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