David Story, Online Piano Lessons from Toronto
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Tips, free lessons, and inspiration

Reflections on my 1st professional gig playing the malletkat

6/6/2025

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This is my account of how I brought my mallet abilities to a level where I could be paid to play. 

The question was this: do the practice techniques and curriculum I teach work?

It is important to stress that before I began working with the malletkat, I had taught myself elementary xylophone. You can hear my efforts here: Early Jazz. Furthermore, I know the music that I was hired to play as I’ve played and taught it for decades on the piano. So, I wasn’t starting from scratch.

Here is the process I followed.
  1. I took a few mallet lessons with Rick Dior. He showed me a grip, rootless voicings, and suggested graded repertoire, both jazz and classical. I sheaded it until I knew it inside and out. in other words, I did the work. He encouraged me to enlarge my harmonic and solo vocabulary. This will be in a future blog post.
  2. I researched jazz mallets players like David Pike, Gary Burton, Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, and others. I listened carefully to their phrasing, pedalling, and general approach.
  3. I work on the jazz mechanics as outlined in the 1-page jazz warmup. You can download the pdf here.
    1. 12 major scales and a few selected bebop scales. I worked tirelessly playing the broken chords and scales with expressive intention. Far from being a chore it was a thrill to hear my growing expressive abilities distract from my technical limitations.
    2. 60 jazz chords; solidly for comping, and broken for soloing.
    3. The 24 rootless ii V I chord progressions in major and minor keys.
    4. Minor Blues scales in the keys of a, d, c, f, bb, eb
    5. Playing the guide tones consisting of 3rds and 7ths through many chord progressions.
  4. I played a lot of technical exercises to develop my hand eye coordination.
  5. I watched YouTube videos playing the vibes. You can see which ones in previous blog posts.
  6. I practiced tunes primarily by playing along with professional performances. I call this the Bill McBirnie method. His method of practicing is to pick a tune, load up a number of YouTube recordings and spend the afternoon playing along and transposing as needed. I practiced the chord progression patterns in step 4 with software programs.
  7. I worked on phrasing and being expressive within the limitations of my mallet technique and agility. I credit this and knowing the tunes as the primary factor in the success of the evening.
 
My Future plans.
  1. Building and retaining repertoire.  
  2. Enlarging my harmonic vocabulary.
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Keeping Scales Fresh

2/19/2024

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Download
I've been playing scales for over 50 years so keeping it fresh can be a challenge. This etude was written for an intermediate student today. Playing scales at the 10th made it all new for her again. Feel free to try this with other scales as well. 
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Keywords: Scales, scales in 10ths
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How to be a quicker sight reader at the piano

10/13/2023

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​Sightreading is high speed pattern recognition. Pattern recognition comes from knowledge of rudiments and theory, piano technique, aural training, a deep knowledge of music history and stylistic performance practices and playing experience. A trained musician does not see a series of notes, they see patterns and relationships. For example, Mozart Minuet in G K 1e.
  • It is in ¾ time. 
  • It is attributed to Mozart. However, Mozart had a stage dad who, it is alleged, ghost wrote a few of the early works of his son.
  • It is in the key of G and modulates to the dominant key of D and back with a short visit to A minor.
  • It is in a two-period form of AA and BA1. 
  • It is a dance. 
  • It is homophonic.
  • It is played elegantly and playfully because it is a dance and dancing is fun.
  •  It starts with a short motive in the tonic key which is repeated down a step in the dominant key. Then it races to the cadence in measure 7-8.
  • The B section starts in the relative minor of A minor. The motive from the first part is inverted. The running part is partially inverted as it races to cadence in the tonic key.
It goes on and on. Here is further advice from a professional sight reader. Do not neglect theory, aural training, piano technique, music history and performance practice. This combined with daily sightreading practice will take you closer to your goal and reading at full tempo.
If I can help you, call me.
 
David 

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Learning to play with a metronome

10/10/2023

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Tips.

1. Count aloud throughout.
2. Count one measure before you begin.
3. Practice counting and clapping first.
4. Record yourself clapping and listen back to evaluate your success or lack thereof.
5. Play one hand and count aloud. Record yourself playing and listen back to evaluate your success or lack thereof.
6. Play two hands and count aloud. Record yourself playing and listen back to evaluate your success or lack thereof.
7. Do this and similar exercises for the rest of your piano career.

If I can help you, call me. 

David
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Free no question asked Download of the exercise
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Sitting at the correct height. How high is high?

5/31/2023

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This guy explains how to correctly sit on the piano bench. As he says, sitting correctly will help us play easier and avoid injury. 

Enjoy.

David
Authors note: This page was rewritten in 2024
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Learning to Jam with others. How do I go about it?

4/5/2023

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A student writes, “Hey David, I wanted to check my learning strategy with you. My goal right now is to play better at the jams I attend. Most of them are funky with someone creating a groove, and everyone jumping in.
I noticed the keys players are all very good at hearing the bass and figuring out the progression— or finding a groove within a set progression. At my level, I’m usually asking others what key we’re in (although it doesn’t always work since it changes) and then playing the root chord and inversions of it. I’ll sometimes create groove lines from the respective blues scale, but that’s about it for my understanding.
Taken together, I’m thinking the number one thing I need to work on is: Ear training.
For that, I’m thinking I focus on training my ear to understand:
  • Major ii, V, I in every key
  • Major I, vi, ii, V, I in every key
  • I, IV, V in every key
Does this sound like a good start to being able to jam with others in the scenario described above?
Thanks!

My response.
Yes, this is a good start. Here are some more ideas to consider.
  1. Ear training consists of the following elements: chord and interval recognition, identifying chord progressions, learning tunes by ear, learning licks by ear. Furthermore, practicing your scales, chords, and other keyboard techniques using a metronome will be immensely helpful in learning to play with other musicians’ time feel. This is another aspect of ear training—staying in place.
  2. Keyboard skills. Always be working on basic piano skills separately.
  3. Repertoire knowledge. There is an old say that goes, “they that know the most tunes wins.” Practice jamming with songs that have less than four chords in them. Here are some searches to get you started. You can approach these tunes in several ways. For one chord tunes, just look up the title without looking at the key. See if you can figure out the key, ditto with the 2 chord pieces. The list below was created from the first link. I can't guarantee that each piece has only one chord, they came from the internet afterall, but it's a start. 
​
  • pop songs with one chord - Search (bing.com)
  • pop songs with two chords or less - Search (bing.com)
  • pop songs with three chords or less - Search (bing.com)
  • pop songs with four chords or less - Search (bing.com)
Have fun.
 
David

One Chord Songs

  1. Locker - 35007 
  2. Drifter's Escape - Bob Dylan
  3. Helen Wheels - Paul McCartney & Wings
  4. There Is a Mountain - Donovan
  5. Stupidly Happy - XTC
  6. Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant
  7. Joy - Lucinda Williams
  8. Mississippi Boll Weevil - Charley Patton
  9. Exodus - Bob Marley
  10. Panadero Ensoñado - Pescado Rabioso
  11. The Enchanted Gypsy - Donovan
  12. Con Altura - Rosalía, J Balvin
  13. Papa Was a Rolling Stone - The Temptations
  14. Crosseyed & Painless - Talking Heads
  15. Watussi - Harmonia
  16. Get the Party Started - Pink
  17. Nevermind - Leonard Cohen
  18. The Hustle - Bars of Gold
  19. Tomorrow Never Knows - The Beatles
  20. Ever So Lonely - Monsoon 
  21. Coconut - Harry Nilsson 
  22. American Woman - Lenny Kravitz
  23. Get Up, Stand Up - Bob Marley
  24. Chain of Fools - Aretha Franklin
  25. Fire- Ohio Players
  26. Who Knows? - Jimi Hendrix
  27. Careful with That Axe, Eugene - Pink Floyd
  28. Loser - Beck
  29. Church of Anthrax - John Cale & Terry Rile
  30. Jump Into The Fire - Harry Nilsson
  31. One Chord Song - Stoney LaRue
  32. The National Anthem - Radiohead
  33. Jimmy Bell - William "Cat Iron" Carradine
  34. Sloppy Drunk Again - Walter Davis
  35. LazyBones - Soul Coughing
  36. Push Upstairs - Underworld
  37. Showbiz Kids - Steely Dan
  38. Machine Gun - Jimi Hendrix
  39. Daydreamer - Menswear
  40. Voyage Automatique - 35007
  41. Run Through The Jungle - Creedence Clearwater Revival 
  42. Wang Dang Doodle - Willie Dixon
  43. Deeper Well - Emmylou Harris
  44. Bullet the Blue Sky - U2 
  45. The Story of One Chord - Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper
  46. Moanin' at Midnight - Howlin' Wolf 
  47. Radar Eyes - The Godz
  48. Spoonful - Cream
  49. Mondo in Mi 7a - Adriano Celentano
  50. Whole Lotta Love - Zepplin 
  51. Walking in Your Footsteps - The Police
  52. Keep On Chooglin' - Creedence Clearwater Revival
  53. Seeds - Bruce Springsteen 
  54. DNA - Kendrick Lamar
  55. Snake Farm - Ray Wylie Hubbard
  56. Price - Super Furry Animals
  57. E minor or Em7 (playable with E or E7 also)
  58. Smokestack LIghtnin' - Howlin' Wolf 
  59. I'm Bad Like Jesse James - John Lee Hooker
  60. Thank You - Sly & the Family Stone
  61. I Asked for Water - Howlin' Wolf
  62. What Are Their Names? - David Crosby
  63. Know - Nick Drake
  64. Pablo Picasso - Modern Lovers
  65. Hallo Gallo - Neu!
  66. Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood 
  67. Alta Suciedad - Andrés Calamaro
  68. Powertruth - 35007
  69. Bodak Yellow (Money Moves) - Cardi B
  70. Mi Gente - J Balvin, Willy William, Beyonce
  71. DNA - Kendrick Lamar
  72. Mañana en el Abasto - Sumo
  73. Send Me Your Pillow - John Lee Hooker
  74. The Story of Bo Diddley - The Animals
  75. Peter Gunn - Henry Mancini
  76. Which Way Do Red River Run? - Mance Lipscomb
  77. John Henry - Buster Brown
  78. The Beat Goes On - Sonny & Cher
  79. Ding Dang - The Beach Boys
  80. See My Jumper Hanging On the Line - R.L. Burnside
  81. Shanty Blues - Henry Thomas
  82. Mona - The Rolling Stones
  83. Run On for a Long Time- Bill Landford
  84. Paradise - Sade
  85. Peter Gunn - Henry Mancini
  86. Losing Face - I Am Snow Angel 
  87. Political World - Bob Dylan
  88. One Chord Song - Keith Urban
  89. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley
  90. Dance to the Music - Sly & the Family Stone
  91. My Jack Don't Drink No Water - Shortstuff Macon
  92. Everyday People - Sly & the Family Stone
  93. Low Rider - War
  94. It's a Rainy Day Sunshine Girl - Faust
  95. Bad to The Bone - George Thorogood
  96. U.S. 41 - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
  97. Catfish Blues - Robert Petway
  98. Spike Driver Blues - Mississippi John Hurt
  99. Shotgun - Jr. Walker & the All-Stars
  100. Rubberband Girl - Kate Bush
  101. Magic Bus - The Who
  102. Boring Girls - Pissed Jean
  103. The Bogus Man - Roxy Music
  104. Know Your Rights - The Clash
  105. Who's He And What Is He To You?- Bill Withers
  106. Space for the Papa - Jeff Beck
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Piano warmups for intermediate students

3/30/2023

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I recommend playing these warmups at various tempos with a metronome. Transposing these exercises to different keys is also highly recommended. 

David

Key words:
  • Scales
  • Scales in contrary motion
  • Diatonic chords
  • Broken chords
  • Arpeggios
  • Piano warmups
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Free Download
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Articulation Etude

12/20/2022

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I wrote this for an adult student preparing for her Royal Conservatory of Music Grade 3 exam. She is working on Clowns by Kabalevsky and needed a short etude to practice her mixed articulations. Passages with mixed articulations are common throughout piano literature. 

To utilize this etude for yourself, start very slowly. Eighth note = 60 BPM and work up from there. The video will help you along. 

Have fun. 

​David
Free Download
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Broken Chord Etude RCM 1 and 2

11/19/2022

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This etude will help you practice the correct finger patterns for Royal Conservatory Level 1 and 2 techniques. I would play them slooooooowly; hands separately. A metronome is recommended. 

Things to notice:

1. The accents
2. The slurs
3. The dynamics
4. The fingering

In the video I demonstrate the hand motions required. 

Have fun. 
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Etude download
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Arm Weight Etude

11/10/2022

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This etude will help you to create a beautiful singing line in pieces with slow moving melodies. None of the notes are played with the fingers going up and down in the usual way, it is played all with the arm.
Score
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Drop 2 Voicings for Jazz piano: Class notes from Berklee, 1977

11/4/2022

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Look what I found tucked away. You can hear examples in the Bill Evans YouTube video below. 
Photo download
Drop 2 voicings with Chromatic 13ths
Drop 2 voicings with chromatic 9ths
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11 Ways to practice scales, chords, and arpeggios.

9/18/2022

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To freshen up your technique and reengage your attention, try the following articulation and dynamic patterns. Remember technique is how musicians learn to control their instrument, build their interpretations, and execute beautifully. 

1, Legato
2. Staccato
3. Legato in the right hand and staccato in the left.
4. Legato in the left hand and staccato in the right.
5. Crescendo to the middle and then diminuendo to the top. 
6. Play one octave in quarter notes, then two octaves in 8ths, then three octaves in triplets, finally four octaves in 16th notes.
7. In contrary motion. This can be challenging when playing broken chords or arpeggios.
8. Scales played in formula patterns
9. Use a metronome, vary the tempo.
10. Play with your eyes closed!
11. Play with emotion. Check out last week's blog with Hilary Hahn for ideas.

​
PDF download
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Playing with emotion, Training exercises for all instruments

9/14/2022

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Playing your technique (scales, chords, and arpeggios) with emotion is an important part of learning to play well. These guys, with Hilary Hahn, will give you some fun pointers. 
  • Joy
  • Anger
  • Sadness
  • Love
  • Calmness
  • Fear
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How to play with a metronome

9/7/2022

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This exercise will work on any instrument. You should vary the tempo of the metronome as your skills increase. Counting aloud is imperative. No counting in your head or mumbling. Speak boldly and clearly as you play. The first two measures are counted only. You begin playing in measure three. 

Good luck
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Today's Piano Challenge

8/10/2022

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Play your technique (scales, chords, and arpeggios) allegro and pianissimo or quickly and softly. The first challenge will be not to slow down or tense up. The second challenge will be to maintain an even tone. 

​If I can help you, please call me.
David.
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What do we gain learning Jazz and Pop Standards by ear?

6/18/2022

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What do we gain by learning Jazz and Pop Standards by ear?

1. We acquire an intuitive understanding of jazz and pop rhythm. 
2. We learn the feel of the music, which is something that can't be notated.
3. By playing along with recordings we learn to stay in place.
4. We learn how to solo by acquiring ideas (licks) that we can use in other pieces.
5. We learn how to play our instrument idiomatically by hearing it played in context. 
6. We begin to appreciate the depth and scope of jazz and pop history and its eras and players.
7. We learn how to mess with a melody. A first step to soloing with finesse. "Learn the melody, mess with the melody, then mess with the mess" Louis Armstrong 

If I can help you on your journey, call me. 

David

Revised August 2022
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How to solo on Take the A Train

6/9/2022

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Sightreading Tips for Pianists

5/24/2022

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Sight-reading tips
  1. Title. The title will often give you clues as to how to play the piece.
  2. Who is the Composer? Bach is played differently than Zappa.
  3. When was the piece written? Baroque music is played differently than Rock.
  4. Time signature?
  5. Key signature?
  6. Tempo: fast or slow?
  7. Dynamics: loud or soft? When playing with others this is especially important. 
  8. Look for funny business clefs changes, hand over hand crossovers, 8vas, tempo changes, time signature changes. Don't get caught!
  9. Find the repeat signs, del signo sign, and Coda sign.
  10. Search for similar phrases/measures.
  11. Look for rhythmic difficulties. If necessary, clap and count aloud. 
  12. Find the starting hand position. 
  13. Using the metronome will help prevent you from stopping and correcting.

Short story

As a teenager I had poor practicing habits. I had no focus or commitment to any task except s
ightreading which I found fun and easy. I loved spending hours reading from my mother's piano books. Therefore, it is no coincidence that I've spent the last 45 years making a living as a sight-reader. First as a professional pianist and later as a teacher and drummer. Eventually though, I did get my practice habits straightened out and got down to business. 

David

Revised August 2022
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The Diatonic Chords Of E Major Etude

5/16/2022

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This will help you learn the diatonic chords of E major. Watch the crossover with the left hand and the change of clef in measure 11. The left-hand fingering is 531; the right-hand is 135. 

Revised August 2022
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diatonic chords of e major.pdf
File Size: 118 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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New piano warmup 2022

5/11/2022

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I'm always trying out new ideas with students to keep it fresh for us both. This warm-up assumes you know the correct fingerings for each position. (The right scale at the 10th starts with 31234 etc. The broken chords and arpeggios in the right start with finger 1.) This exercise should be transposed into a different key at each practice session. Tempo markings are only suggestions.

If I can help you, call me. 

David
Revised August 2022
new scale chord and arpeggio warmup 2022
File Size: 102 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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Fingering patterns for triads

5/10/2022

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Playing the piano is much easier when the scales and chords have become automatic in our hands. Below is the fingering chart for all 3 note chords like C major and G minor. Another name for a 3-note chord is a "triad". I've cropped this image from a student's notes.

If I can help you, call me.

David
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How to play fast scales on the piano, some overlooked facets for quick playing

5/9/2022

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How to play fast comes up in lessons frequently. Here are some ideas to get you started. 

Let's get the basics out of the way first. 
  1. Correct fingering is necessary.
  2. Slow repetitions with a metronome keeps our tempi honest.
  3. Lots of repetitions builds endurance and so-called muscle memory in the hands. 

Now some often-overlooked facets of quick playing. 
  1. The quicker the scale, the softer I play. Try it. I play lightly on my fingertips. I angle my wrists to the right when ascending and to the left when descending. The idea is to keep the tip of the playing finger in line with the elbow through the wrist. 
  2. Check your breathing. Rapid shallow breathing tenses the body. I breathe deeply and slowly to keep my body relaxed. 
  3. When playing 4 octave scales, start on your left sitz bone and stay in front of your hands as you ascend. You will end up on your right sitz bone at the top. 
  4. If you are sitting too close to the piano, it is going to be difficult. Sit back so that your elbows are parallel with your stomach. Watch professionals on YouTube and notice the distance at which they sit. 

If I can help you, call me. 

​David
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Teach yourself to play with a metronome even if it seems hopeless

3/2/2022

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Steps to success

Day One 

1. Dust off the metronome.
2. Set it at 60. Also known as 60 BPM (Beats per minute)
3. Practice counting aloud to the metronome: 1-2-3-4, one number per click.
4. Continue counting aloud and clap measures 1 to 9.
5. Continue counting aloud and play the right-hand notes measures 1 to 9. Counting aloud is the imperative step for success. 
6. Add the left hand and repeat measures 1 to 9.
7. Move the metronome to 70 BPM and repeat the passage.
8. Call it a day.

Day Two

1. Repeat yesterday's steps with the whole notes at 80 BPM.
2. Reset the metronome to 60. 
3. Practice counting aloud to the metronome: 1-2-3-4 one number per click.
4. Continue counting aloud and clap measures 10 to 14.
5. Continue counting aloud and play the right-hand notes measures 10 to 14. Counting aloud is imperative for success. 
6. Add the left hand and repeat measures 10 to 14.
7. Move the metronome to 70 BPM and repeat the passage.
8. Call it a day.

Day Three

1. Repeat yesterday's steps with the half notes at 80 BPM.
2. Reset the metronome to 60. 
3. Practice counting aloud to the metronome: 1-2-3-4 one number per click.
4. Continue counting aloud and clap measures 15 through 18.
5. Continue counting aloud and play the right-hand notes measures 15 through 18. Counting aloud is imperative for success. 
6. Add the left hand and repeat measures 15 through 18.
7. Move the metronome to 70 BPM and repeat the passage.
8. Stop for the day.

Day Four

1. You know what to do. 

If I can help you learn to count aloud while playing, call me.

​David
Revised August 2022
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Why use a metronome?

2/27/2022

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​Why use a metronome?
  1. Learning to play to an external beat will pay dividends when you begin to play with others.
  2. You will learn where and when you are rushing. Especially if you record yourself doing it.
  3. Your sense of timing will improve. 

How to use the metronome.
  1. Count aloud. If the music is in 4/4, count 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, etc. 
  2. Start slowly.
  3. Record yourself to evaluate how close you are to the beat. 
  4. Start by playing one note per click, then 2 notes, then 3, and finally 4 notes. Keep counting aloud. No silent counting.
  5. If you are having trouble, slowly clap rhythm patterns from your pieces while counting aloud. 
  6. If you can’t count aloud and play, ask your teacher for help. They will be thrilled you asked.
 
If I can help you learn to count, call me.
 
David
Revised August 2022
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A new way to play scales

2/23/2022

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Janice Legere, a long-time student, played her scales like this today. I approve. 

​David
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<<Previous
    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. 

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