|
Welcome to the Piano World Piano Forums Over 3 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments. Over 100,000 members from around the world.
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
|
|
75 members (bluebilly, accordeur, BillS728, aphexdisklavier, bobrunyan, anotherscott, AaronSF, apianostudent, 16 invisible),
2,119
guests, and
357
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 9,824
9000 Post Club Member
|
9000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 9,824 |
I see "Arabia" in 3B Methods being called out, but does anyone else feel that 130bpm version of "Low Bridge, Everyone Down" is a bit fast for 3B? I've probably played measures 27 through 36 about 50 times to be able to get my fingers moving fast enough! Or is it only me being a snail? I find everything in Marvel too fast, the full speed version then. And yes you have to move your fingers so fast that you don't actually remember what you are doing (your brains) and I think it is the intention that you play on autopilot, finger memory or whatever they call it. Yes, at those speeds it's all muscle memory it seems. Unfortunately my muscles suck at memory. Agreed! I actually did manage to get Arabia to 💯%. But I'm still stuck on that fast version of Low Bridge. It's frustrating that I can't get it. I'm close. I printed the sheet music but it's notated for 8va and for a beginner it kind of throws me off when I'm used to the app working in the lower octave. After 3 days, I got Arabia to 100% too. And that was with Arabia being the only thing I would practice. Obviously it isn't hard in the grand scheme of things (haha - I've been watching too many youtube videos of Lola Astanova, Khatia Buniatishvili, and Valentina Lisitsa, etc.), but from a pedagogical perspective, it seems out of place in Level 3B. Both Arabia and Low Bridge just seem out of place in 3B among the pieces that take 5 mins to play perfectly. They make me feel that the course creators are too far removed from the time they were learning piano themselves. In the case of Low Bridge, I got to 100% on the 2nd day of dedicated practice, but even at 100%, the best I've been able to do is 3 errors. Also, I noticed something which is a bug. When the tempo is very fast, even if you get notes out of order but they are played close to the time they are supposed to be played, then the system will display the notes as "green" as if they were played exactly correctly! So for example, at a 130bpm tempo, if there are two eighth notes C and D, and instead you play D and C very quickly but at the right moment (like a trill), both the C and D will display as green even though clearly, out of order notes can't be correct -- at least one of C or D is wrong! This is a flaw in the system and probably results from the programmers inserting a tolerance in time since humans clearly can't play notes exactly to the millisecond when they are supposed to be played. The system probably decides each of the two notes was played close enough to the time they were supposed to be played and so it deems both to be correct, when in this case, it should be making an exception and mark one of these notes wrong. I've just moved on from Low Bridge but fully intend to return to it daily for a few mins until I can get rid of those remaining, irritating "red" notes that pop up every time I play it! I see "Arabia" in 3B Methods being called out, but does anyone else feel that 130bpm version of "Low Bridge, Everyone Down" is a bit fast for 3B? I've probably played measures 27 through 36 about 50 times to be able to get my fingers moving fast enough! Or is it only me being a snail? Its only one hand! Practice it a lot at the slower tempo - to the point were you absolutely know which note comes next and which finger you are going to play it with, in fact when you fingers start to move before you even think about it. Particularly note in the middle of measure 32 you transition from C position to A position, by playing the B with 2nd finger coming over the thumb. Yes, I have the C to A change wired, but I do feel slow because even not thinking about it, my fingers seem to be moving slower than I need them to. I think I will get this at 130bpm, and as mentioned, I already get to 100% with about 3 red notes after 2 days, but I'd be scared to think what it would be like if Low Bridge is sped up to 160bpm or more. I just don't think my muscles twitch fast enough to go 160bpm. In fact, maybe after work today, I will just crank up Low Bridge to 160bpm and see what measures 27-36 sound like. Scary. In 5E you get to play the accompaniment here is my attempt SoundcloudThat is very good! I'm NOT looking forward to that. It's enough to get one hand going at 130. To try to get the other synchronized and notes syncopated, is not something I want to think about right now.
Last edited by Slothrop, Tyrone; 04/17/18 09:21 AM.
across the stone, deathless piano performances "Discipline is more reliable than motivation." -by a contributor on Reddit r/piano "Success is 10% inspiration, and 90% perspiration." -by some other wise person "Pianoteq manages to keep it all together yet simultaneously also go in all directions; like a quantum particle entangled with an unknown and spooky parallel universe simply waiting to be discovered." -by Pete14
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 317
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 317 |
I see "Arabia" in 3B Methods being called out, but does anyone else feel that 130bpm version of "Low Bridge, Everyone Down" is a bit fast for 3B? I've probably played measures 27 through 36 about 50 times to be able to get my fingers moving fast enough! Or is it only me being a snail? Practice it a lot at the slower tempo - to the point were you absolutely know which note comes next and which finger you are going to play it with, in fact when you fingers start to move before you even think about it. Particularly note in the middle of measure 32 you transition from C position to A position, by playing the B with 2nd finger coming over the thumb. Yes, this. It takes a bit of effort, but you'll get there! Concentrate on playing it faultlessly at the slow tempo before attempting the full speed version. "Thank God I've finished Arabia." "Here's a harder piece. … repeat for infinity. Actually the first half of 3C is a fun breather. Well, until you get to Irish Jig!
Roland F130-R
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 469
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 469 |
=Actually the first half of 3C is a fun breather. Well, until you get to Irish Jig! Irish Jig I did 189 practice sessions before i got 100% Wait until you get to 3E. Boogie (12 Bar Blues) and Spinning. The previous seems easy when you start there. Last week I had a conversation with an older piano teacher and I told her of my battle with Marvel to always get 100%. But my dear child She said (I'm 65), no one plays everything perfectly even the very best, why would you strive for it? She's right
Piano Marvel level 4E and everything I like
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 9,824
9000 Post Club Member
|
9000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 9,824 |
I see "Arabia" in 3B Methods being called out, but does anyone else feel that 130bpm version of "Low Bridge, Everyone Down" is a bit fast for 3B? I've probably played measures 27 through 36 about 50 times to be able to get my fingers moving fast enough! Or is it only me being a snail? Practice it a lot at the slower tempo - to the point were you absolutely know which note comes next and which finger you are going to play it with, in fact when you fingers start to move before you even think about it. Particularly note in the middle of measure 32 you transition from C position to A position, by playing the B with 2nd finger coming over the thumb. Yes, this. It takes a bit of effort, but you'll get there! Concentrate on playing it faultlessly at the slow tempo before attempting the full speed version. I literally have something happen at 125bpm and my rhythm breaks down. It almost feels like the drag or friction from the keys are slowing me down. I've been increasing by 1bpm at a time, from 120 to 130, but around 125, I blow out consistently. Now, as I may mentioned in my prior message, I have a few times now gotten without 3 rednotes of being completely "in the green" on Low Bridge, but it isn't stable or sustainable. I will get 100% on a playing, and then a min later, I will try again and end up with only 85%. "Thank God I've finished Arabia." "Here's a harder piece. … repeat for infinity. Actually the first half of 3C is a fun breather. Well, until you get to Irish Jig! I am 5 lessons into 3C so I am approaching the Irish Jig. Just to seemingly underscore the "inconsistency" of the various lessons in Level 3, as you reference, the first 5 lessons of 3C Methods took altogether a total of 10 mins of practice/attempts to get to 100% for me, in contrast with with the 3-4 days and 2 days respectively for Arabia and Low Bridge in 3B. Actually the first half of 3C is a fun breather. Well, until you get to Irish Jig! Irish Jig I did 189 practice sessions before i got 100% Wait until you get to 3E. Boogie (12 Bar Blues) and Spinning. The previous seems easy when you start there. Last week I had a conversation with an older piano teacher and I told her of my battle with Marvel to always get 100%. But my dear child She said (I'm 65), no one plays everything perfectly even the very best, why would you strive for it? She's right Sadly, this doesn't work for me. OCD, so I am attached to my patterns, already now I have a pattern of two consecutive repeats without red notes before I can forget the lesson. By this measure, Low Bridge is the first lesson I can't forget, so I went back today to work on it a bit more. I expect I will just keep coming back to Low Bridge like a dog to a bone, until I (perhaps through mere happenstance) am able to repeat it without any errors twice in a row... (Now, whether I will know it is really without any error is another issue, as I have discovered that the Piano Marvel tracking system breaks down for eighth notes at 130bpm, as I mentioned earlier...)
across the stone, deathless piano performances "Discipline is more reliable than motivation." -by a contributor on Reddit r/piano "Success is 10% inspiration, and 90% perspiration." -by some other wise person "Pianoteq manages to keep it all together yet simultaneously also go in all directions; like a quantum particle entangled with an unknown and spooky parallel universe simply waiting to be discovered." -by Pete14
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 469
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 469 |
Sadly, this doesn't work for me. OCD, so I am attached to my patterns, already now I have a pattern of two consecutive repeats without red notes before I can forget the lesson. By this measure, Low Bridge is the first lesson I can't forget, so I went back today to work on it a bit more. I expect I will just keep coming back to Low Bridge like a dog to a bone, until I (perhaps through mere happenstance) am able to repeat it without any errors twice in a row... (Now, whether I will know it is really without any error is another issue, as I have discovered that the Piano Marvel tracking system breaks down for eighth notes at 130bpm, as I mentioned earlier...)
I am also an OCD person, but I have to do concessions or it is no longer pleasant, and that is the intention of music and piano learning? I've already learned myself from after level 3 to stop taking a golden piano (100%) in the closet every time And some pieces are downright ugly and not at all fine to play, why should I do that?
Piano Marvel level 4E and everything I like
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 658
500 Post Club Member
|
500 Post Club Member
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 658 |
I literally have something happen at 125bpm and my rhythm breaks down. It almost feels like the drag or friction from the keys are slowing me down. I've been increasing by 1bpm at a time, from 120 to 130, but around 125, I blow out consistently. Now, as I may mentioned in my prior message, I have a few times now gotten without 3 rednotes of being completely "in the green" on Low Bridge, but it isn't stable or sustainable. I will get 100% on a playing, and then a min later, I will try again and end up with only 85%.
This sounds a bit like tension to me. Have you tried playing very lightly on the keys for the melody - almost floating above them.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 317
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 317 |
This sounds a bit like tension to me. Have you tried playing very lightly on the keys for the melody - almost floating above them.
This what I was thinking. I'm currently also taking swimming lessons and working on my backstroke. I hit a bit of a brick wall and was getting frustrated. My teacher commented on how I seemed too rigid, and that I needed to relax and let go a bit. As soon as I was able to trust that I wasn't going to just sink, and soften my shoulders and neck, the whole process became a lot easier. I was able to swim more fluidly, and faster, them when my body was actively trying to swim through brute force. I realised that this was the exact same process needed to attempt to play piano pieces faster. Take a breath, let go, and not think about the mechanics too much! Again, this is all way easier if you've got the notes under your fingers at a slower speed first.
Roland F130-R
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 9,824
9000 Post Club Member
|
9000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 9,824 |
I am also an OCD person, but I have to do concessions or it is no longer pleasant, and that is the intention of music and piano learning? I've already learned myself from after level 3 to stop taking a golden piano (100%) in the closet every time And some pieces are downright ugly and not at all fine to play, why should I do that? I celebrate those similarly afflicted who are able to break patterns. I really have trouble doing it and when people call me out for it, I start "hiding behavior". For example, when my wife notices any OCD behavior on my part, she'll snap out, "Cut out that OCD stuff!" And then I have to be secretive about my patterns. haha... Well, I may only have been playing Piano Marvel for two months, but getting starred pianos is now a deeply engrained pattern already! This sounds a bit like tension to me. Have you tried playing very lightly on the keys for the melody - almost floating above them.
This what I was thinking. I'm currently also taking swimming lessons and working on my backstroke. I hit a bit of a brick wall and was getting frustrated. My teacher commented on how I seemed too rigid, and that I needed to relax and let go a bit. As soon as I was able to trust that I wasn't going to just sink, and soften my shoulders and neck, the whole process became a lot easier. I was able to swim more fluidly, and faster, them when my body was actively trying to swim through brute force. I realised that this was the exact same process needed to attempt to play piano pieces faster. Take a breath, let go, and not think about the mechanics too much! Again, this is all way easier if you've got the notes under your fingers at a slower speed first. Thanks for this observation. I was consciously trying to be relaxed in fingers, hands, and wrists when I am playing to avoid what Graham Fitch called in one of his youtube videos "piston fingers". But now that both of you have called this out, I realize I might still be maintaining tension even as I consciously am trying to relax to the point of some limpness. Because actually, this is probably the only explanation for what is slowing me down. I'm going to watch more youtube videos on this and see if I can find some exercises I can try which will help train me to reduce tension.
Last edited by Slothrop, Tyrone; 04/19/18 01:01 AM.
across the stone, deathless piano performances "Discipline is more reliable than motivation." -by a contributor on Reddit r/piano "Success is 10% inspiration, and 90% perspiration." -by some other wise person "Pianoteq manages to keep it all together yet simultaneously also go in all directions; like a quantum particle entangled with an unknown and spooky parallel universe simply waiting to be discovered." -by Pete14
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 306
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 306 |
I just wanted to join in on the conversation. I have a real love/hate relationship with the PM software but when they get it right it works extremely well for me.
I was shocked to see that they've added the upload feature. This would probably help me more than anything. I'd love to be one of those open minded people who likes all music but that's never going to happen. I can practice something I like, even a little, until I get it. Is anyone up for a conversation about the upload? I tried MuseScore but it looks like they did away with the .xml export. I never did get it to work, though I did produce some results that were comical. I got closer with Finale, but had a LOT of issues. It seems to be working after a reboot but I'm not sure why. Is anyone familiar with the upload?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 9,824
9000 Post Club Member
|
9000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 9,824 |
Is anyone up for a conversation about the upload? I'm having a related conversation with others about the upload feature. I'll shoot you a PM about it.
across the stone, deathless piano performances "Discipline is more reliable than motivation." -by a contributor on Reddit r/piano "Success is 10% inspiration, and 90% perspiration." -by some other wise person "Pianoteq manages to keep it all together yet simultaneously also go in all directions; like a quantum particle entangled with an unknown and spooky parallel universe simply waiting to be discovered." -by Pete14
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 306
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 306 |
You made my day. To each his own but I've found the official support a 'bit' lacking.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 317
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 317 |
Talking of support. I notice that there's a new "request minced" button pieces that don't have a complete practice mode. I requested three and one was done the same day.
An aside: Met with a new piano teacher today so after next week I'll probably be spending more time on other pieces. I still plan to stick with PM, though, as it's great sight reading practice.
Roland F130-R
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 469
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 469 |
Talking of support. I notice that there's a new "request minced" button pieces that don't have a complete practice mode. I requested three and one was done the same day.
An aside: Met with a new piano teacher today so after next week I'll probably be spending more time on other pieces. I still plan to stick with PM, though, as it's great sight reading practice. Whoehoee...They have a live chat now
Piano Marvel level 4E and everything I like
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 9,824
9000 Post Club Member
|
9000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 9,824 |
Whoehoee...They have a live chat now Piano Marvel has live chat? I must be missing it -- where is the live chat button appearing on the page(s)?
across the stone, deathless piano performances "Discipline is more reliable than motivation." -by a contributor on Reddit r/piano "Success is 10% inspiration, and 90% perspiration." -by some other wise person "Pianoteq manages to keep it all together yet simultaneously also go in all directions; like a quantum particle entangled with an unknown and spooky parallel universe simply waiting to be discovered." -by Pete14
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 469
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 469 |
Whoehoee...They have a live chat now Piano Marvel has live chat? I must be missing it -- where is the live chat button appearing on the page(s)? On the first page before you login...but it is gone now...mayby they were just testing. Now they are online again 20/04 at 19.16h
Piano Marvel level 4E and everything I like
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 469
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 469 |
Ik ga ook eens in mijn moedertaal posten, dan weten jullie even hoe moeilijk het voor mij is om overal op te antwoorden. En zeker al die muziektermen zijn nergens te vinden in een vertaal programma. Ik hoop dat jullie copy/paste onder de knie hebben en een goed vertaalprogramma LOL Benieuwd wie het lukt van de vrienden hier. Waarom wordt iedereen altijd verondersteld om Engels te kunnen lezen en schrijven? Akkoord het is een wereldtaal, maar daarom is het nog niet vanzelfsprekend. Het is bijna even moeilijk als 100% halen op Arabia
Piano Marvel level 4E and everything I like
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 306
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 306 |
Ik ga ook eens in mijn moedertaal posten, dan weten jullie even hoe moeilijk het voor mij is om overal op te antwoorden. En zeker al die muziektermen zijn nergens te vinden in een vertaal programma. Ik hoop dat jullie copy/paste onder de knie hebben en een goed vertaalprogramma LOL Benieuwd wie het lukt van de vrienden hier. Waarom wordt iedereen altijd verondersteld om Engels te kunnen lezen en schrijven? Akkoord het is een wereldtaal, maar daarom is het nog niet vanzelfsprekend. Het is bijna even moeilijk als 100% halen op Arabia I think it must be brutally hard, and I applaud your effort. I've done a lot of international work and it always embarrassed me that no one on my team(s) would even bother to say hello in another language. (Sorry, but learning to read music is hard enough for me. I doubt I will ever learn Dutch!)
Last edited by TomInCinci; 04/20/18 09:57 AM.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 658
500 Post Club Member
|
500 Post Club Member
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 658 |
Ik ga ook eens in mijn moedertaal posten, dan weten jullie even hoe moeilijk het voor mij is om overal op te antwoorden. En zeker al die muziektermen zijn nergens te vinden in een vertaal programma. Ik hoop dat jullie copy/paste onder de knie hebben en een goed vertaalprogramma LOL Benieuwd wie het lukt van de vrienden hier. Waarom wordt iedereen altijd verondersteld om Engels te kunnen lezen en schrijven? Akkoord het is een wereldtaal, maar daarom is het nog niet vanzelfsprekend. Het is bijna even moeilijk als 100% halen op Arabia I went straight to Google I am also going to post in my mother tongue, then you know how difficult it is for me to answer everything. And certainly all those musical terms are nowhere to be found in a translation program. I hope you have mastered copy / paste and a good translation program laugh LOL Wondering who will succeed the friends here. Why is everyone always supposed to be able to read and write English? Agree it is a world language, but that is why it is not self-evident. It is almost as difficult as getting 100% on Arabia
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 658
500 Post Club Member
|
500 Post Club Member
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 658 |
I've done a lot of international work and it always embarrassed me that no one on my team(s) would even bother to say hello in another language. Between about 1998 and 2009, I had a role as an international evangelist for our company related to the IT needed to enable competition in Electricity markets. I spent a lot of time in the Netherlands (as well as time in Belgium, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Portugal and Norway). Never once did I have to seriously speak in any language other than English. The biggest impression that hit me was in the Netherlands when I walked in to a meeting of about 20 Dutch Nationals and myself. As I walked in they were all speaking in Dutch and as soon as they were aware of my presence the entire meeting switched to English, just because I was there. I did have some very basic French and German, but other than say hello I never needed it for communication. I quite frequently had to listen to a long discussion in the native, and I could only very partially follow it. I often wondered what it was like for others to speak another language, but it now looks at my age I never will find that out. I do know from Dutch friends that even though everyone speaks English, the use of it the entire day is very tiring.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 469
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 469 |
I often wondered what it was like for others to speak another language, but it now looks at my age I never will find that out. I do know from Dutch friends that even though everyone speaks English, the use of it the entire day is very tiring.
I'm very tired indeed No translation this time.
Piano Marvel level 4E and everything I like
|
|
|
|
|
|
Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
|
Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
|
|
Forums43
Topics223,408
Posts3,349,457
Members111,637
|
Most Online15,252 Mar 21st, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
|