Instrument Players - Come and chat (Part II)

[CoteDAzur]

Previous thread is here.

We filled one thread, so here’s another

My piano teacher said scales and arpeggios. But Mozart sounds much more fun.

I am thinking I need a good theory book, good scale book and an occasional lesson to give me a clear direction to work in..
I just don't know what to learn first !

Everyday I practice scales for a while and try out a new one, then do 20 minutes on Simply Piano App (on 12.5 out of 14 modules). Then practise a few bars of each of the three songs, that I want to learn to play out of my Jane Austin music book and then pick another piano book at random and try and get a few pages on in that one.

Short version, I am not doing this right yet !

My piano teacher from 30 years ago...J don't have one now :(

Hello! I think this is the thread for me. I've just started learning the piano last month, having never got around to it when I was younger. It's quite the challenge! I played the flute to grade 8 in my teens and am now having to get used to playing more than just the top line (and the treble clef). Loving it so far, aside from a book a "friend" has given to me by Bartok which is just angry modern noise rather than music to my ear but does teach the independent hands thing well.

Our piano came with a free trial of the app flowkey so DH is learning using that (from the position of someone who couldn't read music) whilst I go off to my lessons. It's actually quite a joy to hear him plunking away at Ode to Joy.

Hello everyone, I just started learning a couple of months ago but I’ve had to take a break (already!) because my fingers/wrist/elbow started to hurt! My little finger and thumb on my left and my wrist and elbow on my right. I think I know what the problem was and they have almost stopped hurting now, but before I start practising/lessons again, does anyone have any tips on keeping your fingers/wrist etc loose?

Sorry, I’m learning the piano!

lost which Bartok book do you have?

When DC were young I taught them from the Suzuki book and I have to say I am deeply impressed with it. Perhaps it's worth looking into? I taught them by ear for a bit before teaching them to read music.

nowt Have you got the seat at the right height so you can relax your shoulders and have your forearms level?

Nowt are you having lessons? Worth organising a short course to correct any posture issues?

I'm a 50 something returner to piano and my teacher had me

• raise piano stool and move it back as this helps release shoulder and wrists
• avoid keeping elbows too close to body (moving stool back tends to correct this)
• try to keep shoulders relaxed and still, avoid too much leaning forward and swaying around
• work on studies to improve finger independence and hand strength very gradually

I find having a teacher a lot more helpful than I expected. I had lessons for 10 years as a child and have a child doing post grade 8 studies so it's not like I am unfamiliar with piano - but a good teacher can often see errors that you simply don't realise you are making.

There's the school of thought (or Daniel Barenboim) that you don't really need to endlessly repeat scales. Just learn to play Mozart. Plenty of scales in Mozart sonatas. If I understand correctly the Suzuki method is not obsessed with scales either.

DD in the French conservatoire system hasn't done a lot of scale work. Lots of fast scale and arpeggio passages in the music she plays though.

I am doing some work on scales because as an adult returner fluency is a real issue and improving speed and accuracy without having to worry about playing "music" is helpful.

I’m having lessons but she’s very young and I guess not very experienced. She hasn’t talked posture at all. I’ll ask her about it when I go back and will try to adjust as you say in the meantime. Thanks

I sometimes play through the scale for the key that my current obsession is in. Now it's bloody A flat minor...

Welcome nowt & lost

“DD in the French conservatoire system hasn't done a lot of scale work. Lots of fast scale and arpeggio passages in the music she plays though.”

Likewise DC & me. All of us are in the French conservatoire system, too.

Never it's Mikrokosmos book 1. There are 6 volumes. I fear though that I may have been unduly harsh as I've just been set another couple of pieces by my teacher and they're more musical than last week's efforts. These are even in proper keys!

I'm quite enjoying the scale work - I think it's because they're something I already know so can play the notes without thinking too hard, and they're much easier than trying to do them all in one breath as you do with a woodwind instrument. There's something quite calming about the patterns in them for me too. I took it up because my therapist wanted me to do something with my hands that wasn't food or exercise related and the repetitive scales are a really good way to quieten anxiety for me. Mind you, I'm only 4 weeks in and they're the only thing I can play fluently aside from London Bridge is Falling Down

If you want something repetitive you'll like the first twinkle twinkle little star variations of the Suzuki book.

I still hear it in my sleep...

What is this Suzuki book that you sometimes mention, Never?

If you google "Suzuki Piano School" you can see images of some of the pieces. They are the books that are used for teaching piano the Suzuki way. Example.

That looks like regular sheet music. What is different about it?

It's how it is taught. Also that page with Twinkle twinkle is the first thing ever the child learns. Compared to the endless repetition of thumb on middle C that you get from most beginner piano books it is miraculous. From nothing to that - it's not a bad achievement.

The suzuki method

I wonder if that would work for my kids. I have that book on my list too.

Wondering how much twinkle little star I could cope with ? Might be quiet a lot from four children and two parents...that said we have enough people to form a group to listen to each other.

Plus the last word was love on the article linked..which is so sweet. :)

Babies There's a thread over at extra curricular activities where people talk about the kids' musical education. Maybe there's more info there!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/extra_curricular_activities/3076009-November-Music-Thread

Thank you Never. I like have a look

On my piano side. I think the three songs I am trying to learn are getting slightly easier through practise. I even limped through half of one with both hands together. I was pleased :)

Who mentioned Bartok's Mikrokosmos? I had a listen and am quite intrigued...

"Bartok which is just angry modern noise rather than music to my ear"

Bartok isn't the worst. Have a listen of what is called these days

I can't do more than 30 seconds of this stuff. My brain start screaming

That was me Never - both my friend and my teacher think it’s great for learning as it’s bonkers modern stuff (nothing has a proper key signature, last week’s dirge just had c sharps) but it works you through the studies that help you learn, so there’s not much moving your hands but there’s a lot of repetition, syncopation, melody moving from right o left hand etc so technical exercises dressed up as modern music if you will . I never liked modern music as a flautist but some of the stuff in this book is quite melodic. I hated the piece I did last week and was all set to find another composer to work from but the two snippets I have this week seem calmer and less discordant.