 Restarting piano after a 4-decade hiatus? How to get started. The hands will be slow. But they will improve. Patience is the key here. An analogy: You were at 18-year-old track star back in the day. You buy a pair of expensive running shoes, the kind that promise speed, endurance, and youth. First day out, you run 10K. It is glorious, next day you can’t move. Shoes go in the closet; you are back in front of Netflix. Oops, you’ve made a tactical mistake. Try this instead.
Have fun, if I can help, call me. David
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 My decades old copy of Opus 821 by Czerny. Still on the piano. When I want to work on my tone, I go here. When I want to work on the different physical moves required in piano performance I go here. This work covers all the keys in very short 8 measure exercises. I'm able to work on finger independence, arm weight, rotation, octaves, staccato, legato, portato, drop, thrust, dynamics, balance, and tone. Last weekend I attended the National Ballet of Canada's performance of "etudes". It is a 45 minute ballet of bar moves and set pieces to the etudes of Czerny. It was fun to recognize many of the pieces. It was instructive to hear the music interpreted by the dancers. Click here for a free copy: https://imslp.org/wiki/160_kurze_Übungen,_Op.821_(Czerny,_Carl) Happy practicing.   My go to podcasts. I listen in the car on my way to classes. One reason I bounce through the door on arrival.
David Story A list of tunes I've played at public jam sessions in Toronto over the last 2 years that I've been attending as a drummer.
All of me Summertime Now's the time Au privave Scrapple from the apple It don't mean a thing Satin doll Blue bossa C jam blues Another cool one Cherokee Tenor madness Autumn leaves Billie's bounce Black Orpheus Blue monk Oleo Straight, no chaser All the things you are East of the sun If I were a bell My romance There will never be another you What is this thing called love? Footprints Four Have you met miss jones? Just friends Mr PC Recordame Solar Song for my father So what St. Thomas Take the A train All the things you are Scrapple from the apple There is no greater love Watermelon man Alone together Girl from Ipanema Days of wine and roses Doxy Softly as in a morning sunrise Star eyes All blues Freddy freeloader Ornithology Impressions Lester leaps in Fly me to the moon Less common Blues for Alice Donna Lee Beautiful love Wave Work song Georgia My little suede shoes A night in Tunisia Tune up How high the moon Stella by starlight Body and soul both fast and slow Confirmation I hear a rhapsody Up jumped spring There will never be another you I love you Out of nowhere Night and day The link below offers some good advice to read before you attend your first jam, including a short list of essential tunes for beginners. You don't need to learn the entire list before attending. A blues in Bb and F, a common standard or two, one bossa and you are ready to go. http://music.unl.edu/jazzstudies/HaarJamSessions.pdf Cheers, David Story 
Found on pages 77 & 78 I highly recommend this book to all my Jazz students. Cheers, David  "The Musician's Way a guide to practice, performance, and wellness" by Gerald Klickstein
I'm engrossed in this book. It is packed with ideas, which I will share over the next few weeks. There is a link for additional material at www.musiciansway.com Overview 1. The five practice zones
Cheers, David Story |
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. AuthorI'm a professional pianist and music educator in West Toronto Ontario. I'm also a devoted drum set and mallet percussionist. Categories
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