The chunking technique of developing pianistic fluency filtered down to an adult student as he practiced his A minor arpeggio over Skype. Mindful practicing required an awareness of common thumb points on each side of his "tunnel" fingers, C and E. I had previously discussed the Bb Major arpeggio that did not have thumb through… Continue reading Piano Technique: Chunking an A minor Arpeggio over Skype (Between CA and Australia) -VIDEO
Category: Skyping piano lessons
A Skyped Piano Lesson between Fresno, California and Sydney, Australia (VIDEO)
Here's the gig as it unfolded today, with a few sprinkled photos of my technology driven living room prior to the California/Australia Skyped transmission: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOjNWOVJy38 First segment: Building technique with scales and arpeggios
Piano Technique: Forearm and finger emphasized staccato (Videos)
More often than not, pianists acquire insights about piano technique through self-exploration and analysis. (trial and error attempts) Others have had mentors who demonstrated physical approaches to the piano that paved a learning path for the next generation of students. And finally, pupils, themselves have always provided a window for teachers to clarify their own… Continue reading Piano Technique: Forearm and finger emphasized staccato (Videos)
A piano lesson over Skype: shaping and phrasing scales (Video)
I sometimes chuckle at the surreal nature of teaching to a computer screen, and as illustrated in a graphic videotaped sample, meeting up with an adult student mid-week. She has a real flesh and blood teacher on Mondays in the Bay area--ME. I'm otherwise located in the Central Valley where air pollutants practically choke me… Continue reading A piano lesson over Skype: shaping and phrasing scales (Video)
A Fourth Skyped Piano Lesson with an 8-yr. old (Excerpts on two videos: supple wrist warm-ups and Chopin Waltz)
I set up two camcorders during today's piano lesson with the intention of capturing views from the teacher and student perspective. If I had more video-editing expertise I would have synchronized multiple tracks like ESPN does for its instant replays, etc. *** With modest video equipment, I recorded an 8-yr. old's 4th Skyped lesson of which… Continue reading A Fourth Skyped Piano Lesson with an 8-yr. old (Excerpts on two videos: supple wrist warm-ups and Chopin Waltz)
Skyped Piano Lessons: Using video supplements as reinforcement (Video sent to an 8-year old student)
Today I Skyped a third piano lesson between California and Oregon, and learned that the student I was mentoring was not 10-years old as I had thought all along, but only 8! Dad told me she had 10 months of lessons altogether, wherein I became involved only weeks ago at the father's invitation. But the… Continue reading Skyped Piano Lessons: Using video supplements as reinforcement (Video sent to an 8-year old student)
Between California and Oregon: Skyping Chopin with an eight-year old student (Video of lesson in progress)
At the cue of a SKYPE musical trademark ring, I tapped the green-colored phone icon and brought an eight-year old, her dad, and a grand piano into view. A second virtual lesson beamed between California and Oregon officially began! Featured composition: Chopin's Waltz in A minor, no. 17, Op. Posthumous. This time I aimed my… Continue reading Between California and Oregon: Skyping Chopin with an eight-year old student (Video of lesson in progress)
A Skyped Piano Lesson in Progress: Practicing Mazurka by Maria Szymanowska (Videos)
My third SKYPED Piano Lesson is brought to you in living color. The adult student framed by an iMac, is one of my regulars up in El Cerrito (Bay area USA) and since I'm unable to travel to her home to teach more than once a week, extra Virtual-based practice is desirable. (We worked on… Continue reading A Skyped Piano Lesson in Progress: Practicing Mazurka by Maria Szymanowska (Videos)
Piano Instruction: Schumann Arabesque, Op. 18-Using a supple wrist follow through motion, and parceling out voices (Video)
The Schumann Arabesque is a heartfelt character piece from the Romantic era. It requires the player to have a very supple wrist to realize the lilt of buoyant, legato dotted eighth/16th figures that permeate the music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPqrQJccLQ4 Though the composition is in C Major, it has interludes in the minor, that are somber and impassioned.… Continue reading Piano Instruction: Schumann Arabesque, Op. 18-Using a supple wrist follow through motion, and parceling out voices (Video)
My First Skyped Piano lesson from California to Oregon
I must say I was skeptical going into this until I watched the Skype screen enlarge an 8-year old to nearly life-size proportion as she sat comfortably at her piano. Her dad, a tech savvy parent with an ability to guide me through the basics of Skyping, was co-director with his web cam weaving around… Continue reading My First Skyped Piano lesson from California to Oregon
