It just got a bit better

I've been a struggling pianist for some time. My main problems with improvement being lack

of time, unfocused practicing, and a memory so poor that I can't play anything without the

music in front of me. I love to play, but I don't seem to improve, and I find that quite

demotivating.

A couple of months ago I decided to lean to play a selection of popular carols. I am a

mason, and at our Lodge Xmas dinner we always sing. It would sound much better if someone

could accompany us - and I resolved that it would be me.

The carols weren't particularly hard - but I had to play them straight of the score, because

of my lack of memory, and to keep the timing right I used a metronome to practice with.

Alas - although I did put in the practice - I didn't reach the level at which I felt I could

play at the dinner. I felt that unless I was note and tempo perfect I would 'fall apart' -

so perhaps I'll have to see if I can reach the standard nexr year.

Now for the good bit! I have experienced a step change in my ability to play the piano! I

just bought a book of popular classics which seem to be at my level - when I sat

down in front of it the notes just seemed to fall into place under my hands. Those weeks of

focused practice have taken my playing, particularly sight reading, to another level.

Because I was worried about the 'performance' I didn't really percieve any improvement at

the time.

No prizes for guessing what my new year's resolution will be!

David

take the fruit off my address to reply

Congratulations! Just goes to show that we are not good judges of our own improvement....

I'm with you 100% on that one buddy. Every year I think... 'next year, we'll be singing christmas carols and other songs with my playing the piano'. Well those times have come and go and I end up just futzing around, making up something that sounds like it might be something but really isn't.

Well next year is going to be different! I'm pretty darn positive that next year will actually be 'the one' because I made a lot of progress recently with sight reading.

To hell with memory. You don't need it. If you can read then you don't need to memorize anything because it becomes as simple as opening a book to a page and just well... you know... reading. Of course, this applies to your stated goal of simply being able to play christmas carols.

Good luck and keep it up.

OK Thunder, Next Xmas we'll play some carols together. Just need to make sure we are playing from the same score, or it could all go horribly wrong!!!! David

Very true. If you can sight read the piece, it's hard to get motivated to actually memorised it. Have you read CC Chang's piano practice 'book'? It's helped me a lot in memorising. I used to be one of those who can't memorise a bit, and that's when I was a teenager! Now I can actually do it, though my memory is no where near perfect. But at least I can get snippets of songs right with the score. I think a lot of it comes down to confidence. And I agree with him that it's hard to memorise a song I already know, precisely the same reason with easy pieces that I can sight read. Try with something harder, just learn the piece without relying on the score, it will come very naturally. It's so satisfying being able to play, at least snippets, anywhere you