Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Achievement of the week - what got you excited?

My AOTW. Tonight I was playing along with 'Let it Be' (OK not the most difficult of songs) and when it finished my wife said, "That was very good". Now, she has said to me, "You are improving" (once). But that was the first 'very good'.

Paperclip, I like the idea of collecting sheet music from IMSLP, thanks. Sometimes I wonder if YouTube is evolving us into more visual than auditory species. Granted, a performer's movements and facial expressions are part of the art, though it is the music which I would want to first learn how to appreciate more fully.

This is one of those days when I dust off the folders with sheet music and I try something I failed at before.

Some months back I tried reading through this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg6oJjcGYVE

I wasn't able to do so except for the first page. Today I sight-read all of it hands together and it was so easy that I couldn't believe it! Working on Bach has to do with this I suppose! I'm not saying I can play it! Certainly I can learn it and play it Moderato if I spend many hours on it but the performance tempo is a killer for me. But that's not the point. Reading the score is no longer a challenge and that's quite something and figuring out the fingering was quite a challenge and very useful even if I never play the piece.

My Friday night achievement has been superseded by my achievement today. Today I recorded an example of my progress and posted it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltYVZrLixzg&feature=player_profilepage

My aim in posting it was to share with fellow forum members my progress after three months with my new friend (my Kawai KDP80) and as an example of what I'm trying to achieve on piano. It's pretty basic and if I later feel embarassed by it, it will disappear.

Everyone, I owe you a bit of explanation so that you won't think that I have strong memory.. I really don't.

I was 11 or 12 when I palyed Fur Elise. So, it's that child's incredible ability to learn. I also liked the piece. I played it in the annual recital and children's piano festival. I did not win anything but I still remember the excitement of playing the concert grand on stage in front of the large audience. It was my first Beethoven, or I should've said, my first time to play the works of masters.

Back then, in rual Japan where I grew up, we had to do very boring Beyer piano method book (Red, Yellow and Blue) before you can go to the collection of sonatine and sonatas. My teacher also used Burgmuller, Czerny and Hanon. Generally speaking, the pieces I played wasn't that interesting except for Burgmuller which I liked. Anyway, you see why I lover Fur Elise and never forgot it.

CAS,AimeeO and PaperClip, it happens to everyone. I often lose it after I play a section where there are many big leaps.

Teodor, congratulations making progress on ability to sight-read. From my stand point, your progress seems to be exponential. You always inspire me.

Captain Kawaii- you play and sing very well. Nice job.

Thank you, FarmGirl. I was needing some feedback from someone who plays piano. You know, as I'm self teaching, validation that my approach is OK. Left hand parts need more work, I know. I'm working on it but not yet ready to share anything where I try to do bass lines. I'll think about posting something a little more melodic/softer to see what people think.

Working on speed...I've always struggled to play anything up to tempo...the fingers just don't fly. SO...it's a major accomplishment that my scales are moving along at 104. Got my sights on the moderato range.

Captain, that was great! At three months you can sing AND play? I'm impressed.

Wise, it'll feel so good when you get to playing fast.

Got the first page of my Gypsy Rondo down at like 1/4th tempo. Pretty happy with myself. Was also told I could put my Yurumi away for a few weeks, since all I need is to play it smoothly. Finally got the fingering down.

I was also given a short piece that I am in love with, Zdenek Fibich's Poem( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeNUV9_sCrM ).


I recently bumped my lessons up from 45 minutes to 1 hour, so we have more time to look at other pieces.

What a beautiful piece, thanks for sharing. Reading Fibich's Wikipedia...

AimeeO...LOL me playing FAST will be like me skiing FAST...probably not. I'm aiming for 120 or so here. :-) But I can dream FAST

My AOTW is that I managed to squeeze practice time in every day even if it means I can only sleep 5 hours a day. My work is really busy and stressful right now. I really appreciate piano.. without that, i would be thinking about work all the hours I am awake. It gives me balance. Oh, yes, friends. I really appreciate my friends at ABF. Let me go back to my to do list now! Have a wonderful night!

I always chuckle when I see your posts, because you have so much energy and motivation to practice even with your busy schedule!!

It'll happen! Last year, to my boyfriend's annoyance, I was given an easier version of Flight of the Bumblebee. I played it over and over until I got close to 165-168 bpm. Two to five clicks up the metronome at a time. That song was played many, many times. But I got it there, and I was very proud(and my boyfriend somehow survived!).

Good for you AimeeO!!! You of the nimble fingers. I'll keep trying to bump it up that's for sure. I laugh because my fingers go fast and then invent things of their own. EVEN after thousands of good repetitions. Gotta love it.

Hmm, no great AOTW for me this week. In the world of two steps forward, one step back; this week was a step back. A sleeping problem hit me again. I couldn't concentrate at the piano. Feeling a bit brain dead. It will take me a full week to sleep good again. As always.

My bathroom is being renovated also. Now I can't use a shower too. But luckily for me it rained all week. My main transportation is bicycle. So I guess, I got my showers anyway.

Though I have a small AOTW to announce. I didn't complain! I was happy. Happy for what I have and what the world gives to me. I love music and I love the piano. I will try to put some of that feeling in piano music next week.

Chris

Chirs, I've liked very much your last paragraph. Very good feeling.


I hope you get over your sleeping problem, and your bathroom ends up looking nice!.


Regards.

Nice positive self-talk there!

I think that was the only time they've ever been that nimble... I don't know if I could pick it up and do it again without a lot of practicing. I, too, have possessed fingers. I should let them go and see what happens.



I think after a few weeks of good progress I'm hitting a wall also. The good thing about these slumps is that you do beat 'em, and you're better for it.

AimeeO,
Just have to tell you that moving the chords on the right hand is getting faster. :-) Inch by inch or is that metronome marking by metronome marking.