Arioso7's Blog (Shirley Kirsten)

Bringing the Keyboard closer to the long distance piano student

Yesterday, my Logitech cam was un-clipped from the Big Mac during a lesson to Greece.

The pupil, hanging out on the island of Kos, needed a graphic representation of my hands braving a few difficult measures in Bach’s Little Fugue in C Major, BWV 952.

It’s the composition where the composer challenges the player to devise a humane way of dividing a voice between the hands. There are a few awkward places. For most pupils, a voice or two, or three, in this case, can get lost in the fabric if not fleshed out by a willing and helpful teacher. But as a rule, the instructor should do the leg work well in advance of leading an adventure through the rockies.

I must admit to having logged enough miles on this one to get through the journey in one piece. (And be a reasonably good guide)

To cut a long story short, I videotaped the lesson in progress, where the mini-cam assisted my efforts, but having quickly realized that little Logi, had a mind of its own, slipping and sliding off my knee, I decided to make a separate, personalized video, with a blown up view of my hands. It was unimpeded by the forces of gravity.

Here are my initial Logitech assists:

1) The lesson-in-progress videos

2) The blow-up view using a post-lesson, separate camcorder that I aimed down at my hands

A flashback to a “knee jerk posting,” where a Mozart ornament was navigated with Logitech at the helm.


https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/knee-jerk-technology-brings-the-keyboard-closer-to-an-online-piano-student/