tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.comments2021-10-08T21:48:00.339-04:00The Piano BlogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-23876328050615459362013-04-27T17:22:42.716-04:002013-04-27T17:22:42.716-04:00Thanks for your many good advice for practising pi...Thanks for your many good advice for practising piano!violethttp://howtoplaythepianoforbeginners.net/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-61188399114998058182013-02-15T01:16:46.282-05:002013-02-15T01:16:46.282-05:00Thank you so much! I'm trying to master Mozart...Thank you so much! I'm trying to master Mozart's Sonata 545 right now and am having difficulty in those sections. My runs sound sloppy. I wasn't sure what I was doing wrong because practice wasn't making it better. Thanks...I'm going to be a regular visitor to your blog. :)Audrey Frazierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15765205764657796453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-31496807514771670352013-01-04T04:03:45.478-05:002013-01-04T04:03:45.478-05:00Hi Jason - The most important ingredient for you i...Hi Jason - The most important ingredient for you is to stick with your lessons. I have had a number of adult students who have been with me for a number of years now who I would now consider to be advanced students. Feel free to ask me any questions about piano technique. Good luck to you.<br />Helenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471510158250540602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-80413308276942074842013-01-03T22:55:03.483-05:002013-01-03T22:55:03.483-05:00I love your blog, your writings ,experiences that ...I love your blog, your writings ,experiences that sounded so far fetched for me something i know i will never be able to experience. my parents never had the finances for any piano experience for me though i yearned for it in my early years. At 43 braved myself and bought a digital piano to start everything from scratch. sorry for the boring details but i would love to read more of your writings and will certainly lookout for you in fb.<br />sincerely,jason koh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-71868188438770160442012-08-31T16:25:41.950-04:002012-08-31T16:25:41.950-04:00Really informative post, I gained a lot of insight...Really informative post, I gained a lot of insight that I can pass on to my students. Thanks!Sayan Bhttp://pianofordummies.co.ccnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-75880422260117994852012-08-21T13:50:59.983-04:002012-08-21T13:50:59.983-04:00Any chance of a new post sometime soon? I've e...Any chance of a new post sometime soon? I've enjoyed reading so far!The Piano Manhttp://reviewthatforme.com/music/learnpianoin30days-com-review-scam/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-25182255064528490072012-08-20T18:55:34.711-04:002012-08-20T18:55:34.711-04:00Bill, if you are still following this post I'm...Bill, if you are still following this post I'm interested in learning more about your approach. Mind sharing? Larry R.http://reviewthatforme.com/music/learnpianoin30days-com-review-scam/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-19112231896506994452012-08-19T14:36:15.312-04:002012-08-19T14:36:15.312-04:00Wow, thanks for the assistance. I just found your ...Wow, thanks for the assistance. I just found your blog a couple weeks ago, and the content is superb. Will definitely be subscribing!Johnhttp://learntoplaythepianoin30days.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-57968087229494349452012-03-28T23:05:23.300-04:002012-03-28T23:05:23.300-04:00And today's Internet based society, a lot of p...And today's Internet based society, a lot of pianists want quick gratification without warning the fundamentals. Popular music, classical music, jazz and all others need to be explored. Your sentence rings true that: following a logical sequence of pieces with each piece progressively more challenging technically while still within the student’s level, every student can achieve the goal of clean, sparkling, and brilliant runs.Great article.Heatherhttp://www.rocketpiano4you.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-88161695186622934962012-02-22T05:24:12.471-05:002012-02-22T05:24:12.471-05:00Hi Bolochka - Good Idea! Practicing scales, chord...Hi Bolochka - Good Idea! Practicing scales, chords and arpeggios in the key of the piece is an excellent warmup and helps improve technique. I do find that practicing the scale of the piece helps students with their sightreading of the piece.Helenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471510158250540602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-51680110831548094622012-02-22T05:19:28.000-05:002012-02-22T05:19:28.000-05:00Sorry I took so long on getting back to your quest...Sorry I took so long on getting back to your question about the Mozart K280. What I can suggest doing is the following:<br /><br />1) Before you even play the piece through as a whole, create exercises out of the 16th note passages as follows:<br /><br />2) Practice these 2 handed 16th note passages slow, heavy, digging in so they are exactly even and together. (I always tell my students that you must learn something slowly and then increase the speed. You can gradually increase your speed. In other words, practice those difficult parts first and isolated from the rest of the movement. <br /><br />3) Another exercise is to practice 1 beat and a note hands together, first slowly and then in tempo. In other words practice hands together the 4 note grouplet but add the next note. Then start where you left off and do the next 16th note grouplet and the beginning note of the next grouplet so they overlap. <br /><br />4) After you have practiced the difficult parts and have done the exercises, then play the entire movement in tempo. Eventually you should see some improvement. <br /><br />If you still need some help, message me on Facebook. You can find me under Helene Zemel.Helenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471510158250540602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-44821422658527760262012-02-22T01:41:20.167-05:002012-02-22T01:41:20.167-05:00An important tip, which I did not see listed: PRA...An important tip, which I did not see listed: PRACTICE THE SCALE, CHORDS AND ARPEGGIOS OF THE KEY THE PIECE IS WRITTEN IN!!! I cannot emphasize enough how effective this can be. It will take your reading and execution to a new level. Good luck everyone :)Bolochkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02399346879373349987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-34450143320797022272012-02-08T21:37:05.844-05:002012-02-08T21:37:05.844-05:00I am studying mozart piano sonata k280 now, and th...I am studying mozart piano sonata k280 now, and the problem I have with playing it slowly is that I lose the focus on the piece. If I play the 1st movement too slow so I can play the 16th notes accuratly, the rest of the movement sound boring, draggin and I lose focus and instead of playing it as a whole movement, I play it as a collection of unrelated phrases. If I speed up, I play with more consistency, focus and musicality, but when the 3 or 4 measures full of 16th notes come, I make a complete mess, since my left hand cannot keep up with my right hand. I have to play with a metronome of 80 for my left hand to be accurate on those measures, and with a metronome of a 96/100 to play it like a work on its own instead of just random phrases. :(Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-20289379720921650762011-09-22T05:02:42.025-04:002011-09-22T05:02:42.025-04:00Hi Suzanne - There is really no right or wrong way...Hi Suzanne - There is really no right or wrong way to use these practice techniques. It also depends on the difficulty of the piece. Generally, hands alone practice, slow practice, and working small sections of a piece will be particularly helpful on more difficult selections. You be the judge. Good luck with your piano practice!Helenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471510158250540602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-31313767360061860052011-09-21T12:07:34.637-04:002011-09-21T12:07:34.637-04:00Thanks for the advice, Helene! Consistency is the ...Thanks for the advice, Helene! Consistency is the thing I do need to work on! I am hoping I can practice at least 5 days per week, if I put my mind to it. So would you say to spend half of the remaining time (after the few minutes on scales and chords) on new pieces and the other half of the time on review of songs I have already learned? Is it okay to try the old pieces with hands together first, but if I make mistakes to stop and work on the sections that have trouble with hands separately? Do you think it's ever good to try sight reading with hands together first just to see where you're at, or with a new piece would you always start hands separately?Suzannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02992587070733405750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-63779055923183273602011-09-18T22:45:34.590-04:002011-09-18T22:45:34.590-04:00Hi Suzanne - Glad to help! Much can be accomplish...Hi Suzanne - Glad to help! Much can be accomplished in 30 to 60 minutes per day. The most important thing about piano practice is consistency.<br /><br />You can start your piano practice with a few scales and chords. You should be able to find books on scales, chords, and elementary theory. I would spend just a few minutes on scales and chords and then spend the balance of my time on pieces.<br /><br />Learning new songs will improve your sightreading skills as well as keep up your interest.<br /><br />Certainly, relearn your old repertoire. Try some of my practice techniques. Your old songs and pieces should come back quickly. Start with some hands alone practice. Then work slowly as you put the 2 hands back together. If the piece is difficult, work on just a few bars at a time until each section is mastered. You should be up to speed within a short time of practice.Helenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471510158250540602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-88335465757927602972011-09-18T21:37:51.093-04:002011-09-18T21:37:51.093-04:00I should print out your practice suggestions and u...I should print out your practice suggestions and use them! I appreciate your ideas. <br /><br />I am not taking lessons currently, but would like to start learning new songs and reviewing ones I already know. I also would like to learn more about chords, as I like to write songs, and put chords with them before trying to work out an accompaniment. <br /><br />If I only have 30-60 minutes per day to practice, do you have a suggestion for how I should use the time? (Scales, chords, song review, new pieces, etc.) Should I just work on some of these things a time or two per week?<br /><br />Thanks for any help you can give me!Suzannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02992587070733405750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-6501205163044802132011-08-19T02:22:34.582-04:002011-08-19T02:22:34.582-04:00Hi Gowrish
I'm afraid that I am too far away ...Hi Gowrish<br /><br />I'm afraid that I am too far away here in the United States. There must be some good piano teachers in India. Try contacting a university music department.<br /><br />I was thinking about doing some coaching over the internet as I came across a voice teacher that was doing this. Something for me to look into for the future.Helenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471510158250540602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-4681854638169686432011-08-19T01:29:41.170-04:002011-08-19T01:29:41.170-04:00hi,i am gowrish from india.i am vry much intereste...hi,i am gowrish from india.i am vry much interested to learn classical piano in depth .can you please teach me piano.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07320070357199671108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-38612975489706333272011-08-10T03:01:56.363-04:002011-08-10T03:01:56.363-04:00Thanks, James. I hope to add a new post very soon...Thanks, James. I hope to add a new post very soon.Helenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471510158250540602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-32246427266278352882011-08-09T18:02:13.984-04:002011-08-09T18:02:13.984-04:00Thank you for such a great post! This is the firs...Thank you for such a great post! This is the first time I've read your blog and it's very impressive!<br /><br />I work with a ton of piano teachers and I'd like to point them to your blog.<br /><br />Nicely done!James Hardinghttp://www.gistpianocenter.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-68288145214612538532011-08-09T17:56:38.628-04:002011-08-09T17:56:38.628-04:00I was fortunate enough to have dinner with Ben Nil...I was fortunate enough to have dinner with Ben Niles not long after the movie came out. I was most impressed by his humility and his uncanny ability to caputre the emotion of a family receiving their first Steinway.<br /><br />What a beautiful film. Everyone should see it.James Hardinghttp://www.gistpianocenter.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-76543239041919436102011-05-04T04:55:06.666-04:002011-05-04T04:55:06.666-04:00Hi Bill - Thanks for this suggestion. Learning to...Hi Bill - Thanks for this suggestion. Learning to bring out the melody helps the pianist acquire a professional sound adding to the enjoyment for both pianist and listener. :-)Helenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471510158250540602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-31477586708331026122011-05-03T12:32:04.944-04:002011-05-03T12:32:04.944-04:00For more "play by ear" or non-classical ...For more "play by ear" or non-classical pianists, another suggestion is simply to keep the melody above all the chord tones in the right hand. Of course, learning chord inversions will help with this. For myself, I've found that playing melody lines that are in the middle of other accompaniment tones can be very difficult.Bill Romerhttp://pianofast.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-724646980489112709.post-64349489664165746602011-03-21T15:59:45.623-04:002011-03-21T15:59:45.623-04:00Thanks, Linea. These exercises are helpful from t...Thanks, Linea. These exercises are helpful from the earliest Sonatina runs through difficult passages in a Chopin Ballade. :-)Helenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471510158250540602noreply@blogger.com