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... Regarding "Here and there other mistakes are evident over your performances:" if there's something else you remember as a recurring theme, please let me know. My private teacher's style is not too nitpicky. He emphasizes voicing and expression and making a piece sound good. He does indicate when my timing is off (like he did for Lullaby), but he tends to be on the encouraging "there are things to fix but you're making nice progress" side....
As I already said to both you and Ankee, I'm afraid picking mistakes will not help you. You need a live feedback from someone in the know and able to correct you in real time. Or the mistakes will keep haunting you; they will repeat themselves over and over and hinder your learning. Everything depends on what you want to do: if you want more or less to play pieces for your family and friends, that's fine. If you want to learn to play the piano, that's a different path, requiring serious commitment, abandoning pieces like Alfred's and committing yourself to a more demanding schedule. Just my 2c. As for your comment about your teacher, well, it sounds very much like my previous 2 teachers... But that wasn't the way I wanted to learn, so I dumped them both. My current teacher is just a different world... At each session he takes notes on a notebook of my mistakes and the way to address them, starting from my posture: my hands, my arms, my back, my fingering. Then my touch, how to play legato, staccato, piano, forte, and so on. It requires much more work, but it is worth. I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm back to playing Czerny. You can't imagine how much there is to learn just from that. Each exercise can be played in a 1000 ways! And each way teaches something different. I still cry about those 2 years I wasted before I met him, but hopefully it's not too late. I hope I've made myself more clear and this will help you guys to understand where you stand.
@Talao - Pretty much everyone that plays Lullaby in Alfred's does that, a simple melody like that we know so well is much stronger to us that instructions in little dots on a page we are just learning about. I wouldn't be surprised if it was even a deliberate decision by them - put in a simple 'wrong' version to make the learner decide how to play it. Of course you can follow your ears or the sheet, but it is good to recognise the difference.
Thank you Andrew! Still a lot of tinkering with key velocity though. My CDP-130 can't do forte with the default velocity curve, but now I feel like it's hard to get decent dynamics. I will figure this out though, for sure!
Originally Posted by wouldloveto
As I already said to both you and Ankee, I'm afraid picking mistakes will not help you. You need a live feedback from someone in the know and able to correct you in real time. Or the mistakes will keep haunting you; they will repeat themselves over and over and hinder your learning. Everything depends on what you want to do: if you want more or less to play pieces for your family and friends, that's fine. If you want to learn to play the piano, that's a different path, requiring serious commitment, abandoning pieces like Alfred's and committing yourself to a more demanding schedule. Just my 2c. As for your comment about your teacher, well, it sounds very much like my previous 2 teachers... But that wasn't the way I wanted to learn, so I dumped them both. My current teacher is just a different world... At each session he takes notes on a notebook of my mistakes and the way to address them, starting from my posture: my hands, my arms, my back, my fingering. Then my touch, how to play legato, staccato, piano, forte, and so on. It requires much more work, but it is worth. I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm back to playing Czerny. You can't imagine how much there is to learn just from that. Each exercise can be played in a 1000 ways! And each way teaches something different. I still cry about those 2 years I wasted before I met him, but hopefully it's not too late. I hope I've made myself more clear and this will help you guys to understand where you stand.
I see where you come from and I appreciate your input as always, but I definitely do disagree that picking mistakes won't help. It's not the same as doing it in real time, granted, but I do know it helps, any outside feedback helps you get some perspective and correct the things you don't usually notice. That being said, I have been contacting a few teachers and will hopefully be able to get a few trial lessons over the weekend!
In the meantime, O Sole Mio is coming together rather well, I'm definitely happy with the results!
I see where you come from and I appreciate your input as always, but I definitely do disagree that picking mistakes won't help. It's not the same as doing it in real time, granted, but I do know it helps, any outside feedback helps you get some perspective and correct the things you don't usually notice.
I disagree too as this is the premise of the online courses like ArtistWorks and PCA (mentioned earlier in the thread), and that definitely works. The worst that could be said of those methods is they might be slower and they might not work for everyone, but there are people they definitely work for.
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
Guys, I see a little clarification is due. I thought it was obvious I was referring to myself picking up your mistakes. Of course, you do need someone to point them out for you, otherwise haw can you correct them? Simply, you don't need some random guy like me. Besides, I could be wrong myself. You need a good and qualified (both necessary, as the latter on its own is not enough as I was proven) teacher (did I say it already? LOL), either virtual or real, but live. I hope that's clear now
You need a good and qualified (both necessary, as the latter on its own is not enough as I was proven) teacher (did I say it already? LOL), either virtual or real, but live. I hope that's clear now
Thanks for the advice. I don't think you need to repeat it again, 10+ in the thread is enough. Doubly so when the OP just posted saying they are actively looking for a teacher.
Getting some practice on Jericho, it's definitely a lot easier overall than O Sole Mio. Shame it doesn't sound nearly as good. Very haunting song. Trying to get a first class scheduled for this week.
Hi Ankee, I just listened to your Jericho, and my advice to you is to listen and simultaneously clap your hands, counting one-two-three-four. Just to check if you got the rhythm correctly.
Playing the piano is learning to create, playfully and deeply seriously, our own music in the world. * ... feeling like the pianist on the Titanic ...
Anything in particular Animisha? I think his rhythm is solid here, still a few hesitations so it's not clean enough to play with a metronome at this tempo yet, but definitely has the idea and feel of the piece.
Funnily enough I went back to check my version from years ago and apparently I thought it was a good idea to play it in swung 8th notes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzRHlJyZUxY
We're definitely rushing it a little (ie the full beat of those bars), but I wouldn't call it a misunderstanding of the written timing, just normal beginner nerves. It's definitely something playing with a metronome would catch out.
I wonder if you all know this song, and therefore all of you rush through these measures in exactly the same way? Because I don't know this song, and I needed to count in order to be able to play it.
Playing the piano is learning to create, playfully and deeply seriously, our own music in the world. * ... feeling like the pianist on the Titanic ...
If I can step in, since so far I have always been pointing out Ankee's mistakes, for once I will reverse my habit. I second 100% Andrew's post: the rhythm is solid enough here and what might sound like mistakes is only a few hesitations due to lack of practice. To me it's pretty evident that after some more sessions Ankee will be able to overcome them.
Hey guys! Thank you for all the feedback, love it when things pick up when it comes to discussing a song!
I have to confess I didn't know the song either! Haha. The tempo on the measures with quarter notes was a bit off, though not on purpose but as pointed out just hesitation due to a lack of practice Got two good days on the song and I think I got the rhythm pat down now Set the metronome to 125bpm and I think the song sounds its best like that, not knowing the original at least!
I quite like it, think I'll keep it in the repertoire alongside Auld Lang Syne for now.
Here is a short practice video you may find useful: Good luck!
Hey there! Thank you for the suggestion! I had a look and that does sound like a cool small thing I can include on those days where it's beyond hectic, it helps having something structured like that!
Worked on The Stranger today, got the initial 4 measures pat down, second part feels very very awkward hands together. Hands separate it feels very doable, so it should come together next session!
Also on other exciting news, got my first piano class scheduled for Sunday! Can't wait to have a try at a teacher again, should be fun
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