Thread: Lets stay motivated

Second day playing through the pain... small injury on 4th left finger... but it is joy anyway to spend time with piano, more listening and slow motion playing but still... time of fun You too play, learn and enjoy: don't let any obstacles stop you!

Have some spare time? Well... why not to sit in front your piano and simply enjoy the music you can play! Not enough, again well, why not to practice to play MORE! PLAY, LEARN, ENJOY!

There is no such day as Sunday (many time considered as rest day) when you do what you like to do So, let's PLAY! Let's LEARN! Let's have some FUN!

First part of update (today):
Again, Sonatina Op 36 No 1 - all togheter: I hope it is slightly better, lost some time practising this Minuet instead polishing this peace and learning next. Lesson learnt Since tomorrow full power on Sonatina Op 36 No 2 (first part of 1st movement memorised already )


Second part (tomorrow - on it tonight): Scales I am practising now

Comments more then welcome, I open for any suggestions
Thank you in advance.

All right, back to business: PLAY! LEARN! ENJOY! I hope you too enjoy music, piano and every step you take, no matter what level of pianist you are

Originally Posted by Jaro

First part of update (today):
Again, Sonatina Op 36 No 1 - all togheter: I hope it is slightly better, lost some time practising this Minuet instead polishing this peace and learning next. Lesson learnt Since tomorrow full power on Sonatina Op 36 No 2 (first part of 1st movement memorised already )


Second part (tomorrow - on it tonight): Scales I am practising now

Comments more then welcome, I open for any suggestions
Thank you in advance.

All right, back to business: PLAY! LEARN! ENJOY! I hope you too enjoy music, piano and every step you take, no matter what level of pianist you are

I will buy this! VERY GOOD!

You made significant progress with this one. With the exception of some tempo uncertainties (1st part) and some climaxes (small) problems (3rd part) the outcome is very good. FIRST time I can hear P, PP, and F. (this is VERY important) The position of your hands is also much better. The fingers seem to have one more natural and ''easy'' shape. This is something also good and it looks also good. (despite the fact that they are many giant pianist with ''bad looking hands''...) The general sonority is also much better. Stay focus! DON'T stop practicing this one, and, as you said, start with the second Sonatina. Climaxes and arpeggios daily and that's it! Nothing more and nothing less. (for the moment, also, forget anything modern, you are maybe playing for your amusement. Allow your finger to learn better the ''traditional'' classical way / finger positions.) Keep going!

Originally Posted by Dimace

I will buy this! VERY GOOD!

You made significant progress with this one. With the exception of some tempo uncertainties (1st part) and some climaxes (small) problems (3rd part) the outcome is very good. FIRST time I can hear P, PP, and F. (this is VERY important) The position of your hands is also much better. The fingers seem to have one more natural and ''easy'' shape. This is something also good and it looks also good. (despite the fact that they are many giant pianist with ''bad looking hands''...) The general sonority is also much better. Stay focus! DON'T stop practicing this one, and, as you said, start with the second Sonatina. Climaxes and arpeggios daily and that's it! Nothing more and nothing less. (for the moment, also, forget anything modern, you are maybe playing for your amusement. Allow your finger to learn better the ''traditional'' classical way / finger positions.) Keep going!

Oh, thanks a lot. I appreciate you take time to actually look at my videos and give as always great advice. Will follow. I have just finished scales recording. Now a bit of work to transfer them into PC and put all together and tomorrow will put them here.
All understood Will focus on those pieces now. It is tempting sometimes to do something different but to be honest, I find a lot of joy while practising those Sonatinas... and if this is the way to improve: I can wait with something else. It will come time for more. For now MORE are SONATINAS
Just one more question: should I leave for now Hanons? Haven't practiced them recently (last 3 weeks) anyway, or Should I practice them as well with Climaxes and arpeggios?

Originally Posted by Jaro

Oh, thanks a lot. I appreciate you take time to actually look at my videos and give as always great advice. Will follow. I have just finished scales recording. Now a bit of work to transfer them into PC and put all together and tomorrow will put them here.
All understood Will focus on those pieces now. It is tempting sometimes to do something different but to be honest, I find a lot of joy while practising those Sonatinas... and if this is the way to improve: I can wait with something else. It will come time for more. For now MORE are SONATINAS
Just one more question: should I leave for now Hanons? Haven't practiced them recently (last 3 weeks) anyway, or Should I practice them as well with Climaxes and arpeggios?

Hanon, until the end of your life, will be your daily partner. One day, you will play the WHOLE book (not every day of course) to warm up your hands. (later you will add also the Czerny to your daily program) Practice, through daily exercises, drive to endurance and to perfection.

Originally Posted by Dimace

Hanon, until the end of your life, will be your daily partner. One day, you will play the WHOLE book (not every day of course) to warm up your hands. (later you will add also the Czerny to your daily program) Practice, through daily exercises, drive to endurance and to perfection.

All right. That means I need to find another half hour of practice to feed my HANON partner. ... and of course Czerny, I did check loads of videos of Czerny exercise. I guess you mean Op. 599?

Anyway, as promised exercise 39 from The Virtuoso Pianist book - first 15 scales will be more in the nearest future Just quick explanation about my 5th left hand finger: It doesn't look good as pointed some time ago. I am still trying to correct as possible its performance once not using and using it as well and honestly it looks a bit better (still not good enough) but due to small injury on my 4th left hand finger I suffer there right now with a bit of stiffness (can feel it). Anyway, no excuses I will keep working on it. So, with no further ado, promised exercise:


Thanks as always for all the help!

Originally Posted by Jaro

All right. That means I need to find another half hour of practice to feed my HANON partner. ... and of course Czerny, I did check loads of videos of Czerny exercise. I guess you mean Op. 599?

Anyway, as promised exercise 39 from The Virtuoso Pianist book - first 15 scales will be more in the nearest future Just quick explanation about my 5th left hand finger: It doesn't look good as pointed some time ago. I am still trying to correct as possible its performance once not using and using it as well and honestly it looks a bit better (still not good enough) but due to small injury on my 4th left hand finger I suffer there right now with a bit of stiffness (can feel it). Anyway, no excuses I will keep working on it. So, with no further ado, promised exercise:


Thanks as always for all the help!

Remarkable progress! VERY well! Keep going with the scales (Don't make two repeats. One time, up and down, 4 octaves, is ok) and by the time start also with their arpeggios. I liked a lot what I saw in this video. I will tell you a secret: All the music pieces are only two things: Scales & arpeggios. Master them and you can play GOOD piano. (Mastering= Velocity, lightness, musicality (YES, musicality) and bravura. It isn't easy to play ALL the scales and arpeggios like this. For this reason, if you make it, you have done almost (60%, 70%) technically. (there are much more elements for your technic (look at Hanon) but the basis are the scales & the arpeggios, for this reason are in the middle of the book.) Bravo!

Originally Posted by Dimace

Remarkable progress! VERY well! Keep going with the scales (Don't make two repeats. One time, up and down, 4 octaves, is ok) and by the time start also with their arpeggios. I liked a lot what I saw in this video. I will tell you a secret: All the music pieces are only two things: Scales & arpeggios. Master them and you can play GOOD piano. (Mastering= Velocity, lightness, musicality (YES, musicality) and bravura. It isn't easy to play ALL the scales and arpeggios like this. For this reason, if you make it, you have done almost (60%, 70%) technically. (there are much more elements for your technic (look at Hanon) but the basis are the scales & the arpeggios, for this reason are in the middle of the book.) Bravo!

That is a good news for me Happy I am moving forward... I wouldn't without you be where I am. I would if I would have listened more carefully a bit further though. But I guess there is a process of unlearning bad habits and learning new, better ones.
Yes, I promise in one week or so, polish as much as I can arpeggios and post with new video. I learn them as you suggested, once scale is memorised and ready to further practice I add as well arpeggio from that scale in place to practice.

60%-70% you say! Wow! That is promising and actually motivational for me I don't know how you do it, but somehow you speak the words I absorb and that make me even more enthusiastic to PLAY, LEARN, KEEP GOING. Even those where you point mistakes, somehow I take with ease. Thank you with all my heart for your help.

Today I have a rest day, due to my small injury, I somehow while working(not on the piano) kept my 4th finger in strange position I guess and somehow tired my left hand (I feel like it). I decided to work on Sonatina Op 36 no 2, and new scale with dead slow speed, just analysing more then playing. I hope that day off will help and I can move forward since tomorrow.

Honestly, I did not expect this what I read. I am happy Again thanks.

And to all who read as well: I have to take day off, but you... well: practice, practice, practice: IT WORKS! HAVE FUN!

Let's continue our journey and let's make another step forward: PLAY, LEARN, PRACTICE and as always ENJOY!

Originally Posted by Jaro

Let's continue our journey and let's make another step forward: PLAY, LEARN, PRACTICE and as always ENJOY!

What do you want to be playing 3 years from now? What are you working toward?

You ARE an atypical student.

Originally Posted by Luchesi

What do you want to be playing 3 years from now? What are you working toward?

You ARE an atypical student.

Great: "atypical" is good What do you actually mean by that: don't worry, I am not easily offended.

To answer your question, I can't actually tell what I want to play in three years exactly. I know though what I want to learn during incoming months, as soon as I can: Clementi Sonatinas, all scales, all arpeggios, as much as I can Hanons and if possible more exercises to play from the book The Virtuoso Pianist, as well I would like to introduce into my practice Czerny exercises. Time is the main factor now! So I follow the plan right now. It will come time to decide more about my music wishes in particular. I am still not able properly asses what I can play what I can't, which I experienced recently. I can learn the keys to hit, but to deliver the sounds I want, well: NOT THERE YET but I am marching.

So, to all who read: Let's march together, everybody in one's own tempo... but what follow these words must happen: PLAY, LEARN, PRACTICE and as always: ENJOY!

How can you properly assess your progress if you don't take formal lessons?
Are you aiming to take exams?

Originally Posted by Potiphera

How can you properly assess your progress if you don't take formal lessons?
Are you aiming to take exams?

Yes you are right. I don't take formal lessons, I learn on my own. I was doing that with the app PM for two years, and now, I use it just for notes of Sonatinas I am trying slowly to play, and will for the Czerny exercises which are there as well. As you can see, I post my videos in what I was practising for some time, and with the help of 'Dimace' (HUGE HELP) I get some feedback. As well my sense of music and what I actually can hear changes with the practice. Two years ago I wasn't even able notice some nuances of music which I can hear now. I guess with practice my ears develop as well And the second question, well, I am not aiming to pass any exams. I play because I love it. It brings me joy. Where it will lead me? I have no idea. I am simply enjoying the journey. I want to play as good as I can using resources which are in my reach (it changes over time). You see we have all different reasons why we play, mine as mentioned is simple: because I can, because I love it, because brings me joy
All right, back to work, soon is PIANO time for me

How about you? Why you learn? What is your inspiration?