Tommy’s Piano Corner is all about how we can get the best from this wonderful hobby of playing the piano. Comprised of this Website and Blog, a Facebook Page and a YouTube Channel, the aim is to bring piano related content – including practice ideas to try, reviews of books and other piano resources and finally ideas about how to use modern technology to make the pianist’s life simpler.
To introduce you briefly to myself, from being about 10 years old to my early twenties, I was a very keen pianist. Not necessarily a very good one when compared to some of these fantastic kids you see playing, but acceptable all the same. For reasons I’ll probably go into later, I ended up abandoning the piano and pretty much didn’t touch one for over twenty years.
About 3 years ago, I finally treated myself to a Yamaha Clavinova with the intention of starting to play again. In reality, I didn’t touch my new piano too much for a number of reasons (a combination long spells away from home on business, frustration with sounding like a train wreck when playing and a preference to open a bottle of red in the evening rather than tickle the ivories).
Anyway, cutting a long story short, back in August of 2015, I finally decided that enough was enough and I was going to do some real work to see to what extent I could recover my old piano playing skills and hopefully progress even beyond my old level.
I first started to write this blog to share my experiences and in the hope of getting in touch with others a little like myself. From reading Pianist Magazine, it would seem we’re a fairly common breed. I later added the Facebook Page and finally the YouTube Channel to be able to share a more varied range of things.
25th October 2018
Same basic story here. What I have found in returning is that my entire interest is really around music theory whereas as a ten year old I was taught only sight reading (which i am greatful for!) I enjoy music theory immensely, so my piano playing is more around jazz fundamentals then for example your Impossible Task. Enjoy, second time is a charm, and you CAN go back home (to your piano).
27th October 2018
Great to meet you here Paul. Jazz – and particularly the amazing skill of reharmonisation – is something that I find fascinating. It is most definitely on my to do list to learn this skill. To me, there is nothing more beautiful than to hear a familiar tune (such as Misty) enhanced by complex harmonies that bring out further the beauty of the melody.
7th December 2018
Ha, ha, your story is so alike my own. You are welcome to visit my blog and compare, please do begin from the beginning. Unfortunately I have not been able to update the blog for … um, a year, but I plan to. I will. Promise.
7th December 2018
Fantastic. I’ll be sure to. I’ve always been convinced that we returning pianists are a definite group … great to make the connection
12th July 2019
Do you ever feel that as adult piano hobby-ist you come to the realization that your piano teachers are no longer required? With the great invention of YouTube channels such as yours it seems I can get much more information about the playing the piano online than I ever could from my teachers. I have several instances where the piano/student relationship has become ‘strained’, not just with one teacher but with all of them. When I play pieces that I absolutely love like the Scriabin Etude op 8, No 12 not in any way like the great pianists play it, but I get thru it and I absolutely love playing it. When my teachers here it and they discover that my music theory and technique is not where it should be to ‘play’ this piece they always say you need to learn theory and re-start at a basic level to really understand this piece. At that point I become extremely irritated. I want to play the piano for my own enjoyment and I will not stop playing this piece because someone says I don’t have the theoretical background to play it. I’m 76 years old and I could never be satisfied with “little” pieces that they want me to play. I listened with great interest to your lecture on this subject and I have taken heart. My current teacher is a brilliant pianist who has just completed Doctoral studies in Piano Performance. He really knows the piano and can answer many of the questions technical and theoretical that I might have. BUT, he wants me to play “little” pieces. I am NOT interested in playing “little” pieces. I have to play the music that coincides with my adult intellect. So I am about to resign lessons with my – and I think final piano teacher. What do you think? Sorry to be so verbose.
13th July 2019
I can totally understand where you are coming from here. I think the fact of life is that adult learners have different needs to those of children. Have you read ‘Play It Again, an Amateur against the impossible’ (available on Amazon)? The author (Alan Rusbridger) decides to take on Chopin’s 1st Ballade in G Minor – a piece well beyond his current ability. He sets the target of a year to do this and eventually takes 16 months. He got his teacher to buy into this project (despite the teacher’s reservations as to whether it was necessarily a good idea) and together they worked through it, problem by problem. Ultimately, what’s to stop your teacher helping you with the specific music theory and technique elements needed to play the Scriabin Etude? Perhaps ask him to watch my video and tell him this is how you want to try learning. As a concession, you can also learn some ‘little’ pieces (as I said, I spend 50% of my time working on things that are more ‘reasonable’ and the rest on my passionate projects).
At the moment, I don’t have a teacher … I keep thinking about it but in reality I think with what’s available on YouTube and things such as Graham Fitch’s Piano Practice Series and Rami Bar Niv’s Art of Piano Fingering book, then you can teach yourself. That said, when I first played all those years ago, then I got up to Grade 8 so have a fairly reasonable grounding in the basics. I suspect if you can get your teacher on side, then progress might be faster, but if not, then why not give it a go yourself. Ultimately, you hit the nail on the head in that you are playing for your pleasure and its important that you feel motivated and fulfilled by what you are doing.
15th July 2019
Hi Tommy
I recently bought the Shure mv88+ kit and am trying to learn it now so I can record Native flute sessions.
I just watched your video on the Shure mic. Great job. Thank you. I will be watching more. You mentioned an app that beautifies the video or you called it top and tail. I looked but couldn’t locate it. Do you have a link to it?
Thank you. I appreciate what you have posted!!
16th July 2019
Hi Dave. The app I use for ‘topping and tailing’ is just iMovie on my phone. To control your microphone, download the Shure Motiv App if you haven’t already and use this to control its settings. You can then record video directly into your camera roll (and the mic will be used to capture the audio with the settings you applied in Motiv app. I have a detailed review of the app also that you can read and watch.
You then use iMovie to tidy up the video, add titles etc. Best regards. Tommy
17th August 2019
Hi Tommy:
Just wanted to say how much I enjoy your videos and how much they have helped d me rediscover the joy of playing piano.
I’m busy working my way through Melanie Spanswick’s books. I’m wondering what your regular practice sessions look like and how much time you spend daily at the keyboard. Do you stick to just one piece or do you tackle several at a time?
Many thanks
Gillian
17th August 2019
Hi Gillian.
Thanks for your comment – I’m so pleased you find the videos helpful.
I generally manage a minimum of an hour and sometimes an hour and a half. At weekends I often do more. I practice several pieces in parallel. Generally a longer term project or two (my current is Liszt’s Liebestraum) plus a couple from Melanie’s book or similar which are more around my current level. I spend most of my practice time working on problem areas as opposed to playing things through.
How do you approach it?
Tommy
17th August 2019
Hi Tommy:
Just wanted to say how much I enjoy your videos and how much they have helped d me rediscover the joy of playing piano.
I’m busy working my way through Melanie Spanswick’s books. I’m wondering what your regular practice sessions look like and how much time you spend daily at the keyboard. Do you stick to just one piece or do you tackle several at a time?
Many thanks
Gillian
13th February 2020
Just a quick note to say the email message had a typo in it, not sure if it was intentional?
Tommy’s Piano Cnrner
Note Cnrner instead of Corner
Looks like you use “Corner” everywhere else, so probably just a typo.
13th February 2020
Definitely a typo – thanks for letting me know. I’ll fix it 🙂
20th March 2020
Excellent video of the MV88 in action Tommy, you’ve made up my mind to purchase one. Just wondering – what 1. Gain and 2. Stereo Width values do you typically use when recording.
Thanks for all the great content to date!
Kind regards,
Alan
20th March 2020
Thanks Alan. Typically I set the gain quite low because I have the microphone quite close to the strings. I try to set the width so it looks as close as possible to the string area. Much depends on the actual angle of the mic with relation to your piano.
28th March 2020
Very much appreciated Tommy, thank you!
Kind regards,
Alan
20th March 2020
Very informative. It’s like how we teach piano vs how we learn guitar. i.e. piano is a theory first, playing music comes later. Guitar, you learn 3 chords and you can make music right away. I’m pulling my son out of his piano lessons because I need a different approach for him
25th November 2020
Thank you for your instruction.
My heart hears, such tender expressions and I attempt to posses its spirit. if I can achieve any portion, at all it is such spiritual satisfaction for me. Such tranquility.
Having had lessons as a preteen, – now 68… a very long absentee! Leaving my piano with the popular songs of my era, the Beatles, Dr. Zhivago, Misty.
And now, having renewed interest in these later years, I have not full knowledge of ornaments, trills, etc.
I effectually learn as I play & listen. Classical is my heart now. Except of course, Christmas is approaching! 🙂
Your communication is much appreciated.
26th November 2020
Oddly enough when I was young, Misty was my ‘party piece’ that friends always asked me to play. To learn it, I asked my mum to sing it to me – and she must have started in the key of G and so that is how I have always played it.
I’m currently learning my yearly ‘Christmas’ piece – Tchaikovsky ‘December’ from the seasons. It is often nicknamed Christmas so I thought it would be fun 🙂
6th February 2021
thank you. ,Very helpful & informative. Personally I prefer to play the entire piece to Get the “feel”. Then separate hands to a comfort level. Then note the accents, ornamentation, trills,pp, f, pedal marks are my last focus. Then practice my stumbling section which is a trouble point. Oh, about the Metronome, I never know how to use it. Yes, basic, but I never got the basics. I just realized,to play my beloved classical…knowledge of the scales is a must. And yet I can get up to speed with repeated practice, I.e.Chopin,Op.69,No.1
play on!
7th February 2021
I personally rarely use a metronome. I know some people feel they are an absolute necessity but I have never found one even remotely useful aside occasionally wanting to ‘hear’ what a tempo might sound like. I also love Op. 69 No. 1 and of course No. 2. Absolutely, let’s Play On!
2nd March 2021
Hi Tommy, I appreciate all your content ans videos! Thank you so much.
I still struggle however with editing piano recordings…I seem to not fully grasp how to connect recorded sections together (especially for complex and fast pieces). I’ve watched your videos on editing multiple times, read your blog and downloaded your e-books as well. However, when I try to put the sections together it is not coherent…Do you have any advise or better do you offer any private consultations, and if yes what is your hourly fee? Thank you so much!
2nd March 2021
Hi. I’d be very happy to try to help. It might be easier to discuss by Facebook. If you would like to send me a message via my Facebook page we can discuss in detail. Much will depend on the way you create your initial recordings and the software you use to stitch them together. https://www.facebook.com/tommyspianocorner/
26th May 2021
Hi Tommy, how are you?
I saw that you made a video on Forscore. I wrote an alternative App,
it doesn’t have that many functions but is much cheaper and more user-friendly!
Maybe this is something for you or your audience.
here is the link to the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pdforga/id1551550116
In case you have any questions or want to test the full version for free let me know.
With best regards Carl
26th May 2021
Hi Carl. Thanks for sharing the link. I’ll certainly take a look.
24th September 2021
Interesting post
Would like to read more
Can I be added to email list?
20th April 2023
Good Afternoon Tommy,
Our stories are similar in that after having lessons in grade school I stepped away from piano for many years.
When I retired almost 6 years ago, I decided to “get serious” about the piano but without any lessons which I never cared for. I enjoy your channel – the videos on how to record yourself were awesome – so I wanted to share something that you may enjoy. I know you seem to gravitate mainly towards classical music but I wanted to share with you someone on YouTube I accidentally ran across 2-3 months ago who I think is tremendously talented. His name is John Michael Ogletree. He’s is simply amazing. Please check out his interpretations of “Misty”and ” The Winner Takes All ” Others I would recommend are ” Someone To Watch Over Me “, ” Crazy”, ” At Last”, and ” Georgia”. I have downloaded them all on MusicNotes. They are so much better than the usual sterile “sheet music ” you find. I honestly can say learning them is making me a better ;piano player. My You tube moniker is ” PianoRevisited”. I have no relation to Jon Michael – I just admire his music immensely and think you may enjoy playing it – as I do.
Best Wishes
John M
23rd April 2023
Hi John – thanks for sharing. Welcome back to piano!!
There seem to be more and more of us picking it up again after a long break. Can’t help wondering where I might be if I’d kept it up all those years ago.
I’ll be sure to check out your recommendation – Misty is a long time favourite of mine and I do enjoy playing non classical – generally from fake books and the like. Do you use them?
27th July 2023
Hi Tommy, I was pondering whether to buy The Art of Piano Playing, with so many unread books (just retired from 34 years Christian ministry). I looked online, read your helpful blog etc.
Your story strikes a chord with me (no pun intended). I learned piano but quit after grade 3 at around 13 yrs old…. not cool at that age, where I came from. Long story but I didn’t really play until mum died in 2013. I had her piano and felt able also to afford piano lessons… worked thro grades and did Grade 8 abrsm summer 2021. I’m working towards ARSM performance, just coped with Bartok Bulgarian Dances, and finally need to learn Gershwin’s ‘I’ve Got Rhythm”. It’s been a joyful slog, and conscious I’m 67, with a forefinger tip very slightly arthritic but manageable.
Thanks for your blog, now linked to my Google Keep notes. It’s really helpful, thanks. Paul