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I started learning the piano a little over one year ago at 54 from ground zero. I practice in average 1/2-1 hour a day and I take lessons once a week.
The last thing I have been studying is JS.Bach
Minuet Gmaj BWV 116. I have been working on it about 3 weeks now and it still needs polishing.
I am slow? -Peter

No.

Are you sight-reading at normal speed or have you memorized it and look at the keyboard ?

Hi Peter,

No, you're not slow. It sounds like you're progressing very well. Keep up the good work and please don't become discouraged. As you become more advanced, it's perfectly normal to take longer to master a piece. Not only is the music becoming more challenging, but you are also paying attention to more details i.e voicing, dynamics, etc., which will require more time. Again, keep up the good work and enjoy the learning process. Good luck!

Lyn B.

It sounds to me like you're progressing normally, if not even a little faster than many adult beginners (esp. those who lack previous music experience!). Like most worthwhile endeavors, it takes time to learn to play piano well...and it's worth every minute!

April

No, you're not slow. You're paying close attention to some areas that need work like staccatos, jumps, legatos, arpeggios, etc. You're doing great; keep it up!

Best off asking your teacher, aren't you?

>>Are you sight-reading at normal speed or have >>you memorized it and look at the keyboard ?
>>Benedict
Benedict,
At the beginning I mostly sightread, but the more I know the piece by heart the harder it is to keep my eyes on the the scores. Wandering away...

>>No, you're not slow. You're paying close >>attention to some areas that need work like >>staccatos, jumps, legatos, arpeggios, etc. >>You're doing great; keep it up!
PerfectPitch, by the way, my teacher insists to ignore stacattos when playing Bach. She says it is a much later invention. Still, a lots of time the piece is just asking for it.

Praetorian_AD:
>>Best off asking your teacher, aren't you?
Well, of course she will not discourage me. I jut wanted to have an independent opinion.

But for all of you: thanks a lot for the encouragement and help.

Peter

Wow, so you can sight read at normal speed after a year? What is your secret? I really value the ability to sight read fast, sometimes or in some cases even more than technique, but I am struggling, and don't do much sight reading now, I try yto memorize. So what's your secret? Any short cuts?

I believe you are middle aged till 65 years. I am so grateful to have something to work on all the time. Wishing you many happy years ahead.

Please could you make that 70 ?

>Wow, so you can sight read at normal speed after >a year? What is your secret? I really value the >ability to sight read fast, sometimes or in some >cases even more than technique, but I am >struggling, and don't do much sight reading now, >I try yto memorize. So what's your secret? Any >short cuts?

BeetBaChopin,
Of course I cannot do it for both hands right away and do many mistakes. First of all,Mu teacher insists not to look at my hand. (2) I circle all sharps and flats so I don't forget about them, (3) mark most fingering, especially, when position change occurs. (4) MOST importantly: when looking at the scores I am not really looking at what is the note I am trying to hit, but the interval.
Timing is a different issue and most of the time is more important (and equally difficuly) than hitting the correct key. Peter

Oh, and, of course, I cannot do it at normal speed! Peter