Trying To Improve My Piano Playing Options

[billyboy]

Hi
I am new to the forum, and would like advice on improving my piano playing, I am a very mature student in my early seventies male with a lifetime love of music. I played in brass bands on and off all my life until about ten year ago when I had to stop playing a brass instrument because of health reasons, I had no musical qualifications of any kind so decided to study for my theory exams by myself and gained my grades 3,4,5 all in one year 2001 when I was then a young 60yr old. About five year ago I bought myself a piano and thought this will be a piece of cake because I could read music, oh how wrong I was after about ten seconds I knew I would need help, took lessons but again health problems stopped me carrying on, left things for a couple of years then started again with lessons and did very well getting grades 1 with distinction and grade 2 with a merit, and then the health issue hit me again had to stop my lessons had a major operation and am slowly getting back to normal, and hope to start lessons again next year with my very good teacher. My question is sorry to have gone on so long but wanted to introduce myself properly that I am struggling to get back into regular practice I find my concentration levels poor at the moment and want to know what I should practice to get back into my routine should going over pieces I can play be best or practice scales etc, I would eventually like to carry on with my piano grades, enjoyed the actual exams by the way no nerves at all, said good morning to the examiner mentioned the weather, the only part I was unsure about was the aural but I sailed through it. Thanks for letting me on your forum and listening to my problems, hope I have not gone on to long

[aesir22]

Hi Billyboy,

Its great that you still want to play! I work with a lady who is 60 and desperately wants to start an instrument but she keeps saying she is too old. I just can't convince her she isn't!

You obviously really enjoy music, performance and theory. When stepping back into anything, it can be difficult to get the mind focussed once more on the task at hand. It is easy to break routine, but hard to get back into it!

If you are starting lessons again next year, I would focus on playing what you can play, without pushing too far ahead. Look again at the scales, broken cords, arpeggios etc, and see how your sight reading skills are faring. Look again at pieces you enjoyed playing, and see how you do at them. You might not slip back into the same quality right away, but you will be surprised how quickly it all comes back! And once it does you will find yourself wanting to play more. Set aside some time each day if you are able to play and practice, not with the intent of perfection, but with re-introducing yourself to the piano.

Thats just my advice, others may have different, but either way all the best!

[Bass Clef]

I would say that playing through pieces that you already know is a great idea, but I'd also recommend that you pick maybe a bar or even half a bar that you're not so happy with and spend maybe 15 minutes just working on this one trouble-spot and trying to get it sounding really good. Sometimes when I just play through a piece over and over, mistakes start to creep in and I'm having too much fun to notice/bother to correct them! Your practice should be a varied diet of things that you are mostly on top of already and slightly more challenging (but still manageable) things.

If you're trying to get back into your playing, make sure you don't suddenly increase your practice time as this could lead to stress, poor concentration and bad habits. Try and increase it by maybe 10 minutes a day.

I'd just like to say that you're an inspiration to me! I was told at 16 years old that I was already too old to start playing an instrument. I'm glad I didn't listen to this rubbish but I must admit I have let it get to me from time to time.

Good luck!

[SueHM]

I would recommend the dozen a day books by Edna-Mae Burnham - they contain lots of "bite-sized" exercises that are good for brushing up your technique. Each one gives you a particular chord, arpeggio, hand shape etc to work on. They are easy to tackle in short bursts because they are only a few bars long. They seem to go down well with my students of all ages.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss?url=se...amp;x=0&y=0

Good luck!

[aesir22]

I would say that playing through pieces that you already know is a great idea, but I'd also recommend that you pick maybe a bar or even half a bar that you're not so happy with and spend maybe 15 minutes just working on this one trouble-spot and trying to get it sounding really good. Sometimes when I just play through a piece over and over, mistakes start to creep in and I'm having too much fun to notice/bother to correct them! Your practice should be a varied diet of things that you are mostly on top of already and slightly more challenging (but still manageable) things.

If you're trying to get back into your playing, make sure you don't suddenly increase your practice time as this could lead to stress, poor concentration and bad habits. Try and increase it by maybe 10 minutes a day.

I'd just like to say that you're an inspiration to me! I was told at 16 years old that I was already too old to start playing an instrument. I'm glad I didn't listen to this rubbish but I must admit I have let it get to me from time to time.

Good luck!

Too old at 16?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I hope whoever said that got a slap lol!

[Bass Clef]

Too old at 16?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I hope whoever said that got a slap lol!

Haha! Yeah, I probabaly should have slapped him! It was my school music teacher and I think he was concerned about how many years of playing in the school ensembles he could get out of me.

[Malcolm Stewart]

Too old at 16?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I hope whoever said that got a slap lol!

Haha! Yeah, I probably should have slapped him! It was my school music teacher and I think he was concerned about how many years of playing in the school ensembles he could get out of me.

I think I can understand where he was coming from.

I started learning piano at around 8 or 9 years old (and this was perhaps too young), and I can remember discussing with a non-playing school-friend some years later when we were both around 15 or 16 the need for independent finger control. I could do it easily, my friend simply couldn't - there was no way that he could move his 4th. finger independently of the adjacent finger. Whether this would come after lots of exercise, I've no idea, and it grieves me that my grand-children simply haven't had the opportunities that I had being brought up in a home where there was a piano. (1940s)

[Mad Tom]

I was told at 16 years old that I was already too old to start playing an instrument.

Well, it is too old IF your aim is to be amongst the few dozen best in the world. In fact if that is your aim then 8 is probably already too old! But if your aim is merely to reach a superb professional standard as a young adult then 16 is plenty early enough.

To the original poster. It is impossible to advise without more information:

What type of music do you want to play?
How much time can you devote to practice each day?
a. Now,
b. Eventually.
What are the health problems that prevented you from practicing?
What standard would you like to reach?
a. In your wildest dreams,
b. Would make you very happy,
c. Less than you'd hoped, but still OK.
Do you have any physical problems (e.g. arthritis in hands or shoulders, inflexible hands) that might hamper your progress at the piano?
How good is your hearing, and your aural training?
How good is your musical memory?

You can see why a real-life teacher is more use than advice from electronic forums.

[billyboy]

I was told at 16 years old that I was already too old to start playing an instrument.

Well, it is too old IF your aim is to be amongst the few dozen best in the world. In fact if that is your aim then 8 is probably already too old! But if your aim is merely to reach a superb professional standard as a young adult then 16 is plenty early enough.

To the original poster. It is impossible to advise without more information:

What type of music do you want to play?
How much time can you devote to practice each day?
a. Now,
b. Eventually.
What are the health problems that prevented you from practicing?
What standard would you like to reach?
a. In your wildest dreams,
b. Would make you very happy,
c. Less than you'd hoped, but still OK.
Do you have any physical problems (e.g. arthritis in hands or shoulders, inflexible hands) that might hamper your progress at the piano?
How good is your hearing, and your aural training?
How good is your musical memory?

You can see why a real-life teacher is more use than advice from electronic forums.

HI MAD TOM
WILL TRY TO ANSWER YOUR QUERIES THE BEST I CAN HERE GOES,LIKE PLAYING LIGHT CLASSICAL, BLUES AND JAZZ (MARTHA MEIR) OR SIM, HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO PRACTICE MIN OF 1HOUR DAILY I AM RETIRED SO HAVE PLENTY OF FREE TIME,HEALTH PROBS WITHOUT GOING IN TO MUCH DETAIL HAVE HEART FAILURE, COPD (LUNG DISEASE) HAD A TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT IN JULY 09 ONLY IN THE LAST MONTH OR SO HAVE I BEEN ABLE TO SIT AT THE PIANO WITHOUT DISCOMFORT,I WOULD LIKE TO REACH A STANDARD WHERE I WAS ABLE TO PLAY TO AN AUDIENCE SAY ABOUT GRADE 6, HAVE ARTHRITUS IN 2 FINGERS OF MY RIGHT HAND MIDDLE FINGER ONLY LIMITED MOBILITY, MY TEACHER SAID I COMPENSATED WELL WITH THIS PROBLEM, HEARING OK FOR MY AGE 70YRS NOT BAD WITH MY AURAL PART OF THE MUSIC MUSICALMEMORY NOT BAD I SUPPOSE AGAIN CONSIDERING MY AGE HOPE THIS IMFO HELPS

[Melody Amour]

Where are you, Mad Tom, to answer this question? I like reading your replies.

[Mad Tom]

Where are you, Mad Tom, to answer this question? I like reading your replies.

It is a difficult question. Best thing would be to get started with a flesh and blood teacher sooner. In the meantime, the most importatnthing is tpo avoid creating bad habits bfor the teacher to have to undo when lessons start.

I don't want to give bad advice. But here goes:

Play whatever music you enjoy, try to remember what you have learned in the past about posture, breathing, avoiding excess tension, technique, fingering etc. The aim of good technique is to obtain he maximum result with the minimum effort.

Always start with a clear conception of what the piece is about and an image of how you want it to sound, and always listen carefully to how it actually comes out.

Strike a balance of playing right through pieces (for continuity) and practicing short sections (for overcoming difficulties).

When you are playing large sections don't stop for mistakes. Press on to the end.

When you are practicing short sections aim for total accuracy - no matter how slowly you have to go to attain it. Once you ahve attained it, repeat several times to "groove it in".

Whatever speed you practice, always play rhythmically.

Scales and arpeggios are useful, but most useful when you practice the scales and arpeggios of the same keys as the pieces you are studying.

You previously reached grade 2 with merit, and not so long ago, so there should be no problem starting in again at the same level.

You could do worse than revising your old exam pieces.

Welcome back!

[billyboy]

Where are you, Mad Tom, to answer this question? I like reading your replies.

It is a difficult question. Best thing would be to get started with a flesh and blood teacher sooner. In the meantime, the most importatnthing is tpo avoid creating bad habits bfor the teacher to have to undo when lessons start.

I don't want to give bad advice. But here goes:

Play whatever music you enjoy, try to remember what you have learned in the past about posture, breathing, avoiding excess tension, technique, fingering etc. The aim of good technique is to obtain he maximum result with the minimum effort.

Always start with a clear conception of what the piece is about and an image of how you want it to sound, and always listen carefully to how it actually comes out.

Strike a balance of playing right through pieces (for continuity) and practicing short sections (for overcoming difficulties).

When you are playing large sections don't stop for mistakes. Press on to the end.

When you are practicing short sections aim for total accuracy - no matter how slowly you have to go to attain it. Once you ahve attained it, repeat several times to "groove it in".

Whatever speed you practice, always play rhythmically.

Scales and arpeggios are useful, but most useful when you practice the scales and arpeggios of the same keys as the pieces you are studying.

You previously reached grade 2 with merit, and not so long ago, so there should be no problem starting in again at the same level.

You could do worse than revising your old exam pieces.

Welcome back!
Thanks for your advice Mad Tom some very good points have been made by yourself which I will put into practice, doing very nicely at present with my playing,are you a teacher yourself or just very experienced in music matters, by the way why are you called Mad Tom probably because you are a very talented musician, they do say all musicians are mad, but what a way to go mad playing lovely music

[Mad Tom]

Thanks for your advice Mad Tom some very good points have been made by yourself which I will put into practice, doing very nicely at present with my playing,are you a teacher yourself or just very experienced in music matters, by the way why are you called Mad Tom probably because you are a very talented musician, they do say all musicians are mad, but what a way to go mad playing lovely music

Not so much "mad" - more "irreverent", "politically incorrect", intolerant of imposed authority ...

I do not teach piano. I am qualified as both a piano teacher and a schoolteacher and did a little of each a very long time ago. For most of my working life I have been a professional programmer. I plan to return to piano teaching when I retire from the world of IT.

I am a diploma-level amateur pianist. I first started to play at the age of 8, and began formal lessons at 12, but have taken long breaks when I neither studied nor practiced with any serious intent. I am now working very hard at becoming as good as it is still possible to be at my age (on the wrong side of 50). To that end I practice demonically, attend lots of recitals, and read everything I can find about the piano: its history, its technique, its literature, and its great exponents. But there is still a long way to go, and probably always will be. I am lucky to have frequent opportunities to perform. Sometimes they go well, sometimes not, but every performance teaches you a lot. Even if I never again played in public I would still play at home for the great joy of sharing in the creations of the great composers.

I am privileged to have many very fine pianists and other musicians as friends. These include young prodigies studying at the local conservatoire, mature professional performers, other amateurs like me - advanced and not so advanced, and teachers with long and successful careers, as well as some of the other members of this forum.

Any advice I dispense is sometimes based on what I have learned from these people, but more often on what has worked for me. It always comes with the implied proviso: "this has worked for others, it may also work for you - but then again - it might not".