Piano Lessons in Auburn, WA

Instruments: Piano Music Keyboard

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
The question of how to practice effectively has fascinated me for some time. I have spent a lot of time thinking about this question and have consulted with many great musicians about how they practice effectively. Below are a few principles that I follow in order to practice effectively. 1. Remember that effective practice is different for everyone: There is no one right way to practice. What is effective for one person may not be effective for somebody else. Part of growing as a musician is finding one's own unique style of practice. 2. There is a difference between playing and practicing: Practicing refers to deliberate and focused work at the piano in order to improve or learn something. Playing is freer and less constrained use of the instrument. Both practicing and playing are important, but most of your improvement comes from practicing. If you aren't attentive, much of the time you think you are spending practicing may actually be time spent playing. A helpful rule to follow is to practice BEFORE you play. Think of it like eating your dinner before having your dessert. 3. Work in small sections: When We are learning a piece, we often have the urge to play through the whole piece over and over. Usually it is far more effective to work on smaller sections at a time. 4. Record yourself practicing: This is one of absolute best things you can do to improve your practicing. When you record yourself, you will be more aware as you practice. And, when you listen back later, you will hear all kinds of things that you missed when you were practicing in the moment. 5. Slow down: The importance of slowing down cannot be understated. It is an almost universal common error for newer students to consistently try and play something faster than they are ready.

What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
I love classical music and in particular I am obsessed with the music of JS Bach. I find Bach's music to be refreshing because it is not at all repetitive. The structure of his music differs from most music written since. Rather than one melody supported by chords, Bach's music is usually multiple melodies, that imitate and interweave with each other. Classical music in general is very beautiful and fascinating to study as all Western music including jazz and pop is descendant from classical music.

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