Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Duane Shinn 52 Week Crash Course

Congrats David, this sounds like quite a singular achievement! Wishing you a similar level of achievement in whatever you do next!

Yeah, that's a lot longer course than the one I have. When I purchased the Praise and Gospel course, the one I ordered was considered the long one because it contained all 4 DVD's. The DVD's are titled:

1. Praise and Gospel Piano
2. More Praise and Gospel Piano
3. Still More Praise and Gospel Piano
4. And Even More Praise and Gospel Piano

Either way, it's going to take some considerable time to complete.

God Bless,
David

Thank you my friend.

God Bless,
David

I have taken the plunge into Duane’s 52 week course. My piano history is sparse. I took 2 years of lessons as a child around age 10-11 then never played until I took it back up as an adult in the mid 2000s, going through Alfreds books 1 and 2 and getting into book 3 before life got in the way. Now I am ready to get more serious about becoming a good player. I completed Lesson 1 and am almost through lesson 2. Nothing too difficult to this point. I must say I have enjoyed reading through a good bit of this thread, finding it after seeing some Duane Shinn videos on YouTube. I was saddened to see that Duane is no longer with us.

Wonderful! Keep us posted on your progress. It's going to be a rewarding journey for you.


You are already ahead of most beginners. Those early years of exposure are beneficial (IMO).


Yeah, I was just thinking about him. I'm taking his Praise and Gospel course and I wish I could ask him some questions. I think he was 80 years old when he passed. That's a respectable age to live to. It seems like he would have been a nice friend to have.

God Bless,
David

The first 4 lessons of the 52 week crash course are complete. I imagine things will be getting more difficult. I’ve enjoyed learning of pointer chords and swing bass and such. I am enjoying this course very much and since I am 55 years old, I remember and know most of the songs (if not all of them so far) in the course.

Wonderful!

You'll keep playing songs as written for a few more lessons and Duane will begin to give you previews of what you'll be learning in the future. By lesson 10 I was going back and arranging earlier songs I liked with the techniques taught up to that point.

Keep up the good work.

God Bless,
David

I am looking forward to the arranging! One of my problems is with the two years of lessons I had as a boy and the Alfreds adult books I went through is I was never taught certain things. For example, if someone said to me, now play that song in the key of G I wouldn’t have a clue how to do it. I also never was taught the chord families and things like that. My playing was simply rote playing of notes on a written sheet of music. I want to be able to do all of those things plus be able to play some things by ear. Thanks for the encouragement, David!

You've got the right course for learning how to play beyond what's written.

God Bless,
David

Very interesting (th)read!

A question to those among you that opted for the DVD (and not the online) version of the course: What region code do the DVDs have? I'm wondering whether they would work here in Europe...

I'm still not sure which way to go, though. I already registered for Hugh Sung's course at ArtistWorks, which I like a lot. Could it be wise to follow two paths at the same time?

(And just to say it once more, David B: Your progress is highly inspiring!)

I sold the course after I finished it, therefore, I don't have the DVD's anymore. Perhaps an email to Duane's office would provide a quick answer. The online resources weren't available when I started, but if you could download each lesson for offline viewing, that's what I would do. DVD's wouldn't be necessary if you could download lessons.


I'm sure you know what you're capable of, i.e., how much time you have, your current level of development, etc. I know that for me the 52 Week Course took all my attention. I didn't have the time or discipline to work on anything else. However, I've never been a good mulititasker. I'm like a spotlight and not a floodlight. I like to focus on one thing and put all my energy into it.


Thanks. I'm really enjoying Duane's Praise and Gospel series. I'm finding it more challenging, but in a fun way because it's centered around the music I enjoy.

Here is a link to the thread I started regarding it.

https://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthre...raise-and-gospel-course.html#Post2984736

God Bless,
David

Good point! I sent an e-mail to Duane's office, but haven't yet heard back from them. I'd definitely prefer online lessons, but yes, only if they are downloadable. Somehow, I fear that this is not the case with these videos, but I'll see.


Well, you know, David B, that's the thing with me: I'm not so sure I know what I'm capable of... or rather: I'm not sure I'm honest with myself! :-) It's kind of like "the G.A.S. of learning the piano": seeing this course and that course and yet another course... being sucked in by all the promises and hopes and expectactions... and pushing aside the fact that I'm a mere beginner who'd rather spend his damn time sitting at the damn piano than thinking about this and that and yet another course. :-)


I'll make sure to follow your progress there as well! Seriously, you have reason to be proud of yourself.

Mickey, I have the online version of Duane's 52 week course. If there is a way to download the lessons for offline viewing, I have not found it yet. Purchasing the course online give you login information which enables you to access the video lessons on the website. I have found that the wifi has to be good to get the lessons to play smoothly. At times, my signal strength has been poor which causes some buffering to occur, which is annoying to say the least.

If I had it to do over again, I would buy the DVDs. It's an extra $100 though. Of course, you would also have to have a DVD player.

As for the course, I am enjoying it very much. I am on lesson 6. David B has been an inspiration to show that this course can accomplish whatever our goals are to get proficient at piano playing; provided we put in the work.

Hope this helps

David,

Good to know you have this other thread! Will be following!

Thank you so much, Dmoss3! Yes...


...this helps a lot. I guess I'd go for the DVDs in case I decide to follow in Duane Shinn's (and David B's and your) footsteps.

I'm glad to hear that you're happy with this course so far! May I ask what makes it appropriate, or even great, for you?

Some of my biggest weaknesses as a player has been the lack of ability to play by ear, play in a different key if I chose to, and the ability to do runs and fill ins. I have heard from David B and others that Duane's course enables you to do that, as David B's videos attest to. I am on lesson 7 now and enjoying it. As far as the videos go, I usually watch an entire video lesson through, then practice the material out of the book, and refer back to the video if need be.

What's the Pro Secrets Course about?

Thanks for sharing, Dmoss3!

I have now ordered the first four DVDs to find out whether Duane Shinn's way of teaching suits me. If I then want to go on, that's perfect, if not, it's one hundred dollars lost – but at least, I'll know.

But now... off to practicing! :-)

Unless you are a complete beginner IMHO you're not going to get much out of the first four lessons...

Description from Duane's Website.


God Bless,
David