In spite of my having studied piano for decades, each learning experience is filled with challenges that I must approach with a glut of patience. A new composition has its own form, architecture, harmonic rhythm, fingering that requires a big reserve of self-acceptance in a deadline-free frame. To the contrary, many of my students, who… Continue reading The piano learning process at all levels of study
Category: relaxed arms in piano playing
Piano Lesson: An adult student continues her Beethoven “Fur Elise” learning process (Video)
These are excerpts from today's lesson where we covered: 1. Broken chord blocking; refreshing inversions of the Tonic as applied to practicing Fur Elise. 2. Voice balancing: fleshing out the treble (soprano) melody, on page 2 (F Major section) Using supple wrist and hand rotation; relaxation of arms. 3. C section--with repeated bass notes, alternating… Continue reading Piano Lesson: An adult student continues her Beethoven “Fur Elise” learning process (Video)
Piano Technique: Rina turns 5 and plays two-note Legato slurs (slow motion, soundless replays)
The Good News: Rina just celebrated her big FIFTH birthday, and bestowed a lovely portrait of herself draped in a smile over her precious piano. Thank You for the beautifully framed photo! *** OTHER: Today, technology failed me once again, but this time I outsmarted the devilish, on/off again iMac movie program. So what if… Continue reading Piano Technique: Rina turns 5 and plays two-note Legato slurs (slow motion, soundless replays)
When the piano teacher is absent between lessons, a You Tube video can fill in the gap (Fur Elise and chord voicing)
Lately, students have benefited from receiving supplemental video instruction during the interval between their weekly lessons. By videotaping parts of their sessions and uploading to You Tube, they can often make their daily practice time more efficient. Today, for example, I tilted my iMac so it focused on my piano, which is the Steinway upright… Continue reading When the piano teacher is absent between lessons, a You Tube video can fill in the gap (Fur Elise and chord voicing)