What is your day-to-day practise routine like?

[dontcheeseme]

Do you do scales, or exercises before working on your pieces? Or do you some sort of finger stretching before mentally playing and memorizing the pieces that are within your level, and finish off with a bang by playing your favorite piece (which is way beyond your current level)?

Mine goes something like this: (comments welcome)
1.) Piano Yoga (just the finger stretching part, I discarded the rest due to laziness and lack of time) as endorsed by GeniA
2.) Mental practise of some scales for 15 min.
3.) 1 hour practising pieces without intentionally memorizing or analyzing them thoroughly. I do the right hand first, then the left hand. Afterwards I practise hands together.
4.) 30 minutes practising my favorite piece which is beyond my current level (I keep missing notes though) mentally and as slowly as possible, while carefully analysing the piece as best as I can on-the-go, HANDS SEPARATE. HANDS TOGETHER mentally would just be impossible for me as the piece is eons beyond my level.

I haven't considered Hanon or Czerny. I have only been playing for one year, and am constantly on the lookout for improvements to my practise routine, which could be better. I have a piano teacher but I only see him every 3 weeks or a month. Quite keen on making faster progress by utilizing better practise methods.

[brogers70]

I do scales, arpeggios and etudes for the first hour, then work on pieces in chronological order over the next two hours. That's usually fairly productive, but sometimes, the most progress comes when I'm bothered by some problem and just go straight to working on it, without worrying about my usual routine. Sometimes the routine can be too routine and I lose the focus that I should have, so doing things in a different order, skipping some things, a piece or two, or some of the scales, gets me to pay more attention to what I'm doing.

[dogperson]

Please discuss what you are doing with your teacher!!!!!!


Mental practice of scales needs to be HANDS ON THE KEYBOARD practice

Pieces need to be analyzed and problem sections identified and worked through.  Whether you can begin HT or not begins on your skills and the level of the piece.

30 minutes practicing your favorite piece that is way beyond you is too much time on this.  This should be like dessert when everything else is done.

I won't even ask why you are posting this when a different post from today states you will not have daily practice, but occasional one hour practice on a borrowed digital.  Shouldn't you be working out a plan for the one-hour practice?

[vaniii]

I practise scales for one hour; all of them round the circle of fifths.

I work on performing concert repertiore in order they will appear in performance.

I work on encore pieces, in order that I intend to play them if offered.

I then work on the detail, usually consulting various editions of a piece of music to fully understand intentions.

All this in 30 minute intervals unless I am running a programme; the key difference is 'practising performing' and 'practising'.

[ted]

A few minutes night and morning on the Virgil Practice Clavier, but the actual movements vary from day to day. Everything is just a means to the end of improvisation these days. I do very little that could be called practice on the piano itself.

[louispodesta]

Do you do scales, or exercises before working on your pieces? Or do you some sort of finger stretching before mentally playing and memorizing the pieces that are within your level, and finish off with a bang by playing your favorite piece (which is way beyond your current level)?

Mine goes something like this: (comments welcome)
1.) Piano Yoga (just the finger stretching part, I discarded the rest due to laziness and lack of time) as endorsed by GeniA
2.) Mental practise of some scales for 15 min.
3.) 1 hour practising pieces without intentionally memorizing or analyzing them thoroughly. I do the right hand first, then the left hand. Afterwards I practise hands together.
4.) 30 minutes practising my favorite piece which is beyond my current level (I keep missing notes though) mentally and as slowly as possible, while carefully analysing the piece as best as I can on-the-go, HANDS SEPARATE. HANDS TOGETHER mentally would just be impossible for me as the piece is eons beyond my level.

I haven't considered Hanon or Czerny. I have only been playing for one year, and am constantly on the lookout for improvements to my practise routine, which could be better. I have a piano teacher but I only see him every 3 weeks or a month. Quite keen on making faster progress by utilizing better practise methods.

Here, we go again!  We have another first year student/neophyte who is of the mindset that playing this great instrument is a matter of just going online and filling in the blanks.

I have not been quiet about this in the recent past, and today is no different.

Specific to the OP:  would you, even in your wildest dreams/hallucinations, ever approach a great painter, dancer, actor or sculptor, and then ask them:  what is your daily practice routine?

As I have stated before, I am way sick and tired of this great instrument (the Piano) being simplistically (not simple) addressed per an inquiry as the OP has done.

On point, after ONE YEAR, with NO REGULAR LESSONS, the OP should be taken to task for even posting this interrogatory.

Like I just said:  No one here who has ever posted on this website would ever even dare take the OP's epistemology, and then couple it to any argument associated with any of the other Fine Arts!

That means:  the same level of respect accorded to the ancient Greeks, and then the Romans, (along with Shakespeare, Rodin, Michelangelo and da Vinci), should also be accorded to the great composer pianists and their craft.

[dcstudio]

To the OP

I am very intrigued by your mental practice. Can you describe exactly how you are doing it?  Also, what do you mean by mentally analyzing on the go? Could you give an example?


Do you study theory as well? What is your "favorite piece"  that you reference I'm your post?

Just curious.

[dontcheeseme]

It's the mental practise as prescribed in the e-book Fundamentals of Piano Practice (it makes a large number of ambitious claims, which I believed at first, but that was several years ago when I was even more naive), and some stolen from various articles I have read, regular e-mails to piano websites that I had subscribed to, and mostly using my piano teacher's guidance in my head, since he had already analysed a part of some pieces for me. I also tend to notice patterns very quickly if I go slowly enough. We were taught Music Theory in Elementary and Highschool, but there was never any opportunity to apply it on a musical instrument, since the school was impoverished.

Favorite piece: Scriabin Etude Op. 8 No. 12, I can only play 3/4 of it (in physical reality). But I'm so obsessed with the piece that I can't help but mentally play it over and over again in my head, hands separately of course.

[dontcheeseme]

Here, we go again!  We have another first year student/neophyte who is of the mindset that playing this great instrument is a matter of just going online and filling in the blanks.

I have not been quiet about this in the recent past, and today is no different.

Specific to the OP:  would you, even in your wildest dreams/hallucinations, ever approach a great painter, dancer, actor or sculptor, and then ask them:  what is your daily practice routine?

As I have stated before, I am way sick and tired of this great instrument (the Piano) being simplistically (not simple) addressed per an inquiry as the OP has done.

On point, after ONE YEAR, with NO REGULAR LESSONS, the OP should be taken to task for even posting this interrogatory.

Like I just said:  No one here who has ever posted on this website would ever even dare take the OP's epistemology, and then couple it to any argument associated with any of the other Fine Arts!

That means:  the same level of respect accorded to the ancient Greeks, and then the Romans, (along with Shakespeare, Rodin, Michelangelo and da Vinci), should also be accorded to the great composer pianists and their craft.

My piano story is a long one, but I actually started when I was 6 but stopped, retook it again, etc. On the safer side, and to make things blunt (and out of sheer laziness) I decided to post as if I had been taking a year of lessons only. It's a damn long story involving mental illnesses, lost cognitive faculties, and some regained, some forever lost (hence my weird sounding English). As to your question......probably would. How else would I be able to gather enough information that will facilitate the refinement of my practise routine? I like to steal from the greatest. Even if some of the information is too obscure or useless, I might just find it useful all of a sudden at a later point in time, and I do believe in the power of subconscious processing, after having taken an online course in PhotoReading (no, the course isn't as ambitious as it sounds). Every information counts, just need to be very careful of the reliability of the source. Of course, I could be wrong, but the more criticism I get, the less "wrong" I can become by learning from it lol just need to sort the wheat from the chaff (or however the saying goes).

[dontcheeseme]

posted by mistake don't know how to delete

[keypeg]

posted by mistake don't know how to delete

In this forum one cannot delete, but you can edit your post by replacing it with the word "deleted" or any word of your choosing.  hth

[dogperson]

@Louis
There are many fallacies in your diatribe:
- 'Would you approach a great dancer or painter and asked them how they practice? '
Fallacy 1:   NONE of here are GREAT... and it seems like you are the only one that thinks he is beyond sharing information or providing a response other than chiding.
Fallacy 2:   There is nothing disrespectful to want to know how 'to approach this great instrument' better by trying to improve skills, including how to practice better.  Disrespect would be not wanting to improve or thinking 'any method works in practice'.
Fallacy 3:    If I were a dancer, would I ask a great dancer (whom I knew well enough to ask) HOW to practice better?   ABSOLUTELY.  Would I love to be able to ask Chopin this question?  ABSOLUTELY.  You wouldn't???   I am  shocked!
Fallacy 4:   Practicing efficiently is NOT intuitive.  I did not develop effective practice until I realized 'there must be a better way:  I need to think about this and do some reading'.   I wish I would have asked this question many, many years ago.  

Maybe since you can sightread two concertos in one day, you should be providing guidance about how you were able to do this.   What practice techniques did you use?

IN OTHER WORDS, STOP IT!   We have seen this same inappropriate, general, response more times than anyone can count.

[vaniii]

Fallacy 4:   Practicing efficiently is NOT intuitive.  I did not develop effective practice until I realized 'there must be a better way:  I need to think about this and do some reading'.   I wish I would have asked this question many, many years ago. 

Most people, if not all people need to fail in their efforts before they find another way.  Please do not be hard on yourself for this; I got to where I am today by making 'all the mistakes'.  I think it has made me an effective teacher becuase I know how to fail, and how to recover.

[dogperson]

Most people, if not all people need to fail in their efforts before they find another way.  Please do not be hard on yourself for this; I got to where I am today by making 'all the mistakes'.  I think it has made me an effective teacher becuase I know how to fail, and how to recover.

Thanks for your words-- I guess I am just full of regret for not working out how to practice as a child, or having it taught to me, but that was childhood.  then.... it took an ADULT mind to realize there had to be a better way.  When I was re-starting lessons,  I practiced like a fiend (about 3 hours per day) but was not showing the progress that I should.
I hope all teachers ask 'how do you practice' ?   to stop their students from playing through repeatedly  from beginning to end and thinking that works.       

AND, I am so glad to see someone without a teacher or with a teacher that does not teach how to practice ask the question on the internet       We should all learn from the 'lessons learned by others' rather than having to repeat the same errors. 

[dcstudio]

It's the mental practise as prescribed in the e-book Fundamentals of Piano Practice (it makes a large number of ambitious claims, which I believed at first, but that was several years ago when I was even more naive), and some stolen from various articles I have read, regular e-mails to piano websites that I had subscribed to, and mostly using my piano teacher's guidance in my head, since he had already analysed a part of some pieces for me. I also tend to notice patterns very quickly if I go slowly enough. We were taught Music Theory in Elementary and Highschool, but there was never any opportunity to apply it on a musical instrument, since the school was impoverished.

Favorite piece: Scriabin Etude Op. 8 No. 12, I can only play 3/4 of it (in physical reality). But I'm so obsessed with the piece that I can't help but mentally play it over and over again in my head, hands separately of course.

I admire your enthusiasm.  When it comes to learning the piano...obsession is just part of the package.  Some responses may seem a bit harsh but egos tend to be part of the same package.  We have had many "pretenders" and "greatest player ever" types pass through the forum over the years but their stories fall apart very quickly. It's really not possible to fool those of us who have devoted their lives to this.  That being said, I don't think you are trying to fool anyone.

You are in the "honeymoon" period...enjoy it.   

[louispodesta]

@Louis
There are many fallacies in your diatribe:
- 'Would you approach a great dancer or painter and asked them how they practice? '
Fallacy 1:   NONE of here are GREAT... and it seems like you are the only one that thinks he is beyond sharing information or providing a response other than chiding.
Fallacy 2:   There is nothing disrespectful to want to know how 'to approach this great instrument' better by trying to improve skills, including how to practice better.  Disrespect would be not wanting to improve or thinking 'any method works in practice'.
Fallacy 3:    If I were a dancer, would I ask a great dancer (whom I knew well enough to ask) HOW to practice better?   ABSOLUTELY.  Would I love to be able to ask Chopin this question?  ABSOLUTELY.  You wouldn't???   I am  shocked!
Fallacy 4:   Practicing efficiently is NOT intuitive.  I did not develop effective practice until I realized 'there must be a better way:  I need to think about this and do some reading'.   I wish I would have asked this question many, many years ago.  

Maybe since you can sightread two concertos in one day, you should be providing guidance about how you were able to do this.   What practice techniques did you use?

IN OTHER WORDS, STOP IT!   We have seen this same inappropriate, general, response more times than anyone can count.

I have stated that I "practiced" learning the notes to two piano concertos a day.  And, I did so, successfully!

So, if you want to do a standard Pianostreet search, you can peruse this information, and then (along with anyone else who desires this information), get back to me by PM.

Thank you for your comment.

[dcstudio]

I have stated that I "practiced" learning the notes to two piano concertos a day.  And, I did so, successfully!

Cool... have you posted your playing yet? 

[dogperson]

I have stated that I "practiced" learning the notes to two piano concertos a day.  And, I did so, successfully!

So, if you want to do a standard Pianostreet search, you can peruse this information, and then (along with anyone else who desires this information), get back to me by PM.

Thank you for your comment.

 you posted the following on Oct 3, in a forum discussion about sight-reading....

4)  I am an ASPY, who has an abnormal long term and also short term sight reading ability.  Even Jean Barr of Eastman could not teach me how to read.  However, I came up with a methodology of my own which allowed me to then sight-read the notes to 47 piano concertos (two a day) in the next five years.

Here is the link to your post
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=62528.msg668918#msg668918

Since this is a thread to discuss practicing, what pedagogical methodology did you use to achieve this?  Posting what you came up with on your own would be very helpful to the remainder of us that can't accomplish 2 piano concertos in a day by sight-reading.

[keypeg]

On this one point.

Specific to the OP:  would you, even in your wildest dreams/hallucinations, ever approach a great painter, dancer, actor or sculptor, and then ask them:  what is your daily practice routine?

Such a person may be a fantastic teacher as well.  If they told me their daily practice routine, I would listen very, very carefully, work with it, and listen some more.  In fact, that is what I do as a student. (edit: with teacher(s) in whom I also see a certain "greatness").  The word "great" needs to be used with caution; not everyone who is worth paying attention to has their name in neon lights, and many are not out there at all.  A truly great person is also great of spirit, and delights to be listened to, and to pass on some of their wisdom.

If you mean people wanting quick shortcuts, to achieve in 6 months what took the "greats" decades, then yes, that is not good.  But there is also no reason to think the OP is of such a mind.  One has to know a person very well before making such conclusions (cautiously).

Many of us have lived in a paucity of knowledge and opportunity.  It is only now in this new age that we emerge out of the darkness and make our tentative steps into unknown grounds.  I will NEVER discourage someone who wants to learn.  I was there myself.  The first stage of necessity is "ignorance" from the Latin word meaning to "not know".  There is nothing wrong with that.  But it is wrong to repel someone who wants to know.

[ted]

Very good post, keypeg, with which I wholeheartedly concur. Free exchange of ideas ought to be independent of fame and social standing.

[vaniii]

Very good post, keypeg, with which I wholeheartedly concur. Free exchange of ideas ought to be independent of fame and social standing.

Agreed.  When I was young, internet was non-existant.  The result was isolation and delusion.

We live in a golden age for classical music, in so much as you can open youtube and watch millions of pianists young and old.

It would be easy to sit awestruck when looking at  the professionals, but once you get past that bit, there is so much to learn that would be lost even a decade ago.

My opinion on forums is if we get past the children posting fantasy, there is a vital platform for discussion.

[dcstudio]

Agreed.  When I was young, internet was non-existant.  The result was isolation and delusion.

We live in a golden age for classical music, in so much as you can open youtube and watch millions of pianists young and old.

It would be easy to sit awestruck when looking at  the professionals, but once you get past that bit, there is so much to learn that would be lost even a decade ago.

My opinion on forums is if we get past the children posting fantasy, there is a vital platform for discussion.

This still amazes me

We forget that because of modern technology it really is possible to learn far quicker simply because the information is so easy to get.  These forums are really invaluable...all trollbusting aside...in my day, one had to be at university to have access to so many like-minded souls.  Learning piano was an incredibly isolating experience.  The support I have received and the validation of my music the internet has made possible has kept me going forward in my studies. It boggles my mind that I have so many views on YT...and that number is miniscule. 

[ted]

This still amazes me

We forget that because of modern technology it really is possible to learn far quicker simply because the information is so easy to get.  These forums are really invaluable...all trollbusting aside...in my day, one had to be at university to have access to so many like-minded souls.  Learning piano was an incredibly isolating experience.  The support I have received and the validation of my music the internet has made possible has kept me going forward in my studies. It boggles my mind that I have so many views on YT...and that number is miniscule. 

Without the internet and email I would never have made the acquaintance of dozens of pianists and musicians all over the world.  In particular, I would have been oblivious to the wonderful contemporary ragtime movement and its talented proponents - people like David Thomas Roberts, Frank French, Reginald Robinson and Hal Isbitz. I have learned invaluable things from these people and their music. Moreover, they have always responded at once to my communications, and been openly helpful.

Without the internet I would not have obtained the abundance of scores and transcriptions I now enjoy - Dapogny's complete Morton, Farrell's transcriptions of the stride masters, Library of Congress editions such as that of James Scott's works, many more.

Thanks to the internet and forums like this one I can record an idea to be heard five minutes later by anybody in the world and I can hear their ideas almost instantly through my hi-fi using bluetooth, sitting in comfort in an easy chair.

Having to ignore the occasional bursts of argument and nonsense is a very small price to pay for all this.

[louispodesta]

 you posted the following on Oct 3, in a forum discussion about sight-reading....

Since this is a thread to discuss practicing, what pedagogical methodology did you use to achieve this?  Posting what you came up with on your own would be very helpful to the remainder of us that can't accomplish 2 piano concertos in a day by sight-reading.

To answer your question, sight reading is a hand-eye motor skill, which is no different than learning (like in the old days) how to type.  Basically, it means that in order to read a particular score you develop the facility to get around/feel your way about the piano keyboard, WITHOUT LOOKING DOWN AND YOUR HANDS!

And, this is to also effectuate in a relaxed fashion the anticipation of the next section of notes.  My late father could read a page and a half ahead, and I saw him do it!

So, the first book I would recommend is the late Lorina Havills book "Anyone Can sight Read."  This is a lady who taught sight-reading at the Juilliard School of Music Preparatory Division.

Her first basic set of exercises is to how to play in succession (up and down the keyboard) triads, simple chords, and then seventh chords.  You start off very, very slow with the metronome, and then progress form there.

Once you have mastered this drill at a decent level of speed, you will then (in her Book II) progress to doing this with the common left hand Waltz accompaniment so common to the music of Chopin.

Next, in that I have just taught you half of my course of instruction FOR FREE which I have been trolled on accordingly, you decide if you want the rest of the second half.  It is the only method taught by most prestigious music conservatory in all of Europe.

[tenk]

Cool... have you posted your playing yet? 

ah...ha...HHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH

::breathe::

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA

That will never happen. But don't forget about that rolling chords video which has OVER SIX THOUSAND!!11 views

[j_tour]

Well, I for one am enjoying this thread.  Probably like everybody else here, I pay attention to what other people do or claim to do relevant to piano.  Maybe the daily routine is more a philosophical/practical discipline.

For me, I have a really tiny list of things I do every morning, which changes from time to time.  I try to keep some loose relationship between tonal centers, just to make it mentally easier, but basically a few scales, HT, thirds and sixths -- major and octatonic for fun, a few Inventions and Sinfonias, and a few little scalar runs from basic literature that I try to keep around just because they're easy to remember and are part of some repertoire I enjoy (e.g., the HT bits from Beethoven's Op. 27 no 1, first movement, Scarlatti K1), and most especially whatever I'm trying to memorize, a little bit of it.

I arrange it so it's like ten minutes at most, after brushing my teeth and doing some push-ups, and then I basically screw around the rest of the day at the piano working off the real list of "chores." 

[dcstudio]

ah...ha...HHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH

::breathe::

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA

That will never happen. But don't forget about that rolling chords video which has OVER SIX THOUSAND!!11 views

My YT has 1.7 million "actual" views.  Lol.  That and 2$ will buy me a cup of coffee...

[louispodesta]

My YT has 1.7 million "actual" views.  Lol.  That and 2$ will buy me a cup of coffee...

Since you broached the subject of Youtube video views, I can now tell all of the rest of you that I have started (with no results) a crowd funding campaign to nationally publicize my historic piano news story on original performance practice.

So, for those of you care to peruse this project, you may contact me by PM, in that it then would not be a solicitation.  I, personally, have always tended towards the logic of multiple small contributions in order to show true broad support.

And, once you read my (never been done before) method of promoting my video/news story, maybe you will be able to apply it to a situation that best suits your own.

[dogperson]

Since you broached the subject of Youtube video views, I can now tell all of the rest of you that I have started (with no results) a crowd funding campaign to nationally publicize my historic piano news story on original performance practice.

So, for those of you care to peruse this project, you may contact me by PM, in that it then would not be a solicitation.  I, personally, have always tended towards the logic of multiple small contributions in order to show true broad support.

And, once you read my (never been done before) method of promoting my video/news story, maybe you will be able to apply it to a situation that best suits your own.

 

Actually, Louis, you have posted your crowd-funding campaign on this forum previously, and asked if anyone was willing to let you use his/her Facebook account. 

[dcstudio]

Since you broached the subject of Youtube video views, I can now tell all of the rest of you that I have started (with no results) a crowd funding campaign to nationally publicize my historic piano news story on original performance practice.

With all due respect how exactly did my mentioning YT views enable or justify you to ask the forum to fund a publication of your opinions on 19th century performance practices?

It was tenk who commented first on the subject of views...referencing your video...but yet me mentioning my view count was the breech.   Hmmmm

So what you mean to say is... because I committed an act that you perceive to be for self-promotion by stating my view count I have made it OK for you to ask the forum for money...


Lol you kill me Louis   what a philosopher you must be

[dogperson]

With all due respect how exactly did my mentioning YT views enable or justify you to ask the forum to fund a publication of your opinions on 19th century performance practices?

It was tenk who commented first on the subject of views...referencing your video...but yet me mentioning my view count was the breech.   Hmmmm

So what you mean to say is... because I committed an act that you perceive to be for self-promotion by stating my view count I have made it OK for you to ask the forum for money...


Lol you kill me Louis   what a philosopher you must be

 

Your reply about the number of YT hits had nothing to do with Louis' fundraising self-promotion.  If I remember correctly from his previous post about the fundraising, it was to pay for billboards to advertise his video.  

This is no way related to any discussion of  YT hits..... just an excuse. AND saying 'contact me by PM so that I am not requesting money'.   A solicitation by any other name is still a solicitation.  Everyone here can see the charade in equating YT hits with paying for billboards.
 

[dcstudio]

LP recently sent me a PM in which he accused me of exploiting my situation and using it to promote myself in some way because I posted about getting divorced. He proceeded to tell me he would "come down on me quite harshly",should I continue this behavior.

Wow Louis...man you are funny. I am kinda flattered by all this attention. You quoted me and made a completely unrelated comment.  I think you must really <3 me..

[keypeg]

The title of this thread is "What is your day-to-day practise routine like?" and when I see a notification of new posts, I expect to see something about somebody's day-to-day practice routine.  That's not what I'm seeing.  I fail to see how any of the recent posts can help us get ideas about practising.  It's derailing the topic and taking away from it.

This topic interests me immensely so when I see there is a new post, I eagerly click on the thread.  But it is not in order to find out who has the greatest number of hits on their Youtube channel, or similar.  Not unless such numbers of hits are somehow pertinent to practice routines.  In which case my interest still goes back to those practice routines.  If you have hits because you practice well, what precisely do you want to transmit about that practising?

[dcstudio]

Now keypeg you digressed too...thereby furthering the off-topic-ness of the string.

[keypeg]

.

[louispodesta]

 

Actually, Louis, you have posted your crowd-funding campaign on this forum previously, and asked if anyone was willing to let you use his/her Facebook account. 

1)  This is the first crowd funding campaign whose application was ever brought to fruition.  The other companies were far to complicated.

I will leave you with what my mentor Dr. David Hunter (Curator of The Historical Records Collection at the University of Texas at Austin) told me when I asked him the following question regarding my video:  I said, then if this information is not disseminated to musicians and also the general public, then we will be left with two sets of piano music history, one for Europe, and then one for the United States?  His answer was:  apparently, yes.

That is it for my referencing my video, unless someone asks.

2)  I finally found a practice coach for my concerto repertoire, in case you all think my video has won me any admirers in the piano teacher community.  However, her guidance has brought a new conciseness and discipline to my daily practice routine.  I highly recommend it because concerto repertoire demands, in my opinion, that level of exactness that is sometimes overlooked in the learning of solo repertoire.

[keypeg]

.

[keypeg]

.

[dogperson]

@ Louis,
Improving how I practice is a very important topic to me.... and I am constantly looking for ways to make it better.  If your new practice coach has practice suggestions that could be listed, that would be a very beneficial contribution to this topic.... and not just for my personal benefit.

[keypeg]

@ Louis,
Improving how I practice is a very important topic to me.... and I am constantly looking for ways to make it better.  If your new practice coach has practice suggestions that could be listed, that would be a very beneficial contribution to this topic.... and not just for my personal benefit.

I second that. (seeing a glimmer of hope here)

[louispodesta]

I second that. (seeing a glimmer of hope here)

Unfortunately, I have nothing to offer but bad news for those of you who have just asked about my new coach.  In that she has enormous communication people skills (in terms of very old beginners), she unfortunately thinks that I fall into that group.  The fact is that before I had my new coach, I was never personally challenged to defend my previous coach's (Dr. Thomas Mark) techniques, which briefly relate for purposes of this discussion as follows:

1) Everything she suggests, I either automatically translate to one of my personal Thomas Mark lesson technique sessions, or that of my friend Dan Peak at UNT, who is a master of the Rachmaninoff speed technique.

2)  In two specific instances regarding the concept of the use of  "Blocking" regarding accuracy, I did do so directly in two emails with Dr. Mark.  And then, he it answered directly on point, which I printed out and showed to my new coach.

3)  Therefore, my opinion is that, when you get a real teacher, make sure they are a true pedagogue.  That means they break it down every single day, are open to any and all discussions/arguments on any piano technique, and most importantly, they let you think out and then formulate (on your very own) your way of playing.

4)  Specific to your question about any new ideas, my new coach says (relating to a section in the 1st movement of the Schumann Concerto) to pedal it and then play it staccato.  In Taubman/Golandsky and then in Dr. Mark terminology, that means:  don't hold onto the note/notes, and then rotate and shape the hand and fingers at the same time.

5)  In terms of "Blocking," (same Concerto) that means: in a preliminary sense, it is very important to make sure that your fingers (in a broken block chord, or an arpeggiated chord) are directly over the keys to be played.  However, after attaining this skill, one should not assume that one should play the passage in that exact same manner.

6)  Dr. Mark accurately points out that the proper technique of broken chord or arpeggiated playing is going from one note to the next, which also includes the proper re-positioning of the entire body (including the head) behind each section.  The point being that one should never finally practice any section of any piece other than what is to be actually played in performance.

7)  There is much more that I could comment on regarding the differences between Dr. Mark's and the Taubman/Golandsky technique, the most important of which is the fallacy associated with their simplistic notion of forearm rotation accomplishing proper piano technique alone.

  Dr. Mark in terms of the Kineseology of the human body, accurately points out that the normal point of articulation is the sternoclavicular joint where the collar bone joins the sternum ("What Every Pianist Needs To Know About The Body").  To prove this to yourself, just place three middle fingers of one hand on that point of your sternum and then gently rotate the rest of the other side of your entire upper arm mechanism (hand, elbow, arm, shoulder and scapula) in one motion.

Thanks for asking.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Improvisation, using scalar, arpeggiated, double note, and octave figurations as warmup and / or technique practice. Then work on detail within pieces, as required, and memory work if I am preparing a recital programme (typically play through a programme segment using the same mental framework as if I was performing, eg breaks between pieces for "applause", pretending to myself there is an audience, etc.) My theoretical knowledge is now sufficiently ingrained that harmonic and structural analysis (a grasp of this certainly assists memorisation) tends to happen often subconsciously.

[louispodesta]

Improvisation, using scalar, arpeggiated, double note, and octave figurations as warmup and / or technique practice. Then work on detail within pieces, as required, and memory work if I am preparing a recital programme (typically play through a programme segment using the same mental framework as if I was performing, eg breaks between pieces for "applause", pretending to myself there is an audience, etc.) My theoretical knowledge is now sufficiently ingrained that harmonic and structural analysis (a grasp of this certainly assists memorisation) tends to happen often subconsciously.

Very well stated because this individual has arrived at a daily practice regimen at a very high level, which we all should have as a goal.  I have my own, accordingly.

The point is:  one should set their sights on just not solving some problem that they have in a section of a particular piece, but that they should, in my opinion, CRAFT an epistemology (direct thought process) associated with this specific goal.

Once again, very well put.

[dcstudio]

Very well stated because this individual has arrived at a daily practice regimen at a very high level, which we all should have as a goal.  I have my own, accordingly.

The point is:  one should set their sights on just not solving some problem that they have in a section of a particular piece, but that they should, in my opinion, CRAFT an epistemology (direct thought process) associated with this specific goal.

Once again, very well put.

I agree with the concept of "goal:oriented" practice
Crafting exercises that.target specific technical challenges within your piece is an excellent way to solidify your technique.

Maybe we should post demonstrations of our personal exercises to give the forum something they can try themselves.

Louis I'm sure you have a few you could share. Why is it you have never posted a single example?  I don't mean to sound,overbearing but those who have the courage to share their playing with the forum are generally far more respected then those who simply post advice.
Even your news story (that I still don't understand ) might receive more publicity.

[lostinidlewonder]

I have two modes of "pianoing" lol. For enjoyment and for work. When it's for enjoyment I play whatever I like, read what I like, not focus on specific issues, improvise, compose, play pieces I know well or are pretty much complete etc. For work it is much more serious and specific efforts and work is separated into three parts: students work, sight reading, pieces I want to master. Most students work doesn't require attention out of lessons but troublesome situations do occasionally also searching for new repertoire and designing a path for my students through it all. Sightreadng work has played the largest part in my practice regime for the last 10 or so years since I first learned piano by ear and memorisation, I read at least 20-100 works a day every day, my sight reading is split into three groups easy, intermediate and difficult each of which I can approach in a different manner. Pieces I want to master sort of mixes between my sight reading work also, there are many pieces automatically learned through sight reading regimes but there are other pieces that require focused attention. I usually work on about 5 new pieces on average at a time in the area, but it can easily be more or less depending on the size and difficulty of the pieces under my attention.

I never measure my practice with time always work done.

[keypeg]

I agree with the concept of "goal:oriented" practice
Crafting exercises that.target specific technical challenges within your piece is an excellent way to solidify your technique.

Maybe we should post demonstrations of our personal exercises to give the forum something they can try themselves.

I'm not sure that would work in my case.  What I do is based on where I am, and we are all each in a different place.  Not only that, but while I'm practising I'm observing and adjusting.  Another person with other strengths and weaknesses would need a different route, and they need to be working in the same way.  "Do xxx" is meaningless.  Furthermore, when I work, there is a back and forth with my teacher and his observations, suggestions, feedback, exploration at the piano (we're remote so that's Skype or video recording).  I can't quite see how that could be shared for trying.  (Thinking about it).

"Crafting exercises that target specific technical challenges within your piece is an excellent way to solidify your technique."  Yes, that is something I have learned to do/is done for me.  In regards to goal-oriented, you can also turn that around: Find pieces that help you solidify a technical challenge.  Logical or puzzling?

[keypeg]

Adding: DCstudio - I don't know if it's still on your site - I remember a Skype lesson that you recorded there, where you went right to the heart of what it was that was inhibiting your student's playing.  You proposed some wildly different approach that did the trick.  In fact, I found it useful for myself.  We discussed it once privately because I liked what I saw, and it represents things I'm after as a student (getting behind whatever and to its essence).  I think that sort of goes to what we were talking about.  The idea of going after what's behind a thing can be duplicated.  I don't know if the specific exercise can be, if it matches that unique student. (?)

[louispodesta]

I agree with the concept of "goal:oriented" practice
Crafting exercises that.target specific technical challenges within your piece is an excellent way to solidify your technique.

Maybe we should post demonstrations of our personal exercises to give the forum something they can try themselves.

Louis I'm sure you have a few you could share. Why is it you have never posted a single example?  I don't mean to sound,overbearing but those who have the courage to share their playing with the forum are generally far more respected then those who simply post advice.
Even your news story (that I still don't understand ) might receive more publicity.

1)  To answer your last question first, those of us who have a monthly social security check of approximately $330.00 a month, due not have the extra monetary funds to post any and all illustrative videos.  Accordingly, not every who posts here lives in your audio/visual world.  No offense.

2)  Once again, I will post further information when I have been given a response from my source on this subject.

Thanks once again for your valuable input.

[keypeg]

OT to the OT In regards to the cost of posting videos: You can upload to Youtube for free.  In case that helps.

[dcstudio]

1)  To answer your last question first, those of us who have a monthly social security check of approximately $330.00 a month, due not have the extra monetary funds to post any and all illustrative videos.  Accordingly, not every who posts here lives in your audio/visual world.  No offense.

2)  Once again, I will post further information when I have been given a response from my source on this subject.

Thanks once again for your valuable input.

My vids cost nothing to make or to upload. I don't find your argument valid or frankly, believable considering the amount of time you spend posting about your various causes here at PS.   You can set up a go fund me but you can't use a cell phone and make a short demonstration of your skill.? .    Please...