Daily Play Piano Practice Schedule

Below you find an example of a schedule that may help you to organize your practice time!

This schedule is based on a seventy-five minute period (1 hour and 15 minutes), but it could be changed proportionately to fit a shorter or longer period or modified to allow time to take up instrumental studies (long tones, dexterity exercises for the fingers, range studies, reading, etc.)

A new set of melodies, patterns, exercises, transcribed solos, disciplines, and tunes should be taken up each week.

Such a turnover in materials will help insure a steady rate or progress.

Items 3 through 7 should be played with recorded accompaniment.  I strongly recommend that you use your BONUS ii-V7-I progression studies in my eBook at: www.MrRonsMusic.com

“Special Disciplines” refers to studies aimed at resolving weakness in areas such as playing fast tempos, time-feeling, use of all rhythmic levels, building intensity, or cultivating a melodic sense.

The learning of a tune should encompass melody, chord progressions, appropriate ingredients, and familiarization with the most significant recordings of the tune (the listening is done at another time, however).

DO NOT attempt to accomplish too many goals while practicing.

The mind cannot easily digest more than one or two major points at the same time and still be effective.

Always be very clear as to what you are practicing and focus on the objective.

For an example, scales are for speed and fingering difficulties, etc.

If you’re an intermediate student, I urge you to consider our Membership Program at: www.PlaySmoothJazzPiano.com

Now, if you’re an absolute beginner and you want to understand music notation, join our program at: www.PlayPianoAndReadMusic.com

Play Piano – Here’s How to Really Listen!

The following video teaches you how “listen” to play ANY instrument with FEEL!

Play Piano – Here’s How to Make Your Music Meaningful!

Whatever you play… wherever you play… play with musical meaning.

Ask yourself:

1. Does it swing along with a steady pulse?
2. Is there enough elasticity in the rhythmic pattern to avoid that drone, dull oom pah oom pah?
3. Does the melody flow along smoothly, breathing in the right places?
4. Are the dynamics effective?

If the answer to any of the above questions is negative you are not doing enough to make your music meaningful.

Music Must Communicate

If you feel you are not doing your best and you would like to do something about it, I would suggest that you sit back and take a good objective look (listen) at your musical product so you an diagnose the problem and then prescribe the remedy.

You are asking how you can diagnose your own playing problems – how can you listen to yourself – either objectively or subjectively.

Make a tape recording of your playing! Then sit back and listen objectively, as if you didn’t know the performer.  Watch the music as you listen and mark the spots that sound like just notes – not meaningful music.

Since rhythmic pulse is as vital to music as the heartbeat is to living, that would be the best place to begin to criticize your playing.

Once you get your time (duration of notes) and meter (arrangement of beats into patterns) under control, you will be on your way to making your music more meaningful.

To your success,

Ron Worthy

Click here to receive “one-on-one” private coaching!

www.MrRonsMusic.com

Play Piano – Practicing Scales are Important!

I personally think that the consistent practice of scale promotes bi-lateral finger and hand movements to allow you to ultimately play “stride piano!”

You’re no longer are shackled to “block chord” or “left hand walking” bass lines!

When you can play “stride piano,” you’ll enjoy a freedom in your playing that you never thought possible!

So start learning and practicing your SCALES TODAY by purchasing my Scales & Arpeggios Video eBook! It’s VERY affordable, and you’ll own it for LIFE!

Just go to: www.PlayPianoLikeAPro.com and purchase my Video eBook.

Below is a video of my favorite Pianist, the late Oscar Peterson!

You’ll get to see and hear how important it is to master “Harlem Stride!”

Just listen to his arrangement of, “I Can’t Get Started!”

How to Play Piano and Write Music!

You are neither too young nor too old to play piano and compose. If you think otherwise, get that fairy tale out of your head.

A few geniuses began at age 3 and burned out in middle age. Gustave Mahler, a modern symphonic artist and Jazz Guitarist legend Wes Montgomery didn’t start serious composing until they were well in their 30’s. Verdi was still going strong at 87. Some of the great pop, jazz, and rock music of our time has been written by musicians who consider the age of 25 as “over the hill.”

Conclusion: forget about age.

What about music theory?

Does it have anything to do with playing the piano and composing a piece of music?

Sounds come first.  Theory books and systems tag along behind, explaining in words what you’ve already experienced by ear!

Composing is a “hot” creative act.  Studying theory is a “cool” analytical act.

Theory explains what is going on in a piece of music.  It shows us the machinery that makes the music tick.  Training in theory helps sharpen our understanding, and helps the player and composer organize his or her musical materials.

Play Piano – Gross and Fine Motors Skills!

The following instructional videos will illustrate why it is important to develop both your fine and gross motor skills, as well as MEMORIZING “rhythm changes!”

VERY IMPORTANT: Make sure you return to this BLOG to post your comments or questions!

How to Play Piano – A Lesson in TRILLS! from Ron Worthy on Vimeo.

How to Play the Piano – Voicing Triads!

Voicing Triads to Create Full and Rich Harmonies!

As you probably know, a triad is a 3-note chord!

Here’s a “cardinal rule!”

ALWAYS double the bottom note!

For an example, if you’re playing a C triad in root position, in your right hand… DOUBLE the C with your 5th finger!  (C E G C).  Conversely, if you’re playing a C triad in root position with your left hand, double the C note with your 1st finger… (C E G C).

This rules applies to inversions:

C Major Chord

Root position: C E G C

1st inversion: E G C E

2nd inversion: G C E G

Once you practice and learn this harmonic concept, you’ll be playing in Church sooner than you thought!

Always Maintain the Harmonic Integrity of a Classic Song!

You don’t always you 7th chords, if it isn’t appropriate for a particular style of music.=!

I’ve enclosed a “classic” pop hit, recorded by the “Platters” in 1956.  It’s entitled, “I’m the Great Pretender.”

This is a great song, for the beginner, because it employs the use of the 1 4 5 chord progression, that is used commonly in Church Hymns and Rock and Folk Music.

The song is in the Key of F Major.

The chords used in the entire song are: F, F7 Bb, C and a A at the end!

F is spelled: F A C… and F7 is spelled: F A C Eb

Bb is spelled: Bb D F

C is spelled: C E G

Now, here’s your chance to “play piano by ear!”

Don’t forget to leave your comments!

Play Piano – Creating Beautiful Music!

I can remember my mother taking me to the Howard Theatre, in Washington DC, to see these guys perform, when I was in the 4th grade!

And can you believe… these guys still perform TODAY!

The EASIEST way to start learning to play the piano, is to focus on some of your favorite love songs of the past!

Now because I perform, I know what people with discerning taste, want to hear… it’s about show business!

Give the people what they want, not what you think they want or what other musicians want.

You have to please your listening audience. And if you do, you can GRAB them emotionally, by playing songs that are close to their hearts!

Enjoy…

Play Piano – The 1 6 2 5 Chord Progression

They Don’t Write Songs Like This Anymore…

The following video is an illustration of a once popular song wherein the writers employed the 1 6 2 5 chord progression!

Play Stride Piano – Down South in Dixie!

The New Orleans Rhythm Kings

The first band to make recordings billed as “jazz” was in many ways untypical of early groups not least because it comprised five white men, under the leadership of cornetist Nick LaRocca.

The quintet hailed from New Orleans and derived its stye from the music played there by black ensembles, achieving a rapid rise to prominence through “spirited” performances, which incoporated novelty instrumental effects such as animal imitations.

The group’s success was an early (and by no means the only) example of the white commercialization of black music, and their recordings appear embarrassingly crude alongside the finesse of comparable black bands, who recorded in the early 1920s.

Based on the “sectionalized” structure and syncopated march rhythms of “ragtime,” with increasing use of the 12-bar blues progression, the New Orleans ensemble style is correctly termed “Dixieland” only when performed by white groups (the term derives from the nickname “Dixie,” used to describe the southern secessionist states in the Civil War).

Dixieland music sometimes incorporated improvised breaks, an important development away from the composed nature of ragtime.

The normal arrangement included three solo melody instruments (cornet, clarinet and trombone), that simultaneously performed different embellished versions of the melody.

This elaboration constituted another notable departure from traditional ragtime.  The melodic embellishments were supported by a rhythm section – a bass instrument (tuba or double bass), harmony instrument (banjo, guitar or piano) and simple a simple drum kit (typical bass drum, side drum and suspended cymbal).

White groups were generally less adept at handling improvisation, blue notes and swung rhythms than their black counterparts, although the New Orleans Rhythm Kings (who made recordings in 1922-25) represented a tangible imporvement on the primitive idiom of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band.

Both groups had disbanded by 1925,

by the time black ensembles had gained the ascendancy they merited.

Jelly Roll Morton, although not in this photograph, played piano for  The New Orleans Rhythm Kings’ recordings made in July 1923.