It all begins tomorrow

Tomorrow begins my challenge for 2010. I started thinking yesterday about where this all will lead. Experience over the past couple of years has shown me that I'm pretty good at goal setting and achieving. It has also shown me that as soon as I reach one goal, I set another one, and begin working towards it with as much doubt and confusion as all of the other ones.

Whether I choose to be optimistic or pessimistic, I have decided that being systematic will help me the
most. I'm going to start with scales and chords, then move to progressions in C, Bb, and Eb. I also want to make sure that I can play out of a fake book with ease by the end of the year.

I will use the next three weeks to learn the fingerings of all the major scales and arpeggios in both hands over two octaves. The book I have breaks them into three groups based on the postion of the fourth finger. Next weeks scales will be C, G, D, A, and E. They all use the fourth finger on the 7th degree of the scale (in the right hand).

Tomorrow I will post the actual breakdown of my practice routine by minutes. I'm going to only do an hour a day at the piano for now, and do additional reading to refresh my memory on theory and harmony.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow. . .


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Baby Steps

Opened my jazz standards "real book" and decided to try my hand(s) at "All of You" by Cole Porter.

I attempted to use the simple method of playing the root and either the 3rd or 7th in my left hand, with the melody in the right hand (with the 3rd or 7th, depending on what I left out of the left hand). That's kind of confusing, but hopefully it will become easier. I think I need to play the melody an octave higher so I can put the other notes in the right hand, but it sounds weird to play it up that high.

I'm also wondering how long it takes for this to become intuitive. I guess I'll be finding out.


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Frustration

I seem to be frustrated today. I finally got all of my books from Lexington yesterday, and though I shouldn't be surprised, months of not practicing have caught up with me.

It also dawned on me that I haven't been very clear about what I want to be able to do on the piano by the end of the year. Not a very good plan for a person with ADD. Trying to resume my practice routine without a goal in mind was beyond frustrating and felt like a waste of time when I was done.

I need to spend the next few days before 2010 coming up with a goal for my playing. I have no aspirations of playing in a jazz trio and as cheesy as it is, I really would like to play cocktail piano. The kind of piano nobody is listening to when it's being played in the background.






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Things Are Coming Together

Got into my new apt. Cable, Internet, and piano are set up...but all my other furniture is in Lexington. Not sure where my fake books, and my other piano books are.

I did not, however, use that as an excuse not to practice. I decided to figure out some voicings by thinking through them and using my ear. I also practiced scales and Hanon exercise #1.

Yesterday I realized that I will have to post recordings my playing in order to make this blog worth it. So I have committed to posting something every Friday (starting in 2010, which is officially when this "challenge" starts.)


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Location:New Apt!!

iPhone App

Just testing this iPhone app to see how it works. Now I will have no excuse not to blog.


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Here it goes. . .

I am starting my blog today.

I am committing myself to be an "intermediate" jazz piano player by the end of 2010. I know my chords, scales, and a couple of songs. I do have a musical background from playing clarinet in middle and high school.

Last year I bought a Yamaha P85 Digital Piano, with the promise to myself that I would play every day. That worked until life got hectic. After hundreds of dollars on books, dvds, and courses, the only thing missing is dedication and commitment.

I'm hoping this works.