I'm very excited to hear all of you play at today's recital! Breathe, relax, and play to the best of your ability. Remember, everyone is here to support you! Congratulations on an awesome semester.

Laura

Today I practiced “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” for the final for a few more than twenty minutes on the piano in the recital hall. This time, I won't mess up… and if I do, I won't be such a drama queen about it.

Thanks for the class,
Nicholas

For the past week I have been focused on practicing for the final. I thought I did fairly well on the practice final, but I just wanted to keep practicing to make sure I fully got it, especially since there will be a lot more people at the final and I will be much more nervous. Overall, I think my piano skills have greatly improved since September and I really enjoyed this course!

For the past two weeks, I have been practicing my song for the final, "Star Spangled Banner". I am feeling more confident with it now, and I feel like I almost have it down. I have been practicing in 20 minute chunks several times a week. Over the next week, I hope to perfect the song and also try and memorize it if I can.

I didn't get a lot of time to practice at home this week. I'm worried about the final. Hopefully it will go alright. Still deciding between a cover or an original..

Today I practiced "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (pages 152-3) for the final for twenty-seven minutes. The pedal is a bit tricky, but overall I've been doing well.

—Nicholas

Today I practiced "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (pages 152-3) for an hour. I've definitely improved on it. And with that, happy Thanksgiving.

—Nicholas

Yesterday I practiced "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (pages 152-3) for forty minutes. I was right in my prediction that it would be much easier to learn than "Laura" (pages 150-1).

—Nicholas

This week, I decided what I'm going to play for my final. I decided that I'm going to play the Star-Spangled Banner. I have been practicing a few minutes each day, and it is a little challenging but with practice I think I will be able to play it in time for the final.

I have missed the past couple of classes due to a death in the family. While I was home I worked on various songs through sheet music and I'm slowly gaining speed! Thankfully...

Today I practiced for about half an hour on "Laura" (pages 150-1). I am finding it very difficult. I'll just leave it at that.

—Nicholas

This week I've been looking for a song to play for the final, but I could not find one in the book that I found interesting. Is there anywhere else I could look to get a song that is on my level that would be appropriate to play for the final?

I have been going in to practice about two more times a week on top of class because I am trying out this new piece that I really want to be able to master. It was very difficult at first but I am finally getting the hang of it and actually now incorporating my voice as a play as well. The song I'm playing is "Say Something" by a Great Big World.

Today I finally managed to play "Amazing Grace" (page 142-3) without any mistakes! That took way too long. What is also taking me too long is learning to play "Over the Rainbow" (page 144-5) properly. Those overlapping pedals give me a lot of trouble.

I sat in front of the keyboard for an hour, but some of that time was spent goofing off, so I'm guessing I practiced for around forty minutes or so.

—Nicholas

I finalllllly feel like I'm getting the hang of reading music. I've been working on songs that aren't in the book and I feel like I've really made some progress!

I practiced for about twenty minutes a couple of times this week. I've mainly been working on G position and the cords and songs in it. For the most part it is pretty straight forward, since it is very similar to C position, just shifted over. The one thing that I am struggling with a little is the D7 cord with my right hand only, simply because I'm finding it a little hard to reach all the notes since they're fairly spread out. But other than that, everything is going well.

I practiced for about half an hour today, mostly on "The Entertainer" (page 140-141). It's going to be a while before I can play both hands properly, what with all that syncopation. At the same time, I kind of wish the whole song fit on the two pages, because I'd love to learn it.

—Nicholas

I finally feel like I am getting the hang of reading music! It still takes me a large amount of time, but at least I am able to apply it to the piano now. Can only go up from here!

Today I practiced for an hour. I have now pretty much learned how to play "O Sole Mio!" (page 124), "Jericho" (127), and "The Stranger" (129). I do have to practice playing legato though, particularly when I have to play the same note multiple times in a row.

—Nicholas

This week I have practiced a little bit every day for the midterm. I am playing "When the Saints go Marching in". The only slight problem I have is keeping a steady beat, but I have tried using the metronome in practice to help that. I am a little nervous for tonight, but I feel that I know the music so I think I will be okay.

Today I practiced for half an hour, mainly on "Good People" for the midterm. "Jericho" (page 127) has some interesting syncopation.

—Nicholas

Wow! I have completely forgotten to post. Oh no. Hopefully it won't effect my grade to drastically. I have finally gotten my book and I've been making really steady progress going through it! I'm also in the Intro to sight reading class so that has been helping me with piano a lot as well. I have had some emergency appointments that have made me miss class, so hopefully those will be over soon. Sorry I haven't posted.


Danielle Pease

I have been practicing for the midterm but I find it still very hard to get down the notes A and B because I have to move my hands and then I end up losing my place. My hands feel very stiff when I play, I think that is the problem and I have to look down at the notes I'm playing. Just something I need to continue to work on.

-Nina

Today I practiced for about half an hour, mostly on Chiapanecas (p. 120) and Auld Lang Syne (p. 123), but also on Little Brown Jug (p. 119) and of course the midterm piece, Good People (p. 117). I have a much easier time with Auld Lang Syne than with the two songs that come before it in the book, mainly because the two hands aren't as much at odds with each other in this one. I still don't know how to focus on each hand independently of the other one when I play.

—Nicholas

Today I practiced for about three quarters of an hour, for fun. I've finally found the proper natural-sounding rhythm for "Good People," so now I've moved onto the next song, "Little Brown Jug." I have the usual trouble getting my hands to play in time with each other, but I'm gradually getting the hang of this one.

—Nicholas

Today I practiced for fifty minutes. I'm on page 117, trying to get the hang of "Good People," and still having some trouble with it. I think it's mainly the rhythm that's giving me some problems. I'm never quite sure, intuitively, when to play which notes. Of course, that's not even mentioning my enduring difficulty in getting my fingers to press the right keys…

—Nicholas

Yesterday, I practiced playing for about a half hour. I have been practicing "When the Saints Go Marching in", and I will continue practicing and play this for my midterm. It is going well so far.

I think I am now able to play Brother John from memory.  It may be a very small feat, but it means a lot to me as I once though that I could never successfully play anything.  I wish I had a lot more time to practice; I am realizing that I enjoy absolutely everything about the piano! 

Niki

This week I practiced more on working on using both hands to play simultaneously. However, I do find it difficult sometimes still reading the music and remembering which key is which. Also I have realized my left hand is much weaker than the right. This is definitely something I need to work on.

I'm enjoying reading about everyone's experience in piano! Keep practicing and posting!

On Tuesday I started going through my workbook. I made it through about 20 pages, and the last song I played was "When the Saints Go Marching In." It was going pretty smoothly. I went to the bookstore to see about ordering a new book and they are trying to find one for me. Until then I will have to deal with the pen filled one!

Today I practiced for about an hour. I am now on page 103, trying to get good enough at Joy to the World to be able play the last few measures of it without pretending the page says “ritardando”…

—Nicholas

Tonight I worked on playing jingle bells, and I finally figured out that my left hand was in the wrong place! No wonder why everything had been sounding wrong! I'm glad I was able to get help and figure it out though so now I can continue to improve.

-Nina Dalessandro

Playing with both the left and right hand

I find it a bit challenging to play with both the left and right hand simultaneously.  Any tips on how to become more comfortable doing this?

This week I practiced a few times for around 20 minutes each. I am up to where I am learning cords in the level 1 book. Although it is getting more challenging, it is still not too difficult to understand. I am also learning how to play Jingle Bells now, which is rather exciting and is going well.

I've been pretty good about practicing around twenty minutes a day in the practice rooms this past week. I'm about three quarters of the way through the book, and I've been looking up tutorials on youtube so I can play along with some songs I have on my iPhone. I'm getting better with playing with two hands, and I know a few chords now, so playing is starting to get more challenging and fun.
I'm looking forward to next class!

-Antonio DelVecchio

Today I practiced for about three quarters of an hour. I am now up to page 90 ("Moving Up & Down the Keyboard in 6ths"). Thanks to the previous page, I now know where the SpongeBob SquarePants theme song comes from. More importantly I got practice playing at different beats on each hand. It's a little disorienting at first, but after some practice I can almost do it sometimes.

Hi everyone-

I only see one post from last week! Please make sure you are all posting regularly (at least once a week).

Thanks!
Laura

Today I practiced for a bit longer than an hour. I practiced up to page 60 in the level 1 book. I'm finding it difficult to play the D7 chord with my right hand in G position.

—Nicholas

Welcome to beginning piano! Please post at least once a week about your journey learning the piano.

Thanks!
Laura