We lived in Okinawa at the time and our piano teacher was Denise Stone, a Marine wife (her husband was in the Marine Corps band), and a music teacher in the DOD school system who also happened to be our church pianist. Miss Denise was a strong teacher and refused to let me slide on anything! What I didn't appreciate as tough love very much back then, I truly appreciate now. Maybe that is because all of my other teachers have told me what a great beginning they can tell I had!
We didn't have a piano or keyboard when we first started the lessons so I could only practice on a real instrument by going to church early and getting a few minutes of practice time. I was taught that I didn't need a piano necessarily to learn the finger movements and so I spent a lot of time at home just reading the music and practicing moving my fingers. We did eventually buy an electric keyboard to practice with at home. Miss Denise also wanted to make sure I trained my eyes and hands properly and it was always a concentrated point to "sit up straight, and look ahead at the music...not at your fingers!!" She would even cover my hands with a long piece of black felt so that I couldn't see the keys :-) My first, and only so far, piano recital was at our church in Okinawa. I even played a duet with my mom. I wish I could remember what it was but I haven't got a clue. I do remember we both wore navy blue dresses (and were given beautiful Opal rings as a gift from both momma and dad..) and that I realized I was actually more afraid of singing in front of people than I was in playing the piano. Maybe it is because you are actually looking at the audience when you are singing and with piano you can solely focus on the instrument in front of you.
After we left Okinawa and moved to Arizona, we were able to purchase an old piano. I love our old Bailey! It was built in 1902 and is a pretty good instrument, though currently in need of a good tuning. We recently moved it to a different room in the house and it sounds better already. It could be the acoustics of the room, or it could be the location in general. Either way, I'm happy with the improvement!
Now that we live in North Carolina I have considered starting lessons back up again on a more permanent basis. The problem with different teachers (besides their own style, of course) is that each teacher likes different publishers. In Okinawa I used Bastien. In Arizona it was Faber. Now our music director at church prefers Alfred. I have went ahead and purchased all the Alfred books needed and took a few lessons but I am now in debate mode over whether or not to continue taking the classes on a regular basis. I have taught myself so much over the years and in between teachers (due to moving) that I wonder if I'm able to concentrate on starting over with a new teacher and learning their style. I get easily frustrated and lack patience. I think its a matter of choosing which battle is worth the fight and right now I'm not sure learning a new teachers style is a patience battle worth fighting. Does that make sense?
I WISH I could play by ear but I'm not talented in that department. My younger brother, Jesse, has actually shown a great deal of talent in that area. He has always had a love of all things instrumental. We have pictures of him before he was even two years old sitting in my dads lap strumming on a guitar. He has most recently been interested in the drums but is starting to really play around on the keyboard and piano as well. It amazes me that he can sit at the piano and just run his fingers over the keys at random and make something sound pretty. That is a gift from God, I think :-)
The two most important things I think I have gained from piano lessons in general is the ability to read music, and the ability to understand fingering movement. Even though I can't play by ear like my brother, or my dad or some of my friends, I know in theory how to "make" music. I can sit down and practice something I might create, even if I can't quickly pick up something someone else has created. That always is fun to do!!
One of the best ways I have kept up my fingering practice over the years is through using Preparatory Exercises For the Piano. You first begin with individual hand playing and then you add both of them together. It has been GREAT practice and I love it! I also have a book of short songs for the pianoforte copyrighted 1916. This book has been invaluable to me in learning timing. I would probably be wise to purchase a metronome to help with that as well, but do you know how expensive a really good one is?!
I play daily. Sometimes several times daily. I wonder though sometimes if that is enough. The question always lingers there in my mind I guess if I should take lessons regularly once again. Mom didn't continue lessons after the first year or two because one of my brothers started taking lessons as well. Finances weren't enough for all of us to take lessons back then but I can pay for my own lessons now if I want. The main thing really holding me back I guess is that it would mean spending approximatley 30% of my income on lessons every month. I'm not sure I can justify that :-(
I guess I'll think about it for a little while longer...
--A Victorian Cowgirl
You should do it! I took lessons when I was a little girl and of course, preferred to be doing anything else. My Father always told me that I would regret not being able to play when I was older, and he's right, I do.
ReplyDeleteSarah Louise, for the past 3 or so years, I have been teaching myself more theory than what I had already learned. And I do play everyday. I think I am doing ok so far but I do wonder :-)
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