hi
i'm doing grade 4.
just wondering i have been playing piano for 6 years.
how long honestly do you all practice a day.
my mum is annoying because my piano is nere a TV
she says "she finds it very inconvient"
witch is anoying because she ask's my to leave the room so she watch tv or what ever.
so i get a little bit "well you know"
any way seeing as my parents don't really support my hobby and LIFE.
i'm lucky that i have found this board.
to finally share my opinions about how i feel.
one good thing my nan likes me playing and is always there to lend a hand with my playing.
plus i'm finding the fingering for A1 Gavot a bit tricky any tips
i practice for agaes

Davé [/B]

Hi Dave

I try to practice 1.5 - 2 hours a day but I don't always manage this it depends how busy I am. For example at the weekends I don't get so much time to practice as all the family are at home making demands on my time . In the week when they are at school or work I have more time.

It must be very difficult for you to practice as your piano is in the same room as the TV. This would defintely not work in my house my children would go mad if they couldn't watch the TV. Can you not negotiate with your family a certain amount of time for you to practice each day. There must be sometime when they are not watching the TV, maybe when your mother is preparing a meal or busy doing something else.

I am suprised that you say your parents don't support your music. Are they paying for your lessons? If they are surely they would want you to practice?

It can be very difficult when other members of the family are non musical as they can find the sound of someone practicing very irritating. Just as the sound of a TV can be very irritaing when you are trying to practice. I don't know if you are aware of those "Silent Pianos". They are proper acoustic pianos but you can turn off the sound and listen to yourself playing through headphones. They are a bit expensive though.

Good luck in your Grade 4 - when are you taking the exam?

Hi Dave,
Sorry you are finding practising difficult.

But take heart - you have obviously achieved quite a lot in a tricky situation if you 've got to grade 4!

I don't suppose it's possible to move the tv or the piano somewhere else ? (I guess you would have thought of that !)

Look out for the times when there's nothing much on tv and make the most of them.

Which bars of Gavot are you having trouble with?

Maggie

thanks guys.
the piano is in the conservatory right next to the lounge with no door.
when i'm playing you will here this OI Were trying to watch this.
I'll get through it,
also i don't think the dont support it's just i'm just dont like the same music as them.
i couldn't play what my parents wanted anyway i have never seen sheet music for will yound lol also i would be far to difficult.
i mean they like that band Busted or mcfly.
i dont want to play there music because i find rubbish.
1 i coudn't play it any way it's gutair witch for one i dont play.
gutair is actually quite popular in my school now.
but i'm sticking with piano.
the bars i'm having trouble with is. 5-16
all the rest i can do.

Davé

hi Dave, ive just taken my grade 4, still waiting for the results!

what other pieces are you playing?

i practise erm a lot! now in the holidays its about 4 hours a day!!!

Hi,

my pices are, A1 Gavot.
premer chargrin and mimicry

i find allways the B's are the hardest in all the grades i've done

Davé



i hope you get a distinction.

QUOTE

the bars i'm having trouble with is. 5-16

bar 5 RH is like bar 1, bar 6 starts 3212, bar 7 is 313131312 (I think!)
Is LH ok in 2nd line?

RH bar 9 start with 4, bar 10 try 421 - 5124, bar 11 try 54324323
LH is almost done for you.

Any of this help ??

Your pieces are good ones - Mimicry is great fun - do you like it?

Maggie

Yeah i like mimicry but i'm having trouble speeding it up.
My piano teacher keeps perstering me about speeding it up but it's fine.
the last bar befor the end is the worsed but it's easy.
it sounds like your just crashing around on the piano but i agree it is fun

i not exactly fond of premer chagrin the bar on the second page is quite difficult and i'm having trouble with it.
but i always get there "like they say practice makes perfect lol.

thanks for your tips on Gavot.
i tried it and it works

Davé

i didnt do any of your pieces! i did Rondo in f, Watchmans song and Sunset over stac.......

i wont get a distinction!! aurals were a complete nightmare and everything else wasnt perfect!

I did my Grade 4 Piano last November and scraped a merit with 120(my lowest exam mark so far). I did Rondo in F, Premier Chagrin and the Mazurka. My favourite was the Premier Chagrin due to the tone of the piece and the use of pedalling. Overall I adapted quite well to the piece and didn't find it too difficult, but a lot of my piano teachers other pupils did struggle quite a lot on the piece. I do understand the difficulty of the bars on the second page but it really is just a case of practicing them over and over until you get them right. It will come in the end - good luck!

cheers .
i do practice the pices often but.
when i come on to a bar witch i havn't tried much before.
i suddely just get worried and give up but in the end i always get through it so i'll go try it now

Davé

I am really getting annoyed with gavot bars 8 to 15.
i cant seem to control my hands.
there are flying all over the place,
i have practiced it seapret hands over and over but.
it just annoying after 1 or 2 hour(s) of practicing, in a very hot conservatory.
i have to practiced around 6:00 when it get cooler.
i really want my piano in a different room.
having it in a hot conservatory cany be good for the piano.
any tips how to bribe my mum and how to sort out gavot.

Davé

move the piano!!!

thank goodness some one agrees with me

Tell her it will damage the piano: it will; pianos don't like dramatic variety in temperatures. It can't be doing much for the tuning either...

QUOTE

It can't be doing much for the tuning either...

We used to have somebody come to tune our piano who did it really badly and so it sounded worse when he'd finished than when he started! When we moved house we expected it to be really out of tune with all the jolting around in the removal lorry, etc, but it actually appeared to be jolted back into tune!!!

as soon as the piano tuner comes the next week it's out of tune again its very bad.
but she wont listen because apparently she's always right,
it's so annoying

Davé

My tuner says it's not so much the temperature as humidity.
All that wood and felt to absorb excess moisture in the air.

i am a lazy person
but i still force myself to practise 1-2hrs per day