I was bored while waiting for a client after restoring some accounting database files from their tape backup and found this nifty treatise:

http://staff.mwsc.edu/~bhugh/piano-practice.html#principles

Very interesting reading. I'm going to print it out and highlight some of the sections.

thanks for sharing this, bob. i'm also printing it out right now and also sent the link to my piano teacher. she uses a lot of these methods, but i bet it will help her to have it all written out and organized like this for her students.

me too. I wish I had this 20 years ago.

Thanks Bob, more stuff to put in my save file!!

Cathy

That is good stuff, Bob. I find myself using many of those techniques already (I'm sure most of us do), but some I'd have never thought of.
Thanks!
HM

This is my biggest gripe about piano teachers. They don't recognize that the first fundamental lesson to be learned is HOW TO PRACTICE. How to practice in a way that is productive, without frustration, accepting small steps. As the first quote notes, it is to a certain extent subjective. The student has to learn this for himself. But the teacher can give guidance. The very first question in the first lesson should be from the teacher: Have you learned how to practice? Based on my experience and what I have read over the past four years I would guess there is maybe one teacher in 10 who understands this. Perhaps the reason teachers can't comprehend this is that they all started very young and they don't remember those first steps in learning how to make the piano work. As adults they have a certain control over the KB that they don't know or recall how they got and as teachers the thought never occurs to them.

good link, and is definitely worth looking into. some of those ideas i read before though. thanks!

Very helpful advice. Thank you!

Good stuff! Thanks for the link!

Thanks Bob,

There are things in this site I had never heard of before, like the "pencil practice".

Neus

You all should give this a read:

http://members.aol.com/cc88m/PianoBook.html

thanks for sharing those linds, they are really useful