Five Great Practice Ideas I Learned From My Piano Students!

Sometimes the teacher learns more from themore than the ones I suggested.4. Still another
student than the student does from the teacher.piano student took an idea from me and twisted
Hopefully, not too often, but today I would like toit a bit. I suggested that she play along with
share with you some great practicing ideas thatpieces she liked on tapes and CD's, so she would
have come from my piano students over theget a feel for the motion of the song. (I used to
years:1. A Colonel in Virginia that I taught fordo that by the hour when I was a teen-ager, and
several years got up at 4AM every weekdayit paid off big time for me!). She took the idea
morning and practiced on an electronic keyboardand tried it and liked it so much that she started
with headphones so he wouldn't disturb anyone atgetting videos of people playing the piano. She
that time of the morning. "I love the earlyarranged her TV and video player so that she
morning", he said, "because it's so quiet andcould be at her piano while the video was playing,
peaceful and I'm fresh and raring to go. Noand she would play along with the pianist on the
phones are ringing, no people walking into thescreen, following her/his hand motions and arm
room, no disturbances at all. I practice for amotions and finger position and thereby getting a
half-hour, have breakfast, and then hit it forfeeling for the flow of the music. (Patterning). Her
another half-hour -- all before I have to show upcreativity is paying off for her -- she is advancing
for work. When I get home in the evening, if I'mrapidly. (And by the way, don't think she is
too tired to practice, I don't feel guilty because"copying" the person she is watching -- not at all.
I've already got my licks in for the day. And if I'mIt's the same principle as watching Michael Jordan
up to practicing some more -- well, it's a bonus!"2.moving toward the basket, or watching Sammy
An elementary school teacher in Indiana told meSosa swing a bat -- it just gets you in the right
she took each piece I assigned her andgroove before you apply your own style to it.)5.
transposed it into all 12 keys -- not written out,A doctor I have taught for years makes a idea
but at the piano -- in her head. She said "Itfile of things he has learned about piano playing
doesn't always sound so hot, but I find that if Iover the years. He notes where in a given book
keep at it day after day, I can at least get by inor tape or video I discuss such and such a topic,
the most difficult keys, and it makes the easierand files that alphabetically. Then later when he
keys seem real simple. And it gives me aneeds to refer to that idea, he simply looks up
perspective that I just wouldn't get it I justthe idea in his file, locates the video or cassette
played it in one key -- the key it is written in. I'veor book, and presto -- he can review that idea or
learned that each key has it's own "feel", andconcept almost instantly. It's like a card catalog in
some keys are bright (like "D") and some keysthe library -- makes finding things so much faster
are mellow (like "Db").3. Another piano studentthan flipping through endless books trying to find
with a similar idea, who was the Minister of Musicthat idea you saw long ago.
in a Catholic church, said he took one wholeWith the advent of the computer a person could
month of the year and devoted it to masteringstore and categorize ideas such as this very
just one key. Since there are 12 months in thequickly.Hope this gives you some ideas of your
year and 12 Major keys, that works outown!Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music
perfectly. So in January he played everything hebooks and music educational materials such as
could find in the key of C, and transposedDVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts,
anything that wasn't in C into C. In February hemusical software, and piano lesson instructional
went up 1/2 step to the key of C# (also knowncourses for adults. His instant piano chord finder
as Db enharmonically) and played everything in Dbsoftware titled "How To Find Any Piano Chord
and searched for pieces written in the key of Db,Instantly!" has been used around the world. He
and so on. By the time the year was up, he hadholds advanced degrees from Southern Oregon
a pretty fair grasp on the 12 Major keys. IUniversity and was the founder of Piano
suggested that he devote the next year to theUniversity in Southern Oregon. He is the author of
12 minor keys, and the next year to the modes,the popular free 101-week online e-mail newsletter
and the next year to polytonality, etc., etc. -- buttitled "Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords
as I recall he decided to just recycle through the& Sizzling Chord Progressions" with over 58,600
12 major keys, since he used them so muchcurrent subscribers.