Inspiration Through Implementation

Use It, Don’t Lose It

Add color to your piano practice routineOne of the biggest compliments received by ProProach members of the program is that it emphasizes the utilization of what is learned. That program places a heavy focus on learning new piano chord voicings but it doesn’t stop there. You see, it actually provides genuine examples of the techniques and strategies discussed being incorporated into actual songs. There is no better way to reinforce newly learned concepts.

Do you make a regular habit of using what you practice?

If you happen to be working at perfecting a particular song segment, then it is clear that your practice time is being applied musically. But what about those exercises, including scales and patterns? Do you generally go through the motions of playing them or do you make efforts to incorporate them in musical scenarios?

For example, if you are a student of Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist, it is understood that these exercises were created for certain specific technical benefits. At the same time, they can be put to music, too. Have you ever thought about using a little portion of Exercise #1, for instance, as a piano fill for the turnaround section of a standard song such as How High The Moon (by Nancy Hamilton & Morgan Lewis)?

What about those scales? A major (no pun intended) reason they  are often viewed as boring “have to’s” is because they are often not used beyond the context of those scale books. Jazz players make a habit of putting scales and patterns into practice with their improvisations. But you don’t have to be a jazz musician to learn to take your practice time into more creative realms.

Obsessed With Conformity?

“But I’m a classical player and putting fills into Beethoven’s Fur Elise isn’t something people do!”

It’s true that most people don’t. Along with that, you aren’t very likely to hear Beethoven’s music to be modified in such a fashion. Actually, that’s a topic for another writing but who is to prevent you from being creative with that music? It has been said by someone wise that the opposite of courage is conformity. Maybe “coloring outside the lines” is what you just might need to add “pizzazz” to your practice routine. Consider watching some video recordings of master entertainer Victor Borge and allow yourself to be inspired!

Colorize Your Experience

Okay, a main point here – and it would be accurate to say this was my inspiration for creating 88 Keys To Learning – is this: be sensitive to those moments in your practice routine when your emotions/feelings leave the inspirational stage.

Sure, there can be technical value in performing exercises in a disciplined manner even if you’re not absolutely loving the experience… BUT there’s a whole lot MORE value in it if you ARE loving it!

Consider keeping an index card on your piano’s music stand that reads, “How can I turn this particular experience into something even more fun and rewarding?” What a powerful little reminder that can go a long way toward not only having a more enriching practice session… but also a greater day!

 

Practicing Piano: 88 Keys To Learning

Practicing Seem A Bore & A Chore?

Practicing piano just got better!There’s something about that word “practice” that creates a resistance within some individuals. Maybe it’s the implication of hard effort and even boredom.

Change It All

But it never should be like that. As a matter of fact, it ought to feel like a pleasure and privilege each and every time you sit at that piano or keyboard of yours.

I am not able to express in words the fun I had when creating 88 Keys To Learning. It made me recall several episodes of my early practice days which would have been a whole lot more fun if I had the help of the kind of encouragement offered in this collection of “Keys.”

Develop Awesome Habits

I find it interesting how we humans, as creatures of habit, make it really easy to fall into “ruts” of thinking that we never seem to be able to shed. This is especially true when it comes to our approach to practicing piano (or any instrument, for that matter).

There Is Hope

88 Keys To Learning was created to throw a curveball into the “mixing pot” of frustration, anxiety, and boredom that often accompanies practicing. Whether you are an adult who is attracted to the benefits of playing piano but can’t seem to establish a practice routine you can stick to or you are a parent of a youngster whose practice habits are erratic, you’ll find hope in 88 Keys To Learning.

Is practicing scales a thorn in your side? Do you find yourself faced with technical challenges that just seem to recur without being met with a resolution? Does sightreading scare you? What type of practice challenges do you encounter?

Energy Renewed

Use your imagination for a moment. What if all those “bumps in the road” became your source for adventure and a sense of inner accomplishment? As a parent, what if you could offer your child some encouragement that would turn his or her situation inside out for the better?

Piano Teacher’s Helper

Are you a piano teacher? Surely, you already know that each student has their own brand of discouragement or setbacks in some area of their practice routine. You’ll want to encourage each of them to own a copy of this collection of “Keys.” Things will change for them and you will be thanked for it.

Your Own Creativity Awaits You

A chief aim of mine is for you, the reader and practitioner, to use these “Keys” in a fashion that serves you best, including putting your own “spins” on them and coming up with your own insights as you let these ideas change the way you practice. As a teacher, you will undoubtedly incorporate many of these ideas into your own teaching approach to instill more enthusiasm into your students’ practice routines and help them reach greater heights of creativity.

88 Keys To Learning will not replace any piano method you may be involved with, as it was never intended to do that. However, it is sure to serve as the perfect compliment to any piano practice routine. When you incorporate these “Keys” into your routine, the sky’s the limit.

How Thoughtless Can You Possibly Be?

Create Freely Without Thought

Uphill Battle?

When was the last time you sat at that piano or keyboard of yours without thinking about what you were doing? Do you find that each and every playing session involves striving to achieve something a certain way as your inner critic has his or her way with you?

If so, you’re not alone. It’s a topic that tends to occasionally surface during discussions between almost every student and myself. When it does, the conversation causes me to self-reflect as well.

It strikes me in a rather amazing way that, in an arena that is meant to be creative, most individuals who engage themselves in the study of music can be among the most self  criticizing people on the planet. It’s especially interesting  when you consider that your most creative juices generally flow best when you’re thinking the least.

Don’t get me wrong. There’s value in allowing the left brain to decipher, analyze, experiment, etc. That all goes hand in hand with increasing understanding of theory and honing certain skills to greater levels. We’re not here to question that.

Become Temporarily Disconnected

That said, that self critic is often given license to more than his or her fair share. We get trapped… stuck in our heads. Frustration results and, suddenly, what we’re doing isn’t fun anymore.

If this sounds familiar, to any degree, let it serve as a wake up call. There’s another way. Stop. Stop. Stop.

Stop thinking.

Get Your Hands Dirty

Here’s a suggestion. Just the idea of doing this makes people uncomfortable. But, then again, an idea is a thought which isn’t necessarily your friend. Go to you piano or keyboard (or whatever your instrument), place your hands and fingers on those keys, and allow them to lead. Let them move freely. Don’t make sense of any of it. Don’t force it to conform to what you would ordinarily think sounds good.

Don’t let that self critic get a word in edgewise. 

As a kid, I remember owning and having fun with a finger paint set. Have you had that experience? It was like I could do no wrong… because that’s how it was supposed to be. Maybe you did that with crayons. As I write this, I’m recalling my coloring book days, too, how I used to get angry with myself for going outside the lines. Now, I thrive on it.

Knock! Knock! Sorry, Nobody’s Home…

Try giving yourself this gift of “coloring outside the lines” for 60 to 90 seconds a day or so as you let your fingers tickle those ivories. Yes, forget the melody, forget the chords, forget the scales, forget what you “should” be doing. “Finger paint” on those keys. Be like that toddler sitting at those keys for the first time as you observe what happens. Sure, that critic will knock on your door. Just see that and don’t respond.

You’re Out Of Your Mind

As you engage in this kind of activity, you might feel like you’re going out of your mind… like you’re losing it. That’s the ticket. Great job. Don’t worry. All the logical nonsense will be there when you finish.

Play… feel… play… smile… get lost in the mess and love it for what it is.

How thoughtless of you. Congratulations.

Piano Practice Technique: Bulldoze Your Way Through Obstacles

A Piano Practicing Technique That Works 100% Of The Time

Handling Piano Fingering ProblemsThis piano practice technique really will get those fingers to “think twice” before giving you a hard time again!

You know when those times arise – even though you know what fingerings you’re using for that little music segment you happen to be working on are the right ones – what seems to happen is that they just don’t happen to find their right place in a timely manner.

In other words, it just doesn’t “flow.” That fourth finger…or that thumb…etc. just isn’t getting to that key quickly enough.

Why? In many cases, if you slowly observe what’s going on with those finger movements of yours, you’ll find that the finger (or thumb) is not prepared early enough.

So, how do you find out for sure? So many people overlook this. This is such a valuable concept that I want you to have an automatic tool that’s there for you whenever you need it! Once you have this tool, you need to get it to work for you by regular use of it.

Deal? Okay, let’s take a look…

“Slow-frame it!”

Have you ever seen a movie in slow motion or in “slow frame” mode? Perhaps you’ve done this while watching a movie on DVD or via a service like Hulu or Netflix. Once you stop the movie, you can advance it one frame at a time.  The point here is that you are able to see the scene you are watching one frame at a time. In addition, you are able to “freeze” each frame for as long as you like. You even have the luxury of leaving that scene frozen on the screen long enough to go to the kitchen, get yourself a snack, and come back.

Observe Your Playing One Frame At A Time!Well, if you have ever done this, you may have noticed that the particular scene that is held on the screen was viewed by you from a different perspective. For example, every element of that particular scene is observable. You are able to view it in much more detail than you would if the movie simply continued at regular speed. If the scene included someone walking from one room of their home to another, you were able to see the colors of the walls… or the molding in the doorway… or the expression on the character’s face… or what the character was wearing… you get the point.

That is the perspective I would like you to take when these piano fingering challenges present themselves. You will gain so much insight from applying this piano technique during your practice sessions, it’s almost uncanny…

If you had the luxury of recording your practice routine with a camcorder or the video feature on your phone, you would be able to play that back and take a look at each tiny segment of movement of your hands and fingers in the same way.

If recording yourself practicing isn’t very convenient, you can still “slow-frame” Piano Technique - Play Slowlyyour act of practicing. How? Play the segment that you are working on as slowwwwwwwwly as possible and watch each and every finger and hand movement.

Play the musical passage as usual, except… slow things down to the point where you can see – really see – where that finger is directly prior to when it should be played. Often, you may find that it’s about two or three keys further away than it has to be (or more)!

This is truly eye-opening!

Somewhere within your effort in playing your example, you’ll usually find that there is some earlier movement or adjustment that you could be utilizing. Sometimes, it’s the hand helping the fingers cross. Other times, it could just be that your fingers need to extend a bit more to be closer to the target note, etc. In other instances, you might that a slight movement or the arm left or right would make a certain finger “stretch” possible.

Let’s Play Detective

In addition, pay attention to where your eyes are focused on during this “fingering stumble.” Notice what you are paying attention to.

The only way you can really fully understand the value of this is to experience it. This technique will become more and more valuable to you as you master its application. Please make it a part of your practice approach and you will discover for yourself that your entire piano playing experience has taken a turn for the better.

What else will happen? You will find that you actually look forward to these Be a detective on those piano keys!challenges. Why? Because every single time one presents itself, you will be in charge of it. Rather than looking it as an obstacle, you will know that it is a “key” waiting for you to grasp which, upon using it, will unlock technical secrets that you otherwise would have missed! You will learn to love being a “detective” as you proceed since you know for a fact that new discoveries are just around the corner!

Actually, when it comes to mastering a particular segment of a song (or an exercise) it’s a way of reducing 3 weeks of practice to couple of hours. Each and every student who earnestly devotes his or her efforts in this way realizes results that are nothing short of fantastic.

This works for any musical segment you are wanting to improve technically. It’s mighty effective for segments of musical pieces, scales, patterns, and more.

When I am conducting my private lessons, I don’t think there is a piano teaching day that goes by without my encouraging a student to utilize this powerful eye-opening practice approach.

Guaranteed Rewards

If this approach to practicing is new to you, I urge you to have an open mind as you apply it to your own practice sessions. What you will discover is that your alertness to what is really going on with those fingers and hands becomes enhanced the more you make this a habit. Practicing just won’t be the same again!

Take It Further With More Piano Practice Techniques

88 Keys To LearningHave you found this helpful? If so, please allow me to encourage you to explore the resource from which this technique described above comes from. I created 88 Keys To Learning with the intention of helping people like yourself to get the most out of their practice time at the piano.

As many youngsters do, I experienced my emotional ups and downs when it came to practicing at the piano. I was told to go and practice but was never really shown how to view practicing as an art in itself. It really is. I personally feel that practice time ought to be something that everyone looks forward to. Yes, that includes you, the adult learner.

This collection of 88 messages which you can instantly download right now includes everything from encouragement for reflecting and improving one’s attitude about practicing to how to overcome obstacles with more efficiency to very creative ways to break up your practice routine with little “wake-up calls” that can add freshness to anyone’s piano practice routine.

Dave
PianoAmore.com
ProProach.com