I remember reading this thread a while back, but never really connected that it was the same person that recently made his ascent into PianoWorld celebrity, lol. Way to come back Mr. S-H... you're indeed an inspiration to everyone!

I LOVE all the praise and compliments I'm getting, keep 'em comming, heck, start sending me money!!

Before this gets too out of hand, remember, in real life, I am a piano hack!!

Yes, I can improvise a little, but remember, I improvise because I am too stupid to read the actual score as written.

A few people get this, most don't. Sit me down in front of an intermediate classical piece that you can't just "make stuff up" and watch me wet my panties right in front of you!! I would'nt even know where to begin!

My hand injury was very severe. I came extremely close to losing my left hand and wrist completely, but several years have past now and I can use my left hand very close to normal now.

The range of motion is a bit limited, but that really does not have much effect on my piano playing. Come to think of it, I'm starting to run out of excuses on why I can't play more difficult songs. Oh well.

What really IS amazing is how far medical science has come. I mean from having a hand that was literally just dangling by my elbow to now being able to play and perform in piano recitals is truly amazing. Its NOT my playing ability, (thats just very average at best), but it is how well I have healed from such a trauma and what a great job the surgeons have done is what really amazes me.

I, unfortunately, do have a very big curve ball thats been thrown at me at an increasing speed recently, and hopefully, with a bit of faith (and luck), I may somehow overcome it as well. Fortunately, my piano playing has not been affected ...yet. I can only hope that this remains to be the case.

Hunky:

Piano Hack, my back-side!
I listened to your latest "Stairway", you didn't whip that out in 20 minutes nor is it possible to get that from a book. you have to aquire a feeling for the piece of music you are trying to voice. I believe it is better to be very artistically talented and limited technicaly, than the other way around. artistry is in the soul, technic can be learned. you obviously have technic cause you can play those pieces you recorded! I suspect if you were interested in classical music you could breeze through those intermediate pieces. I also suspect you choose those pieces that peak your curiosity; those pieces you can shape to make your own.

LeadFinger predection number one...you will be playing jazz, with feeling and heart in less than 5 years. (The path has been chosen, you have no choice, deal with it!)

Don't make me say it...Now you went an did it,you're gonna make me say it!
To call yourself a piano hack, is to do all of us lesser piano hacks a great injustice.

Besides we all want to be Hunkys when we grow up!

LeadFingers

Thanks for the insight leadfingers. You may have hit part of the nail on the head as my favorite thing to do is to improvise nice songs.

I really wish that I was better than I am because when I hear certain songs, many times, I can hear things missing that (in my opinion) would make the song sound evern better. I only wish that I could really "fill in" these sections that I hear in my head.

I can "think" very nice songs in my head, but I can't put those "thoughts" down onto the keys yet.......yet!!

Mt "stairway" is just barely scratching the surface of what I would really like to do with it and other songs, but as I said, I don't know how yet to fully transfer whats in my head onto the keys.

This is actually what keeps me very motivated to play as if I can one day do this, I will be extremely happy.

For me, this is a lot of fun, its not work by any means and I never have to "force" myself to play.

Thanks again for the support.

Maybe I make that my new piano montra - if you don't mind.

Peace to you, Mr. Hunky.

I'm with you!
I never have to force myself to play...BUT many are the times I have to force my behind to the bench. After I touch the first key, it's like a porthole opened up to alternate reality, where music is everything. (and if I can stay out of my own way it works)

There is no feeling in the world quite like putting the music in your head, to the keys.
The most frusterating thing in the world, is trying to play that same music the next day. I can rarely remember it enough to play it 2 days in a row!
I'm hopeing a microphone will help.

LeadFingers

Yes.

For some reason I thought this was a going to be a story about a venereal disease...

hahahaha mark, teeeheee


What a great story, I kind of passed out when you mentioned something about your hand hanging but once I woke up and got off the floor and i read the rest, I thought wow what an inspiration.!!

I clap for you many many times

Hunk,

Despite your need for ego feeding, :p your injury was, indeed, a life changing experience on many levels. I applaud your piano playing but more so the fortitude and dedication to fight your way to your current stage of recovery. Imagining you sitting at the piano, I know better, now, that music and your playing of it has brought you in touch with many aspects of your personality that may have taken many more years to reach without this adversity.

Your experience touches me.

Way to go, Hunk!

Wow, Mr. S-H!

Monica pointed me to your story after I introduced myself to the forum here:

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/topic/32/1933/12.html#000288

What an amazing story! What did I do all those years after my injury???!!! It took you just 3 years! Congratulations, you are now my true inspiration!