Pastures new

Sometimes, you reach a limit.

No matter what you do, you can't move forward.

Happens to us all sometimes.

Me included.

It's been quiet round here for ages.

My enthusiasm has dwindled away.

I'm not sure I want to be on a blog at all.

My heart truly wants to be doing other things.

So, it's time for me to buzz off.

Time to find pastures new.

Thank you to all my readers.

Wishing you groovy music and beautiful flowers.

Love, Hz

A week of....

Chopin.

Celebrations in his native Poland.

200 years since he was born.

There is disagreement about his actual birth date.

So, they are holding a WEEK long performance.

It covers both the suspected dates.

Day and night you can hear his piano music.

Which has got me thinking.

Do you have an exam or performance soon?

How about a week of YOUR music?

Think of it, playing those pieces whenever you get the chance?

Maybe not the same ones all day AND night. Hz

Lighter

Hey, have you noticed?

Yes, I'm happier this week!

There's more daylight.

It's lighter when you come home.

I can even see across the room at breakfast time!

So, how about doing some practising before you get tired?

Before the lights have to go on.

Before you snuggle up in front of the fire.

Before you decide to leave it until tomorrow.

Go on. Do some today.

And tomorrow, of course. I'm such a slave driver. Hz

Little notebook

Some people are great at remembering things.

They know exactly what their teacher asked them to work on.

Others are useless at remembering things.

They use it as an excuse to work on nothing all week.

Which kind of person are you?

Hmmmm. I thought so.

Why not buy a little notebook?

Ask your teacher to write your homework in it each week.

Read it before you start each practise session.

And try to do everything on the list.

Remember to take it to each lesson.

Let me know if it works for you. Hz

Dynamics

p mf ff sf > pp

So many people just ignore them.

Maybe you do as well?

Varying degrees of loudness.

All the extras that give our music intensity and shape.

What helps our music make sense.

The interesting features.

Without them our music is likely to be dull.

Like reading aloud with no expression in your voice.

So come on, be dramatic and add the dynamics!

I'll hold onto the roof when it gets really loud. Hz

Why are scales so unloved?

I was just listening to that scale you tried.

It had many guessed and bruised notes in it.

It might have been a newly invented one!

So, can I check a few things out with you?

Do you know what the notes are meant to be?

Can you find them one by one on your instrument?

Do you know what major and minor scales should sound like?

How about those dominant 7th and blues patterns?

If not, ask your teacher to play them to you.

Try learning a few so you can play them beautifully.

It's worth it. They really do help improve your sound. Hz

Commitment is.....

Commitment is - practising your instrument every day.

Then, walking 2 miles through snow and ice to get to your lesson.

AND, playing wonderful work when you got there.

Music to my ears!!

Bravo if you did that this week.

All that work has paid off.

Your music is sounding great.

You feel so happy about it.

I love hearing it.

And even your teacher was smiling.

Then you had to walk 2 miles home after dark in the snow and ice.

That is real commitment. Love, Hz

When does the fun start?

Snow has made the town grind to a halt this week.

Everyone has been having fun sliding down hills.

We work hard to climb up the hill so we can have fun whizzing down.

Now, imagine dragging all your family and friends on a sledge UP a mountain.

Tough work and you might not make it.

Why would we choose to make things SO hard?

When we put off our practising for another day

we make it so much harder to get going again.

When we work little and often at something each day

we really do see things progressing and that's when the fun can start.

Brrrrrrr.......time for a spin. Keep warm. Hz

Just do it now

Why do you avoid it?

You always put off your practising.

You say you'll do it later.

After watching tv.

After chores.

Then it gets too late.

You say you'll double up tomorrow.

You say you'll do lots of work at the weekend instead.

And then tomorrow or at the weekend you say the same.

How about you stop making excuses and JUST DO IT NOW?

Little and often works best. Just do that. Hz