http://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/...rpeggios-video/

I start by introducing Major and minor thirds..
A little helpful hint for students.. sing Do a Deer through a Major third, and then test on minor..(would have to be a sad deer)

This video is intended for whom? Are there videos that precede this one that builds up to this and why is the diminished seventh chosen for instruction? I don't understand the purpose of this unless you've been asked for an explanation by someone who is seeking this information. I'm, frankly, puzzled by it.

It's harmless fly posting. I'd rather a paragraph or two on the efficacy of minor seventh practice (which I know to be true). I'm not about to scour someone's blog in the hope it's there though.

KBK: Yes, it's harmless, but I don't see the purpose of posting it unless directed at someone or some specific purpose. Was there an inquiry about this? If so, it would make sense. Otherwise I think most posters here know quite well what it is and how to do this. But,if there are some who are wondering and the poster has determined a need for this explanation, then there is a reason for it.

As it's pedagogical it really belongs in the teacher's if anywhere. I notice it's also in ABF.

Varcon :

This same poster has been offering teaching videos (or videos of lessons from her blog) in the Pianist Corner for several weeks, now. Like you, I'm not sure whom they're destined to enlighten or help, as they seem to have been unsolicited. To my knowledge, there has never been a request for such "help." I, too, feel that their purpose - whatever that might be since the subject of each is random - may be better served on the Adult Beginners' Forum or on the Teachers' Forum. When I made that suggestion, it was not acknowledged.

Regards,

I get the same thing (though positive comments get a pretty quick response).

I imagine it's part of a series of things she's doing -- not directed at us but just something she's doing -- and she's interested to see what comments anyone might have.

All I know for sure is that she plays wonderfully -- as I've seen from other stuff of hers.

Really? Have you a direct link with no talking? or blog reading?

(Are you asking ME? Your post doesn't indicate.)

BTW....how to show whose post you're replying to (most people here don't follow this and so it's often hard to know):

Instead of doing the "quick reply" (which I totally ignore because of the ambiguity it creates), click "Reply" at the bottom of the post you're answering.

Give me ambiguity any day. Yes, you.

If these videos/lessons are "not directed at us" then why are they being posted here?

Regards,

Well, I don't think there's anything wrong with posting them here is there? However, I think it does make much more sense in the beginners forum.

So far there's been no response in the ABF.

Perhaps those of us who post regularly there would prefer having posters who are participative, rather than, say, spammy assuming about what information we might want/need, and in what format

I don't speak for the whole ABF, of course. And those of you who are recommending she post there - perhaps there's a misunderstanding of the community feel there.

Just MHO, of course.

Cathy

Remember, I'm just surmising. But, didn't I make it clear what I meant? (Or maybe you just meant it rhetorically...)

I see it as being not unlike when we posts recordings of our playing -- i.e. not instructional, not "directed to us," but for perusal and comment, if there be any.

OK -- here are a couple of her videos:

Chopin Waltz in A minor, Op. posth. -- strikingly excellent, IMO

Scarlatti -- a little aggressive for my taste but very good

One of my students just did that for grade 5. I would have hit him over the head if he'd put in those rubatos.

.....and I think they're awesomely masterly.

If you hit me over the head for doing that.....well let's just say I would have felt it suggestive of what it might have been like if Chopin had agreed to study with Kalkbrenner.

I'll suppose next we'll see you up there with the cat and the singing as you play?

If there is a logical sequence to these videos, perhaps they should be numbered or designated as to how they progress. If the poster wishes to give access to this information for benevolent and free instruction, that is good. I just ran across this one which seemed to be isolated. BruceD, as usual, has the right perspective on this.

In watching her Chopin Waltz and a portion of the Scarlatti, she has a bit too much body movement for my tastes.

Didn't like to say.

I thought the Waltz was nicely played. Was Aiden doing the vocals?

Regards,

fwiw, I agree whole-heartedly. After one of a long series of threads in which music32 urged us to read her blog, I suggested that she follow the practice of many PW members, which is to link to one's blog in one's signature, rather than starting a new thread to alert us to each and every new blog post. That suggestion seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

I wouldn't mind so much if music32 was an active participant in the forum. But the vast majority of her posts are merely self-promotions of her blog, and I personally find that tiresome. Others may feel differently, of course.

For what it may be worth, I don't "do" deer. However, if "Doh, a Deer" is what is meant, that's a different story, isn't it?

Cheers!

Hey, you only live once!

Perhaps someone can enlighten me on the purpose of the extreme movements and up/down movements of the arm in scale work.

I can see that this is also applied to general playing in Music32's case.

It is very distracting to me. But a lot of classical players seem to do this, not just the OP. Is it like conducting (setting a rhythm)?

Or does these frilly movements serve some actual purpose in relaxation/rotation, etc.?

EDIT - I just noticed that Music32 has had 430+ posts since 2007. I have not recalled major activity recently other than the blog pots.

It's not a bad exercise to remove any stiffening that might have crept in unnoticed. However, if it's a habit that actually ends up preventing the ability to find low effort stability- it actually perpetuates the tendency for the arm tensions to arise. If you don't create the chain state that I've started describing in my blog, the arm can only either be held up with effort or collapsed. A joint that is not supported in the middle of a taut chain is either a joint that is held by muscles, or a joint that is collapsing under gravity. In the long run, when there's no time to move up and down, you need to know how to avoid either collapsing or needing to hold joints still. The only way to do that is to create the chain.

I'd be very careful about using such movements out of habit, rather than as an occasional practise method. Although it's widely referred to as "relaxation" movement, it actually gives the muscles a hell of a lot more work to do than if you can slip straight into the suspended chain.

...or just not move so much.

That reveals nothing as to the means of stillness. Thinking 'keep still' never led anybody to play with the ease of Tatum. Understanding how create a state of stillness (despite the force of both gravity and the reaction force which the key sends to your arm with every depression) with very few muscular efforts could, however.

Am I wrong though in my observation that a lot of classical pianists use these large movements as a timing/rhythmic device?

Look at Music32's video that Mark C posted. I often see too that these "conductor" type movements extend past the last note played in the piece. Since there are no longer any notes to be played, who is served by these extra movements? Are we supposed to imagine the sustain extending instead of just listening to it?