There is nothing more valuable than recording yourself - and now, it's as easy as it gets. You never know what you really sound like when you're playing. But, the recording gives undivided attention to the ear and will let you hear exactly what you sound like. If you perform live, video yourself, as well. See how you look, how you sound, how you present yourself to everyone else. You will find plenty to improve upon and that's hard to accept. But, just do it...over time, you will see your performances improve exponentially.
I have a piece memorized but with an average of one mistake per bar no matter the amount of repetition 😢 I started practicing slowly using the metronome and two days in I'm making less mistakes, having less memory hiccups, grasping the rhythm better and improving the most demanding parts (damn polyrhythms)... slow practice seems the key to level up your playing
The habits Starting at the beginning and practicing incorrectly. I have changed this practice recently and am amazed at the results. A lot less frustration for me. Thank you so much for your video instructions.
I've been playing since Jan. & still have not gotten up the nerve to record myself playing. Ah, the denial of the reality of how long one must be a beginner player and how many different foundations really must be laid. And perhaps most dauntingly (in part b/c I'm 62) - how long it takes the brain, arm, wrists, fingers to develope and improve communications with each other. Since I started in-person lessons with a teacher last month, I am being abruptly transported, lesson by lesson, to The Reality of my Skill Level. In this new place this new video is very perfect for me Susan. I would have loved to hear you speak at length on each point but that's just me and certainly not a fair expectation of your time. So to answer your Q, this week I will record myself playing, I certainly won't post it anywhere but I will watch it! Last week a big challenge I gave myself was actually working with a metronome, I tested out a dozen diff apps to find what sound and look was most tolerable ... the 'Pulse' one you recommended in one of your videos is a very close 2nd to my other choice of the .99 Forescore metronome app. The are both very basic, I like the 'snap' best as you suggested. What an essential tool!!! (duh!!!) I was much, much further off tempo than I thought & reenforcing that with every repeat...hello reality. Thank you Susan for another great video!!!!
My teacher also brings me back to reality almost every lesson 😂 well, at least you know what you don't know if that happens (and for the recording - don't set any high goals, be like "yeah I'm gonna play my recent repertoire no matter what happens and we will see how it goes")
Wonderful to hear that you've found a private teacher! I think in our piano journeys we often come to the realization that we don't know *quite* as much as we think we do 😆 I've had this happen SEVERAL times, mostly during times of transition (moving to a new teacher, college, grad school, off on my own, teaching, etc). It's part of the process and it's how we grow. Wishing you a wonderful journey, and good luck recording yourself this week 😊
Oh the Doubt Method sounds very useful. Hope I don't miss it. Please let me know when it is out. I am still working on the sight reading. Playing along with you tape has really helped me. Thanks so much
I will try to remember to let you know when the Donut Method is out, but in all honesty, I may forget 😆 Best to click the notification bell so UA-cam will remind you when I upload a video.
Oh... Number 10! Bang head here! Always trying to work on things beyond my capabilites. And, to make matters worse, I'll obsess over said things to the exclusion of everything else. Then I wonder where the last hour and a half went. 😲
I have a Yamaha hybrid piano, so I should be able to record myself pretty easily, but I haven’t figured that out yet. I’m trained to listen critically, and I’m afraid I will be discouraged. My husband says my playing always sounds like music and I should just get over myself. I’ve also learned to have a day or two a week where I just play the piano and don’t “practice.” Practicing and learning go better when I also take time to just relax and play.
100% Also, I often give myself a day in between recording and listening back. If I listen back immediately, I feel too emotionally tied to the recording and can't be quite as constructive and tend to only focus on the negative. Giving yourself time before listening back can help you remove yourself a bit.
Number 10 hit home for me. As doing self teaching at home assessing is very important. Any hints on to do that? Enjoy the video, clear, concise good information. Presented in a pleasant way.
I'm actually working on a video that talks about tips on assessing one's playing using what I call the Donut Method. It'll probably come out on August 10th. Stay tuned!
Thank you for the great video! I picked up the piano about a month ago and have been consistently practicing every day, this video (and your content as a whole) has been very helpful.
Excellent. I just found your channel and WOW! Such amazing, instructive content. I wish I could get a two hour lesson from you to examine and review my habits. Playing for 45 years, but it’s never too late to start unlearning bad habits. You don’t happen to be anywhere near Pennsylvania do you….?
I have a question. Should I stay away from songs that are above my music reading ability? My ability to play pieces is a lot higher than my music reading ability and I usually find it really frustrating to learn new songs. Should i just stay away from those and just spend my time learning simpler music until my reading catches up to the songs i can play.
Excellent question. IMO, you should do both. Work on reading skills consistently, but also play pieces that are above your reading level by ear or however you are able to play them. Piano Safari method ascribes to the idea of some pieces being at your reading level and some pieces by rote- to develop technique and also to simply be able to play pieces you love, even if they are by rote or by ear, etc. Got to stay motivated and enjoy playing or you might lose interest!
Completely agree with Susan (not me, other Susan who commented below 😆). I like to have 3 levels of pieces going on: 1 quite easy, 1 at or just *slightly* above my current playing level, and 1 that is a challenge (whatever "challenge" means to you).
Not sure what you're asking exactly. Do you mean when I record myself playing for practice? If that's what you're asking, I usually do video, and then make sure to delete it when I'm done so my phone storage doesn't get too loaded.
There is nothing more valuable than recording yourself - and now, it's as easy as it gets. You never know what you really sound like when you're playing. But, the recording gives undivided attention to the ear and will let you hear exactly what you sound like. If you perform live, video yourself, as well. See how you look, how you sound, how you present yourself to everyone else. You will find plenty to improve upon and that's hard to accept. But, just do it...over time, you will see your performances improve exponentially.
#1 and #7 stood out, along with several others... Like Bob and Jane's quick entrance and exits 😊. Thank you for this topic especially.
I have a piece memorized but with an average of one mistake per bar no matter the amount of repetition 😢
I started practicing slowly using the metronome and two days in I'm making less mistakes, having less memory hiccups, grasping the rhythm better and improving the most demanding parts (damn polyrhythms)... slow practice seems the key to level up your playing
what’s the piece ?
@@più_lento_28_13 fantasie impromptu 🤣
(I have no idea)
Very useful! Thank you so much!
The habits Starting at the beginning and practicing incorrectly. I have changed this practice recently and am amazed at the results. A lot less frustration for me. Thank you so much for your video instructions.
This makes so much sense. I'm certainly putting this advice into my practice sessions.
Excellent tips. thank you.
I've been playing since Jan. & still have not gotten up the nerve to record myself playing. Ah, the denial of the reality of how long one must be a beginner player and how many different foundations really must be laid. And perhaps most dauntingly (in part b/c I'm 62) - how long it takes the brain, arm, wrists, fingers to develope and improve communications with each other. Since I started in-person lessons with a teacher last month, I am being abruptly transported, lesson by lesson, to The Reality of my Skill Level. In this new place this new video is very perfect for me Susan. I would have loved to hear you speak at length on each point but that's just me and certainly not a fair expectation of your time. So to answer your Q, this week I will record myself playing, I certainly won't post it anywhere but I will watch it! Last week a big challenge I gave myself was actually working with a metronome, I tested out a dozen diff apps to find what sound and look was most tolerable ... the 'Pulse' one you recommended in one of your videos is a very close 2nd to my other choice of the .99 Forescore metronome app. The are both very basic, I like the 'snap' best as you suggested. What an essential tool!!! (duh!!!) I was much, much further off tempo than I thought & reenforcing that with every repeat...hello reality. Thank you Susan for another great video!!!!
My teacher also brings me back to reality almost every lesson 😂 well, at least you know what you don't know if that happens (and for the recording - don't set any high goals, be like "yeah I'm gonna play my recent repertoire no matter what happens and we will see how it goes")
Wonderful to hear that you've found a private teacher! I think in our piano journeys we often come to the realization that we don't know *quite* as much as we think we do 😆 I've had this happen SEVERAL times, mostly during times of transition (moving to a new teacher, college, grad school, off on my own, teaching, etc). It's part of the process and it's how we grow. Wishing you a wonderful journey, and good luck recording yourself this week 😊
Great advice, thanks so much 😊
Oh the Doubt Method sounds very useful. Hope I don't miss it. Please let me know when it is out. I am still working on the sight reading. Playing along with you tape has really helped me. Thanks so much
I will try to remember to let you know when the Donut Method is out, but in all honesty, I may forget 😆 Best to click the notification bell so UA-cam will remind you when I upload a video.
Oh... Number 10! Bang head here! Always trying to work on things beyond my capabilites. And, to make matters worse, I'll obsess over said things to the exclusion of everything else. Then I wonder where the last hour and a half went. 😲
If it makes you feel any better, teachers often give their students pieces too difficult for them too...It can be difficult to find the right level!
I have a Yamaha hybrid piano, so I should be able to record myself pretty easily, but I haven’t figured that out yet. I’m trained to listen critically, and I’m afraid I will be discouraged. My husband says my playing always sounds like music and I should just get over myself. I’ve also learned to have a day or two a week where I just play the piano and don’t “practice.” Practicing and learning go better when I also take time to just relax and play.
100% Also, I often give myself a day in between recording and listening back. If I listen back immediately, I feel too emotionally tied to the recording and can't be quite as constructive and tend to only focus on the negative. Giving yourself time before listening back can help you remove yourself a bit.
Thank you so much for your advice. You also helped me go with Faber's beginner book over Alfred's and I'm very happy I did.
Expert advice and excellent video production. Thank you!
Thank you!
Excellent advice 👍🏻
Very helpful video, added to my favorites. Thank you so much!
very important tips
thank you Susan :)
Great video! Great lesson! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you 😃
Excellent tips ...thankyou
Number 10 hit home for me. As doing self teaching at home assessing is very important. Any hints on to do that? Enjoy the video, clear, concise good information. Presented in a pleasant way.
I'm actually working on a video that talks about tips on assessing one's playing using what I call the Donut Method. It'll probably come out on August 10th. Stay tuned!
Thank you for the great video! I picked up the piano about a month ago and have been consistently practicing every day, this video (and your content as a whole) has been very helpful.
Awesome to hear!
Excellent. I just found your channel and WOW! Such amazing, instructive content. I wish I could get a two hour lesson from you to examine and review my habits. Playing for 45 years, but it’s never too late to start unlearning bad habits. You don’t happen to be anywhere near Pennsylvania do you….?
Haha, no I'm not...we're on opposite sides of the country 😃
I have a question. Should I stay away from songs that are above my music reading ability? My ability to play pieces is a lot higher than my music reading ability and I usually find it really frustrating to learn new songs. Should i just stay away from those and just spend my time learning simpler music until my reading catches up to the songs i can play.
Excellent question. IMO, you should do both. Work on reading skills consistently, but also play pieces that are above your reading level by ear or however you are able to play them. Piano Safari
method ascribes to the idea of some pieces being at your reading level and some pieces by rote- to develop technique and also to simply be able to play pieces you love, even if they are by rote or by ear, etc. Got to stay motivated and enjoy playing or you might lose interest!
Completely agree with Susan (not me, other Susan who commented below 😆). I like to have 3 levels of pieces going on: 1 quite easy, 1 at or just *slightly* above my current playing level, and 1 that is a challenge (whatever "challenge" means to you).
@susanmorrison8403 thanks for the answer.
Do you video or voice memo while playing?
I'm not her but I do both because of my storage 😂
Not sure what you're asking exactly. Do you mean when I record myself playing for practice? If that's what you're asking, I usually do video, and then make sure to delete it when I'm done so my phone storage doesn't get too loaded.
Let me guess, playing without a metronome is one of them
🧐