David Story, Online Piano Lessons from Toronto
  • Homepage
  • Tips, Ideas, Stories, Free Lessons
  • Contact form, fees, calendar, policies
  • Adult Lessons
  • Jazz Workshops 2023 2024
  • Philosophy
  • Testimonials
  • Children's Spring Concert 2023
  • My Story
  • Student awards and compositions
  • Classical downloads
  • Classical outline for beginners
  • Jazz downloads
  • Jazz outline for beginners
  • Video Library of Piano Techniques
  • Breakfast Piano Minute
  • Books, Apps, Websites, Music
  • Ear Training and Sight Singing Resources
  • My YouTube channel

Tips, free lessons, and inspiration

If you can hear it, you'll play it sooner

12/30/2016

0 Comments

 
If you can hear it, you'll play it sooner. Here is how I practice the piano on an ideal day.
  • I warm up my muscles with gentle stretching.
  • I decide what I'm going to accomplish today. It is usually just a couple of things.
  • I'll listen to a recording of the piece first. You may be thinking why does a professional musician need to listen first, can't he just sight read it? Yes, I usually can. But, when I listen first, I start with an artistic impression. From this the question becomes, "how to I get the sound in my head out of these black dots on the page?"
  • Boom, sight-reading, I mean learning, is now much easier. The piece is "learned" quickly and efficiently. I can now enjoy "playing" the piece. One danger students succumb to through inefficient practice methods is that they become bored of the piece long before they learn it.
Enjoy the video above, some helpful help from a master musician.
 
Cheers,

 David Story
0 Comments

New Years Resolution: Piano lessons again

12/28/2016

0 Comments

 
PictureWhere works gets done.
Why not call me? You'll have fun, learn lots about music, the piano, and yourself.

Some great reasons to make 2017 the "Year of the Piano"
  1. Joy, as in the joy of making music with your own hands.
  2. Fun, playing duets with friends is a blast.
  3. Challenge, to play well is not easy, but it is possible.
  4. Bucketlist, one more check.
  5. Health, get the brain active and firing on all cylindars. Apparently music helps.
  6. Piano lessons have changed since you were a kid. Students here have tried their hands at these activities:
  • Composing
  • Boogie woogie
  • Playied Bach
  • Played Chopin
  • Adult recitials
  • Piano exams
  • Music holidays to Cuba
  • Played John Legend
  • Played Beethoven
  • Played Duke Ellington
  • Jazz improvisation
  • Attended Jazz camp in Kentucky
  • Prepared for university entrance auditions at age 60+. (she's in!)
  • Played New age music
  • Played Ragtime
  • Classical improvisation in Mozart
  • Jamming in the community
  • Learned to play music with their kids
  • Accompanied their children in piano rectals
  • Played with a drummer and bassist
  • Learned to Rock out!
​
Cheers,

David Story

0 Comments

​How to improvise: Part 1

12/19/2016

0 Comments

 
"Ear training, instrumental skill, theory"
All accomplished musicians who improvise play what they hear in their heads. Let's unpack this statement.
  1. They hear something in their heads.
  2. They can execute rapidly in real time.

Let's break it down further.

"They hear something in their heads." A developing musician must listen to the musical style they wish to improvise in: Jazz, Rock, Classical, whatever. How much listening? A lot. Last year at the Jazz Education Network convention in Louisville Kentucky there were several interesting young musicians in attendance. One, a young bassist, walked around with his ear buds in all day long. Complete immersion. With immersion, the knowledge students are acquiring in theory class starts to make sense. Theory is only helpful if you can hear it in the playing of others. Until you can, it likely won't make much sense to you. Or, will it be helpful in your playing. (An effective way to help your understanding grow is to transcribe music. Check out the video below for more information.)

"They can execute rapidly in real time." Learn to play your darn instrument. Learn how to practice. Then practice, as much as you can, alone and with others.

​Cheers,
​​
David
0 Comments

Why Start Now?

12/16/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture







​Taking up the piano after 50.
Why the heck not? Here are some of the fears I've heard over the years.
  1. "I can't learn anything new at my age"
  2. "I won't live long enough to get good"
  3. "I don't have a piano?"
  4. "I had a bad experience with a teacher in my childhood."
  5. "Piano lessons are boring, all the practicing and scales and stuff. I'd just hate it."
  6. "I don't love Bach"
  7. "Piano teachers are boring"
  8. "Practicing is no fun"
  9. "I don't want to go out to lessons on a cold night"
  10. "My spouse would just laugh at me"
 
Let's break it down.

​You are an adult, these are excuses. I have adults aged 18 to 78. All of them are improving, reaching their goals, and having a blast.

The successful ones recognize that patience and goals that are congruent with time and available resources will works. The unsuccessful students are impatient, failing to recognize the importance of clear goals and practice time. Happy students understand that practice is the point. They enjoy watching and measuring the incremental progress that thoughtful practice reveals. 


"I can't learn anything new at my age" Of course you can, if you want to. Learning an instrument is a journey of exploration and discovery. Be in the here and now. Don't focus on the goal, just dive in and see what happens. I've taught adults for many many years. The successful ones just got busy and waited to see what became of their efforts.

"I won't live long enough to get good" What do you mean by good? As good as Lang Lang, Oscar Peterson? You are probably right. If you work at it can you get better than you ever imagined. You bet. Can you take satisfaction in that? Of course.

"I don't have a piano?" If you can afford lessons, you can afford to rent a portable electric piano. They are cheap.

"I had a bad experience with a teacher in my childhood." I'm sorry to hear that. But, times have changed and so has piano teaching. My students played pop music, video game music, classical music, jazz music, boogie woogie, and country flavored Christmas music.

"Piano lessons are boring, all the practicing and scales and stuff. I'd just hate it."  I'll be honest, maybe music lessons are not right for you. Playing a musical instrument is about practicing. Ask any professional. We thrive on incremental improvements and discoveries. As Wayne Gretzky said, "I enjoyed every aspect of the game". No boring bits for him.

"I don't love Bach" Then don't play Bach. Play something you like. As you grow as a musician you may find that those acknowledged masters of music had something to them. Playing Bach is like taking a walk through the Vatican galleries. Each visit impresses us with the depth of it's grandeur as we discover new things.

"Piano teachers are boring" Some of us are fun. But, all the good ones will push you to be your best. Life is too short not to push yourself to reach beyond your grasp.

"Practicing is no fun" Then you are going about it all wrong. Learning to practice properly is thrilling in every way. I'm cranky when I must stop practicing.

"I don't want to go out to lessons on a cold night" I'll teach you on Skype. It really works. I've students all over Canada and the USA. Including in the GTA.

​"My spouse would just laugh at me" Couples therapy. Or, just get a set of headphones for that electric piano you rented and leave them out of it.
 
Cheers,
David Story

0 Comments

Fitness for Music Students!

12/15/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
What does fitness level have to do with music study?

Answer:
  1. Fitness affects mood, mood affects desire, resilient desire compels and sustains years of happy effort. Who feels like practicing if you feel lumpy and lethargic? Not me. Pump up the endorphins through a healthy cardio workout and presto, you’ll feel like practicing.
  2. Strong healthy bodies can take the stress of daily life with less wear and tear. Musicians are athletes. Strong bodies reduce the chance of injury. For more info see my other blog the aging musician.
Disclaimer: Go to the doctor first and see if you are fit enough for exercise without endangering life and limb. Your family needs you alive. Second, seek professional fitness advice. Third, it took years to get into the shape you are today. It will take time to get back in shape. Rush and you’ll injure yourself. Injure yourself, and presto back on the couch with the Doritos and Netflix.

Check out this abstract: "...The research suggests that physical fitness training leads to improved mood, self-concept, and work behavior; the evidence is less clear as to its effects on cognitive functioning, although it does appear to bolster cognitive performance during and after physical stress. Except for self-concept, personality traits are not affected by improvements in physical fitness..."
http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/amp/36/4/373/

Sounds good to me. See you at the gym.

​David Story

0 Comments
    You've got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.
    Charlie Parker

    Author

    I'm a professional pianist and music educator in West Toronto Ontario. I'm also a devoted percussionist and drum teacher. 

    Archives

    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Categories

    All
    Adult Piano Lessons
    Blues Piano
    Breakfast Piano Minute
    Buying A Piano
    Children's Piano Lessons
    Classical Piano
    Ear Training
    Goal Setting
    Hobby Overload
    How To Practice Scales On The Piano
    Jazz Chops
    Jazz Piano
    Learning Classical Piano
    Learning Piano
    Learning Resources
    Motivation
    Music Practice
    Piano Exams
    Practice Organization
    Practicing Piano
    Starting Piano
    Stories
    Summer Piano Lessons
    Technique
    Theory
    Time Management
    Virtual Piano Lessons
    What Students Are Playing This Week

    RSS Feed

                                                ©2022 David Story
  • Homepage
  • Tips, Ideas, Stories, Free Lessons
  • Contact form, fees, calendar, policies
  • Adult Lessons
  • Jazz Workshops 2023 2024
  • Philosophy
  • Testimonials
  • Children's Spring Concert 2023
  • My Story
  • Student awards and compositions
  • Classical downloads
  • Classical outline for beginners
  • Jazz downloads
  • Jazz outline for beginners
  • Video Library of Piano Techniques
  • Breakfast Piano Minute
  • Books, Apps, Websites, Music
  • Ear Training and Sight Singing Resources
  • My YouTube channel