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GargameI35 -

I don't believe there are any restrictions in the free trial version, and for the separate hands, look to the bottom of the screen for "Practice Mode", and look for a "minced" version. it may not exist that way on every exercise. even a chopped version may have separate hand sections. Good luck.

I believe that the trial version has a less extensive music library and there’s a limit on the number of SASR tests that you can take.

If the song has sliced options you can. If not I'd just do assessment mode and play only RH or LH and ignore the score output. Also if you decide to buy it google Josh Wright Piano Marvel code I think he has a promo code for 20% off.

Just passed Arabia (Level 3B)!!
Now to rest the right wrist and finish Low Bridge...

Did anybody else struggle with the 4 note V7 chords.

I’m getting there but my left hand still isn’t particularly happy about it.

I just started on them with my teacher a few weeks ago. I’m not doing piano marvel, but saw this post and thought I’d share my exercises. I can say they get easier with practice.

One exercise my teacher suggested was doing mini improv with them in the right, to help ingrain the notes in your head.
Ex. C7 - play just root in left for now (C 4 beats/times a bar) & try an improv with R, 1, 3, 5, 7 in the right hand (C, E, G, Bb) Sounds counter intuitive, but practicing them in the right also helped my left.

Also do arpeggios with them in the left.
ex. C7 ascending C, E, G, Bb then descending Bb, G, E, C

HTH,
Silver

I've been using Piano Marvel since May of last year, so about 14 months now. I am on level 4C-13 Technique.

Of course, as I advance higher and higher into the lessons, they naturally become more difficult and it's taking me longer and longer to get that perfect score of 100% (I know, I'm OCD). In some cases, I'll spend hours on a lesson, repeating the assessment up to 200+ times until I get that 100% score.

Sometimes I feel like this is working against me rather than benefiting me because I'm spending too much time on one thing.

Am I practicing wrong? For other beginners like me, how do you determine for yourself if you've mastered the lesson and are ready to move on if you don't get that score of 100%?

I'm thinking of setting a "passing grade" of 96% or better going forward.

I was the same way and for me it became “let’s see how fast I can get to 100” then once I got 100 I moved on but wasn’t grasping much theory or concepts. It became more of learn as fast as I can by repetition instead of learning how a scale is built, etc. which piano marvel doesn’t teach anything behind the notes. If I used it again I wouldn’t even care to get 100 I think 96 is plenty as long as you truly learned the lesson. Also get 96 keep progressing come come back and then get the 100 on them it’ll be pieces of cake.

I’m at a point where not only do I have to get 100% but I don’t allow any red notes at all. Admittedly, I am a way behind you (4A) so things could change.
I think I have a slightly different approach to you in that I’ve probably never done a piece in 'Assess' mode more than 5 times before getting the 100%. This is because I won’t even attempt a piece in 'Assess' mode until I’ve perfected it in practice mode with time to spare and more importantly that I am happy with the performance and I’m playing every part smoothly and comfortably. I'll often get 95% on a piece and close the piano lid knowing after a nights sleep I'll be able to get the 100% more comfortably the following day.

I’m on 'Go Big C' at the moment which I practiced so much that I got 98% on my first attempt. I could probably get the 100% today but I’m not sure that I will move on yet because I find my left hand is quite ugly and contorted while playing this piece and I think I’ll need to iron that out before proceeding.

Saying all that, I can tell from this thread that level 4 on PM is a whole different ballgame to the preceding levels so I may not have the luxury of being able to get 100% for much longer.

Just finished Go Big C. Level 4 has some easy things, but I have to concentrate hard on each piece.


I am still aiming for 100%

I just completed 'Go Big C' too at 100%.

Now it’s going to take a while to get the tune out of my head and stop my fingers trying to play it on my leg

Level 1-3 all 100% both method and technique. Level 4a method still 100% But then it starts, hours and hours and days and weeks labor on the same piece. It really was no longer doable, so I decided to practice until I got above 95%. And now I enjoy it again, maybe I'll go back later, I don't know yet.

If you were learning these pieces with a teacher, you would not be expected to play them at 100% before you move on. Just a thought to maintain sanity 😊

Thank you folks for responding to my grumblings of trying to achieve 100% on all lessons.

Today, I spent another 2+ hours on Lesson 4C-13 Technique. In practice mode, I can score 97% to 99% consistently while using a metronome. As soon as I hit that Assess button, my heart beats faster and I inevitably screw up, especially between sections or with timing changes. Or I lose my place and I can't pick it up again. So frustrating sometimes but I know every student has gone through the same.

Oh well, I know I will eventually get my passing score and move on.

I can recommend Graham Fitch and his first book on piano practice. Obviously the more advanced books are for really advanced students, but the principles he gives are very applicable to all levels of ability.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bmY4FlNJJ4

If you do "all" in practice, chopped mode, at the very last you increase the speed from 42 to 45 BPM (or more). Try that a few times, it will fail obvious. But when you go to "assess" it suddenly seems much slower and easier. You create a head start on your nerves ... weird but it helps.

+1 to what Sarah65 just said!

This morning (after about 4 days rest) I went back to Ballad in C Minor, sounded much better. I intend to spend another week reviewing the things that drove me nuts last week “just trying to get through this”: Into The Woods, back to 3A for Sweet Lullaby...and there’s the Ear Training/Harmonizations I need to go back through as well...

I’m convinced...spending more time in Practice mode, starting slow and speeding up, is the only way I’m going to get this on my own. Plus, I learned more about presets and can pull up one I made that has minimal instrumentation but rhythm and melody

Fun Fact: PM uses harmonic minors...my FJH scale book uses natural minors...mind blown!

This confused me at first. I knew all of my natural minor scales and very quickly had to add the harmonic minor scales to my repertoire.
I guess it makes sense as the chords are based on the harmonic minor. If you play the chords in natural minor, they sound odd.

I think I'm going to start using the middle section of 'Go Big C' (the two handed sections) as part of my warm up in future. I’ve found when playing those sections over and over again while looking out the window, something strange starts to happen and my fingers start to take on a mind of their own and it becomes almost effortless.