I had my third piano lesson yesterday.
I really like my teacher -YAY!
Even though I still feel a little shy I feel very comfortable with her.
She has been spending a lot of time going over the music and rhythm with me to make sure I understand what all those little markings mean. I feel like this is exactly what I need. No one ever spend this much time helping me to really understand this stuff. I mean I understand it in theory/logically but when it comes to actually expressing it through playing is a different story.

One measure we were looking at had a combo of quarter notes eights notes and sixteenth notes. Whenever I would see rhythm like that I would freeze up and my mind would go blank-flash backs from math class I think. But, she very calmly explained how to figure it out and how it would sound. She also had me sing the rhythm (phew! good thing I took those singing lessons) and we used the metronome (another thing that would make me freeze up) as a guide.

I used to look at a piece of music and feel so overwhelmed by everything I had to know and remember. So, I would just ignore everything and try to play it how I knew it should sound. Now I am feeling much more comfortable and less panicked when I am looking at the music.

Before I started lessons I thought in addition to whatever she had me working on I would work on some songs on my own – one’s that I had played in the past. But I decided to wait. I think I want to start over fresh and get a good solid foundation first (something I didn’t get from other teachers) and then go back and work on those pieces.

Oh and a funny little coincidence: The bus I take to get to my lessons is bus #88 (88 keys-LOL)

Surely it was meant to be!!

Nice to hear lessons are going good!

It sounds like you are off to a wonderful start Kymber. Don't worry, I have been with my piano teacher once a week for a year....and I am STILL shy to play. I think we all have a bit of perfectionist that pops out when we play in front of others.

Enjoy and keep posting your progress. Love to hear it.

Diane

Thanks

That sounds wonderful! My piano teacher when I started learning again was like that too. She just seems to know my level of learning and helps me along the way. I was so sad to leave her when I came to Texas.