Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum How much practice time and another question.

His writing and advice is of a very good quality. I would recommend checking the ebook out as you're not going to find such a text (certainly not new and physical) for that fair a price. Now mind you there are likely other, more comprehensive (the oft-mentioned Seymour Bernstein's With Your Own Two Hands and Madeline Bruser's The Art of Practicing come to mind) resources, but likely not quite as approachable as Graham Fitch's.

I bought both the ebooks and have been using the feedback loop and quarantine examples extensively. This was a difficult transition for this old dog (54) as I have many years of going about practicing in a different manner - one that led to pain and didn't work very well to begin with.

As with any method, actually applying the instruction is the key. Buying the books won't do anything unless you use the methods.

Mr. Fitch is the real deal. I am regularly sending him a few coins not because I feel I have to, but because I feel rewarding good work is a good thing to do.

His youtube videos on chord technique are WONDERFUL technical advice, just search for 'Graham Fitch Chord'

but to echo Derulux's sage advice above... when the hands stop doing what the mind tells them to, it's time to stop.

Forrest

Many good advice above.

I usually do 2 hours of practice a day, with half an hour break between 2 sessions. But many can't keep working concentrated for that long. Nothing wrong with messing a bit but it does not really help the progress.

Newbie here for piano.
I picked up a yamaha psr e423 to try and learn piano. I always liked plinking away on my uncle's organ just to see what usable tunes, tones I could get out of the instrument.
I'm 66 yrs old and need something to occupy my mind, hence the piano.
I found a guy that is willing to help me start out, but I now find him boring. He plays drums, has a working knowledge of piano and guitar. He took up piano theory in college so I guess I'm way behind in learning what to do and what not to do.
I bought four EZ Play Music books. That's where the notes are marked what they are and have the chords marked above the measure[s]
I can play most of the melodies out of the books and improvise some songs I hear on the radio so it sounds like something. I'm convinced to try to master the right hand before I even attempt the chords, or should I be playing chords and melodies together? I do find that my music slows way down when I'm searching for chords.

I suggest working with each hand separately, perhaps emphasizing the left hand because that is the weakness. Then do hands together at a slow speed. The tempo will pick up after a person gets used to playing hands together. One goal for the left hand, is to get to a point where you can find the chords without looking at the keys. That may seem far away, but if a person works on it, it will come.

Thank You! That is very helpful information. But I will try to master song melodies with the right hand first.
I can do the root chords pretty easy. The hard part comes when I'm searching for a Dm7 chord and my fingers cant reach the flat or sharps.
My teacher says to move up my fingers and play the keys, between the black keys.
It's still difficult.