122710

122510

piano fitness is forward thinking.  knowing whats coming and planning ahead.

122410

piano fitness is watching what where when.  training my mind's eye to watch the 1st and 2nd fingers with lateral triceps as the continual focus.

121310

piano fitness is learning.  1st recorded rehearsal is somewhat shaky-practice focusing forward. all in all not too bad.  good practice to keep going through the mistakes.  practice quick recovery.

121210

piano fitness observes changes.  the differences in feeling/listening and letting go.

121010

piano fitness is awareness.  awareness of the smallest details in the big picture.  impressionism!  continued awareness of the freefalling arms, with a precise angle of the thumbs releases the 2nd arms/fingers.  lateral awareness of inner triceps.  awareness of letting go!  opposite of the old 3 dog night hit-hard to be easy....

training:
10 pairs
hanon 15

recital
debussy prelude-focus on memorizing-listening to harmonic rhythm
chopin waltz am-count 3 connecting to count 1
bach inventions-lateral arms and thumbs resting on keyed
mclean vincent-think ahead

120910

piano fitness is beautiful.  finding the beautiful in number 2.  really hearing the 2nd fingers!
the training is connecting the sound/feeling and feeling more sound.

recital is approaching quickly. it is in 3 weeks!  every piece sounds better (to me) each day.

120810

piano fitness is oppositional awareness.   up/down,  f/p, internal/external rotation, strength/flexibility, supination/pronation,

training
10 armiis
hanon 15 bl br
f.f. 2 sn mm 112
f.f. 1 sn
f.f. 3
big chords

recital practice
mclean vincent-90% memorized
debussy 1st arabesque-last page needs practice
beethoven t&v #5/6
bach inventions 13 B7 cadence notes!

120710

piano fitness is dedication.  when feeling lackadaisical toward practicing,  the dedicated adult within must coax the wistful child within to sit down for a least a short time and focus on the work at hand.  often i end up spending a long time on the bench, and training flows into playing. the end result is having fun making music...

120610

piano fitness is

training:
10 3rds
hanon 15 br


practice
recital pieces
debussy prelude/1st arabesque
bach inventions
joplin elite syncopations
mclean vincent
bach/liszt prelude/fugue am

120610

training:
10 3rds
hanon 15 br

112910

piano fitness is eccentric.  listen to long lines using longer muscles and longest fingers.  "simple but profound" says katherine steadman.

112810

piano fitness is freedom.   letting go and listening.

don mclean's vincent is drawing my attention.

112710

piano fitness is fun!  i am still learning to listen, but learning and listening are fun!

training:
captain pairs
ff 1&3

recital prep:
debussy prelude-listening to dominant fade finds p and sets up harmony!
chopin waltz-listening to bass chords connects count 3 to 1.  3rd treble count must be pp!
bach inventions-these get attention today!

beethoven t&v slightly faster today.

joplin-memory work

mclean's vincent - hauntingly beautiful and sadly optimistic

debussy 1st arabesque  

112610

piano fitness perfectly poised.

training

hanon 15 bl br
big chords
ff 2


since last post-lateral awareness releasing the thumbs, gives support to all other fingers.

practicing for memorial recital:

debussy prelude s.b.
chopin waltz am
bach inventions 13/14
beethoven t&v
joplin 3 rags
debusssy 1st arabesque
bach/liszt prelude/fugue am
ravel pavane

110910

piano fitness is directional.  up/down.  parallel/contrary/oblique.  long/short.  how quickly can you let go.

training:
hanon 1 s.n. 1,2,3, mm132  s.n. 4 mm66 possibly the quickest warmup?? definitely the most practice needed!

3 five fingers    s.n. 4 in 2


preparing for my  aunt genevieve sonsara's memorial recital 12/31/10 9pm.  her 100th birthday 1/1/11
debussy prelude s.b.
debussy 1st arabasque
chopin waltz am
bach inventions 13/14  (13 feels lateral swinging arms)
bach/liszt prelude/fugue am



3 five fingers s.n.1 in 3


chopin waltz in a minor

110310

piano fitness is evolutionary.  feeling sound evolves with each repetition.  the wonderful beauty of evolution is that it's new, fresh, different every time you play.  no piece is the exact same twice.   the only time it is exactly the same is listening to the same recording.

piano club this saturday-bach inventions 13 14?

training:
10 3rds
the train
hanon 15 reversed

debussy prelude s.b.
chopin waltz in a

110210

piano fitness is connection.  finger contact with the key connects with the mind's ear creating the music.
                    
awareness of the neutral spine (continued release the hyper-extended thoracic spine for me) allows for more freedom for the falling arms.  awareness of the forearm alignment (the inner triceps release) awareness of the thumbs giving support to every other finger.

training:
the train
the spider
hanon  15 s.n.


playing:
bach  inventions 13 14
bach/liszt prelude fugue in a
debussy prelude s.b.

102310

piano fitness is flexible.   choose 1 (or more) warm up for each lever:   full arms- forearms- fingers.
                                        choose a count (2 or 3),  choose a rhythm (even, long/short, short/long).
                                        listen and feel.  done!

training:

10 3rds
big chords
hanon 15 br

playing:
prelude/fugue am bach/liszt
inventions 13 14 bach
sonatinas G & F  beethoven
waltz am chopin
prelude s.b. debussy

102010

piano fitness is training.  learning to listen trains the mind/body connection.  the intended sound feels easy and relaxed.  mindful repetition develops muscle reactions that become automatic.  hearing the sound and feeling the motions=mind/body connections.  the relaxed thumbs seem to give support to the other fingers.  letting go is the difficult part.


training:
basic
h 15 bl br
ff 3

playing:
sonata k545 1st mozart
inventions 13,14 bach
prelude am bach/lizst

101510

piano fitness is feeling falling.  quoting martin rush "the better you feel physically, the easier it is to be happy. "

training
basic
10 3rds
h 15 bl br
ff 2


étude op10 no3,

101210

piano fitness is repetitious.   habits form from repetition either better or worse.   good balanced work prevents injuries (rss, carpel tunnel or "tennis" elbow, etc.)



training:

hanon 15 rotary
triad octave skips-major
5 finger 3rds in 3
f.f. 2
f.f. 1
8vas
4 way 8vas

101010

piano fitness is refreshing.   each day feels differently.  correct and secure.   i imagine the feeling in 1 1/2 years.  today observed the relaxed thumbs in supination adds tone to other fingers.

reviewing
prelude fugue bach/lizst is relearning the new.

today's a date to remember!

100910

piano fitness is integral.  the union of feeling and listening in the present moment.  a few days off and the spirit of horowitz's piano lingers.

playing:
review prelude and fugue am bach/liszt
inventions 13 & 14 bach

100510

piano fitness continues to develop.

training:

10 arms
big chords
f.f. 2

an opportunity to play vladamir horowitz's  personal steinway grand at green's music in san diego today.  i spent 2 hours in their recital hall

playing:

reverie debussy
waltz am chopin
pavane ravel
prelude debussy
claire de lune debussy
andante cantabile mozart
great gate of kiev mussorgsky
variations beethoven
reverie 2
solace joplin
études op10 nos 3&4 chopin

all recorded w/ garage band in the piano fitness sub folder - horowitz piano

092910

piano fitness is potentially boring.  any time any thing is endlessly repeated the potential for boredom is a possibility.  the participant must be disciplined to press through the boredom or find the interest from within.  imagining a serious tennis student practicing the serve!

training:

hanon 15 bl x2
hanon 15 bl as written
big chords-for arms

playing:

inventions 13 &14 bach

092810

piano fitness is strength building.

playing:

prelude debussy

etude 10.5 chopin

092710

piano fitness is changing.  changing the feeling changes the sound.  the falling of the arms grows stronger and easier.  i have to keep learning to listen more to all the voices singing in my mind.

092610

piano fitness is connection.  listen with mind/body's swinging arms connecting through the keys create the sound. i am still learning to listen.  finding the "sweet spot" is the connection. i cannot think of any athletic activity that doesn't utilize the sweet spot in playing well.  my teacher,  lina baranov's maxim: "don't think, play!"

training:

10 3rds

playing:

rags joplin
prelude debussy
claire debussy
1st arabesque debussy
waltz in am chopin
étude op.10 nos 3 & 4 chopine
inventions 12 & 13  bach
theme/6 variations beethoven

092510

piano fitness is connecting feeling and listening.

training

hanon 15 bl-arms
hanon 15 br-rotary
hanon 15 as written - listening the the scale of the first note - up and down


playing

prelude debussy-a most wonderful ff ending,  also has the most beautiful pp, and exciting everything else in between.

claire de lune- debussy  everyone plays this.  it is stunning sound color of the pp kind.  only 1 of the 72 measures is marked f at measure 41 (6 measures past the exact middle)!

pavane ravel
inventions 13, 14 bach
rags joplin

092410

piano fitness is for me.   just over 3 1/2 years into the 5 year training, and feeling the sounds with sound feelings is occurring.   the released inner upper arm changes shoulders and back awareness, allowing for the thumbs to hang loose.  the sound is nicer too!  letting gravity do the work-stop adding to it for better sound.

playing
maple leaf rag/joplin
music by the masters - to page 40
     listening for the beauty in the 2 note slurs
pavane ravel
am waltz chopin
theme w/ variations beethoven
sonatinas  various

092210

piano fitness is training.  finding the proper arm position for easiest release trains the muscles in that shape.  changing arms angles changes muscle posture.  letting the changes happen and developing the new good habit is the training.


training:

the basic- 10 arms
f.f.. 2 s.n.

playing"

am waltz/chopin
music by the masters selections:
venetian boat song/mendelssohn
allegro/haydn
pages 6-20

092110

piano fitness is personalized.  

training

hanon 15 bl/br



the last grey day of summer and the light from the windows made me think of moonlight

claire de lune/debussy

092010

piano fitness is fun work.  choose a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life ...is  a quote from somebody....    feeling sound with sound feeling ......the non falling arm of the past gives way to an easier released inner upper arm freeing fingers 1, 2 , 3.  the wrong angles cause extra exertion and overwork them.  observing the exchange daily.  the released energy frees mind/body to listen. sadly true, there is the right touch or the tight touch.  either way, habits develop.  


playing :

am waltz
prelude
1st arabasque
inventions 13, 14
music by the master selections
sonatinas

091810

piano fitness lets loose happen.  arms, like everything else, bounce when dropped= f/p sound

playing through music by the masters.  reviewing pieces learned long ago, but with new arms.  releasing through the arms, frozen muscle memory from 30 years ago are thawing out!


chopin's a minor waltz today

091710

piano fitness is fitness.  core stabilization from pilates and yoga awareness provides the solid base for feeling arms fall freely.  letting go takes eccentric strength.  feeling the changes requires mind/body connection.  changing habits from bad to good, until it is unconscious


practicing:

10 3rds
5 6ths
4 way 8vas

091510

piano fitness is changing.  changing the way it feels changes the sound.  changing the arms' angles changes the way it feels.  habits form from repetition-good or bad.  since the falling arms require no additional movement,  push or pull.   i am very focused on changing that awareness.  the habit of adding extra to the swing of the arm requires my constant observation.  the habits are changing from bad to better.  today i feel a releasing inside my upper arm  (bicep/triceps area).  eventually this new feeling will become the better habit.

091410

piano fitness is discovery.  finding the easiest is the hardest!  holding downdog arms at the proper angles allows for quick twitch fibers to develop.  for speed i listen to every other note for shaping the line.

playing:

invention #14 bach  listening to the note repeating in the motive is always softer.  moving the phrase to the big beat.

training:

the train-a full arm start to finger fitness end   I i idim7 V6/4 is the progression
f.f. 2  legato feeling is developing w/ 1/2/3
hanon 15 as written for speed and rotation

091310

piano fitness takes time.   counting time is where music begins-  before you hear the piano sing. swinging the arms with correct feeling into fingers 1, 2, 3 are gaining strength.  a warmer sound comes through.

training
3 8vas  1-5, 1-4, 1-3  the correct angles to swing the arms in downdog.
8vas 4 ways   for rotation counting with 1) captains 2) guards 3) l guard / r captain 4) l captain / r guard
finger fitness 2  basic 2 counts  advanced 4 counts
hanon 15 my favorite for speed but it takes time to get there


playing

elite syncopations joplin
the entertainer joplin
prelude debussy
pavane pour une infante defunte ravel

a 2nd attempt to upload since yesterday has no audio again???

        

091110

piano fitness is fun and amazing.   listening and letting go.





training

10 3rds bl
f.f. 3
f.f. 1
f.f. 2

time for piano club!

091010

piano fitness is awareness.   it is great and strange to be becoming aware of the 2nd finger.  the falling arms have to land at the correct angles for the arm's release from shoulder to fingertips.  listening to every sound is challenging but essential.  "downward facing dog" arms (balancing the externally rotated upper arm with the internally rotated forearm) swinging a easily as possible on every pair.  finger legato - i remember when first starting to learn piano in 8th grade, it always felt awkward to play fingers 1-2-3.  i theorize that it's from the 2 reversed curved neck injuries sustained from grade school years.  it now is feeling much better but vigilant listening is constantly required.  falling with the 3rd arm is thawing out.

training

10 3rds blocked (formerly 10 pairs)

finger fitness 2 (formerly called 1) w/ start notes

finger fitness 1 (formerly called 2) w/ start notes for rotation release

finger fitness 3 for center balancing  on 4th start note 2 counts

hanon 15 blocked 2 counts

hanon 15 start notes m.m. 126

tomorrow is piano club. i will play pavane pour une infante defunte   ravel

i made a recording but again NO SOUND.
i'll try this again tomorrow.

090810

piano fitness is changing.  changing what you feel to change the sound you hear.  more and more i hear finger 2 too loud.  the arm muscles for legato between 1 & 2 and 2 & 3 are the focus today.

troubled again with posting movies ... today's issue NO SOUND 

a second recording of waltz in a minor chopin

090610

piano fitness is connecting listening inside and listening outside.   inside=feeling outside=sound from the piano.   labor today  lol

082810

piano fitness is centering.  using the 3 yoga balances (front/back, side/side, top/bottom)  allows for easiest falling arms.  in the hand- 3 centers - fingers 2, 3, 4

today's training

10 pairs

6ths, 8vas

4 way 8vas

finger fitness 3

today's playing

prelude debussy from suite bergamasque

rags joplin

pavane ravel

etude op10 no4 chopin 

082510

piano fitness is listening.  to begin,  play two sounds and listen.  the first sound was louder/softer/same as the second sound.  same is the least musical sound.  choosing louder for first or second will be determined by the rhythm or count.

today's training:

10 pairs
finger fitness 1-4 start notes
finger fitness 2-4 start notes
finger fitness 3-2 start notes

082410

piano fitness is problem solving:

     1) unconscious problem
     2) conscious problem
     3) conscious correction
     4) unconscious corrected

today's awareness of releasing between finger 2/finger 3.

082310

piano fitness is freedom.   i feel like my 2nd fingers are thawing out from muscles frozen all the way into the scapula.  my theory-my reversed curve in the cervical spine corrected through headstand.  the arms are freely swinging.  the angles in arm position are changing too.

today's training:
10 pairs
finger fitness 3
3 triples

today's playing
bach inventions 13 & 14
joplin rags

082010

piano fitness!  when i started training 3 1/2 years ago, i thought to myself, "the way you play will have to change.  you will have to feel those changes."  now i'm finding that to be true.  my teacher at university, lina baranov, maxim-  "don't think-play!"  now i'm understanding what she meant.

081910

piano fitness is fitness.  pilates for core strength, yoga for flexibility and balance.  posture!

how strange to feel the 2nd arm/finger connection strengthening each time!   chitakash (sp) sees it more too.

music by the masters today

081710

piano fitness  hanon is very useful.  6, 5 are great for rotary training.  15 blocked, practiced daily for arm training.  i have composed 3 hanonish patterns which strengthen the bridge nicely.

i'll try to upload chopin's etude op10 no4 again today (quicktime movie).  speed will come, listening helps alot! needs to be more even in the 16ths.....well it uploaded but the video is not in sync w/ audio  :-(

081510

piano fitness is balance.   balances between mind/body, left/right, front/back, arms/fingers, feel/listen.  (that's listen w/ BOTH ears!)  2 1/2 hours of playing today (1 hour of that was training).  the connection of the mind to the long 2nd arm/finger is getting more secure!  how fun -  a chopin waltz and ravel's pavane and more!

the inability to post the audio/video on 8 11 is frustrating!  must find a resolution soon....

081310

piano fitness originates from the summer of 1979, studying w/ alexander hanway.  i am reminded (again!) of his mention of developing the long muscles used for playing-  the "horseshoe" arms from pilates!

wednesday's daily song file was too big to upload i think.  i'll work on that  issue tomorrow-today is friday the 13th..lol

081110

for piano fitness in full arms, blocked hanon#15 is excellent. for warm-up, a drop and a rebounce of the arm on each 3rd  and changing the start note developes balance. daily song is chopin's etude op10 no4.  i have been enjoying this for over 25 years.  it's finally starting to get better..lol

081010

daily improvements continue w/ piano fitness. i read about the "freefall" arms in gyorgy sandor's book "on piano playing" earlier this year. i'm still integrating that concept and am amazed at the changes in feeling/listening, although my concept of training is in direct opposition to his insistence that no muscle training is necessary.  every time i practice falling arms, i feel the muscles getting stronger, and awareness is improving my tone. my friend colleen adent is right about this producing a warmer, richer sound. 

i have been enjoying scott joplin this week-the daily song is "the entertainer" 

080910

piano fitness, like all body/mind disciplines, begins in the mind.  i am still learning to listen.  i have to get an audio link site tuesday!  elite syncopations by joplin is today's song. training the basic "falling arm" with long pushing fingers is improving my listening.  listening to the daily recording is helpful quite a bit.

080810

8 8    the first blog!  piano fitness develops over 5 years, and i am 3 1/2 years into the training.  after a long break (oct 2000 - feb 2007), i began training to play again.  piano fitness is learning to listen- to your body (every sound has a feeling!) -to the sound created by the piano (using the ears is harder than you'd expect).   every time i play, it feels and sounds different to me.  playing pieces i learned over 30 years ago,  are always fresh and exciting as i am still learning to listen.