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It's that time of year...

I was taking lessons at my university, but stopped when everything shut down, of course. I've been playing a lot at home, but honestly not challenging myself at all. Just playing what I know and like, and improvising. The university resumed in-person learning, but I haven't engaged. It seems each time things look up, they turn around. Got vaccinated last summer, then delta struck. Now Omicron...

Anyway, I need to find a way to move my playing forward. I'm going to focus on challenging myself somehow in the short term, and at least working on some new pieces.

I guess that's my resolution: to push myself a little harder, out of the fun comfort zone and into the growth zone!


I came across some germane "piano resolutions" graphics (it's amazing what a web search will turn up).



These first three are definitely applicable to me:









I've been meaning to do this anyway:





And I should probably return to this:

For years, I have resolved not to make New Year's resolutions.

That's one resolution I have always been able to keep.

Cheers and Happy New Year!

I generally don't make them either, just correct on the fly as necessary.

But it seems with the pandemic that in some ways I've just been floating downstream, in a sort of malaise, waiting for things to get back to normal (remember when it was going to be two weeks?). I just feel like I need to take control of some things, like "waiting for it to end" so that I can resume lessons. I still may not resume lessons right away, but the "break" in progress needs to end!

I try to do at least an hour a day, sometimes breaking it up into 1/2 periods.(depending on how how awake I am in these dark winter days) Sometimes I practice longer.I always define between practicing and playing.Sometimes I just need to play and that's OK too.
I recently improved my recording devices, so I listen to myself and compare recordings of great pianists.Although I try to improve I know my limits.(I also am not going to spend hours trying to improve) Sometimes I still get impatient with myself though in a really difficult piece.
So I aim to enjoy myself more than I have done in the past.Although my aim is certainly not post a youtube performance.I am critical enough, and do not want to torture myself..yet perhaps oneday I will post something. 😉
Life difficult enough with pandemic, so I say practice, but enjoy! Play all kinds of things, Improvise, try memorizing a short piece, try playing a popular song by ear as well sometimes.Music should be fun above all things.

Sage advice for these dark and somewhat dismal times, tc.

Regards,

Happy New Year all.

I usually don't make New Year's resolutions, however...

This year I made a few decisions. As some of you know I am a classical tenor in addition to being a "piano guy". I do not practice regularly, so this is something I will be working on in 2022. I will also spend a few dollars on some professional coaching.

In addition, I will be spending time on learning to speak German better. (My mother only spoke German until the first grade). My hope is that putting these things in writing here is spur me on to better follow through on both of these resolutions.

Cheers,

Best wishes Rich.

Great resolutions, Rich! Best wishes for success with all

All great New Year's Resolutions, for sure!

As for me, I must say, when it comes to New Year's resolutions, I hope to keep doing what I'm doing as much as I can. Not that I couldn't improve upon many things, and I'm still learning and growing, and maturing as I go.

Here is a quick New Year's Resolution poem to start the new year...

New Year's resolutions, we all make them, it seems
Whether new habits, or hobbies, or just doing new things
A motivation for sure, to make changes for the good
Doing things we would like or things we should

But, alas, as is the case most of the time
We make promises to ourselves to ease our own mind
Some promises we may keep and others soon fade away
But make resolutions still, who knows, it may save the day

As for me, as I mentioned, I'm on a good path
At least it seems that way, cause I often smile and laugh
I laugh at myself, and sometimes others too
When I see and hear the things we say and do

I'll continue to play my pianos as often as I can
For it always puts a smile on my face, and sometimes the face of my YT fans
I'll write some new songs, and keep playing my songs from the past
Hopefully, I'll learn some new boogie licks, or something I can play really fast

For I have two basic tempos when I play the piano, you know
Fast and faster, it seems, as onward I go
And maybe I can play something new a bit softer and slower
But when I get started on a good boogie tune, I tend to speed up more

I don't know, I guess I should make a resolution to let these PW poems go
But where's the fun in that? I just don't know
So, again, as I say, I'll keep doing what I'm doing now
And, as always, I wish everyone here the very best anyhow

Oh, I almost forgot, I need to keep up my diet and exercise routine...

Rick

Rick,

I love that poem. Thank you for sharing.


Thanks Dave! Happy New Year to you and all the best in 2022 to you and yours.

That goes for all of our friends here in PW!

Yes, good advice! Thanks for the tips tre corda.

Rickster, thanks for the poem

I’m a tenor too, and although not a music major in college I did take voice lessons, and for a while after college too, after which I mainly sang choral music though, and really love it.

Unfortunately, I haven’t even been in a good choir for two decades now. In the last few years, if we attend something where there’s singing, like Nine Lessons and Carols last month, I’ve noticed that my range is shrinking. And to the extent that singing is very physical, I’m also out of shape. I was wondering about taking some lessons myself, to see if I can reverse some of that “deterioration.”

My resolution, contractor availability permitting, is to finally complete restoration of my 1916 Weber Duo Art this year!

You've had that project going for quite a while! It's been fun watching the progress.