Today I want to address some of the comments that have been sent in about practicing the piano.

Starla is absolutely correct that it does more harm than good to simply keep practicing the same mistake over and over.  I think many of us have that “hand memory” of some poor fingering we played too many times.  To this day, I cannot get past the first portion of a lively toccata I memorized in ninth grade.  Even with the music before me, the fingers take off and I can’t stop them from making the mistake and forcing me to lose the tempo.

What to do?  My job as a teacher is to prepare the student to succeed.  When a student is beginning on a new selection, it is my job to guide them to the difficult sections FIRST.  We slowly read and play the left hand first.  Then we slowly play the right hand. ( In some cases, I ask the student to practice hands separate for a week).

For beginning and intermediate students, whose new assignments are one page long, we can usually practice the “tough” measures with hands together a couple of times.  Once they have succeeded with those,  I give them plenty of praise for learning something new.  Then, the student is asked to play the piece from the beginning - slowly - so that they don’t have to slow down for the “tough” measures.  When that is done, they receive great praise for being so patient and practicing carefully.

Rather than letting a student begin playing and then stopping them with a “No, that’s not right!”, a teacher can lead them through the difficult sections and build on past success.  Praise and kindness are the key to successful teaching. 

Remember when someone first taught you to catch a ball?  Some adult pitched a soft underhand toss to you and you dropped it….dropped it again…dropped it again.  If that person said, “that was close”  or “try it again” or “wow, next time you’ll get it” - you probably kept trying to catch the ball.  If that person said “nope” or “that was clumsy” or “you’ll never get it” - you probably weren’t too anxious to practice catching the ball again.

You can’t catch a ball until you go out and try to catch a ball.  You can’t play the piano until you try to play the piano.  Everybody needs the space and time to make some mistakes, correct the mistakes and get good advice.

Over the years my students have learned to “spot practice” the difficult sections and then, as a final treat, allow themselves to play the entire piece.  This is a good habit when they are preparing works for recital.  Too often the opening gets overworked, becoming fast and sloppy, while the rest is not practiced enough.

This is just one tiny nugget of info about reading music.  There are other tips for learning by rote and studying the theory….so many topics, so little time.

I am going to list some of the possibilities for future blogs and you can let me know which ones you’d like to read about.

• Why can’t I learn the Moonlight Sonata at my first lesson?
• Tips for Parents to help youngsters practice
• Tips for Adults returning to the piano
• What children really talk about during piano lessons
• The girl who played upside down
• Why don’t you play more examples?
• Why do we have recitals?
• Teachers who have changed my life
• What’s in the Prize Box?
• Piano Pals - Ensemble Playing

One final word about praise.  When I first lived in Rapid City, I worked at the Nancy Thielen School of Piano.  Nancy is a terrific player, super-smart teacher and a “praise pro”.  While training her staff of new teachers she related the day she had a particularly obstreperous student: a little girl who hadn’t practiced, chattered through the lesson, didn’t open her books when asked to, played fast and loud and wrong.  Nancy could hardly find anything to praise the child for, so finally at the end of the lesson she said, “Well, you really SAT well at the piano today.”

Find something to praise.  Thanks for stopping by.  mlt

 

 

 

 

One never knows where the teaching will lead.  I write this posting with great sorrow because my nephew Tim Lightfield was killed on Monday by a strange accident in Aberdeen.  He was my first piano student.  I was his first piano teacher.

My first grade teacher will never forget the day in March of 1959 when I slammed open the door and announced, “Well, I am finally an aunt”.  Tim was the first grandchild for my parents - the apple of everyone’s eye.

From the beginning he had a natural ability at the piano.  His hands just found the right places.  Since I was only seven years older than he, I had just started piano lessons.  With each lesson I would apply my newfound learning to his little fingers.  The old saying holds true:  if you want to learn something really well, teach it to someone else.

In 2005 I saw Tim again after a long absence.  He had a keyboard set up at his place on Blue Dog Lake.  Every night that his family was in residence, Tim would play and sing and the music would drift across the lake. He loved to build a big bonfire on the shore and neighbors and friends would settle in for the free entertainment.  I had the joy of being at several of those musical moments.

Tim played and sang in a variety of bands during his life…sometimes for real money, often for tips and drinks.  Like so many very talented musicians he had to have a “real” job and could only play his music on the side.  There are many people mourning his death along with his aunt. 

 I have just a few precious clips of him singing and playing at the lake.  He was just warming up to sing Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” and I was just learning how to use my new digital camera that would shoot 27 second videos.  I am sending out this little clip to show the true talent of this amazing musician. You can also see his mother holding a lamp for him and keeping time.  It is not only an example of music, but the love of mother and child. The laughter you hear at the end is mine.

I have been practicing some songs to play at his funeral, but I am just a craftsman…. Tim was a master….he truly was the Piano Man.

Tim Lightfield plays

Thanks for stopping by.  mlt

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92642058

If you want to be inspired, check out this young prodigy who started at 3 and is now a concert pianist at the age of 9.  He is going to be playing a Schubert duet with Lang Lang later this summer.  I am anxious to find out if it is the same Schubert work that my student Jessica and I worked on for several years.

Just click on the link that I pasted into this post to hear and see this young man.

In my next official post I’ll try to respond to some of the comments.

Thanks for stopping by. mlt

 

Today’s odd title was one of my mother’s favorite phrases.  She was always eager to learn and had no time for those who voiced regrets about “what might have been”.  Don’t waste time worrying about what you haven’t done —– get busy and do it now.

Didn’t take piano lessons as a child?  Didn’t practice the lessons you did take?  Stopped taking lessons too soon?   FORGIVE YOURSELF.

Those who begin to study piano as adults (or return to study) reap great rewards.   As a piano teacher, I thoroughly enjoy my adult students.  There is a distinct advantage because they are more likely to read and do all their homework.  Adults also want to squeeze out every ounce of worth for their money. 

Finger exercises are so important to proper playing, but they can be tedious for youngsters who have no idea that their natural flexibility will disappear with age.  Adults quickly comprehend what a difference the exercises make and they also make the logical connection between the exercise and other music.  Just last week a student who has studied with me for a few months noted that her hands are much stronger and that choir practice is less tiring.

Over the years I have nutured students who suffered from tyranical teachers who actually hit their fingers, only taught certain works, required that every students play at every recital, etc.  I take in these sensitive souls like wounded birds and, in time, the healing helps.  It takes awhile to create trust, but the relationship between student and teacher grows.  One of my student/friends says  her music lesson is really “cheap therapy”.  Did I mention that we laugh a lot?

I am happy to say that a number of my adult students have been with me for 8-10 years now.  Many took up the lesson time left absent when their child got too busy with other activities.  Some began as young adults and stopped lessons when they began having children - now those children are my students.  Yes, I can actually say that in some families I have taught three generations;  I hope I last through four.

There are many excellent teachers in western South Dakota, but each one is different.  I encourage you to shop around:  talk to friends who are taking lessons, check out your neighborhood, ask your children.   I provide a sample lesson so that you can learn more about me.  I know some other teachers do the same.

Summer is a good time to start looking, because most teachers have a little more flexibility.  When September comes, the hours of 3 until 7 p.m. are booked solid for me.  I welcome adults who can drop by for a lesson in the morning, during lunch, or after 7:30. 

Piano lessons are good for your fingers, your brain and your soul.  Age is no barrier.  

You can’t learn any younger.

Thanks for stopping by. mlt

 

rhye-and-marie-play-jingle-bells

Today’s video will cool you off - last December, I set my little digital camera at the bottom of the keyboard while Rhye and I practiced.  We didn’t get the whole song in under 27 seconds, but you’ll enjoy the tune while the temperatures rise. If you click on the line above, you will see the real fingers of my student and I playing a duet - bloopers and all.  Today’s posting follows.

First, let me say that I am delighted by the response to Piano Polish.  However, I was dismayed but the canned photo and cutline in today’s paper.  It was great to have attention drawn to the new blog, but that trite old phrase “practice makes perfect”?  Give me a break!

OK, I understand some poor tired designer or copy editor grabbed a photo, thought “teachers always say practice makes perfect” and the deed was done in time for deadline.

This is one piano teacher who NEVER says practice makes perfect.  Playing the piano is an art not a science.  You practice so that you are prepared for what happens during a performance.  You DO NOT practice to play it the same way each time like some robot.  You can bake a cake and be guaranteed success by following the recipe, but a musical performance is filled with a plethora of possibilities.  As an accomplished violinist handed me a musical accompaniment to play the first time, he winked and said, “Meet you at the end”.   Very true and a good attitude.

 When you are playing the piano strange things happen: someone opens a door and a breeze wafts your music over your head and away; just when you reach the quietest section someone launches into  a coughing fit and doesn’t have the sense to leave the room; or, my favorite, you are in the middle of a contest and the competition’s teacher sits in the front row and takes papers in and out of a large (noisy) manila envelope.  Coincidence?  I think not.

On second thought, I should thank the person who wrote that trite phrase. It made me stand up and defend myself and, voila , another posting is born.

If you play the piano (or other instrument), I bet you have a story to share about what happens when you are performing!  Just click on the response below and write us a line.

Thanks for stopping by! mlt

 

 

BoB stands for Buns on the Bench.  You will never get any better at the piano unless you get your Buns on the Bench and PRACTICE.

My piano mentor, Deanna Ziarko, taught me that phrase when I was her assistant.  I still have an occasional lesson with her.  YES, I still take lessons, even though I have been playing the piano for more than 50 years.

Summer is the perfect time to spend hours at the piano.  Many of my piano parents say “My child is too busy  with swimming, tennis, softball, baseball and ballet lessons”.  In truth, parents are busier because they are driving to all those lessons, but children have more time on their hands because they don’t attend school. 

Many of my students like the regular practice time because it creates a framework for their day.  Encourage your children to practice first thing in the morning - you will be surprised at how fresh their minds are early in the day.  Another important time is at the end of the day when you are weary from the work day.  Ask your child to play all of the new music they have just learned.  It is a great time for you to relax and really listen to what they have accomplished.

Summer is also a time to try new things.  Be sure that your child has extra books with “Fun” music.  Encourage them to create songs of their own.  Ask them to play songs that they have already memorized.

During the summer, I try to give each of my students one new FUN song to play.  We also play all those silly songs like “Heart and Soul” the “Knuckle Song” and “Chopsticks”.  Let your child play.  Have fun and just make sure to keep your Buns on the Bench everyday.

I am including a little video clip of my brilliant student Phillip playing a duet with his mother.  She was my student for a few years before her son started lessons and she is SO TALL that she can wrap herself around her son so that both of them can play at the same time. He has elected to work on some very difficult music, but with mom playing the left hand part, Phillip can get an idea of how it will sound (eventually). Now that’s FUN!  Just click on the link below to see.

I welcome your comments and suggestions.  Let me know if you have any questions.  Just click on the comment box and write me a note.

Thanks!

Phillip and Mom playing