I found this free ebook on Amazon with some great ideas to motivate kids to practice the piano:
http://www.amazon.com/101-Piano-Practice-Tips-Keyboard-ebook/dp/B00H7LDXJK/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1437528007&sr=1-4&keywords=piano+practice
Showing posts with label Practicing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Practicing. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Practice Every Day
I can't emphasize enough the importance of daily practice. It is so much better to practice a half hour a day than to practice three hours once a week.
Along this same line, it is important to not stop playing the piano for a while, during the summer, over Christmas break, etc. I have found that when students take time off, it always takes several weeks to get back to where we were before.
Along this same line, it is important to not stop playing the piano for a while, during the summer, over Christmas break, etc. I have found that when students take time off, it always takes several weeks to get back to where we were before.
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.
Saturday, January 3, 2015
I Love This Quote by Beethoven
Don’t only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the divine.”
― Ludwig van BeethovenSaturday, November 22, 2014
Using a Metronome to Practice Links
First, keep shoulders and arms as relaxed as possible when practicing. Don't tighten up. Rhythm should be steady and even. Start with a slow tempo and gradually increase the tempo.
Divide your piece into "links," like chain links, either 1-, 2-, and/or 4-beats or 1-, 2-, and/or 4-measures. Divide 16th notes into beats; divide quarter and eighth notes into measures.
Start with short links and master the rhythm and notes for each link. Using a metronome will help you keep the rhythm steady.
Play the link from the first note through the first note of the next link. In this way, you are linking the them. Repeat over and over, using the metronome set at a slow tempo, until that link is mastered.
Keeping the slow tempo, expand the link, from 1-beat to 2-beats or from 2-beat links to 4-beat links, and so on.
Divide your piece into "links," like chain links, either 1-, 2-, and/or 4-beats or 1-, 2-, and/or 4-measures. Divide 16th notes into beats; divide quarter and eighth notes into measures.
Start with short links and master the rhythm and notes for each link. Using a metronome will help you keep the rhythm steady.
Play the link from the first note through the first note of the next link. In this way, you are linking the them. Repeat over and over, using the metronome set at a slow tempo, until that link is mastered.
Keeping the slow tempo, expand the link, from 1-beat to 2-beats or from 2-beat links to 4-beat links, and so on.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
How to Practice with a Metronome
Here are some simple guidelines in practicing with a metronome:
1. Practice one phrase at a time.
2. Start with a slow tempo.
3. At first, practice playing hands separately.
4. Once you've mastered separate hands, play phrase with both hands.
5. Once you can play the phrase well at the slow speed, gradually increase tempo a notch or two at a time.
6. Repeat process.
7. Always keep the rhythm and notes even and steady.
8. Relax shoulders and arms when you play.
9. Work on individual phrases, slow to fast tempo, and then begin practicing them together in the same slow-to-fast routine.
1. Practice one phrase at a time.
2. Start with a slow tempo.
3. At first, practice playing hands separately.
4. Once you've mastered separate hands, play phrase with both hands.
5. Once you can play the phrase well at the slow speed, gradually increase tempo a notch or two at a time.
6. Repeat process.
7. Always keep the rhythm and notes even and steady.
8. Relax shoulders and arms when you play.
9. Work on individual phrases, slow to fast tempo, and then begin practicing them together in the same slow-to-fast routine.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Video #24 How to Play Faster
http://www.virtualsheetmusic.com/experts/robert/faster/
Another great Robert Estrin video on how to play the piano faster.
He points out that the two things that are required to increase speed is finger strength and using proper technique.
Practicing naturally will add strength. Adding scales, arpeggios and exercises to your practice that enhance that strength.
He offers a couple of ways to develop greater speed in your piano playing.
One is to practice slowly, using a metronome, increasing speed one notch at a time.
Another way is to take the piece apart, one small part at a time. Focus on mastering a particular phrase using one hand position/finger patterns. Practice that one phrase slowly, with the metronome. Gradually increase it until you can play it rapidly and fluently.
Take the next little phrase and practice it the same way.
Then then the last couple of notes of the first phrase and add them to the second phrase. Practice until flawless. Then play the entire two phrases together until mastered.
Continue through the piece.
Use minimal arm weight. The fingers are basically fluttering over the keys.
Another great Robert Estrin video on how to play the piano faster.
He points out that the two things that are required to increase speed is finger strength and using proper technique.
Practicing naturally will add strength. Adding scales, arpeggios and exercises to your practice that enhance that strength.
He offers a couple of ways to develop greater speed in your piano playing.
One is to practice slowly, using a metronome, increasing speed one notch at a time.
Another way is to take the piece apart, one small part at a time. Focus on mastering a particular phrase using one hand position/finger patterns. Practice that one phrase slowly, with the metronome. Gradually increase it until you can play it rapidly and fluently.
Take the next little phrase and practice it the same way.
Then then the last couple of notes of the first phrase and add them to the second phrase. Practice until flawless. Then play the entire two phrases together until mastered.
Continue through the piece.
Use minimal arm weight. The fingers are basically fluttering over the keys.
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