The Classic Piano Course (Part 3)

At this time, I have been learning the piano for about 2 months. As more and more concepts are covered, the more difficult the pieces become, due to the pieces implementing more types of notes/techniques (Some I went over include Staccatos, first and second endings, whole and half-steps). Carol Barratt also states in her book "Now that the pieces are gradually getting more difficult, don't expect instant achievement! Make sure you practice hands separately until perfect before attempting hands together." In my experience, you can get the gist of it within 1-2 hours of a "difficult' piece with practice and just running it through, but in order to play it perfectly every single time, it does take a week or two, as stated in the book.

Although I haven't gotten to the barriers of not having a full-sized keyboard yet, there has been some other limitations, such as not being able to play a duet piece or using the sustain pedal, as my keyboard doesn't have one.

Another challenge I have faced is extending my hands. Since playing the piano is mostly muscle memory, when you are required to "extend your hands," your entire hand may move according to the note. For example, you may have to the note "A" on your right hand, then have to play the same note an octave higher, which forces you to move your hand positioned, so one key is not assigned to one finger like before. This is difficult for me because it requires more practice, and is hard to play the correct notes in the correct rhythm while making sure your right hand is also playing correctly.

Another key point is playing sharps and flats, as mentioned in previous posts. The key signature may tell you that all the "B's" in the piece are flats. This means that you need to play the black key to the upper left of the actual B key. This is challenging because it puts your hands in awkward positions.

How much progress do you think you have made since the beginning of quarter 2?