets irritated with my clunky playing and mistakes. I joke he should get the ruler out and slap my fingers and he laughs and says that approach isn't good. He never says anything negative. He is of the belief a piano teacher should always be kind- his mother taught him ( she's a piano teacher) so must be how she taught him. Paid off though as he is very good.








Er..you are doing brilliantly FarmGirl- a full time job etc- two weeks isn't a long time when you have all that as well as Piano. Your teacher IS getting good results with you- look at all the performances you have done!









Stunning FarmGirl! Sounds wonderful......






Poor girl- hope you get to see her FarmGirl as I know your kind encouragements will help her.





Aww Toastie- hugs and wonderful piano times to you. Xxxx

EdwardianPiano - Key Signatures(MAJOR)...just remember when faced with Sharps, the Key will be the last # and a half step up! Flats, take the second b from last Flat and that's your Key.

Minor - Key Signatures are a Major Scale's sixth note(Relative Minor). For instance a Key Sig with 2 #s is the Key of D major or B minor. In the D maj Scale (D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#-D) the sixth note is B, thus B minor. Remember a Major Scale consists of (Maj-Min-Min-Maj-Maj-Min-Min-Maj)

Good practice is at Practice recognizing Key Signatures, etc. I do the exercises daily!

Thanks Warlock!

Toastie - Sorry to hear that you are going through tough times. The piano really will help you through it. It will always give you joy.

My daughter is visiting from the US, and she went with me to my lesson, and then we spent the day in Zurich together. It never occurred to me I would be nervous taking a lesson in front of my daughter. My hands were shaking when I was playing the Bach and I totally tensed up. So what does my teacher tell me to do? Stick my tongue out and hold it out while I played the troublesome left hand trill. Who can be tense with their tongue sticking out? It worked. I still am not "singing" the Bach well, but it is better. So my AOTW is learning how to play with my tongue sticking out. She called my Debussy "excellent" so needless to say I am on a high!

How was that recital you attended yesterday?
Oh, the music was fabulous but the pianist kept sticking their tongue out at me!

Sticking tongue out! Wow I have never heard of it. I will try it. I'm interested in how my dogs react to it.

Not a real achievement yet. I had to start doing my work at 3:00 AM. I did not get much done this weekend. I have finally came down from the euphoric state. When the alarm rung, I knew I was no longer in Heaven. I'm on earth now. I have to work, cook & clean, take care of the dogs and find time to practice. I am not a socialite (had a dream of being one. Attended a ribon cutting celemony for a wolf conservation society. But I woke up trying to cut into the ribbon).