Here are a couple of websites that can be used to reinforce music theory principles:
http://musicteachersgames.com/
http://www.knowledgeadventure.com/games/musical-notes/
I'd recommend singing the notes/intervals as you go; it helps in ear training.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Practicing Tips
Some of my piano students consistently practice every day; others don't.
Here are a few practicing tips:
1. Perhaps the most important hint of all is to be consistent. Set a certain time that you will be practice. Set how long you will practice. It's much better to practice 30 minutes a day than to practice 2 hours one day and none for the rest of the week.
2. Do some relaxing exercises before you begin practice. Take some deep breaths. Wiggle your fingers. Rotate your shoulders. Clear your mind of the concerns of the day.
3. Have a positive attitude.
4. Set some simple goals of what you will accomplish for that practice session.
5. Always do some warm-up exercises--scales, Hanon, chord progressions, etc.
6. Attack the difficult passages of the piece. Work out tricky fingering, rhythm, note patterns, etc. separate hands. Then put them together. Mark with a pencil those areas that need help.
7. If you are making mistakes, slow down!
8. Counting out loud and using the metronome are good ways of improving your rhythm.
9. Using good posture and hand position not only improves your technique but also helps you not to get so tired.
10. Jot down questions you have for your piano teacher; otherwise, you're likely to forget them.
11. End your practice session with a piece that you've mastered and that you love playing.
Here are a few practicing tips:
1. Perhaps the most important hint of all is to be consistent. Set a certain time that you will be practice. Set how long you will practice. It's much better to practice 30 minutes a day than to practice 2 hours one day and none for the rest of the week.
2. Do some relaxing exercises before you begin practice. Take some deep breaths. Wiggle your fingers. Rotate your shoulders. Clear your mind of the concerns of the day.
3. Have a positive attitude.
4. Set some simple goals of what you will accomplish for that practice session.
5. Always do some warm-up exercises--scales, Hanon, chord progressions, etc.
6. Attack the difficult passages of the piece. Work out tricky fingering, rhythm, note patterns, etc. separate hands. Then put them together. Mark with a pencil those areas that need help.
7. If you are making mistakes, slow down!
8. Counting out loud and using the metronome are good ways of improving your rhythm.
9. Using good posture and hand position not only improves your technique but also helps you not to get so tired.
10. Jot down questions you have for your piano teacher; otherwise, you're likely to forget them.
11. End your practice session with a piece that you've mastered and that you love playing.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Surviving a Recital
My piano students are putting the finishing touches on their pieces for next week's recital. Being a little nervous when performing is perfectly normal. Here are some tips on overcoming the last-minute jitters:
1. Breathe. Take time to relax, breathe deeply.
2. Stretch hands and body.
3. Stay hydrated.
4. Channel nervousness into motivation. In other words, use it to encourage you to do you best.
Taken from: http://piano.about.com/od/recitalsperformances/tp/Stage-Fright-Symptoms.htm
And here are some of my own ideas:
1. Arrive early to avoid last-minute rush and, if possible, play your piece on the piano on which you will perform.
2. Take time to be well groomed and dress nicely.
2. Check the program to make sure you know when it's your turn.
3. Take time to adjust the piano bench to the right distance from the piano.
4. Take a deep breath.
5. Take a moment to mentally decide on your tempo. When you're nervous, you may tend to start out faster than you should.
6. If you make a mistake, just keep on playing. Don't correct yourself. Don't gasp or mutter or burst into tears. Just keep on going.
7. When you're done, smile and take a bow.
8. When people congratulate you on doing a good job, be gracious and thank them.
9. Be a good audience for others who are performing.
1. Breathe. Take time to relax, breathe deeply.
2. Stretch hands and body.
3. Stay hydrated.
4. Channel nervousness into motivation. In other words, use it to encourage you to do you best.
Taken from: http://piano.about.com/od/recitalsperformances/tp/Stage-Fright-Symptoms.htm
And here are some of my own ideas:
1. Arrive early to avoid last-minute rush and, if possible, play your piece on the piano on which you will perform.
2. Take time to be well groomed and dress nicely.
2. Check the program to make sure you know when it's your turn.
3. Take time to adjust the piano bench to the right distance from the piano.
4. Take a deep breath.
5. Take a moment to mentally decide on your tempo. When you're nervous, you may tend to start out faster than you should.
6. If you make a mistake, just keep on playing. Don't correct yourself. Don't gasp or mutter or burst into tears. Just keep on going.
7. When you're done, smile and take a bow.
8. When people congratulate you on doing a good job, be gracious and thank them.
9. Be a good audience for others who are performing.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Learning Intervals--Song Association
Being able to identify intervals by both sight and by sound is very helpful. A good way to train your ear to identify intervals is by associating it with a song that begins with that interval. Here are some ideas:
Major 2nd:
Ascending--Happy Birthday
Descending--Mary Had a Little Lamb
Major 3rd:
Ascending--O When the Saints Come Marching In
Descending--Beethoven's 5th
Major 4th:
Ascending--Harry Potter
Descending--I've Been Working on the Railroad
Major 5th:
Ascending--Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Descending--Feelings/Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella
Major 6th:
Ascending--My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
Descending--Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen
Major 7th:
Ascending--Bali Hai
Descending--??? Any ideas???
Major 8th:
Ascending--Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Descending--There's No Business Like Show Business
Major 2nd:
Ascending--Happy Birthday
Descending--Mary Had a Little Lamb
Major 3rd:
Ascending--O When the Saints Come Marching In
Descending--Beethoven's 5th
Major 4th:
Ascending--Harry Potter
Descending--I've Been Working on the Railroad
Major 5th:
Ascending--Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Descending--Feelings/Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella
Major 6th:
Ascending--My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
Descending--Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen
Major 7th:
Ascending--Bali Hai
Descending--??? Any ideas???
Major 8th:
Ascending--Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Descending--There's No Business Like Show Business
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Memorize at the Same Time You Learn a Piece
I'm studying a most interesting article entitled "Fundamentals of Piano Practice" by Chuan C. Chang. Many innovative suggestions are offered, some of which I'll have to ponder before I would incorporate or recommend, but I did find this quotation of interest and value:
"Once students develop memorizing-learning routines that are comfortable for them, most of them will find that learning and memorizing together takes less time than learning alone, for difficult passages. This happens because you eliminate the process of looking at the music, interpreting it, and passing the instructions from the eyes to the brain and then to the hands."
There's the pdf version to download: http://www.pianopractice.org/book.pdf.
"Once students develop memorizing-learning routines that are comfortable for them, most of them will find that learning and memorizing together takes less time than learning alone, for difficult passages. This happens because you eliminate the process of looking at the music, interpreting it, and passing the instructions from the eyes to the brain and then to the hands."
There's the pdf version to download: http://www.pianopractice.org/book.pdf.
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