Day 44

Productive Piano Day...
Up to page 103 of the Method Book.

Day 43

Still on page 95 of the Method Book.

Day 42

(This should have been posted yesterday)
Still on p. 95 of the Method Book.

Day 41

Still on p.95 in the Method Book ("Lullaby"). Put new strings on my Stratocaster....

Day 40

Working on page 95 in the Method Book.

Day 39

Up to page 95 in the Method Book. Also getting the "Pop Piano Pro" stuff in the mail soon.

Nonpiano Music Stuff:
Looking into working with some folk to do blues music, in which I'll be playing electric guitar, do some vocals, and maybe play some bass. The emphasis will be on some classic blues (Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Albert King, etc.), some early rock and roll, and perhaps some Stax Records soul stuff. I'm also looking into perhaps getting a new guitar in about a year (maybe a Gibson Les Paul Cutaway?).

Also, new Springsteen album out tomorrow...... Yea!

Day 38

Still on p.94 of the Method Book.

Day 37

Still on page 94 of the Method Book. Might be hanging at this page for awhile, as its a challenge. Up to page 15 of the Fake Book method. Also, played some good old rock & roll guitar too today with a friend who came over and played bass (Beatles, CCR, Secret Agent Man (!), Buddy Holly, etc.).

Day 36

Up to page 94 in the Method Book. Discouraged somewhat because I pulled out some music that I'm supposedly able to play, but it certainly was a struggle.

Day 35

Working on p.90 and 91 in the Method Book.

Day 34

Up to page 90 in the Method Book. I talked to a local piano teacher who sounded great... He was also going to meet with me the first time for free... However, I decided to keep going at it solo without a teacher due to finances....

Day 33

Still on p.89 of the Mehod Book. Talked to a local piano teacher....I may check him out...

Day 32

Working on p. 89 of the Method Book. I thought this tune was going to be easy when I started after a few tries, but then I realized I was using the wrong fingers! Went a little teacher shopping today, but no real bites.

Day 31

Up to page 89 in the Method Book, and practiced major chords. The song on page 89 seems to have a reputation as being difficult...

Day 30

Up to page 88 in the Method Book, and 11 in the Fake Book Method.

Day 29

Up to page 85 of the Method Book.

I've decided to take the following approach:

1) I'm going to use the following book: "How to Play From a Fake Book" by Michael Esterowitz.
I'm using this book because I want to learn how to play songs. All kinds of songs. Beatles, Elton, Billy Joel, Jazz, etc., etc. The Sudnow method, which can be used to play songs from a fake book, is cool, but I'd like to learn a more traditional approach at this time. Then in the future I can add those Sudnow voicings in songs and parts of songs where I think it'd be appropriate to how I'd like to express the song.

2) I'll continue to keep working on the Alfred Method Book series.
I'm doing this for a couple of reasons:
First, I'd like to learn how to play music that's already written out. I have heard some classical and other piano pieces that would be very nice to play. They are pieces that I wouldn't quite characterize as being songs, but rather as pieces that are melodic and beautiful. I don't have aspirations of playing extremely complex stuff, but I'd sure like to play some pieces that just might be within my reach after completing the Alfred series.
Secondly, I think that the method book stuff will help teach me how to get around the piano.

Up to page 9 of the Fake Book Method.

Day 28

Still on the same page of the Method Book. A liitle tempted to quit the piano.

Day 27

Worked very briefly on p. 84 of the Method Book. Received supplemental books in mail, and going through them.

Day 26

Up to page 84 of the Method Book. Pages 78 and 79 were samples of Hanon stuff, and, well, lets just say I didn't master those pages...!!!! Especially the one on page 79 was a monster! I will go forward, though, skipping the mastery of those two pages. Maybe I'll get back to those pages in the future (yea, right!)

Day 25

Up to page 78 of the Method Book. Off Topic: Eagles 7, Giants 3 in first quarter. GO EAGLES!

Day 24

Working on page 74 in the Method Book. Anxiously waiting for the mail to deliver fake book instructional book stuff...

Day 23

Up to page 73 in the Method Book.

Day 22

Up to page 71 of the Method Book. Almost 1/2 through Book One! That's an achievement to me!

Day 21

Still on page 69 of the Method Book.

Being tempted to move on to page 70, but I don't want to move on without a feeling of Mastery. I'll define "Mastery" as the ability to play through a piece at least one time with the CD version with no more than one minor mistake.

Day 20

Up to page 69 of the Method Book.

Day 19

edited:

.........up to page 67 of the Method Book.........

...getting more interested in fake book stuff (the idea of making a personalized arrangement of a song in a fake book), but not necessarily utilizing the jazz sounds of Sudnow....

While waiting for my son's Karate lesson to be over, I went to the library across the street and got up to page 67 of the Method Book (page 66 had written exercises).....

Also read more of the Neely book.

Learning that consistent practice is key, not just weekend updates. It helps with that bass cleff.

Day 18

New Plan.....

Decided to continue working on reading and also fakebook stuff. Here's where I'm at:

1. Method Book: Up to page 65.
2. Using the book "How to Play From a Fakebook" by Neely. Up to page 6.

Maybe if I had 15 hours to practice, I'd continue the other books, but since I don't, I'll keep it simple.

Some minor concerns: Playing from the Neely book, fingering is an issue, and therefore, I didn't play the first two songs as easily as I thought I was going to.

Detour

Played a little last night from the Beatles fake book. Liked it. Maybe I'm using too many books (see last post). I'd like to play from a fake book, but not necessarily the jazz stuff as learned in the Sudnow method. Looks like I may go for learning just from the Method book and from Fake book stuff.......

Day 17

I guess no one said learning this thing was going to be easy. Interesting, how I sit down and expect to play from the written music and have it sound great without working on the pieces!

Today, I worked on a couple of things:

1) "Love Me Tender" in the songbook. Great to find out I didn't know the bass cleff like I thought I did. I thought I'd play it quickly, but its going to take time, with all the correct fingerings and all.

2) Hanon #1.

3) Bartok Book: I'm up to #2.

4) Method Book: Up to page 63.

Its difficult for me to comprehend how folks can actually play the treble and bass cleffs at the same time when the notes are different. The material I'm using now has been merciful in utilizing the same notes on both staffs.