Ugh ... Once again, it's been way too long. But then, I haven't had much to report on since the last time I was here.
Yesterday's lesson was sort of cool though, in a way. I have my piano exam in two weeks. I'll be playing two pieces (one of the Griegs that I'm working on, and then one of the Burgmüllers). I was playing the Grieg for my teacher when I suddenly lost my vision. Kept playing, and when I was done, she said "that was perfect".
Sadly, the Burgmüller was not that much of a success, while 'flying blind'. But at least I know what to work on now, in order to truly master that piece, too. And my teacher gave me some helpful pointers on how to deal with the really tricky spots.
Have I said that my teacher is awesome? Because she is.
I was nervous and started to bomb but recovered and finished good per my instructor!!
I realise I'm coming very late to this, and the recital experience might be ancient history to you by now, but: congratulations! You started to bomb, but recovered? That's even better than not bombing at all!
Anyway, I'm thrilled about the fact that I finally found a way to do some trilling, which is not with finger 2 + 3 (I tried for years) but with fingers 1 + 3
See, I, for one, can't do 1+3 trilling to save my life. I've tried many times
. But I guess, in the end, what it comes down to is that we all have to find whatever works for *us*. I'm glad you did.
I'm still speechless... we started working together 2 months ago and he already made me learn more than I did learn by myself in the last year... I was totally stuck at a plateau and he just pulled me out in less than 10 lessons.
This is exactly why I always tell people asking for advice on how to learn the piano here: get a teacher. A good one. A good teacher is worth their weight in gold. Congratulations on having found a keeper!
I felt so connected to the music for the duration of the piece, completely obsorbed in it.
That sounds heavenly, Irene. And I think it's when we get to this stage with our pieces that 'real music' results. We should all strive to get where you got with the Prelude in C major.
I perceive my pauses as much, much longer than they actually are.
And your mistakes as much more glaring, right?
Congratulations on this momentous discovery. Now do something with it!
This is something I've known about, through my own recordings, for a while now, but so far it hasn't led to me having an easier time making a recording of myself (or playing in front of someone, which is basically the same thing).
Two pages of nothing but trills, all fingers, both hands.
Quite a workout, indeed. I do not think I could do it (or perhaps I should say: find the motivation to do it). Nice going!
I guess all the polyrhythms in the Arabesque and Liszt Consolation #3 are paying off.
That's a very encouraging thought. I have sometimes wondered how much of the skill we acquire practicing one particular piece is really transferrable. I guess I haven't been at it long enough to experience this first-hand. So thank you for sharing!
I started on Canon in D around week 46 so it is 15 weeks working on my level one arrangement.
Yay for persistence!
Highlight of my week was finally nailing measures 27-34 in Jennifer Eklund's "Reflections".
Congratulations! It is so awesome when something that's been eluding you for weeks suddenly just 'clicks'!
Very nice lesson today [...] It was good fun.
And isn't that the most important thing of all?
Good for you, Cheryl!
This was a definite AOTW, as I attempted it about eight weeks ago and could not get past the first measure it was so foreign to me.
Sounds quite astounding. You must have been working hard on building lasting skill in those eight weeks, playing other things!
but the rhythm was odd (11 notes RH played evenly over 4 notes in the LH) so I kept kind of tensing up when it would be coming up, and then just brain cramp and blow it. But I got it! Let's see if I can demonstrate it at tomorrow's lesson!
Sounds like a huge achievement to me! I've been struggling with something similar in a Chopin Waltz I'm trying to beat into submission (but maybe it's just too early for me to try to tackle a Chopin Waltz ... we shall see). Congrats on getting back to the piano after that long of a hiatus, by the way!
I'm finding it doesn't take so long to learn the pieces in my book now. That was the achievement.
Nice! It's one of those gifts that will keep on giving as you progress along the path of learning to play the piano
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For the past couple of weeks I've been learning to play scales in contrary direction - not too difficult for CM, GM & DM. I've also been learning to play them a third apart - C was pretty easy, G took a bit longer, but last week when I tried D, I got it the first time!! I amazed myself! But I don't think I want to try F#M for a while.
I am always in awe of the folks who can do scales at all, let alone competently. They bore me! I guess I'll have to get to them some day, though.
And, what do you know - I could play them pretty well. I would wager it was better than I did three years ago after practicing each of them for a week or do. I love how my reading has improved!
That's awesome, Andy! I'm jealous of you. Here's to hoping I will be able to post a similar achievement a year or two from now.
First time -performing- in a ragtime festival
Congrats on your first festival performance! Must have felt good to survive that
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I played one of the studies I've been doing, a czerny something, and he picked up on my weaknesses the same way as my previous teacher so I know we are on the same wavelength.
Three cheers for having found a teacher with whom things 'click'! And who cares about his age? My music theory teacher is about the same age as my youngest brother. To me, my brother is still 'the baby' of the family. But I don't see my music teacher in that light at all.
So it has been a relatively low gear for me. It is not any slower now than before, even if it feels that way.
It may be relatively slow, but at least you're keeping at it. So many others in your position (feeling as if their progress is unsatisfactory) would have given up already. *I* almost gave up, three months ago, for this exact reason.
But here you are, and you just keep plugging away. I say again: yay for persistence!
Maybe it's just me... but, polishing this score can really be so frustrating!
A while back, on this thread (it may have been before you got here), we talked about the Pareto Principle as applied to learning piano: ninety percent of the effort, when learning a piece, goes into ten percent of the improvements. You get to 'reasonable approximation of what this *should* sound like' relatively quickly. But to get from there to 'I'm proud of this' ... that's a different bag of chips. So keep at it. I'm sure you'll get there before you know it! And yay for the lightbulb moment!
I actually overcame multiple problems with computer and sound to post my first ever recording to Ecco Fatto. And Ecco Fatto describes it perfectly!
Congrats on overcoming technical and confidence hurdles alike, and actually posting your first recording, rnaple!
/me makes a note to go listen to it some time soon. Sorry! I've been neglecting PW somewhat, lately!
It's all kind of blurring together now, but if this is something folks would be interested in hearing about, I could start a thread.
Please do! Unless you already have, and I just missed it.
Its the little things that make me smile.
This. This is the achievement that beats them all: smiling about the little things. Sometimes we forget.
I'm glad we do these little rehearsals. It definitely takes some of the edge off my pre-recital anxiety.
It does sound like a good idea. And it sounds like you did pretty well, so yay for that. Also: I always take off my shoes when playing the piano, because my leg is too heavy to lift when I'm wearing shoes, and I can't move my ankles, so I *have* to lift my entire leg. I do it at recitals and exams, too. If people can't live with that, it's their problem, not mine.
She showed me an excellent tip on a way to help with this and I'm very anxious/excited to try this out this week.
Sounds like you're hitting it off with your teacher now. Good for you!
I am hoping to play chopsticks without falling apart!
Glad to hear it, 'cause that makes two of us
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