Dear Carmen, Warm up: C arpeggios (LH cross over) C major scale French Lullaby - by memory Finger steps, Finger walk - legato practice Thirds - skip one step (white key) (practice 10 - 15 mins a day) Dear Ian, Classic Dance - arpeggios C position Young Hunter - A minor key (make sure to hold your long notes [...]
Dear Carmen, Steps and seconds - notice the bigger number (2, 3, 4, 5) the bigger interval, space between the notes Thirds - skip one white key Finger walk - legato playing French lullaby - try by ear (right hand - E, left hand - G position) (practice 10, 15 minutes a day) Dear Ian, Warm up - [...]
Dear Carmen, Steps and seconds, watch the rhythm (half note- quarter note) French lullaby Bouncing on the bus Music class Thirds (skip one white key) keep your wrist relaxed and the fingers curved! (practice 10 minutes a day) Dear Ian, Warm up - C major scale Firefly Little river - play legato, connecting notes Sailing in the sun - [...]
Dear Carmen, Continue practicing songs in C position Staccato playing - keep your wrist relaxed and hand above the notes (ready) Bouncing on the bus Music class The Wheels on the bus (practice 10 -15 min a day) Dear Ian, Keep on practicing songs in C position Mambo Jumbo Raindrops (staccato playing) Cracker Jack (practice 10 [...]
Dear Tai, Keep reviewing pieces in level 2 lesson and performance books. Sword Dance - keep the beat! add dynamics. Brahms Lullaby - bring out the melody, chords background in medium piano My Daydream - have the G position ready for both hands scales: C D E F G A B (hands separately and together, I octave) (practice [...]
Dear Tai, Theme by Haydn - G position, watch for the fingering changes, play each hand a few times, then try hands together. Fur Elise - memorize E octaves, keep repeating to gain speed. Sword dance - review, D minor- remember B flat. C major triads (hold broken chords) C major scale HT, one octave (practice 15 - 20 [...]
Dear Tai, Fur Elise - work on the "E - octaves" to bring it to tempo (even eighth notes flow) Sunburst waltz - good dynamics! (just play for fun :)) Pagoda in purple mist - listen for a changing harmony, keep the pedal throughout the entire piece The dragon hunt - LH legato - staccato contrast The time machine - [...]
Dear Ian, You're doing great job learning new notes and rhythms! Keep practicing all pages in the book you have done so far, with extra focus on: Balloons What can we do Intervals Pop song (Try to practice at least 10 minutes a day) Dear Carmen You got the perfect rhythm in Ode to joy, keeping the pulse steady! [...]
Dear Tai, Fur Elise - amazing job! (try to even out the transition part - octaves on E, follow the fingering suggestion) Sunburst Waltz - keep your wrist relaxed for the eighth notes (to insure the same weight and time value for each of them) Sad song - 1st and 2nd page - same (steady) pulse Pagoda in the Purple [...]
Dear Carmen, Great job playing Ode to Joy! you can add the middle part now (don't start too fast so you can fit your eighth notes into the the pulse :)) Row row row your boat - count your beats on the dotted half note (1 - 2- 3) (review pieces - say the names of the notes as you [...]