Etudes isolate a single piano technique. Some etudes explore scale playing in a musical way, others such as the one above, work on arpeggios. The composers all believe that through careful training of basic techniques a stronger more musical student will emerge. 

This is like how soccer and hockey coaching works. 
 

• Strength drills
• Technical drills
• Games drills

 
A good coach understands that just running around the field or rink is not going to make a winning team. 

Have fun, lean in.

If I can help you, call me. 

​David

​How to sight-read at the piano or “Get Rid of Your Fear of Sight-reading Once and For All”

First, sight-reading is a skill not an inborn talent. Patiently working through the steps, will in short order improve your skills.

A short story, a student of mine years ago came to me barely able to read music even though he was working at the advanced intermediate level on piano. He resisted all my attempts at helping him improve because of his ability to play from ear. Then he goes to high school and takes up the sax. Each day in class he sight read music he didn’t know. They started simple. He was surrounded by his peers. By Christmas he was sight-reading at his level. By June he had surpassed his level. Why?

1. Daily practice
2. Peer pressure
3. Sequenced material from simple to advancing complexity

Classical piano students
If you sight reading is weak, you might start at level 1 Royal Conservatory of Music Books and work through the exercises. If you use a metronome at slow tempi, you will see results in short order.
They ask you a series of guided questions to teach you to see patterns, not individual notes. For instance, in level 1 cover the following concepts.

1. Intervals
2. Register
3. Rhythm clapping
4. Directional reading
5. Accidentals

Jazz piano students
If you just play be ear, I would recommend following the classical piano student routine. If you are a good sight reader of written piano music but struggle with sight reading jazz lead sheets here are some suggestions and concepts.

1. Jazz piano students sight read chord charts in a jazz band.
2. Jazz piano students play chords and melody in a piano trio

Try this to learn your chords:

1. Practice writing out the chord voicings for simple tunes like Blue Bossa and Autumn Leaves
2. Practice jazz chord etudes that use the circle of 5ths until memorised.
3. Practice sight reading chords from lead sheets with the metronome playing at a slow tempo. Don’t worry about playing every chord, just stay in time and play the chords you know. With practice you will hit more of the chords.

For Everyone
Sites like www.musicnotes.com allow you play the first page of popular piano piece for free. Find your favourite piece, print out the free page. With the sound of the music in your head, work it out.
​
If I can help, call me.
 
David

This is your chance to practice playing beautifully.

In all cases I recommend using a metronome to develop the ear and ability to play music with others. In all cases listen carefully for good tone and rhythm. Bonus points if you occassionally record yourself on and listen back.
​
Novice: Five note penta-scales

• Metronome set to a slow tempo, or better yet a parent playing along
• Repeat 5 to 10 times at a slow steady tempo

Intermediate: one and two octave scales played hands separately

• Metronome set to a slow tempo
• Play one octave in quarter notes
• Two octaves in 8th notes

Advanced: four octave scales, hands together

• Metronome set to a slow tempo
• Play one octave in quarter notes
• Two octaves in 8th notes
• Three octaves in triplets
• Four octaves in 16th notes
• No stopping between note value switching
• Vary the dynamics and articulations.

Expert:
See advanced, now explore different dynamics and articulations in each hand. Say, legato in one hand, staccato in the other.

If I can help, call me.

​David Story

What to practice and why 

1. Scales, chords, arpeggios: time to practice playing beautiful 
2. Sight reading: good sight-readers master new work quicker
   
3. Etudes: tame the technical limits of your playing 
   
4. Ear training: we can’t play what we can’t hear 
   
5. Repertoire review: build your program 
   
6. Deep listening: your developing skills will change how you hear music 
   
7. Playing with others: build relationships with likeminded souls and have more fun 

Finally, be patient, enjoy the process.

If I can help, call me.

David

Practicing in the times of the Covid-19 outbreak is going to be a challenge for some.

Some lucky people will use the extra time to jump right in. For this group I suggest ramping up practice amount slowly to avoid injury. The book, “The Musician’s Way” suggests increasing practice time 10% per week to avoid problems. Warming up before hand with a short cardio and stretching routine will also be beneficial.

For those too stressed to practice and/or focus try these tips:

1. Accept the situation, don’t beat yourself up. From March 15th to March 20th, I didn’t do much of anything except take care of this business. Last 2 days, I’ve started up practicing again.
2. Get off social media for a few hours and just listen to music. Reading the latest opinions of social media educated epidemiologists is going to make things worse.
3. Cut down on caffeine or ramp it up, you know what will work for you.
4. Approach your instrument and just sit with it for a few moments. Don’t play. Think about a happy moment you’ve had playing music in the past.
5. Start playing your favourite pieces, forget your assignments, have some guilt free fun.

Good luck,

David

How do online piano lessons work?
These are unprecedented times! As many of you know, a third of my teaching studio involves individual lessons offered online. I run a full video studio with two cameras and professional sound equipment. My current online students range from young children to senior citizens, and from beginners to professionals, and from (place to place – include China, Mexico, US…).

Click here to see how online lessons work: https://youtu.be/dhH1dY8tzCI

How you set up for online lessons?
1.       Open a free Zoom account on your laptop. Skype, Facebook, and Google work as well. With Zoom video recording is very quick and easy.
2.       Position your (ok so what kind? Camera? Laptop? Etc.…) device just above the height of the keyboard, and to one side of it.  Be sure it is on a stable surface.
3.       We will spend a few minutes before beginning the first lesson to get it all running.

How it works.
1.       Just like regular lessons!
2.       My demonstrations are recorded and put up on YouTube with a private link sent to you.

Here is a link that demonstrates how it works: https://youtu.be/dhH1dY8tzCI  Same video as above.

New prospective students can set up a free demonstration with me. Just call.

Stay well,

​David

That is an overhead camera on the pole

“How good do you want to be?” Start with this question followed with: “how should I spend my time?” 

Success will depend on the depth and breathe of your practice. My most successful students have made peace with time and possibility. Yes, time counts, but patience and realistic expectations count for more.

Learning has piano follows a well trodden path. You just must follow it to succeed. There is no secret. Just time and hard work. We must be realistic with the fact that course correction will be needed regularly. Life is messy.

So:

1. Make some time
2. Find a teacher
3. Allocate your resources of time and money
4. Organize your practice space
5. Attend some concerts
6. Become a music student

Call me, I can help.
 
David

I've got happy students who practice more than an hour a day, others who practice an hour a week. Because their time matches their realistic expectations, they are happy. Could they all practice more? Of course. I could too.