|
by Jenny Leigh Hodgins
I'm excited to introduce an opportunity that has the potential to transform the way you approach your piano playing: the Winning Wednesday Performance Practice. The Science Behind Progress: Performance anxiety is a common challenge faced by musicians of all levels. However, a scientifically proven technique can help you overcome these anxieties and unlock your full musical potential: desensitization. Drawing upon my 30 years of experience in music education and performance, I'm thrilled to introduce a biweekly piano performance practice that leverages the power of desensitization. How It Works:
[It’s not too late to join in the fun! If you’re not already in the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group, join here. If you’re in the group but missed the Wednesday kickoff, come over and listen to the other piano players who’ve already posted! Then, follow the directions below to participate!]
Embrace the Journey:
Taking the First Step: Winning Wednesday Performance Practice offers a structured and nurturing environment to help you conquer performance anxiety and elevate your playing skills. Together, we'll move forward on a piano journey of growth and artistic expression, one Winning Wednesday Performance Practice at a time. I'm eager to see your piano progress and share in the musical fun we'll create. Mark your calendars for our upcoming Performance Practice sessions, and remember, every small step you take brings you closer to your fullest musical potential. Please reach out if you have questions or want to share your excitement. Let's make music, build piano performance confidence, and inspire each other on this wonderful piano-playing journey. 
0 Comments
(on Chopin's Revolutionary Etude, Opus 10 #12)that will move the needle on YOUR piano progress
by Jenny Leigh Hodgins
Life has been a whirlwind, with personal events keeping me busier than ever. This year, I've had a full plate, from leading the HOA as the new Board President in a battle to safeguard our homes to ensuring my senior mother's wellness activities are on track (and my own, as I just hit 60 in July!). My mother's health is fine, and her wellness activities keep us both in great spirits. We take nature walks, visit parks, enjoy our condo pool, and explore the local senior center weekly. Supporting her well-being is a precious and rewarding journey. Doing things completely unrelated to piano practice is research-proven to enhance creative progress! Especially nature immersion, exercise, and social connection. Try it! I've also been prepping free and paid courses for new and returning piano learners (more about that soon!) and preparing my paperback version of Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning for an Amazon launch. All this while continuing to challenge myself to maintain a regular piano practice. I know you know how hard that can be as a busy adult! Now that things are settling, I want to share a sneak peek into my current piano practice routine to motivate you in your practice session. In today's video, I share piano practice insights that align perfectly with our passion for keeping the momentum going with piano progress. BE YOURSELF AT THE PIANO I'm all about embracing our true selves in the journey of creativity and music. That's why, in my videos, you'll typically see me casually dressed, without makeup (I haven't worn any but lip color for 30 years!), and with crazy frizzy hair with its own mind. (I don't fight it.) As a piano educator, creative person, and pianist, I firmly believe in embracing ourselves as we are. This attitude creates a comfortable and enjoyable learning environment for everyone. I encourage you to bring your true self to your piano practice. Being authentic makes way for a relaxed and enjoyable music-learning experience. It's also the best way to connect music to others naturally. 4 Piano Practice Takeaway Tips: Today, I share four takeaway tips from my piano practice of Chopin's Revolutionary Etude (Op.10 #12). I've returned to this piece after 30 years! It's a challenging musical piece that builds piano technique skills. After a long gap from regular piano practice, better piano technique is something many returning piano learners want and need! Here are my four takeaway piano practice tips: 1. Performance Practice: Incorporating performance practice into our routine helps us conquer nervousness and trains us to focus on the music instead of our ego. It's a lot like learning to stay focused on our goals or purpose while struggling against our challenges. 2. Smart Troubleshooting: Instead of playing straight through the musical selection from start to finish, I use short bursts of concentration on the sections that are challenging for me. Tackling tricky areas by breaking them into short, focused sessions can make a big difference in your musical progress. This approach targets specific challenges, leading to gradual improvement over time. You'll be amazed how much better you play through the music once you've spent incremental short periods of practice with a focused effort on trouble spots. Addressing specific issues creates a better overall result in piano progress momentum. 3. Fingering Mastery: Using the correct fingering as soon as possible speeds up our learning process and results in smoother, fluent playing. 4. Try Something Different: If you hit a musical barrier with a particular part of the music, take a step back to evaluate the problem. Don't get set in stone about the piano fingering options you've used up to this point. Experimenting with different fingerings can greatly improve comfort and alignment if a section is still a struggle. Remember, piano learning is all about embracing your unique journey while keeping the momentum of your musical progress moving forward. I look forward to sharing more piano insights and tips with you regularly through your inbox. Let's embark on this musical journey together, embracing creativity and celebrating progress. Keep playing those keys! ?? If you want more support, join the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook Group. Together, let's inspire one another to keep making beautiful music! #PianoProgress #PlayWithPassion  by Jenny Leigh Hodgins My revised ebook, Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning, is available on Amazon from TOMORROW, MAY 16TH! My revised ebook answers new and returning piano learners' most common and recurring questions. Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning ebook is perfect for:
Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning ebook goes live on Amazon TOMORROW, MAY 16TH! SPREAD THE WORD: Please spread the word to anyone who might want to start or return to the piano. YOUR REVIEW HELPS BOOST VISIBILITY! Please drop an ebook review within the next few days if you purchase! You can leave a review by purchasing my ebook and leaving your thoughts on the ebook's content on Amazon. Reviews help boost my ebook's visibility. Even if you have a few reservations about what my ebook covers, your honest review can really help get my ebook in front of more wannabe piano players who need the answers inside the ebook! Thank you in advance for sharing my ebook with those who will benefit from what I've learned as a piano teacher, performer, and composer in my 30-year music career. If you have yet to decide whether to start playing the piano--this ebook is what you need to motivate yourself toward the joyful experience of piano playing! See you on the piano bench!   by Jenny Leigh Hodgins Try these effective piano practice tips:
Your forearms should be parallel to the floor. Your knees should be slightly under the keyboard so your arms and body are not too close to the keyboard. You should sit on the front edge of your bench/stool with your feet flat on the ground. This position allows room to reach the full keyboard range. Check your body posture and sense any tension throughout the practice session. Breathe and increase your awareness of how your body feels at the keyboard. Too often, we get so wrapped up mentally that we ignore increased physical tension in our bodies, neck, back, legs, shoulders, arms, hands, wrists, and fingers.
Too often, we rush through at a speed that is too fast to listen and observe what we need to improve. Practicing slowly without hesitation is an effective practice strategy to master the musical elements you most need to improve.
Avoid playing too loudly or too softly. Pay attention to each musical phrase to know which part of the music should be the focal point, and decrease everything else so that part becomes clear.
Often we overlook the markings in the notation that provide us the blueprint for accurate musical expression. Mark the phrasings and articulations and single those out, section by section, until you have them memorized. 
Aim to press each key solidly to the bottom of the keypad with a firm commitment–even in quieter music sections. Watch out for flattening the finger joints. Aim to press each key with the fingertip without collapsing the finger joints. In most cases, aim for a curved finger and hand shape, relaxed as gently petting a kitten or puppy. However, flattening the hand is sometimes best to keep a comfortable hand position when making larger interval stretches.
a. this provides the extra distraction of a performance practice (which will improve your focus for performances) and b. you will find exactly what you need to improve by listening to your performance.
Hold yourself accountable by: a. making a written schedule and TRACKING it with a piano practice tracker (get my Piano Practice Tracker by signing up here!) or b. posting it in the New & Returning Piano Learners Facebook Group! (Our fabulous piano learning community where you'll get peer-to-peer support and feedback for your piano learning journey!) If you struggle to maintain or establish your practice routine, ask yourself WHY you want to improve your piano playing. Write down your reasons. Place these reasons somewhere visible to remind yourself why piano playing is meaningful and inspire yourself to take action. Drop a comment below telling us why you want to improve your piano playing!  Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning by Jenny Leigh Hodgins is a practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in starting or returning to piano lessons. Get everything you need for a successful start, or return to the piano here! Topics include:
Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning provides answers to those seeking a successful start or building steady momentum for piano progress.  by Jenny Leigh Hodgins My parents introduced me to the piano when I was almost seven years old through a group class with my sister at a local community facility. I immediately gravitated to the concept of patterns, absorbed in the order and beauty of it. And it was something I could do on my own! I was an introverted, brooding, highly-sensitive child. I approached the piano as a solitary activity that brought me peace of mind. For a long time, music was my escape from feeling overwhelmed by my family dysfunction, my shyness, and the enormity of life. Neither of my parents had any musical background. (I took the group piano class while having nothing to practice on during the week between lessons!). I begged my parents to buy a piano. They relented when I was seven. My mother sold Tupperware to pay for a Wurlitzer console piano from the local music store. She found a graduate voice (not piano) student at the local university to teach me. That young teacher was both smart and kind. I enjoyed her lessons a lot! I found great relief in learning music throughout my youth. Music soothed my emotional confusion and allowed me to express my true feelings with anonymity. I relished the solitude and musical expression as an introvert. I still do! Contrary to my dark moods as a child (Don’t worry. I have lightened up!), I distinctly remember having incredible fun in my elementary music classes. My first music teacher was Dorothy Smith (now deceased). She was the funniest, most animated, openly warm-hearted, and embracing teacher I ever had in my life. Sometimes she would sing and play cute, comedic songs on piano for us she had composed herself. She would help us put together musicals—including our parents as cast members! Her infectious enthusiasm and complete warmth were my catalytic hook to music. She shared her love of creating original songs and using music as a way of community-building and fun. That ingrained in my heart the value of music as a communication method. She was a role model of using creativity to harmonize with others. I quickly outgrew my first piano teacher and spent a few years waiting for my parents to find another. When we found one, I went through everything that teacher could offer within a year. This same pattern continued until I started college. So I had a spotty, inconsistent, and generally lacking in educational quality piano history before college.  Author, Pianist, Composer Jenny Leigh Hodgins My College Years After a difficult period in my personal life, I moved from Kentucky to Florida when I was 23. I was happily able to receive both piano and vocal scholarships at State College of Florida and the University of South Florida. However, I tended to practice my original music and neglect my classical piano pieces until a week before jury time. Then I would cram all-day piano practice sessions for a week to pass my juries. Miraculously, I always did well except for my nerves. It was a stressful situation full of stage fright. I do not recommend it. The stage fright I experienced was traumatic and held me back for many years from pursuing music performance. My stage fright and approach to music learning reflected my life choices to that point and my lack of disciplined training. I did not yet learn good piano practice habits. I learned the hard way quite a bit later about the importance of consistent, disciplined effort and preparation in music practice. I did not opt for a vocal degree even though I got both piano and vocal scholarships, and despite being the leader of the jazz, madrigal, and full college choirs. I ended up changing my initial major from piano performance to music composition. Although I was capable as a soprano and pianist, it was the creative process itself that was always a stronger voice within me. What Is Most Important About Your Musical Experience Despite my struggles with stage-fright and inconsistent training, the memory association that my first teacher gave me about music is a huge factor in my ability to not give up on my musical growth. I share the details of my spotty musical background to encourage anyone reading that piano is for everyone. You do not have to have the fortune of high profile credentials to learn piano and gain the tremendous benefits of music education. I am grateful for the influence of my first teacher. She showed me what is most important early on. That lesson carries me through to this day. I made my 30-year career in piano and music education, and performing professionally as a pianist and vocalist despite my obstacles, thanks to my wonderful teachers. Knowing How To Effectively Practice Piano Is Key One of my college piano instructors, Dr. Charles Turon, gave me a complete understanding of effectively practicing piano. He taught me the importance of mind spent versus time spent. He also taught me the importance of mindfulness and breath with an awareness of physical tension and placement during piano practice. That was a huge lesson for my piano progress. Dr. Turon’s approach to piano practice became the basis for my teaching strategy and my piano practice sessions. Immersed In The World Of Negative Musical Experiences Unfortunately, not having solid musical training led to a lack of confidence in myself as a musician. I had such low self-esteem in college that I felt inadequate and out of place in the music department. There were a few piano teachers whose intellectual snobbery and emotional distance kind of perpetuated my negative feeling. I had two female piano teachers, but both were reserved and stoic. Fellow pianists were stand-off-ish and more concerned with flashy technique versus authentically musical expression. So my whole college experience was a world of musical snobbery and intense judgment. I know many musicians who have experienced the intellectual egoism of the classical music world, too. I also think this negative experience influenced my decision to get my degree in music composition versus performance. How You Can Have The Joy of Solid Piano Study I wrote this ebook for the same reason I taught piano for decades. I want to help you get started in your musical journey with a positive foundation. I aim to provide you with an incredibly heartfelt environment where you feel confident in your musicality and self-expression. I strongly feel I must give others what I did not experience until much later on my musical journey. I offer this ebook and all my content on piano-learning so that no one else endures the snobbery, intellectual ego, or educational gaps I went through.  Start Piano ebook available on Amazon NOW! Many people are looking to start piano lessons for themselves, a friend, or a child. But they do not know how to start. They often are not even aware of what basics are essential for successful piano education. Many people are intimidated by the prospect and give up even though they passionately want to play the piano! There is a lot of noise out there offering quick tricks or gimmicks to learn piano faster than before. I am not saying that some things available online or elsewhere have no value. But the truth is that these do not work in the long run. They do not provide the foundation for those who want successful improvement at playing the piano. They do not provide the essentials for those who wish to continue musical progress. My ebook, Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning, is meant to dispel the myth—that successful piano-playing happens with a fast, easy trick or gimmick—through straight-talk from someone who has taught and played piano for 30 years. |
How can you make it fun so you are motivated to establish a regular piano practice routine?
2/21/2023
One of my new and returning piano learner subscribers recently emailed me a question. Thanks, Barbara. Your struggle for motivation to get to the piano bench regularly is something most piano learners experience. Especially busy adult piano learners.
The gist of Barbara's question is this:
How can you make it fun so you are motivated to establish a regular piano practice routine?
First, motivation is unreliable. Get over that idea.
ASK YOURSELF WHY
Instead, ask WHY you want to play the piano. For health wellness, the joy of self-expression, or personal accomplishment, to grow yourself in new ways (aiming for this is research-proven to impact your wellness and happiness).
Get clear on WHY you love piano, and then set a goal based on that. Your goal may be to play a particular music piece well, reach a certain level of piano skill, or play a specific style.
TRAIN YOUR BRAIN TO LOVE PIANO PRACTICE
Keep your WHY visible. Put your reason for playing piano on a post-it on your piano stand, bench, or notebook, so you see it easily. Make your underlying desire to play the piano VISIBLE frequently.
What we remind ourselves of is proven to help train our brains to FOCUS on that. What you focus on grows.
What you focus on trains your brain that that thing is important to you. Your brain will start looking for reasons to get to the piano bench when you train it to think about what is important to you.
The reticular activating system in your brain works like a filter system. The more you put what is meaningful to you in front of you, the more your brain will focus on that and find more of it.
If you want to play piano more, put your piano music and your music goals in front of you. Search piano music online and get into piano-related social media groups. Putting piano-related things in front of you will help your brain start filtering out other stuff and start zeroing in on the piano as an important topic for you.
Create a reward system. See my previous blog for more about using a piano practice tracker as a reward system.
Tracking your daily practice trains your brain that practicing piano is important to you, which will help boost your motivation to practice piano.
Your reward system can simply be tracking the days you practice the piano, checking off each section or a specific musical piece. You can use a checklist or stickers to reward yourself as you record your practice progress. See my blog here for more on this topic.
REWARD YOURSELF BIG
Choose a way to reward yourself each time you meet your weekly music practice goals.
For example, if your goal is to practice 5 of 7 days and you practice 5 days, this is a victory! So treat yourself for making that happen!
You could treat yourself to a dessert, a movie night, or a music concert. You could buy a new favorite sheet music, book, or recording of music you enjoy, meet an accountability buddy for coffee or lunch, or have a special family dinner.
You could also post your achievement in the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group for immediate community support and celebration!
HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE TO OTHERS
Speaking of accountability, make your piano practice goal PUBLIC. Post your weekly goal in the Facebook group, or tell a music-loving friend or family member for support. Post a photo of your piano practice tracking method and your piano practice goals (like the number of days you aim to practice weekly or what musical progress you want to achieve on a particular musical selection, etc.). You could post a photo of your hands on the keyboard or a selfie at the piano whenever you meet your daily or weekly goal!
This interaction with others keeps you accountable to others when the inevitable resistance, obstacle, or lack of motivation rears its head.
Make establishing a consistent piano practice routine a competition contest to beat yourself by one-upping your practice from the previous day or week.
Post in the Facebook group to challenge others to beat you at daily consistent piano practice!
Push yourself to win over yourself from yesterday to today and to exceed today by tomorrow’s victory.
DEFEAT RESISTANCE WITH ADVANCED PREPARATION
Isolation is the enemy of motivation. Get visible to others with your goals. Motivation is not your friend, and you should not rely on it. You must create a piano practice habit.
Overcome obstacles and your inner resistance by preparing in advance. This makes piano practice easier to start.
Preparing in advance includes:
- Getting your music books ready the day before
- Visibly reminding yourself WHY you want to play piano. Place your reason for playing the piano (your WHY) on a post-it note at your piano or the bathroom mirror so you will see it as a reminder to practice piano
- Making a plan. See my blog on scheduling your piano practice routine.
Making a plan prioritizes piano practice, so your brain knows this is important to your happiness.
Use these tips to make a piano practice habit stick and win over your inner weakness or resistance.
BOOST YOUR MOTIVATION WITH DOPAMINE REWARDS
Get recordings and listen to them to remind your brain what you want to achieve as a piano player.
Establishing a piano practice routine takes effort. But anything truly valuable requires a struggle to defeat resistance, whether laziness, insecurity, doubt, fatigue, or a busy life.
Each day you reward yourself for doing the work at your piano keyboard boosts motivation for the next challenge. Rewards release dopamine which trains your brain to look forward to more time at the piano.
MORE BRAIN TRAINING FOR PIANO PRACTICE CONSISTENCY
Remind yourself each night what went well at the piano. Savoring this accomplishment trains your brain to strengthen your piano practice routine as a consistent, joyful, rewarding habit.
MOTIVATION IS OVERRATED AND UNSUSTAINABLE
Remember that accomplishment as a pianist does not rely on feeling motivated. Achieving your musical goals is about making a plan, making it easier to do with preparation, rewarding your progress frequently, and showing up on your piano bench no matter what.
Newly Updated Piano Basics Ebook!
I have recently completed an update to my ebook on piano basics!
➜ You can download my updated ebook, Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning here.
Pianist/Composer Jenny Leigh Hodgins with a Piano Practice Tracker Victory! Here are a few tips working for me to help YOU get your piano practice routine established:
1. Schedule it in your daily routine. Pick a time that works for you, even if it's less time than you think will be necessary for progress. In reality, progress starts with getting yourself at the piano keyboard!
2. Prepare in advance. Get your music books, notebook, piano tracker or practice to do list in order and ready waiting for you on the keyboard stand. Having things ready in place helps motivate you to get started without the obstacle of any resistance!
3. REWARD yourself within 2 minutes of completing a piano practice goal! Research shows that when we want to establish a habit or reach a goal, rewarding ourselves within 2 minutes gives us a small hit of dopamine. This is the chemical that feels like instant gratification and research proves that boosts motivation!
This is why I keep my piano tracker (photo above) handy at my piano practice session. As SOON as I complete something on my piano practice tracker list, I CHECK IT OFF!
Whether you use a checklist like my tracker or stickers, or a spreadsheet, or something else to track your progress, this reward system boosts your motivation to continue!
 My piano practice tracker showing progress the week before last! I use a plastic screen protector and erase my progress at the end of each week! |  My piano practice tracker showing my progress last week! I managed to practice SIX of 7 days! WOOT! |
5. If life gets in the way like it has for me and many busy adult piano learners, use my 5-Minute Rule:
Sit at the piano for 5 minutes.
Look at your music and focus on ONE musical element.
Or, Listen to your music played by an artist while reading along in your musical notation.
Or, try to RECALL your music while waiting at an appointment, or while driving, or before bedtime.
If you can try to PLAY the piano for those 5 minutes, you will surprise yourself how that short span of time may grow into 15 or even 30 minutes to an hour of playing the piano!
Sometimes the 5 minute rule is all we need to move forward again with our musical progress.
👇 Hit reply and let me know how you're doing with your piano practice routine!
...and help you make solid musical progress.
Watch my short video above for one easy piano tip that can help you ease back into the groove of piano practice. Today, I demonstrated practicing this simple goal with an original piano solo.
If you're having a challenge getting into the rhythm of regular piano practice, don't beat yourself up! Create a time to prioritize your piano practice in your weekly schedule.
Just start today. Refresh your determination every day to get to your piano bench! These little steps add up to musical destinations reached!
Let me know in the comments if this easy piano tip is something you can use to jumpstart your piano practice routine!
What's one simple piano tip you can share to help other new and returning piano learners maintain a regular piano practice routine?
You've Got My Heart Piano Music © 2014 Jenny Leigh Hodgins
...to avoid overwhelm and get back in the groove of piano practice!
Here are two tips for new and returning piano learners to help avoid overwhelm and get back in the groove of piano practice! I'm using these myself.
Watch the video for a sneak peek into my piano practice. I show you how I handle the impact on my piano practice routine from the ongoing juggle of adult business.
Two important piano tips to get busy adults back on the piano bench without pressure or burnout.
Learn more about the BENEFITS of piano learning here.
If you are curious whether this is the right space for you--consider these scenarios:
If you:
- Always Wanted To Learn Piano
- Are Learning Piano For The First Time
- Want Your Child To Learn Piano
- Had A Negative Piano Experience, But Still Want To Learn Piano
- Are returning to the piano after a time gap (like me)
- Are a busy adult interested in learning piano as a hobby
If you relate to any of the above scenarios, you are in the right place!
Why The Piano Is The Best First Musical Instrument To Learn!
Who am I and what do I know about piano?
Let me introduce who I am and what I know about the piano. In other words, why you should listen to me!
In college, I switched my piano performance degree to music composition because I loved making up music more than performing. I taught piano for years in my private piano studio, many youth facilities, and even an 11-year stint as an elementary music and chorus educator in Florida. I taught private and piano group lessons, using a mix of note-reading, ear training, and rote-playing with students ages 4-90.
I'm also a composer of piano-based music, produced a musical theater CD of my original songs, have written three short musicals, and scored half a dozen short films with piano-based orchestral music. I LOVE music!
Music loves me.
Three years after my Dad passed away, I left my 30-year piano and music education and performance career to move back to my home state of Kentucky as a caregiver for my 83-year Mom while running my online biz.
But like many busy adults, I've been SO busy with life transitions I didn't practice the piano in a while. I, myself, am a returning piano learner! I have reignited my daily piano practice routine!
That is why I KNOW the struggles of new or returning adult piano learners! I'm in the trenches with you!
Enough about me!
I am excited to have launched the New & Returning Piano Learners Facebook Group! If you want to join our supportive community, sign up here!
Piano Is The Best First Musical Instrument To Learn because it is the foundation for learning OTHER musical instruments.
Choosing piano as your first musical instrument provides a solid musical foundation and many advantages for later branching out into learning other musical instruments.
Reason #1 = The Advantage of TWO Clefs
Piano learners will master two different musical clefs to read musical notation.
The piano player will primarily use the right hand to play Treble Staff notes for the higher range.
The pianist will usually play the lower range of the Bass Staff notes with the left hand.
Being able to read the notation in both clefs becomes an advantage for learning different musical instruments.
Most musical instruments read the notes of one clef, most commonly the Bass Clef or Treble Clef. (Luckily, pianists don’t need to learn the alto, tenor, neutral clefs, or guitar tablature!)
Having already learned the notation for both Treble and Bass Clefs with piano study gives the music student an advantage when learning another new instrument.
This notation-reading skill makes things less complex for the music student when learning additional instruments.
Students learning additional instruments can also focus more on technique and musicality since the rudiments of notation-reading will already be established through piano lessons.
WOOT! One BIG point in favor of learning piano FIRST!
Who likes things to be EASIER!?
Reason #2 is about Music Theory!
Music theory bases itself on the topography of the piano keyboard. (The visual layout of the black and white keys of the piano keyboard.)
This visual point is another excellent reason for choosing piano as a first instrument. No matter what musical instrument you learn, you will use the piano keyboard as a reference when learning music theory!
Reason #3 is...
The Piano Is A Guide For All Instrument Ranges
The piano is a guide to understand the ranges of other instruments and voices!
When learning about the orchestra, or vocal ensembles, the piano also is the basis for understanding the ranges of various instruments and voices. A musical instrument range is how high or low it sounds when played.
The piano keyboard includes all the ranges of these instruments! So it’s an easy, visual guide for understanding where the sounds from all these instruments logistically fall!
Reasons #4 & #5 for Why Piano Is The Best First Musical Instrument To Learn is because...
The piano keyboard is a guide for learning chord structure and harmonic analysis.
The piano keyboard is the basis for understanding chordal structure. Chords are sounds produced when you play two or more notes simultaneously. The order of where these notes are determines different shapes or the chordal structure. Piano topography and musical notation are visual guides for teaching how chords are structured.
The piano also shows harmonic analysis as a visual guide showing how all orchestral instruments or vocal parts harmonize/play together.
Harmonic analysis is the progression and tonality (or the mood of the sound produced) of chords and how they affect the form (structural organization) of the music composition.
These concepts are a bit advanced for new and returning piano learners. But, piano study gradually includes all these more advanced musical concepts!
These five reasons are why learning the piano as your FIRST instrument is an asset to any musician, conductor, or composer!
A BONUS reason for learning piano as a first musical instrument IF you:
- have the proper foundation setup for piano learning, and
- know how to effectively practice the piano
Having the piano as a first instrument gives you the added benefit of established, good foundational and practice habits for music learning. You can apply these powerful benefits to learning other musical instruments, singing, or composing music!
If you would like to learn more, join the New & Returning Piano Learners, click here!
WHO IS THIS supportive community for?
This is for you if you:
- Always Wanted To Learn Piano
- Are Learning Piano For The First Time
- Want Your Child To Learn Piano
- Had A Negative Piano Experience, But Still Want To Learn Piano
- Are returning to the piano after a time gap (like me)
- Are a busy adult interested in learning piano as a hobby
- Are a piano teacher wanting additional support for your students’ successful piano setup foundation and practice habits (sometimes hearing the same advice from an outsider/new source is all it takes to get through!)
I host Q & A sessions with my best piano tips for group members and regular promo threads where piano teachers or piano music product creators may share books, online piano courses, or teaching studios!
JOIN NOW by clicking the button below!!
Please invite others who will benefit from this info and conversation. Feel free to share this video. Tag a friend (on Facebook) by typing her/his name in the comments below.
I look forward to joyful piano progress with you in the New & Returning Piano Learners supportive online community!
Watch my REPLAY above to see my book writing process and a glimpse inside my book. If you are a new or returning piano learner, this is for YOU.
I’m sharing my creative process with a sneak peek of my book, Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning. My book introduction explains who this book is for and what you will get from it.
If you are interested in learning the piano, join our supportive community, where we share our struggles, goals, and encouragement for the piano learning journey!
Join us in the new and returning piano learners Facebook group.
FAQs About My Upcoming REVISED book, "Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning!"
6/21/2022
Wanna know if my upcoming revised book is a good fit for you?
My book is for you if:
- you want to play the piano but do not know how to build a foundation for a successful start
- you do not know how to maintain consistent piano progress
- you played a long time ago, but you want to be more successful at it
- you have more time for it now
- you have children interested in music learning or
- you want your children to succeed in music learning
- Why you should start piano; The emotional, spiritual, and physical wellness benefits of piano learning for both children and adults.
- Who needs a piano teacher?
- Who can find success through self-study (including online apps, videos, and courses)?
- What to look for and how to find a good piano teacher.
- Tips on what to look for in an online self-study method.
- What kind of keyboard do you need to start piano, and where do you find it?
- How do you shop for a keyboard or piano? What should you consider before buying?
- What kind of piano books will you need?
- How old or young is the right age to start piano?
- How much do you need to practice piano?
- How do you motivate the piano learner to practice?
- How do you set up a practice routine for best results?
- How do you inspire children to practice consistently?
- A basic piano practice strategy that gives the most results in the long run.
- Alternative resources for the young music learner.
- Resources for piano methods, online education tools, finding a quality piano teacher, getting the right keyboard instrument, digital and electronic keyboard options, piano practice tips, and other helpful tips.
- And much more!
Does my book teach you how to play the piano?
My book gives an overview of everything you need to start piano with the best foundation prepared for your piano-playing success. This book does not include the specifics of how to play the piano in a step-by-step lesson format.
However, I do cover critical basics on how to practice piano for the most progress. My upcoming book, How To Effectively Practice Piano, will provide a more detailed strategy for practicing piano effectively.
Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning shows you how to set up everything you need for successful, lasting piano-playing progress.
Through teaching piano for more than 30 years, I found that those who had these elements prepared and maintained throughout piano study enjoyed the most consistent and successful piano progress.
Many people were frustrated by piano lessons before studying with me. They did not yet know about the things I covered in my book. Sharing these helpful ideas with more people is a major motivating factor for writing my book.
Why Should You Buy My Book When You Can Search Online?
There’s a wealth of info available online. Unfortunately, it takes a big chunk of time to sort through to find something applicable to you. Even if you luck upon something that applies to your unique learning situation, the source may not be qualified to help you in the best way.
I have posted blogs about many of the topics I cover in my book. But you can save time and get my organized, more in-depth, all-in-one resource at your fingertips when you buy my book.
🎈I Show You How To Start Piano For Successful Life-Long Learning!
You are getting lessons gleaned from my 30 years of experience in successful piano and music teaching, piano playing, and as a piano-based music composer. My book also contains strategies and information I use within my personal piano practice sessions and musical journey.
I am revising my book, Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning. The book offers my best piano tips for new and returning piano learners.
NEW:
The revised book includes my piano history and how that impacts the information provided. My backstory reveals why I am passionate about providing you with my best piano tips and my myth-busting, no-nonsense advice for new and returning piano learners.
Recommended resources for aspiring piano players are getting updated with a broader selection for quality and convenience. I added new information due to how the pandemic has changed the way we can learn the piano.
I am looking for beta readers!
Beta readers will get a chapter or two to read and offer honest feedback. Any suggestions for editing and proofreading errors are welcome. Constructive feedback may also be about the content order or suggestions for omitted or added topics.
Beta readers will have about a one-week timeframe to submit feedback.
Not a professional author or editor?
If you love reading or writing and are willing to spend an hour or two with an excerpt to provide authentic feedback, you are the perfect beta reader!
You may share feedback with voice or video recording, written notes, or any combination! You may send feedback through email or DM on Facebook.
📣 Beta readers will also be the first to know when my new book is published!
🤚 If you’d like to proofread/offer feedback on my book rewrite, please leave a comment with BETA READER in it. I’ll get in touch!
| by Jenny Leigh Hodgins I have not shared a personal update for a while. Honestly, I did not know what to say. It has been a rough ride. Since 2020, a string of family crises and business setbacks challenged me. Family losses, multiple emergencies, plus the stressors and isolation caused by the pandemic kept me occupied. Each time I got through one crisis, another hurled its way toward me. Thinking of my to-do list exhausts me. But, whenever I mentioned my personal struggles to others, they chimed in quickly that these are relatable to them. So I want to let you know that if you feel stressed, you are not alone. |  |
The pandemic has dramatically changed life for me and those closest to me. My social circle has diminished due to my role as a caregiver for my elder mother. Visits with others have a new protocol of caution and discomfort due to our aim for pandemic safety.
I'm tired of the wide divide between myself and others regarding the importance of protecting others from Covid risk. I miss the freedom of being able to socialize with total strangers without a face mask or wondering if they are carrying a risk of threat to my elder mother.
I got so busy helping and protecting others that my life became entirely derailed from my personal and career goals. My recent chapter of constant challenges plus the horrific current news about the world have worn my energy and focus. My sleep quality and quantity had never been worse.
This level of burnout and floundering is unlike me. I am a person with relentless drive and initiative to lead others toward positivity through my abundant positive energy. Usually.
I recently saw life coach Mel Robbins talk about her Reset Workshop. She made me realize my exhaustion from the new pandemic norm and the state of our world is not unusual. Burnout from stress is as real and normal for me as it is for others.
I burnt candles at both ends for others and for too long. I need to take care of myself to be my best for others. Such a cliche! But self-care is still the root of my problem and the solution.
The idea of a total reboot inspired me. I decided to do my version of a complete RESET. Wipe the slate clean. Start fresh.
How to RESET your energy and creative flow after burnout
My version of RESET:
R = Regularly rest your body, mind, and spirit. REST is FIRST because when you have burnout, you need rest to replenish your energy.
Limit screen use and work hours. Do nothing more often.
Seriously. Do nothing.
Daydream. Take a nap. Mindlessly walk in nature. Listen to music. Go to your happy place. Stay there a while.
E = Essentials only. Drop the stuff that matters less.
As a caregiver and a solo entrepreneur, my task list is endless. It is HARD for me to drop things because I feel like it all matters.
But only the essentials matter.
You diminish your task list when you focus on what you want to achieve.
Focus on the one thing that will make an impact on your goal.
For me, that is finishing the revision of my book for new and returning piano learners. The rest can wait.
S = Stay in your lane. Start focusing on your priorities for joy and for making a positive impact. Letting go of extra stuff leaves room for what matters most.
Do what lights you up. Be true to yourself with what you have to offer the world. Being authentic is how you access your confidence zone and where you feel your natural enthusiasm. People with enthusiasm and confidence bring joy to the world.
E = Embrace what nurtures you. For me, that's morning prayer first. Then, more nature, movement, art, music, journaling, reading fiction, and friendship.
And more sleep.
Guard your self-care activities with your whole life. These things are what fuel your holistic wellness.
T = Team-build for accountability and support. Make a pact with a friend or family member, join a group of like-minded achievers, or leave a comment and I'll be your accountability buddy.
Sharing struggles and goals with others relieves stress, brings motivation, and boosts your energy for achieving goals or making it through the dark side to the sunlight again.
Don’t go it alone. Join forces with others. What you bring to the table helps them, too.
What's up next for YourCreativeChord:
Let's drop tasks that keep us constantly busy. Instead, let's do what means more to us; creating value and encouragement for you and me.
I start this new direction by completing the rewrite of my book, Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning.
- Join me LIVE on Facebook each Tuesday and Thursday from 10:30 am ET for a sneak peek into my book as I share my weekly progress.
- Watch for my blog post coming this Sunday if you are interested in being a beta reader for my book!
- Get peer-to-peer support for your piano learning journey when you Join the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group here .
Once I launch my book, my next project is to complete my Essential Piano Basics course for new and returning piano learners.
I hold myself accountable by openly sharing my book writing and course creation process with you. I am pushing myself to break through any obstacle to getting my words on the page and my courses completed. Sharing my creative process means coming to you as I am--mistakes, warts, ugly truths, and all.
These are my credentials for being the person you can trust to tell you what you need to know about living a creative and inspired life.
Sometimes that involves forging ahead with courage through the dark or difficult moments.
Other times we must step back to absorb life and rejuvenate our hearts and souls. That's where I am now.
Next, I will launch a series of new podcasts on nurturing creativity and inspiration.
New podcast episodes include my best creativity tips and examples of creative flow, inspiring stories, spiritually uplifting poetry, and encouragement for personal development.
Are you ready to hit the RESET button?
If YOU need a RESET, let me know you are with me. We will support each other!
Leave a comment to let me know:
- you are listening
- your struggles and goals
- questions
- topics of interest
- YOUR best tips
Need fresh encouragement right now?
Check out this music and nature video I made:
Relieve Your Stress
Or, check out this photo essay:
Keep Looking For Moments Like These
In my Tuesday Piano Tips LIVE inside the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group today, I shared:
- What you need to check if you have tension or pain at the piano keyboard,
- Tips for learning or memorizing music,
- How I fared using my Piano Practice Tracker (get yours here), and
- How this week's Piano Practice Challenge can get you inspired!
Plus, how you can help me as a BETA READER for my revised book for new and returning piano learners!
Any Qs? Please drop in the comments. I love hearing where you are in your piano learning journey. We share many of the same obstacles or goals, so don’t be shy with your questions. You may inspire me or someone else as we address things together.
The #1 key to your piano progress is showing up consistently to practice your music. Establishing a daily piano practice habit is the most important thing you can do to improve your piano skills.
Repetition through physically playing, mentally recalling, or listening to your music reinforces neurological pathways or grooves in your brain. These help you remember the music more readily each time you resume your music learning.
Remember that gaps between piano practice sessions makes your next practice session more difficult for you.
There are plenty of practice strategies that you can use to get your piano playing to the next level. But first, you must establish a daily rhythm of piano practice. This process is more easily said than done.
As busy adults, we have countless tasks, unforeseen emergencies, and events that can easily throw our piano practice off. Inevitable distractions are why aspiring piano players must firmly commit to daily piano practice.
- Think about what time of day is best for you.
- Write your schedule down.
- Communicate it to others.
- Use a piano practice tracker like the one I designed.
Click here if you want me to send you mine! (You'll also get more piano tips!)
Using a piano practice tracker helps keep you accountable. It also gives you a zing of instant gratification when you see your progress!
Refresh your determination to establish your piano practice as a non-negotiable daily habit.
Make sure you set a weekly reward for extra motivation!
When things come up that you get off track, refresh your resolve to get right back to it. Sometimes I only have enough energy or time to quickly run through as many of my repertoire pieces as I can get through in a short amount of time.
At times I listen to, look at, or think about the music before bedtime as a meditative effort to keep it fresh in my mind.
My goal is to practice piano every day.
I do not always succeed with that goal.
But I know that continuing to refresh my determination and swiftly getting back at it helps me further establish my piano practice as a daily habit.
As a busy adult new or returning to the piano, establishing a daily piano practice schedule is the number one key element for improving your piano playing skills!
Let me know how your piano practice routine is going this week in the comments. Have you been able to reach your weekly goal?
Each week inside the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group we have a piano practice challenge! We challenge ourselves to meet our piano practice goals!
Join us inside our musical oasis and get support for holding yourself accountable this week!
Do you have a question about piano learning?
Is there something in particular that you want to learn?
Scroll down to watch the REPLAY of my Tuesday Piano Tips LIVE on how to (safely) handle injury or pain without interrupting your piano momentum.
This topic is SO relevant for many piano learners. Dealing with injury or pain impacts our mental well-being, too.
But whether you have a temporary injury or chronic pain, you can safely continue strengthening your musical skills.
Shout out to New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group members Tina and Alex for recently sharing honestly about their struggles with hand pain.
I have dealt with periodic bouts of chronic tendonitis. My issues stemmed from my overachieving personality. I have a life-long lesson to learn about balance and self-care.
Not being able to play piano due to pain has taught me valuable solutions.
1. Prevent causing physical pain:
Make sure you sit at the proper height when at your keyboard. Your forearms should be parallel to the floor.
2. Use mindfulness when you can practice.
Mindfulness requires attentive awareness of what you are doing on the keyboard. Not just the musical elements or analysis you are thinking at the piano. A mindful piano practice also includes what you are doing physically.
Pay attention to your breathing, sense any tension or unnecessary stretching, and be aware of your posture. Taking a mindful practice approach will help you attune to whether you have any physical tension. Being attuned to yourself is the first step of finding the solution.
Tension and stretching are not habits of the successful piano player. Learning to be mindfully aware of yourself goes a long way toward resolving any tension.
3. Progress Doesn't Just Happen At The Piano!
Most importantly for those experiencing pain, recognize that piano progress does not just happen at the piano.
And it is not just a physical activity.
My mantra for piano practice is MIND SPENT IS BETTER THAN TIME SPENT. But this does not mean that all learning happens at the piano.
A note about REST:
(Pardon the double musical pun there!)
Two of our wonderfully supportive group members and peer piano players stressed the importance of taking a break from playing the piano when you have pain or an injury.
I agree with Natalie and Alex regarding the importance of rest periods. The most important thing is your health and wellness.
If you have pain, you need to rest. Don’t push yourself at the piano until the pain is gone. You will risk further or permanent damage.
Listening, Reading, and Thinking:
Keep Your Piano Progress When You Can't Play
While you take a break from work at the piano, you can use LISTENING, READING, and THINKING activities to keep your momentum going.
(See my most recent REPLAY from May 3rd for specific activities you may use. Check out the GUIDES section for REPLAYS with even more ideas for practicing away from the piano keyboard.)
Why Repetition and Consistency Matters To Your Brain:
And for your piano learning success
We know that repetition forms neurological pathways in our brains that help us learn and memorize music. When we have time gaps between practice sessions, remembering the music or the physicality of playing the music is more challenging.
We know that consistent, regular piano practice accumulates. We know that the combination of our physical, cognitive, and aural memory skills creates a strong foundation for piano playing.
How To Keep Your Piano Progress Going
Even If You Can't Play!
But don't be afraid of losing momentum in your piano advancement when you cannot physically play the instrument!
If you have pain, you should not play the keyboard. But, this does not mean you must lose your progress in music learning!
Using listening, reading, and thinking activities away from the keyboard keeps your musical soul nurtured and your mental health encouraged. You will also eliminate the loss of your musical gains by staying engaged with music in new ways.
Your brain, ears, and even physical memory will keep your musical memory engaged even without being at the piano.
All three of these types of memory can strengthen your musical skills even while you are away from the keyboard.
Your Brain Has NO Idea Whether You're At or Away From The Piano
Your brain does not know the difference between envisioning an activity versus actually doing an activity.
So listening, reading, and thinking about your music in different ways will increase your musical skills.
When you cannot physically play the piano, you also have the perfect chance to practice envisioning your performance confidence and success.
When you return to the piano again, these activities will have built a solid foundation for your continued success at piano playing.
Questions?
Let me know if these tips were helpful by leaving me a comment!
One More Thing That Matters For Your Piano Playing Success
I am writing the second draft of my book, Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning. Keeping myself accountable, I want to report that I write every morning for 90 minutes. I also practice the piano daily for about the same amount of time.
This week I have been finishing the introduction to the book to let you know my backstory and why you can trust me to lead you the right way when it comes to starting or returning to piano learning.
I will pop in later this week to give you a sneak peek by reading an excerpt from the intro to let you know a bit about my piano learning journey.
Let me know if that interests you with comment!
Thanks For Your Help!
What questions do you have about how to start or return to the piano?
What questions do you have about a supportive piano practice routine, setup, or tips for learning, memorizing, and performing music?
I would love to hear from you about this.
In case I have left anything of importance to you out of my book! Your input may be helpful!
Also, I'd love to invite you to join the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group! My goal is to expand and strengthen this wonderful musical oasis for quality peer-to-peer support in our piano learning journey.
I want to reach 200 members by the end of this month! Please help me by sharing with those who may be interested in learning or improving at the piano!
Thanks so much!
In my self-imposed writing space at the Galt House Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky. Do you ever need a universal kick in the pants?
Do you have a goal that keeps getting pushed to the back burner of your life?
My sister invited me to join her work conference this past week. I used the trip to self-impose a writing retreat and kickstart my book rewrite process.
This is my version of that universal push or lighting the front burner.
We stayed at the Galt House Hotel overlooking the beautiful Ohio River!
Watch the replay of my behind-the-scenes Tuesday Piano Tips LIVE here.
I'm rewriting my book, "Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning." I want to share my book writing process with you weekly from now to hold myself accountable.
In this week's REPLAY, you'll see why I'm rewriting it for new and returning piano learners. Plus, I share my tips on maintaining piano momentum while away from a keyboard instrument!
My book is already available on my website and packed with pertinent knowledge and information for new and returning piano learners.
So why rewrite it?
I'm sharing my personal story and why that makes what I have to say meaningful for you.
Watch my REPLAY to find out how I'm doing that and why it matters if you have a passion for (or a hidden dream of) playing the piano.
Thank you for sharing this with others interested in starting or returning to the piano.
I keep myself accountable by openly sharing my writing efforts with you, my fellow artists, writers, creators, and new and returning piano learners.
But collaboration, connection, and community with others are three proven ways of igniting creative inspiration. So talk to me.
Let me know how my book rewrite resonates with you and your creative projects.
Are you working on anything creative?
If you need an accountability partner, please reply and count me in!
 My view of the Ohio River from the Galt House Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky. |  My view of the Ohio River from the Galt House Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky. |
Piano can be a lonely path: Do you wish you had more positive feedback with your piano practice?
4/27/2022
|
by Jenny Leigh Hodgins
Practicing piano can be a lonely road. Do you wish you had more positive support or feedback for your piano learning experience? We don’t usually have the benefit of ensemble experience until more advanced levels. |
Click the above image to join the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group!
|
Even then, we are often more separate as players than other musicians. Wind, string, percussion, and brass players all have each other in their sections for interaction.
I chatted with music educator Jim Johnson, a member of the New and Returning Piano Learners group and leader of his Facebook group for adults learning beginning piano.
We talked about how stressful the pandemic has been for many of us. Beyond the sometimes lonely path of piano practice, life itself has been intense globally for several years.
Jim and I agreed that learning a musical instrument brings incredible wellness factors and is a powerful remedy to the stress of our world.
We also related to having started our Facebook groups to create life-to-life connections while contributing meaningfully to others during these challenging times.
Stay tuned for our in-depth conversation coming out on YourCreativeChord podcast soon.
Here is WHY I started the New and Returning Piano Learners group and want to grow it further. I like the group members —YOU— so much because you share my love for the piano. But especially because you engage with me and each other to build sincere connections.
I want to encourage each of you to get engaged in this group for new and returning piano learners. Start building relationships with the members here around our mutual piano learning journey.
The more we share our real selves and where we are with our music, the more we will inspire and motivate piano progress. Not just for ourselves but for others in the group.
Your conversations and questions open insights into my strengths and weaknesses. They shed new light on how to troubleshoot piano practice issues.
You are helping each other well beyond the invaluable piano teacher’s guidance. For those who cannot have a piano teacher at this point, your engagement, feedback, tips, and general support are crucial.
Pandemic life, the news of Russia’s war on Ukraine, gas prices—all of these events are stressful for us all.
Remember that community provides relief. Finding a sense of belonging brings relief. Your piano learning journey helps you connect with like-minded music appreciators. Our interactions open our minds to fresh inspiration for piano practice and music learning.
Another thing Jim Johnson and I agreed on wholeheartedly is that excessive emphasis on exterior credentials and spam are just clutter. These kinds of judgment and junk drain us.
You won’t find that in this piano learner group. This community and connection with new and returning piano learners bring relief, encouragement, and joy.
Because we are real here. We connect with what’s important about music.
Not flashy piano technique, famous elitist methods, teachers, or schools.
But through expressing our true selves through the piano.
Doing our best to improve our piano playing from yesterday to today, then tomorrow.
Each Tuesday from 1 pm ET, I go live as transparently as possible. I want to show you that the more you engage and share your vulnerability the deeper and more real your relationships and this community grows.
As I share my true self, struggles, and goals with you, I make sincere, truthful, mutually encouraging connections with those who engage with me. I appreciate you for that interaction.
Ask your questions.
Share what’s working in your piano learning journey.
We share in common a true love of the piano. Let’s go deeper.
Let’s get to know each other.
Join me weekly at 1 pm ET for my Tuesday Piano Tips LIVE!
If you have a question or topic you'd like me to address, let me know in the comments!
Would you like to get more piano tips from me?
You can get my latest piano tips, news of my upcoming books and courses for new and returning piano learners, plus my original piano sheet music by subscribing to my email newsletter here.
by Jenny Leigh Hodgins
If you struggle with tapping into your creative flow, I have a few ideas I fall back on. These will help you connect with your true self and an open heart—both crucial for expressing yourself through music.
In today's Tuesday Piano Tips LIVE inside the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group, I go in-depth to share three things:
- Tips for setting your creative mindset.
- Two approaches for composing at the piano.
- My creative process and a few specific examples.
Life events, friendship, nature, love, and loss.
How do I compose music?
I approach composing by listening to let the melody lead me.
Alternatively, I let chord progression dictate where I'm going. But I allow my creative voice to lead me by listening for what I hear next versus making a sound first.
An example of my composing process is a piece I wrote for my dad, Ocean Waving. I wanted to bring the ocean to him, so I emulated ocean waves by overlapping improvisational melodic lines from guitar and piano over a looping repetitive chord progression.
For my friend, Kay, I composed Sun & Bloom and Finding Spring. I wanted the music to be a cheerful expression of gratitude for our friendship. I aimed to evoke a spring or early summer bright day with an enjoyable comrade.
For my late friend, Tina, I composed On The Wings of Faith, using piano and strings to build a climactic crescendo with an ascending range of notes to symbolize her beautiful life state and the eternity of life.
I used a familiar pop song form or lyrics as a template for composing some of my musical theatre songs. This provided a ready-made template or structure for me to follow as I composed a melody set to the lyrics or set up a chord progression based on the form.
I allowed the story to be my guide when I composed music for a film. The story and characters helped determine a tonal template, instrumentation, range, and/or a soundscape versus writing a melody or using a musical form.
Links mentioned in the video are below:
|
For audio of my original music examples, Ocean Waving On Wings of Faith Sun & Bloom Finding Spring Horror and RomCom film scores Click here. Related Blogs: Learning to be creative. Composing for piano. |
Spring Piano Solos by Jenny Leigh Hodgins
$10.00
Spring Piano Solos © 2016 Jenny Leigh Hodgins This collection of two lighthearted contemporary/classical piano solos, Finding Spring and Sun and Bloom, expresses the pure joy and warmth of spring and friendship. Simply You Piano Solo © 2011 Jenny Leigh Hodgins
$5.99
Simply You Piano Solo © 2011 Jenny Leigh Hodgins
Simply You is an emotionally dramatic contemporary/classical piano solo sharing the simplicity, safety, and depth of true friendship. Sun and Bloom Piano Solo © 2016 Jenny Leigh Hodgins
$5.99
Sun and Bloom Piano Solo © 2016 Jenny Leigh Hodgins This lighthearted contemporary/classical piano solo, Sun and Bloom, expresses the pure joy and warmth of spring and friendship. Finding Spring Piano Solo © 2016 Jenny Leigh Hodgins
$5.99
Finding Spring piano solo © 2016 Jenny Leigh Hodgins This lighthearted contemporary/classical piano solo, Finding Spring, expresses the pure joy and warmth of spring and friendship. This solo is the first of a 2-part composition, including it's final movement, Sun and Bloom. Karmic Thread piano solo © 2014 Jenny Leigh Hodgins
$5.99
Karmic Thread piano solo © 2014 Jenny Leigh Hodgins This emotive piano solo, reminiscent of Ravel and Debussy's dreaminess and full use of both range and dynamics, dramatizes the karmic thread of our life-to-life connections. |
Let me know if these suggestions are helpful or if you have more tips for tapping creativity by leaving a comment below!
Thank you for showing your love of my content with a LIKE or by sharing this blog with others.
How do you know when you are ready to perform your piano music?
Today I want to share ideas for piano practice heading ‘straight for the goal.’ (From The Art of Piano Playing by Neuhaus)
These tips have worked for me and thousands of my piano and music students. Even if you don't want to perform for others, these tips will be helpful for you toward getting a deeper level of piano practice and musical mastery under your fingers.
Let's get started. How do you know when you are ready to perform your piano music?
Boundaries create a platform for important work.
Work toward mastering very small chunks of your music from the moment you begin learning it. Start by making things manageable for your brain and body.
Think micro-level. Break things down into the simplest form so you grasp them well.
When I say work toward mastering the music, what do I mean by mastery? First, learn it well on the page. As soon as possible, commit it to memory.
This requires a much deeper level of concentrated piano practice.
It’s the opposite of spending lots of time repeatedly running through larger chunks or an entire music selection.
Instead, you’re going to the micro-level and working on small bits of music material that you can fully dissect, comprehend, and then commit to memory.
USE TRANSITIONS FOR LEARNING & MEMORIZING MUSIC
As you work on this, I recommend doing transition work.
Recently one of our members, Tommy Doyle, shared (under the Saturday Share for piano experts post inside the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group) a link to his tutorial on how to practice in chunks or divide and conquer.
He explains how he uses small sections of music material to focus on in a practice session. But he also links that small section of music to a short, transitional part of the next section. Alternatively or in addition, he suggests linking a snippet from the musical section preceding the main practice material.
I've pinned that Saturday Share post to the Featured section at the top of our group where Tommy shared a link to his video on this topic if you'd like to check that out.
ADD SOMETHING JUST BEFORE OR AFTER TO THE MIX
I agree with this idea. Once you’ve mastered a little piece of music, it’s a good idea to work on what’s coming right before it and what’s happening right after it.
This is also a good way to do memorization work.
After you’ve memorized a little bit of the music material see if you can go to the next beat, measure, or section.
Or see if you can start at the beat or measure or section just before what you’ve just memorized.
Starting at different places within the music helps you think in more detail. Simultaneously, it helps you get a bigger picture of the full musical composition.
This process not only helps you understand the music better, but ingrains it more fully in your memory.
PRACTICE ON THE MICRO-LEVEL
You can also practice on a micro-level of detail. Try recalling the music in your mind in great detail away from the keyboard.
This is what I call audiation. You can spend quite a bit of time audiating music from memory.
WAYS TO AUDIATE AT THE PIANO:
Start at the piano by using your practice time to audiate individual melodic lines, the parts of RH, LH, and both hands together.
WAYS TO AUDIATE AWAY FROM THE PIANO:
Away from the piano, try recalling (audiating) the sound of the melodic lines, bass lines, any inner voice leading, and the chord progression.
Practice recalling from memory what the notation looks like in your mind. You can practice remembering the melodic phrasing, chord progression, or the form of the whole piece.
Prefer video? Click below to catch the replay!
GET THE BIG PICTURE WITH RECORDINGS
Listen to great performances of the music you want to perform. This adds another layer to your memory while training your ears to listen for an accurate and musically expressive aural picture of the music. It’s having an aspirational aural vision of what you want to achieve in your performance.
GET USED TO DISTRACTIONS
Practice performing your music with a lot of distraction. You can do this simply by creating recordings as if you’re performing. Other ways to add distraction to your practice include performing it while the television is on, for your pet or your family member, or creating a video for this group
Learning to hone your focus on the music itself despite distractions in your peripheral vision outside your piano playing effort is a good way to desensitize yourself to the performance arena.
GO BIG! WORK ON THE MACRO-LEVEL
Envision your performance on a macro-level. Meditate and imagine the details of your performance going well.
Imagine the global view of your musical performance. In other words, rather than focusing on musical specifics, broaden your attention to the feeling of performing it well.
USE YOUR IMAGINATION
Practice envisioning how the room looks and feels. Imagine the smells, sights, and sounds of the audience.
Imagine a positive audience reception, how confident you feel, how much you’re enjoying the music, and how much the audience is enjoying it.
You can practice playing it from memory while using this envisioning tactic to feel as if you are performing it during your practice.
Imagine that you’re in the performance scenario while you’re playing it. Using imagery, meditating, and envisioning your performance are all research-proven by athletes to be incredibly effective toward successfully reaching a goal or strong performance.
THE PRACTICE OF PERFORMING NEEDS FREQUENCY
Frequency. Aim to perform as often as you possibly can.
This is simply the practice of performing.
The more you practice something, the better you get.
Break it into as many chunks of opportunities as possible:
- Perform by recording yourself
- Call a friend to listen on the phone or FaceTime
- Have music time after dinner for your family
- Volunteer to record or play for your spiritual community (prerecord)
- Play for a retirement community
- Play for your pet
- Drop your recording or set up a LIVE with me inside this group to get constructive feedback with a safe, supportive audience.
If you have any performance anxiety, simply doing something frequently will, by default, desensitize you to that anxiety. And it will improve your skills as a performer.
How do you know you’re ready to perform?
Ask yourself if you’ve done the work. Remember that mindless repetition of music repertoire is not solid preparation for performance.
THE #1 MOST IMPACTFUL THING IS PREPARING WELL
You will be ready to perform if you have prepared yourself well. Through meticulous, consistent practice, and regularly employing the tips shared today, you will have a solid foundation for playing through your pieces with growing confidence.
TAKE THE PLUNGE
(OR STICK YOUR TOE IN THE WATER)
Most people never really feel ready to perform because nerves are normal.
I suggest you take the plunge after you have thoroughly prepared well. You will gain tremendous insight into any areas needing more attention. Preparing for and practicing piano performance chips away at any anxiety, deepens your confidence, and improves your performance ability.
What do you think? Questions? Concerns? More tips on this topic?
Please let me know in the comments below if this is helpful to you or if you have further questions. Share your tips, too.
See you next Tuesday from 1pm ET (inside the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group) when I share ideas for composing at the piano.
I’m Jenny Leigh Hodgins. I'm the hostess of the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group! I composed, performed as a solo pianist and vocalist, and taught piano music and chorus for 30 years. I ran my private piano studio with 32 students, taught group piano classes for young kids, adults, and seniors, and worked as a music teacher and chorus director in public schools.
But due to life changes, there’s been a time gap between my piano practice. I am a returning piano learner! I now work from home as a blogger/podcaster, write books and build courses. Stay connected with all the ways I nurture creativity and inspiration at YourCreativeChord.com!
I launched the piano Facebook group to hold myself accountable as I share what works for me and the 1000s of students I've taught over the years. I hope to encourage you toward joyful piano progress, too!
I love this supportive community of people who love piano music!
Recently, piano teacher/pianist, Maria Dolnycky and I had a dialogue on the challenges of the pandemic. The pandemic division and the isolation-caused funk we're all experiencing are still challenging.
We also talked about the challenges for all busy adults wanting to start or keep up piano learning. Piano teachers even have challenges with motivating themselves and their students toward consistent piano progress.
I've experienced that throughout my career as a music and piano teacher. I relate to it now as a live-in caregiver for my elder parent, juggling work-life creative projects, family, and community volunteerism.
The pandemic makes it even more challenging due to having fewer opportunities for social interaction. We've all dealt with a major shift from live to digital musical performances. We struggle with concerns about safety and risk for others.
Regardless of where your politics lie, the pandemic has presented deeper emotional and mental challenges for us all.
The fact is that things don’t go on as normal.
There is a pre-pandemic mentality and way of life. Hopefully, there will be a post-pandemic chapter.
All these emotional and mental challenges can drain you and interfere with the motivation to enjoy piano progress.
Ironically —piano progress is a perfect remedy to all of that stress!
Recognize this as an unprecedented time of social, mental, and emotional challenge. Life is not going on as usual due to the pandemic.
I have struggled with the division of perspective in dealing with the pandemic. This division has caused dramatic changes in my social interactions, through family illness, and losses.
The pandemic is a source of angst and frustration for all of us. Motivating oneself toward piano progress during a pandemic, as a busy adult, or alongside your teaching schedule screams for self-care.
Go easy on yourself mentally and emotionally.
As a practicing SGI Buddhist, the Buddhist concept of cause and effect encourages me:
The 13th-century Buddhist revolutionary Nichiren Daishonin explained that if you want to know the future, you must look at the causes you’re making in the present moment.
Fortunately, the power to overcome challenges is in your grasp.
The fastest way to bring out your potential is to battle directly with your weakness. A lack of motivation to practice piano consistently is my weakness.
If I give in to this lack of motivation, I will not get better at the piano. The less I practice, the less I feel like practicing.
Directly addressing this lack of motivation turns my weakness into strength. I directly address my lack of motivation by practicing anyway.
I practice the piano regardless of whether or not I feel like it. That decisive action makes it easier for me to keep practicing piano!
Recognize that all the obstacles and stress and challenges you feel about getting motivated to progress in piano are things that can be dramatically and positively impacted by
...drumroll here...
*practicing the piano.*
Playing the piano is itself the remedy to all this stress!
Recognize that momentum in your piano progress doesn’t happen all at once.
You have to start with a simple goal.
You have to build your way towards accumulating a mountain of progress.
Don’t overwhelm yourself with the aspiration of where you want to be.
Just start taking small steps.
Since you repeatedly face negativity in life, you benefit from finding proactive ways to decrease this stress and raise your inner energy.
Practicing the piano is a remedy for this kind of wellness.
But you must take action!
Taking action leads to winning. Winning a personal victory toward your goal to get consistent in piano practice lifts your mood and confidence. This mental shift builds momentum!
Make the determination that you will practice. Push away from your laziness, fear, or lack of time excuses.
Instead, start planting the idea that you believe in yourself and your ability to improve!
What you focus on grows!
One of the best things we can do to get motivated and build solid momentum is through accountability!
Commit yourself to your end of the bargain with someone else. If I know you’re counting on me, I'll be more inclined to be responsible.
Being responsible is about being able to respond. It's not a heavy burden! It’s a light, simple action forward!
Choosing your response to take action by being accountable pulls you up to a new level. That action is also part of being a good friend.
Being responsible shows sincerity and develops character.
It encourages someone else. Brightening someone else’s path lights my own way.
We must win against lethargy, a full schedule, and mental blocks to take a single step of action every day. Any resistance or negativity is there as a catalyst for our joyful progress. As long as we use it to springboard ourselves into action.
Maria’s holding herself accountable with the same piano practice goal she set for her students!
Let’s jump in and help each other be accountable too! I’m adopting Maria’s spirit of accountability to her students for us new and returning piano learners!
I challenge myself! I challenge you now!
Here is the PIANO PRACTICE CHALLENGE we do inside the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group each week:
Set a piano practice schedule this week to challenge yourself to practice piano every day.
I encourage the goal of practicing *Every day* —even if you must use my Five-Minute rule (join the group and see Guides for details).
Decide what time of day you will practice or if you will split your practice sessions up.
Decide what music you will practice.
Keep a log of your practice sessions.
If you want my piano practice tracker, click here to join my piano tips mailing list.
Set a couple of CLEAR practice goals for yourself.
My goals include:
- Learning the fingering of new pieces.
- Attempting everything at and away from the piano with mindfulness or a state of ‘being' versus 'doing.'
- Allowing myself to relax and immerse myself into the sound of every musical tone I make at the piano or as I’m listening to music.
- Letting go of judgment and allowing myself to be in the moment as I practice at the piano.
- Even if I’m working on a specific goal (fingering), my main focus is mindfulness and allowing myself to trust in my potential for musical progress.
In the Facebook group, we let each other know how our practice sessions are going throughout the week. Group members share goals, progress, or a photo of our practice logs! Some members even share videos of their piano practice to get peer feedback and support.
Let's wrap up with a couple of pertinent quotes from my mentor, Daisaku Ikeda:
“There’s no such thing as waiting for the right time; we must create it.“
Don’t wish that you could play the piano. Make time for it.
You have to prioritize yourself. This is your self-care. Make it important. Schedule it in!
“Exert 100% effort in each moment!”
This is mindfulness. Stay focused and aware of this attitude of *being* versus *doing*.
We get so caught up in checking off our to-do list that we become frantic and stay constantly busy!
But that’s not necessarily productive.
Be where you are in the moment in your piano practice session.
Focus on the things that will make the most impact on your progress.
- Set clear goals
- Show up
- Slow down
- Be mindful
Enjoy your piano practice this week!
Catch the replay of my Tuesday Piano Tips LIVE on Facebook to go behind the scenes with me and learn how sharing your piano music brings you inspiration from your peers that helps you improve your piano playing.
Do you struggle with performance anxiety? Are you nervous about playing your piano for others?
One of the best antidotes for that is regularly tackling it. As I mentioned in today's LIVE--with a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt--facing your fear strengthens courage and confidence!
How does this apply to piano performance anxiety? Use incremental performance strategies like recording your performance as a practice!
Watch the replay (below) to gain insight into your piano progress and things to improve.
Want to get unbiased, supportive peer feedback to help you breakthrough to a new level in your piano playing skills?
Share your recording with the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group.
In today's LIVE, I showed how to simply create your practice video or go LIVE with your piano performance inside our musical oasis of piano support.
Use today's tips and ideas to get positive and helpful peer feedback on your piano progress.
Use this group as a kind of masterclass where you can practice your performance and/or practice your music with goals to improve.
In a masterclass, you get quality feedback from other like-minded piano players. There are players below, at the same, and above your piano level inside the New and Returning Piano Learners Facebook group. You can get helpful insight from sharing and hearing from your peers in this group.
Piano Practice Challenge
Join our Piano Practice Challenge every week! We set daily, weekly, and piano session goals for ourselves. Watch for the posts about the Piano Practice Challenge! Chime in with where you are in your practice this week! This keeps us all motivated to move forward in piano progress!
How many days will you plan to practice this week? If you haven’t set that goal, you need to do that. Without a set goal, you won’t reach the result you want!
See inside my piano practice setup and what I do with lighting, my tripod, keyboard view, and audio settings. Click below to watch the replay!
How sharing your piano music brings you peer inspiration to improve your piano playing.
I encourage you to start where you are. Imperfection is accessible and relatable. Don’t aim for perfection. Aim to improve!
Busy adults need support for overcoming obstacles to make piano progress. Watch my Tuesday PIANO TIPS REPLAY some inspiring thoughts to help you get excited and keep going at the piano!
Get what you need for successful piano learning and effective piano practice.
Need a refresher on learning the major scales and figuring out the sharps and flats of key signatures?
In today's Tuesday LIVE inside the New & Returning Piano Learners Facebook Group I shared the above mini-tutorial on the Circle of 5ths.
How's your daily piano practice going?
We're starting fresh with our weekly Piano Practice Challenge!
Join us in the New & Returning Piano Learners Facebook Group to hold yourself and others accountable.
If you need help getting your practice going, check these out:
Piano Tips from your peers to get you motivated for your progress!
How To Make Greater Piano Progress With Opposing Practice Strategies
Video: How To Make Successful Musical Progress With Your Piano Practice Routine.
How to overcome obstacles and motivate yourself to practice piano!
Click the button below to get what you need for successful piano learning and effective piano practice.
RSS Feed
PIANO
In my PIANO blogs, you'll find ways to overcome boredom, get past musical and mental blocks, explore the creative process with piano, and improve musical progress through piano teacher recommended best practices and effective piano practice tips.
Archives
September 2023
August 2023
May 2023
April 2023
February 2023
January 2023
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2020
December 2019
November 2019
June 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
Categories
All
#1 Tip For Piano Players
2022
2 Day Essential Piano Basics Masterclass For New & Returning Piano Learners
2-Day Essential Piano Basics Masterclass For New & Returning Piano Learners
30 Year Music And Piano Teaching Career
30-year Music And Piano Teaching Career
30 Years Experience As A Pianist
30 Years Of Experience In Music Education And Performance
3 Types Of Memory To Strengthen Your Musical Skills Even While You Are Away From The Keyboard
4 Piano Practice Takeaway Tips:
4 Takeaway Tips From My Piano Practice
5-minute Piano Practice Rule
5-minute Rule
6 Tips On How To Boost Your Confidence As A Piano Player
Ability To Focus On One Thing At A Time
About Starting Piano Lessons
Accommodate Piano Students
Accomplish Correct Fingering
Accomplishment
Accomplishment As A Pianist Does Not Rely On Feeling Motivated
Accomplish More At Your Piano
Accountability Keeps Us All Motivated To Practice Piano
Achieve Healthy Piano Technique
Achieving Success As A Piano Player
Achieving Your Musical Goals Is About Making A Plan
Acoustic Piano
Action Of A Real Piano
Add Keyboards To Your Music
Addressing Specific Issues Creates A Better Overall Result In Piano Progress Momentum
Adjust Your Hand
Adult Piano
Adult Piano Beginner
Adult Piano Beginners
Adult Piano Learner
Adult Piano Learners
Adult Piano Player
Adult Piano Players
Adult Piano Students
Adults Learning Beginning Piano
Adults Returning To The Piano
Advanced Piano
Advance Your Piano Progress
Advantages Of Taking Piano Lessons
A Familiar Technique Exercise
A Foundation Of Good Practice Habits
A Foundation To Prepare You For Your Child’s Piano Learning
Aging Adults Who Take Piano Lessons
Aging Process
A Good Resource
A Great Book That Will Inspire Many People To Take Up Piano Lessons
Alan Rusbridger
All-in-one
All In One Piano Resource
All-in-one Piano Resource
All In One Resource And Easy To Read Guide For Anyone Interested In Getting Started Or Returning To Piano Lessons
All-in-one Resource And Easy-to-read Guide For Anyone Interested In Getting Started Or Returning To Piano Lessons
All-in-one Resource And Easy-to-read Guide For Anyone Interested In Starting Or Returning To Piano Lessons
All The Basics Anyone Needs To Know About Starting Piano Lessons
Alternative Resources For The Young Music Learner
Always Wanted To Learn Piano
Always Wanted To Play Piano
Am I Too Old To Start?
Am I Too Old To Start Piano Lessons
A Musician Who Wants To Add Keyboards To Your Music Or Compositions
An Aspect Of Creative Rejuvenation Involves Challenging New Experiences
And A Reassuring One To Someone Coming At The Piano With Some Trepidation
And Community
And Community With Others Are Three Proven Ways Of Igniting Creative Inspiration
And Composer Of Piano Based Music
And Composer Of Piano-based Music
And Doing It No Matter What.
And Encouragement For Our Piano Learning Journey
And Melodic Minor Scales
And Other Cognitive Skills For All Ages
And Physical Wellness Benefits Of Piano Learning
And Repeatedly Practice
And Thinking: Keep Your Piano Progress When You Can't Play
An Effective Piano Practice Strategy
Answers To Every Question You Have About Starting Piano
Answers To Those Seeking A Successful Start Or Building Steady Momentum For Piano Progress
A Piano Keyboard That Has Good Action And Tone
A Piano Teacher Or Piano Player Who Struggles With Consistent Momentum In Piano Progress Or Performance Anxiety
A Piano Teacher Wanting Additional Support For Your Students’ Successful Piano Setup Foundation And Practice Habits
Approach To Music Learning
Approach Your Piano Practice With Clear Goals
A Practical
A Quality Piano Instructor
A Real Piano
Are Learning Piano For The First Time
Are You A Busy Adult Interested In Learning Piano As A Hobby
Are You Nervous About Playing Your Piano For Others?
Are You Wondering If YOU Could Learn To Play Piano?
Arm Or Posture
Artists
As A Creator
As A Creator Myself
A Scientifically Proven Technique Can Help You Overcome These Anxieties
Ask Specific Questions About Fluency
A Slower Tempo
A Sneak Peek Of My Book
Aspect Of The Music Is Unknown Or Problematic For The Student
Assess Your Piano Performance
A Structured And Nurturing Environment To Help You Conquer Performance Anxiety And Elevate Your Playing Skills
As You Gradually Develop Piano Skills
At A Different Tempo
At A Much Slower Tempo
Audiating Music As A Way To Practice
Author
Author Jenny Leigh Hodgins
Awaken New Thought Processes
Awareness Of Physical Tension And Placement In Relation To Piano Practice
A Well-practiced Scale
Bach’s Prelude 1 In C Major
Balance The Rewards
Basics For Piano
Basics For Piano Learners
Basics For Piano Practice
Basics For Piano Students
Basics Piano
Beautiful Grand Piano
Begin Learning Piano
Beginner And Intermediate Piano
Beginner And Intermediate Piano Students
Beginner Or Returning Piano Students
Beginner Piano
Beginner Piano Ebook
Beginner Piano Player
Beginner’s Mind
Beginner's Mind As A Piano Player
Beginner’s Mindset
Beginner’s Mindset As A Piano Learner
Beginner’s Mindset As A Piano Player
Beginner To Advanced Piano
Beginner To Intermediate Level Piano Students
Beginner To Intermediate Piano
Beginner To Intermediate Piano Students
Beginning Piano
Beginning Piano Learners
Begin Or Continue Your Musical Journey
Begin Piano
Begin Your Musical Journey
Begin Your Piano Practice
Being Able To Play Through A Variety Of Musical Works Successfully
Benefits Of Electronic Keyboards
Benefits Of Sharing Your Musical Journey
Best First Musical Instrument
Best Mantra For Piano Practice Is MIND SPENT IS BETTER THAN TIME SPENT
Best Piano Facebook Groups For Beginners
Best Piano Facebook Groups For Community
Best Piano Facebook Groups For Connection
Best Piano Facebook Groups For Support
Best Piano Method
Best Piano Practice Tips
Best Piano Practice Tips For Adult Beginners
Best Piano Practice Tips For Injury
Best Piano Teacher’s Guidance
Best Piano Teacher Tips
Best Piano Tips
Best Piano Tips For Beginners
Best Piano Tips For Returning Piano Players
Best Piano Tips Video
Best Tips For Avoiding And Resolving Pain At The Piano Keyboard.
Best Tips For Motivating Your Piano Progress
Best Tips For Piano Expression
Best Tips For Piano Players
Best Tips From A Piano Teacher
Best Way For A Busy Adult To Learn Piano?
Best Ways To Improve Piano Technique
Best Ways To Improve Your Piano Playing
Best Way To Find A Quality Piano Teacher
Best Way To Successfully Start Piano
BETA READER
Beta Readers
Biweekly Piano Performance Practice
Blogger
Blogs
Blogs Or Podcasts
Blogs Or Podcasts On YourCreativeChord
Book Geared Toward Piano Beginners Or Those Who Want To Return To Piano After A Gap Of Time
Book Launch
Book Offers My Best Piano Tips For New And Returning Piano Learners
Book Writer
Book Writing
Boosting Your Creativity
Boost Your Confidence As A Piano Player
Brain Fights Against Deterioration Of Function
Brain Function Activity Enhancement From Playing An Instrument
Break Through To New Levels Of Piano Performance
Breathing Deeply And Slowly Before And During A Performance Helps Lower Your Stress And Calm Nerves
Budget
Building Relationships As Piano Players
Build Piano Performance Confidence
Busy Adult Interested In Learning Piano
Busy Adult Piano Learner
Busy Adult Piano Learners
But Still Want To Learn Piano
But Want To Try Again
Buying A Keyboard Or An Acoustic Piano
Buying An Electronic Keyboard
Buying A Piano
Buying A Quality Piano
Buy My Ebook
By Jenny Leigh Hodgins
Call For BETA READERS
Challenge
Challenge New Things
Challenge Something New
Challenge The Next Musical Goal
Challenge Yourself
Challenge Yourself To Achieve
Changing My Initial Major From Piano Performance To Music Composition
Choose A Slower-than-usual Tempo And Hear It In Your Head Before You Start
Choose Your Goals For Each Piano Practice Session
Chord Progression
Chunking Piano Practice
Closer To Your Goal Of Piano Learning
Collaboration
College Choirs
Come Back To Piano Lessons
Commitment
Common Piano Practicing Goals
Communication Skills
Competition
Compose
Compose For Piano
COMPOSER
Composer Tips
Composing
Composing Lessons
Composing Life
Composing Music
Composing Music On Piano
Composing Tips
Computer Based Music
Computer-based Music
Computer Made Music
Computer-made Music
Concentrate
Concentrate On Expressing The Musical Beauty Versus Internally Judging Your Performance
Confidence
Confidence As A Musician
Confidence As A Piano Player
Confident
Connection
Connect With YourCreativeChord
Consistently Challenge The Musical Goals
Consistent Piano Progress
Continued Interest In Starting Piano
Continue To Progress As A Musician
Cooking With A New Recipe
Correct Rhythm And Fluency Of The Beat
Could You Make More Progress In Your Piano Practice Sessions?
Count Aloud Before You Play
Counting
Create An Attitude Of Fun
Create An Attitude Of Fun Toward Each Piano Practice Goal
Create A Piano Practice Habit
Create Music With Virtual Instruments
Creating Original Songs
Creative Energy
Creative Flow
Creative Process
Creative Rejuvenation
Creative Rejuvenation Involves Challenging New Experiences
Creatives
Creative Thinking
Daily Piano Practice
Daily Piano Practice Routine
Decreased Anxiety
Decreasing Aches And Pains
Deeper Level Of Concentrated Piano Practice
DEFEAT RESISTANCE TO PIANO PRACTICING WITH ADVANCED PREPARATION
Depression
Detailed Strategy For Practicing Piano Effectively
Determine Your Own Piano Practice Goals
Developing Piano Skills
Developing Piano Skills Is A Huge Positive For The Self Care Department
Developing Piano Skills Is A Huge Positive For The Self-care Department
DEVELOPING PIANO TECHNIQUE
Developing The Ability To Overcome Self-limited Thinking Patterns
Develop Piano Skills
Develop Poor Piano Technique
Difference Between Natural
Different Creative Route
Different From What You'll Typically Find Available Online About Learning Piano
Digital And Electronic Keyboard Options
Digital And Electronic Keyboard Options For Piano Lessons
Digital And Electronic Keyboard Options For Piano Study
Digital Book
Digital Book Launch
Digital Keyboard
Digital Piano
Disciplined Effort And Preparation In Music Practice
Discovering Your Musical Weaknesses
Distractions Are Why Aspiring Piano Players Must Firmly Commit To Daily Piano Practice
Divergent Thinking
Doing The Work At Your Piano Keyboard Boosts Motivation For The Next Challenge
Don't Get Set In Stone About The Piano Fingering
Do The Things We Always Wanted To
Do The Things You Always Wanted To
Down-to-earth
Do You Ever Need A Universal Kick In The Pants?
Do You Have Pain At The Piano? Fix This!
Do You Struggle With Performance Anxiety?
Do You Struggle With Performance Anxiety? Are You Nervous About Playing Your Piano For Others?
Do You Want To Improve Your Quality Of Life?
Do You Wish You Had More Positive Support Or Feedback For Your Piano Learning Experience?
Dr. Charles Turon
Driving Home A Different Route
Drumming
Dynamic Marking
Dynamics
Earning A Musical Instrument
Easier Sight-reading Level
Easy And Fun
Easy Piano
Easy Piano Practice Tips
Easy Piano Practice Tips When You Have An Injury
Easy To Read Piano Beginner Resource
Easy-to-read Piano Beginner Resource
Easy-to-read Piano Guide
Easy-to-read Piano Resource
Easy Trick Or Gimmick
Ebook
Ebook About Piano
Ebook Available For Purchase
Ebook Covers The Things Any New Piano Learner Needs
Ebook Is Available Now At Half Price Through December Only
Ebook Launch
Educational Quality Piano History
Effectively Practice Piano
Effective Piano Practice
Effective Piano Practice Routine
Effective Piano Practice Strategy
Effective Piano Practice Tips
Effective Ways To Attack Piano Progress
Ego
Electronic Keyboard
Electronic Piano
Elevate Your Piano Skills With Winning Wednesday Performance PRACTICE!
Emotional
Engaging In Music
Enhanced Cognitive Function
Enhancements In Memory
Enjoyable
Enjoyed Previous Articles And Links From [YourCreativeChord.com] Blog
Enjoy Every Piano Practice Session
Enjoy Piano Lessons
Enjoy Piano Playing
Enjoy Playing Piano
Enjoy The Piano Learning Process
Essential Piano
Essential Piano Basics
Essential Piano Basics Masterclass
Establish A Daily Rhythm Of Piano Practice
Establishing A Consistent Piano Practice Routine
Establishing A Daily Piano Practice Habit Is The Most Important Thing You Can Do To Improve Your Piano Skills
Establishing A Solid Piano Practice Routine Takes Time
Establish Your Piano Practice As A Non-negotiable Daily Habit
Evaluate Your Performance
Every Phrase Of Your Musical
Every Piano Practice Session
Every Question You Have About Starting Piano
Everything You Need To Get Started Learning Piano Right
Everything You Need To Know About Starting Piano Lessons
“EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING PIANO”
Everything You Need To Know Before Starting Piano
Everything You Need To Start Piano
Everything You Need To Successfully Start Piano
Evoking The Mood Of The Musical Passage
Evoking The Mood Of The Passage
Excellent E-book!
Experience As A Piano Teacher
Experience The Joys Of Consistent Piano Progress.
Experimenting With Different Piano Fingerings
Exploring New Things
Exploring Piano Learning
Exploring Something New
Express Yourself Authentically
Express Yourself Through Piano Playing
Eye-hand Coordination
Facebook LIVE Piano Tips
Facebook Piano Group
Facing Your Fear Strengthens Courage And Confidence
Family Support
FAQs About My Ebook
Faster In Piano Progress
Fast Piano Learning
Favorite Piano Practice Tips
Feel Confident In Your Musicality
Feel Like Piano Practice Has To Be Difficult
Fight Against The Aging Process
FILM & GAME COMPOSER
Finally Learn The Piano
Find A Good Piano Teacher
Find A Piano Teacher
Finding A Quality Piano Teacher
Fingering
Finger Isolation
Finger Memory
First Music Teacher
Fluency Of The Beat
Fluent Piano Playing
Focused Breathing Puts Your Body Back Under Your Control
Focus On On Being The Messenger Of The Music
Focus On ONE Musical Element
Focus On Piano Practice
Focus On The Music Itself
Follow These 6 Tips To Share Your Piano Music
For Anyone Interested In Getting Started Or Returning To Piano Lessons
For Anyone Interested In Learning Piano
For Anyone Interested In Piano Playing
Forget Perfection
Forget Perfection As A Piano Player
For New And Returning Piano Learners
For The Musician In Your Life
For Those New Or Returning To Learn The Piano
For Those Who Truly Want To Progress In Playing Piano Successfully
Forward-moving Piano Advancement
FREE Essential Piano Basics Masterclass
FREE Essential Piano Basics Masterclass On January 11
Free Helpful Tips For Starting Piano Right
Free Masterclass For Piano
Free Metronome App
FREE Piano Masterclass
Free Piano Practice Tracker
Frequency Desensitizes Stage Fright
Fresh Inspiration For Piano Practice
Friendly Piano Competition
From Start To Finish With A Fluent
Frustrated By Piano Lessons
Fun For Children
Gain Insight Into Your Piano Progress
Galt House Hotel
Galt House Hotel Overlooking The Beautiful Ohio River
Gaps Between Piano Practice Sessions Makes Your Next Practice Session More Difficult For You
Generate Fresh Ideas
Get Everything You Need For A Successful Start
Get Everything You Need To Start Piano!
Get Everything You Need To Start Piano With My New Ebook!
Get Excited About Your Piano-playing Journey
Get Free Helpful Tips For Starting Piano Right
Get My Ebook
Get My Ebook Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning
Get My New EBook
Get Started With Everything Needed For Consistent
Get "Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning" Ebook!
Get The Best Piano Practice Feedback
Get The Best Quality Instrument That You Can Afford
Get The Keys To A Successful Piano Learning Foundation And For Transforming Your Piano Playing Skills!
Get The Right Instrument
Getting Started In Piano Lessons
Getting Started Or Returning To Piano Lessons
Getting The Right Keyboard
Getting The Right Keyboard For Piano Lessons
Getting The Right Keyboard Instrument
Getting Your Piano Journey Started
Getting Your Piano Skills From Your Current Level To The Next
Get Unbiased
Get What You Need For Successful Piano Learning And Effective Piano Practice.
Get Your Copy Of: "What You Need To Know
Get Your Music Books
Get Your Piano Practice Routine Established
Gift Idea
Gifts For Musicians
Gifts For Pianists
Gifts For Piano Players
Gimmicks Or Tricks To Play Piano
Give The Gift Of Music
Goal Directed Piano Practice
Goal-directed Piano Practice
Goals
Goal Setting In Piano Practice
Goal-setting In Piano Practice
Go Deeper In Your Piano Practice
Good Music Practice Habits
Good Piano Practice Habits
Good Piano Resources
Good Piano Teacher
Graduate Students Available For Teaching
Grand Piano
Greatest Progress In Piano Practice
Great For Young Music Learners And Piano Teachers
Great Resource For Potential Piano Parents To Have
Group Or Masterclasses
Group Or Masterclasses And Public Performance Target Dates
Grow As A Piano Player
Had A Bad Piano Experience
Had A Negative Piano Experience
Had A Negative Piano Experience With Piano
Hard To Keep The Beat
Hard To Practice Piano Every Day
Harmonic
Harmonic Analysis
Harmonic Progression
Have
Have A Child Interested In Exploring Music
Have A Child Interested In Piano
Have A Child Who’d Like To Learn Piano
Have And Do To Start Piano Right!
Have Children Interested In Music Learning
Have Children Interested In Piano
Have Children Interested In Piano Learning
Have & Do To Start Piano
Have & Do To Start Piano Right!
Have & Do To Start Piano Right!"
Have & Do To Start Piano Right!"
HAVE & DO TO START PIANO RIGHT!"
Have Do To Start Piano Right
Have Do To Start Piano Right!
Have & Do To Start Piano Right! Can Benefit Your Creative Life
Have & Do To Start Piano Right! Can Benefit Your Creative Life.
Have & Do To Start Piano RIght! Ebook
Have More Time For Piano
Have Played Piano A Long Time Ago
Having A Proper Plan
Having A Quality Piano Teacher
Having A Quality Piano Teacher Helps You Progress Faster And Further
Having Goals For Each Piano Practice Session
Having Interviewed Creatives
Health Benefits
Hear And Feel Better With Piano Playing
Help Anyone Interested In Piano Learning
Help For Adult Piano Learner
Helpful Tips For Starting Piano Right
Help New And Returning Piano Learners
Help Piano Learners
Help Piano Learners Keep Breaking Through To New Levels Of Piano Performance
Helps Your Relationships With Others?
Help Your Musical Progress
Help Your Musical Progress By Practicing Piano With One Goal!
Holiday Gift Idea
How Can Piano Playing Nurture Your Creative Energy?
How Can Piano Playing Replenish Your Creative Energy?
How Can Playing Piano Improve Your Confidence?
How Can You Make It Fun
How Learning Piano Benefits Aging Adults
How Much Should Children Practice Piano
How Much Should Teens & Adults Practice Piano
How Much To Practice Piano
How My Ebook
How Old Or Young Is The Right Age To Start Piano
How One Simple Goal For Your Piano Practice Will Help You Make Solid Musical Progress
How Piano Benefits You
How The Pandemic Has Changed The Way We Can Learn The Piano
How To Approach Piano Practice Effectively
How To Boost Your Confidence As A Piano Player
How To Compose Music
How To Evaluate Your Piano Performance
How To Evaluate Your Piano Practice
How To Find A Good Piano Teacher
How To Find A Good Piano Teacher And What To Look For
How To Find A Piano Teacher
How To Find A Quality Instrument
How To Find A Quality Instrument And Piano Method
How To Find A Quality Piano Teacher
How To Get Better At Piano
How To Get Feedback With Your Piano Practice
How To Get Motivated Toward Greater Musical Progress
How To Get Over Stage Fright
How To Grow As A Piano Player
HOW TO HANDLE STAGE FRIGHT
HOW TO HANDLE STAGE-FRIGHT
How To Improve Piano Practice Routine
How To Improve Your Piano Playing Skills
How To Inspire And Motivate Piano Progress
How To Keep Piano Practice From Feeling Difficult
How To Know What Keyboard You Need To Start Piano
How To Learn Key Signatures & Major Scales With The Circle Of 5ths
How To Learn Piano By Yourself
How To Learn Piano Music
How To Maintain Continued Piano Progress
How To Maintain Your Continued Piano Progress
How To Make More Progress In Your Piano Practice Sessions?
How To Make Piano Practice Fun
How To Make Piano Progress
How To Memorize Music
How To Motivate The Piano Learner Toward Piano Practice
How To Motivate Young Music Learners
How To Overcome Obstacles And Motivate Yourself To Practice Piano
How To Play Piano
How To Play Piano Smoothly
How To Play Piano Without Mistakes
How To Play The Piano
How To Practice
How To Practice AWAY FROM THE PIANO
How To Practice Classical Piano
How To Practice Piano
How To Practice Piano At Home
How To Practice Piano Effectively
How To Practice Piano Effectively For Consistent Progress
How To Practice Piano For The Most Progress
How To Practice Piano Technique
How To Practice Piano With A Metronome
How To Practice Piano With Confidence
How To Prepare Your Confident Piano Performance
How To (safely) Handle Injury Or Pain Without Interrupting Your Piano Progress
How To Set Up A Daily Piano Practice Habit
How To Setup A Practice Routine For Best Results
How To Setup Everything You Need For Successful
How To Setup Your Piano Practice Routine
How To Simply Create Your Practice Video Or Go LIVE With Your Piano Performance
How To Spend Time At Piano For The Most Effective Progress
How To Start Piano
How To Start Piano Right
How To Start With A Basic Piano Practice Strategy
How To Start With A Basic Piano Practice Strategy That Gives The Best Results
How To Start With A Basic Piano Practice Strategy That Gives The Most Results In The Long-run
How To Successfully Share Your Piano Playing
How You Can Avoid Wasting Time At The Piano
How You Can Boost Your Confidence As A Piano Player
How You Challenge Yourself To Achieve
HURRY! LAST CHANCE To get My Ebook At HALF-PRICE!
Ideas For Composing Music
Ideas For Motivating Children To Practice Piano Consistently
Identify Your Tricky Spots
If Practicing Piano Is Important To You
If You Have A Young Child Learning Piano
If You Hit A Musical Barrier With A Particular Part Of The Music
If You Miss A Day Of Piano Practice
If You Struggle With Stage Fright
Immersed In The World Of Negative Musical Experiences
Immerse Yourself Mentally In The Music You're About To Share
Improve Circulation
Improve Comfort And Alignment With Piano Fingering Options
Improved Mood
Improve Mental State
Improvement Of Piano Skills
Improve Piano
Improve Piano Skills
Improve Piano Technique
Improve Self-confidence
Improve Your Piano Playing Skills
Improving The Ability To Problem Solve
Improvise
Improvising
In A Step-by-step Lesson Format
Incorporate Performance Practice Into Your Regular Piano Routine
Increase Energy
Incredible Joy And Accomplishment
Information Processing Speed
Inspiration Through Positive Self-care
Inspire And Motivate Piano Progress
Inspires Me To Continue Playing
Interested In Learning Piano
Interested In Learning The Piano
Interested In Piano Learning
Interested In Piano Lessons
Interest In Learning Piano
Intermediate Piano
Interview
Intimidation
Introducing This First Ebook About Piano
In-tune Instrument
Invite Your New Piano Teacher To Accompany You To The Music Store
IPad
IPad Pro
Is My Child Old Enough To Start Piano
Issues Piano Learners Face
Jazz Choir
Jenny Leigh Hodgins
Join New & Returning Piano Learners Facebook Group
Join The New And Returning Piano Learners Facebook Group
Join The New & Returning Piano Learners Facebook Group
Joyful
Joy Of Self-expression
Keep Breaking Through To New Levels Of Piano Performance
Keep Breaking Through To New Levels Of Piano Progress
Keeping The Fun In Piano Practice
Keep Piano Practice From Feeling Difficult
Kentucky
Key
Keyboard For Piano
Keyboards
Keyboard Setup
Key Signature
Key Signatures
Knowing How To Practice Piano Effectively Is Key
Knowing The Music Really Well Boosts Your Confidence
Lacking A Foundation Of Good Practice Habits
Lack Of Progress
Lasting Piano Progress
Latest Piano Tips
Launch
Launching My First Ebook
Learn How To Play Piano
Learn How To Play Piano As An Adult
Learn How To Practice Them Effectively
Learn How To Think
Learn How To Transform Your Piano Mistakes Into Beautiful Music
Learning A New Language
Learning Bach’s Prelude 1 In C Major
Learning Music
Learning Music Aurally
Learning Piano
Learning Piano As A Late Bloomer
Learning Piano Benefits Aging
Learning Piano Can Even Benefit You Physically
Learning Piano Enhances Auditory Working Memory
Learning Piano Fights Against Hearing Loss
Learning Piano Fingering
Learning Piano For The First Time
Learning Piano Makes You Smarter
Learning Something New
Learning Something New Or Challenging
Learning Something New Or Challenging Takes Effort
Learning The Piano
Learning To Be Creative
Learning To Try New Things
Learn Piano
Learn Piano Video
Learn Piano While Juggling Daily Responsibilities
Learn To Balance The Rewards Of Playing Something That’s Easier For You With The Effort Needed To Challenge The Next Musical Goal
Learn To Evaluate Your Performance
Learn To Play Piano
Left And Right Hand Coordination
Level Of Musicianship Or Piano Skills
Listening
Listening To Music
Listening To Quality Musical Recordings Of The Music You Are Learning
Listening While Reading Along In Your Musical Notation
Listen To Recordings Of Others To Improve Your Aural Recap Of The Music
Listen To The Other Piano Players
Listen To Your Music Played By An Artist While Reading Along In Your Musical Notation
Live A More Inspired And Balanced Quality Of Life.
Local Music Stores
Local Piano Recitals Or Concerts
Local Piano Teachers
Loneliness
Lonely Piano Player
Long-range
Look Forward To More Time At The Piano
Looking At The Musical Notation
Looking For Beta Readers!
Looking To Start Piano Lessons
Losing Momentum In Your Piano Advancement When You Cannot Physically Play The Instrument
Louisville
Love For Music Learning
Love Piano
Lowers Performance Anxiety
Lower Your Performance Anxiety
Madrigal Choir
Maintaining Piano Momentum While Away From A Keyboard Instrument
Major Scales
Make Faster And Better Piano Progress
Make Music
Make Piano Progress
Make Progress With Learning Piano
Make The Best Piano Keyboard Choice
Making A Plan Prioritizes Piano Practice
Making It Easier To Do With Preparation
Making Mistakes At The Piano
Manageable Chunks For Daily Piano Practice
Manageable Goals
Many People [will Want] To Start Piano Studies After Reading [this] Ebook
Masterclass For Piano
Masterclass For Piano Learners
Master Every Note
Mature Learners
Meet The Author
Meet Your Weekly Music Practice Goals
Mental Memory
Merits Of Music Study
Metronome
Mindful Connection To Musical Expression
Mindfulness At Piano
Mindful Piano Practice
Mindful Practice At The Piano
Mini-tutorial On Natural
Mini-tutorial On The Circle Of 5ths
Mistakes At The Piano Communicate To You That There Is Something You Need To Address
Mistakes Piano
More-in-depth
More Successful Piano Practice Results
Most Important Aspects Of Effective Piano Practice
Most Important Things To Look For In A Piano Teacher
Motivate Your Piano Practice
Move Forward On A Piano Journey Of Growth And Artistic Expression
Muscle Memory
Musical
Musical Ability
Musical Background
Musical Composition
Musical Exploration
Musical Friend
Musical Journey
Musical Learning Experience
Musical Progress
Musical Training Improves The Cognitive Reserve In Aging Adults
Music And Piano Teaching
Music And Piano Teaching Career
Music Composition
Music Department
MUSIC EDUCATOR
Music For The Audience
Music For Young Learners
Musician
Musicians
Music Learning
Music Lessons
Music Memorization
Music Notation Software
Music Performance
Music Practice
Music Soothes
Music Teacher
Music Teachers
Music Teachers National Association
Music Teaching
Music Teaching Experience
Music Theory
Music Versus Ego Focus
MusikGarten
My Best Piano Tips
My Best Tips On How To Practice Piano
My Best Tips On How To Practice Piano Effectively
My Best Tips On How To Practice Piano Part 1
My Ebook
My First Piano Teacher
My Piano Practice Session
Name The Notes As You Play
National Piano Guild
Natural
Need A Refresher On Learning The Major Scales And Figuring Out The Sharps And Flats Of Key Signatures?
Need Help Getting Your Practice Going
Negative Musical Experiences
Nerves
Nervous
Nervousness Can Become Positive When You Direct It
New And Returning Piano Learners
New And Returning Piano Learners Facebook Group
New Author
New Blog
New Blogger
New Ebook
New Ebook Author
New Ebook Launch
New Facebook Group & Masterclass For New & Returning Piano Learners!
New Levels Of Piano Performance
New Or Returning Piano Learner
New Or Returning Piano Learners
New Piano Ebook
New Piano Ebook Launch
New Piano Sheet Music
New & Returning Adult Piano Learners
New & Returning Piano Learners
New & Returning Piano Learners Facebook Group
News For Piano Learners
New Video
No Creative Energy
No Flashy Piano Technique
No Improvement Of Piano Skills
No Nonsense Advice For New And Returning Piano Learners
No-nonsense Advice For New And Returning Piano Learners
Non Stop Tempo
Non-stop Tempo
Notation Reading
Notation-reading
Not Being Able To Play Piano Due To Pain
Notebook
Note Reading
Note-reading
Notes
Nurture Your Self-care
Nurturing Your Creativity And Inspiration
Nurturing Your Creativity And Inspiration Through Positive Self-care
Nurturing Your Creativity & Inspiration
Obstacles To Learning Piano
Ohio River
One Easy Piano Tip That Can Help You Ease Back Into The Groove Of Piano Practice
One Handed Piano Practice
One Handed Repertoire
One On One Piano Learning
One-on-one Piano Learning
One On One Piano Teaching
One-on-one Piano Teaching
Online How-to Play The Piano Methods
Online Piano
Online Piano Learning
Online Piano Lessons
Online Piano Students
Only Play Things That Are Simple
Onstage
Or Any Aspect You Want Feedback About
Or Do To Begin Piano?
Organized
Original Piano Sheet Music
Or Return To The Piano Here!
Or Simply A Few Beautiful Chords
Or The Form Of The Whole Piece
Or Wondering
Overcome Mistakes In Your Piano Playing
Overcome Performance Anxiety
Overcome Self-limited Thinking Patterns
Overcome Stage Fright
Overwhelmed By Piano Practice
Ownership Of Their Music
Pandemic Is A Source Of Angst And Frustration
Parent Support
Perfect Gift For Anyone Interested In Piano Playing
Perfect Holiday Gift
Perfect Holiday Gift For A Musician
Perfect Holiday Music Gift
Perfection As A Piano Player
Performance Anxiety
Performance Anxiety Is A Common Challenge Faced By Musicians Of All Levels
Performance Jitters
Performance Practice
Performance Practice Helps Us Conquer Nervousness
Performance Practice Trains Us To Focus On The Music Instead Of Our Ego
Performing Anxiety
Perform Something Easy And Familiar To You
Personal Story
Physical And Mental Rewards
Physical And Mental Rewards Of Music Learning
Physical And Mental Rewards Of Piano Playing
Pianist
Pianist And Composer
Pianist And Composer Of Piano Based Music
Pianist And Composer Of Piano-based Music
Pianist Jenny Leigh Hodgins
Pianist Tommy Doyle
Piano
Piano Advice
Piano And Music Teacher
Piano And Vocal Scholarships
Piano Apps
Piano As An Adult
Piano-based Music
Piano-based Original Music
Piano Basics
Piano Basics Ebook
Piano Begin
Piano Beginner
Piano Beginner Group
Piano Beginners
Piano Benefits
Piano Blog
Piano Blogger
Piano Blogs
Piano Book
Piano Community
Piano Composer
Piano Composer Jenny Leigh Hodgins
Piano Composing
Piano Composing Tips
Piano Connection
Piano Course Creator
Piano Discipline
Piano Discipline Is Something That Will Naturally Be Forged Over Time
Piano Duets
Piano Ebook
Piano Ebook Launch
Piano Ebook Update
Piano Experts
Piano Fingering
Piano For Pure Enjoyment
Piano Foundation
Piano Groups
Piano Guild
Piano Hand Coordination
Piano Improvement
Piano Insights And Tips
Piano Instruction For Seniors
Piano Instructor
Piano Is An Amazing Hobby
Piano Is The Best
Piano Is The Best First Musical Instrument To Learn
Piano Journey
Piano Keyboard
Piano Learner
Piano Learner Group
Piano Learners
Piano Learning
Piano Learning For Adults
Piano Learning For Busy Adults
Piano Learning Is All About Embracing Your Unique Journey
Piano Learning Style And Personality
Piano Lesson
Piano Lessons
Piano Life
Piano Love
Piano Method
Piano Mistakes
Piano Online
Piano Or Music Apps
Piano Or Music Apps For Supplemental Aid
Piano Pain
Piano Pedagogical Directions
Piano Pedagogy
Piano Pedal
Piano Performance
Piano Performance Practice
Piano Performance Tips
Piano Player
Piano Player Resources
Piano Players Of Fast Passages
Piano Players Struggle With Frustration From Blocked Musical Progress
Piano Players Struggle With Frustration From Financial Pain
Piano Players Struggle With Frustration From Hitting Plateaus
Piano Players Struggle With Frustration From Musical Boredom
Piano Players Struggle With Frustration From Physical Pain
Piano Playing Can Be Accomplished With A Fast
Piano Playing Resources
Piano Playing Tips
Piano Practice
Piano Practice Accountability
Piano Practice Blog
Piano Practice Challenge
Piano Practice Goal
Piano Practice Goals
Piano Practice Habits
Piano Practice Motivation
Piano Practice Results
Piano Practice Reward
Piano Practice Rewards
Piano Practice Routine
Piano Practice Scenario
Piano Practice Schedule
Piano Practice Session
Piano Practice Sessions
Piano Practice Strategy
Piano Practice Support
Piano Practice Technique
Piano Practice Tip
Piano Practice Tips
Piano Practice Tips For Adults
Piano Practice Tips For Beginners
Piano Practice Tips For Performance Anxiety
Piano Practice Tips For Stage Fright
Piano Practice Tips From A Piano Teacher
Piano Practice Tracker
Piano Practice Tricks
Piano Practice When Away From The Keyboard
Piano Practice When You Can't Play
Piano Practice With Injury
Piano Progress
Piano Progress During A Pandemic
Piano Progress Is A Perfect Remedy To Stress
Piano Quality Varies Dramatically
Piano Resource
Piano Resources
Piano Scales
Piano Sheet Music
Piano Skill
Piano Skill Level
Piano Skills
Piano Strategies
Piano Stress
Piano Student
Piano Students
Piano Studio
Piano Study
Piano Study Has Proven Additional Impact On Academics And Learned Discipline For Children
Piano Study Reduces Pain
Piano Success
Piano Teacher
Piano Teacher Jenny Leigh Hodgins
Piano Teacher Perspective
Piano Teacher Piano Practice Tip
Piano Teacher Resource
Piano Teachers
Piano Teacher Videos
Piano Teaching
Piano Technique
Piano Technique Tips
Piano Technology
Piano Tip
Piano Tips
Piano Tips And Tricks
Piano Tips Blog
Piano Tips For Beginners
Piano Tips For New And Returning Piano Learners
Piano Tips For New Piano Learners
Piano Tips From Your Peers To Get You Motivated For Your Progress!
Piano Tips Replay
Piano Tips Video
Piano Tips Youtube
Piano Tracker Or Practice To Do List In Order And Ready Waiting For You On The Keyboard
Piano Tutorial Video
Pianovideo
Piano Video
Piano Video Tips
Play Both Hands Together
Play Dynamics
Played A Wrong Note
Played Piano For 30 Years
Playing All The Correct Notes
Playing All The Music You Enjoy
Playing And Teaching Piano
Playing A Real Piano
Playing At A Tempo Too Fast
Playing Music
Playing Music At A Slower Than Usual Tempo
Playing Music That Is Familiar
Playing Music Without Thinking
Playing Piano
Playing Piano Decreases Aches And Pains
Playing Piano For Pure Enjoyment
Playing Piano Has Incredibly Positive Effects On Your Mood And Emotional Well-being
Playing Piano Helps Prevent Hearing Loss
Playing Piano Is A Beautiful Way To Nurture Your Self-care
Playing Piano Is A Powerfully Therapeutic Tool
Playing Piano Is For Anyone
Playing Piano Is For Everybody
Playing Piano Is Something Anyone Can Learn
Playing Piano Rises To Fill The Need For Spiritual Connection And Emotional Expression
Playing Piano Slows Deterioration
Playing Piano Successfully
Playing Piano With A Metronome
Playing The Correct Dynamics
Playing The Correct Fingering
Playing The Musical Passage Mistake-free
Playing Through The Passage With Correct Fingering
Play It Again An Amateur Against The Impossible
Play Piano
Play Piano For Enjoyment
Play Piano Successfully
Play Piano Using Both Hands
Play Piano With Both Hands
Play Piano With Confidence
Play Slowly Enough To Completely Master Each Aspect Of The Music
Play The Fingering Correctly
Play The Musical Passage
Play The Piano Regularly
Play The Same Mistake
Play Through Musical Passages
Play Through Your Musical Section At A Much Reduced Speed
Play With A Steady Beat
Play With Proper Fingering
Play With Proper Finger Touch
Play With Proper Hand Motion
Positive Support Or Feedback For Your Piano Learning Experience
Posture And Hand Position For Beginner Piano Students
Powerful Tool For Self-esteem
Practical
Practical Guidance On What And How To Take Action Toward Getting Your Piano Journey Started
Practice Diary
Practice Each Goal
Practice Envisioning Your Piano Performance
Practice Goals
Practice My Original Music And Neglect My Classical Piano Pieces
Practice Piano
Practice Piano Consistently
Practice Piano Effectively
Practice Piano Every Day
Practice Schedule
Practice Strategy
Practice Tracker
Practicing Piano
Practicing Piano At A Slower Tempo
Practicing Piano Can Actually Be Fun
Practicing Piano Can Be A Lonely Road.
Practicing Piano Effectively
Practicing Piano Is Important To You
Practicing Piano With Clear Goals
Practicing Piano With One Goal
Practicing Your Mistakes
Prepare
Prepare In Advance
Prepare Well By Practicing The Selection Often
Prepare Your Child’s Piano Learning
Preventing Hearing Loss
Previously Mastered Piece
Private Piano Instructors
Private Piano Teaching Studio
Problem Solve
Productive Musical Learning Experience
Professional Pianist
Professional Pianist And Composer Of Piano Based Music
Professional Pianist And Composer Of Piano-based Music
Proficiency At Piano
Progress As A Musician
Progress As A Piano Player
Progress In Piano
Progress In Playing Piano
Progress In Playing Piano Successfully
Progress Starts With Getting Yourself At The Piano Keyboard
Proper Foundational Basics For Piano
Psychological Improvement
Public Performance Target Dates
Purchasing A Piano Or Digital Keyboard
Putting Yourself In Your Book
Put Together Musicals
Quality Instrument
Quality Of A Keyboard Instrument
Quality Piano Teacher
Questions About How To Find A Piano Teacher
Questions About Piano
Questions About Successful Piano Learning
Quick Piano Tips
Quitting Piano Lessons
Reaching Writing Goals
Reading
Really Want To Play Piano
Reap The Rewards Of Piano Progress
Reason To Buy A Good Piano
Recognize That Piano Progress Does Not Just Happen At The Piano
Recommended Piano Resources
Recommended Resources For Aspiring Piano Players
Reduce Risk Of Dementia
Reducing Aches And Pains That Come With Age
Regular Practice Routine
Regular Practice Schedule
Regular Progress In PIano
Relax Muscles
Relying On Physical Muscle Memory In Piano
Remembering The Melodic Phrasing
Repeated Mistakes
Repeated Mistakes At Piano
Repeated Piano Mistakes
Repeating The Same Piece Across Multiple Performance Practice Sessions Is A Powerful Method For Experiencing Substantial Improvement In Your Performance Comfort
Replenish Your Energy
Research On Piano Study
Research On Piano Study Also Shows It Develops And Prolongs Memory
Resource For Those Who Are Returning To Piano After A Gap
Resource For Those Who: Want To Learn Piano
Resources For Piano Methods
Retired And Are Looking For Rewarding Things To Do
RETIRED PIANO TEACHER
Returning To Piano
Returning To Piano After A Long Gap
Returning To Piano Lessons
Returning To The Piano After A Time Gap
Revising My Book
Revising The Book
Rewarding Habit
Reward Your Piano Practice
REWARD Yourself Within 2 Minutes Of Completing A Piano Practice Goal
Rewriting
Rewriting A Book
Rhythm
Rich Benefits And Joy Of Piano Playing
Risk Having A Complete Memory Lapse
Safe Place To Express Yourself
Schedule It In Your Daily Routine
Schedule Routine For Piano Practice
See My Practice Session With The Bach Piece
See Up Close And Personal What Goes On In My Practice Routine
Selected Musical Passage
Self-care As A Way Of Life
Self-Care Is The Source Of Your Muse
Self-confidence
Self-imposed Writer Retreat
Seniors Learning To Play Piano
Set A Metronome
Set The Metronome
Set Weekly Piano Practice Routine
Share Your Love For The Piano
Share Your Piano Goals And Struggles
Share Your Piano Playing
Share Your Piano Progress Or A Piano Practice Tip
Sharing My Book Writing Process
Sharing The Joy Of Musical Immersion
Sheet Music
Showing Up On Your Piano Bench No Matter What.
Sight-reading At Piano
Simply Playing Piano For Pure Enjoyment
Singing
Sit At The Proper Height When At Your Keyboard
Slow Down
Slowing The Tempo
Slow Piano Practice
Slow Tempo Piano Practice
Slow Tempo Practice
Small
Small Step Toward The Bigger Issue Of Performance Anxiety
Smoother Piano Playing
Solid
Solid Foundation For Your Continued Success At Piano Playing
Solidify Your Piano Practice Habit
Solidify Your Successful Piano Practice Routine
Someone Coming At The Piano With Some Trepidation
Something Anyone Can Learn
Soprano
So You Are Motivated To Establish A Regular Piano Practice Routine?
Space
Sparking Creative Energy
Spiritual
Spiritual Connection And Emotional Expression
Stage Fright
Stage-fright
Starting At Different Places Within The Music Helps You Think In More Detail
Starting-piano
Starting-piano-lessons
Starting-piano-lessons
Starting-piano-right
Start Music Lessons
Start Piano
Start Piano Ebook On Amazon
Start Piano Lessons
Start Piano Right
Start Piano Studies
"Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning!"
"Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning."
Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning
Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning!
Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning.
Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning Available On Amazon Pre-Order
Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning By Jenny Leigh Hodgins
Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning Ebook
Start Piano: What You Need For Successful Learning Ebook Available On Amazon Books
Start Piano With Everything Needed For Successful Learning
Start With One Goal
Start-your-childs-first-piano-lesson
Start-your-childs-first-piano-lesson
Start-your-piano-learning
Start-your-piano-learning
State-college-of-florida
Staying Engaged With Music In New Ways
Steady-beat
Stimulating-the-immune-system
Stop Making Mistakes At The Piano
Streaming-music-services
Strengthening-neural-pathways-between-the-left-and-right-brain-hemispheres
Strengthens-the-author-as-an-authority-on-piano
Strengthen Your Piano Practice Routine As A Consistent
Structuring Piano Routine
Structuring Your Piano Routine
Struggle With Stage Fright
Student-piano-recitals
Students-ranging-from-age-7-to-16
Style
Successfully Learn Piano
Successfully Play Piano
Successfully Play Through Your Passage
Successfully Start Piano
Successful Music Progress
Successful Or Greater Momentum For Piano Progress
Successful Piano Education
Successful Piano Learning
Successful Piano Learning And Effective Piano Practice
Successful Piano Lessons
Successful Piano Practice Results
Successful Piano Progress
Successful Piano Study
Super Metronome Groove Box App
Support For Adult Piano Beginner
Support For New And Returning Piano Learners
Supporting You In Your Successful Piano-learning Journey
Supportive Community Is Where We Share Our Struggles
Supportive Peer Feedback To Help You Breakthrough To A New Level In Your Piano Playing Skills
Support Piano Beginners
Surroundings
Suzuki Method
Take A Step Back To Evaluate The Problem
Take Care Of Yourself First
Take The Leap Of Faith In Yourself
Taking Piano Lessons As An Older Adult
Tame The Stage-anxiety Beast
Tap Your Creative Flow
Tap Your Creativity
Teach How To Play Piano
Teaching Piano For More Than 30 Years
Teach Piano
Technology-based Resources
Technology Can Make Things Easier
Tempo
Temporary Injury Or Chronic Pain
Tension
The Advice You Need To Start Learning Piano Successfully
The Benefits Of Piano
The Best Way To Successfully Start Or Maintain Piano Progress
The Combination Of These Opposing Approaches In The Piano Practice Session Can Be Really Helpful Toward Piano Progress.
The Emotional
The Essence Of Successful Piano Progress
The Importance Of Consistent
The Importance Of Mindfulness And Breath
The Importance Of Mindfulness And Breath In Piano Practice
The Interconnected Ocean Of Self-care
The Key To Continuous Piano Progress
The Number One Key Element For Improving Your Piano Playing Skills
The Perfect Holiday Gift For Anyone Interested In Piano Playing
The Rewards Of Playing Piano
The Way You Spend Your Piano Practice
Think
This Is A Good Resource
Three Ways To Ignite Your Creative Inspiration: Collaboration
Tip #1 From The Ebook What You Need To Know
Tip #2 From The Ebook What You Need To Know
Tip #3 What You Need To Know Have And Do To Start Piano Right! Ebook
Tips And Ideas To Get Positive And Helpful Peer Feedback On Your Piano Progress
Tips For Establishing Your Successful Piano Practice Routine
Tips For Handling Stage Fright
Tips For Left And Right Hand Coordination
Tips For Left And Right Hand Coordination At The Piano
TIPS FOR LEFT & RIGHT HAND COORDINATION
Tips For Stage Fright
Tips For Starting Piano Right
Tips On Composing For Piano
Tips On Developing Piano Technique
Tips On How To Boost Your Confidence As A Piano Player
Tips On How To Practice Piano
Tips On What To Look For When Opting For Online Self-study Methods
Tommy Doyle
TOMMY DOYLE's Piano Corner
Too Old To Start Piano
Too Old To Start Piano Lessons
Toward Greater Musical Progress
Tracking The Days You Practice The Piano
Track Piano Progress
Track Your Piano Practice
Train Your Brain
Transform Stage Fright
Transform Stage-fright
Transform Stage Fright Into Supportive Energy For Your Successful Performance
Transform Stage-fright Into Supportive Energy For Your Successful Performance
Tricks Or Gimmicks To Learn Piano
Tricks Or Gimmicks To Learn Piano Faster
Tricks Or Gimmicks To Learn Piano Faster Than Before
Troubleshooting As Piano Practice
Troubleshooting In Piano
Troubleshooting Is One Of The Most Effective Ways To Attack Piano Progress
Troubleshooting Piano Practice
Trying A New Cuisine
Trying New Things
Try This New Thing
Try This New Thing.
Try To RECALL Your Music While Waiting
Tuesday Piano Tips LIVE
Understand The Music Better
University Of South Florida
Unlock Your Full Musical Potential
Upcoming Ebook Is The Perfect Holiday Gift For Anyone Interested In Piano Playing!
Use Competition With Others To Boost Your Piano Practice Routine
Use Competition With Yourself To Boost Your Piano Practice Routine
Use Incremental Performance Strategies Like Recording Your Piano Performance As A Practice!
Use Incremental Short Periods Of Piano Practice With A Focused Effort On Trouble Spots
Use Of Both Sides Of The Brain
Use These Tips To Make A Piano Practice Habit Stick And Win Over Your Inner Weakness Or Resistance.
USE TRANSITIONS FOR LEARNING & MEMORIZING MUSIC
Using A Piano Practice Tracker As A Reward System
Using Creativity To Harmonize With Others
Using Metronome In Piano Practice
Using Music As A Way Of Community-building And Fun
Using Piano Or Music Apps For Supplemental Aid
Using The Correct Fingering As Soon As Possible Speeds Up Our Learning Process And Results In Smoother
Using The Dynamics
Using The Pedal
Value Of A Piano
Value Of Music As A Communication Method
Verbal Fluency
Very Small Step You Take Brings You Closer To Your Fullest Musical Potential
Video
Video Replay
Video Series
Video Tips
Video Tips For Piano
Visual And Mental Preparation
Visual Artist
Vocal Degree
Wanting To Learn Piano
Want To Learn Piano
Want To Play Piano
Want To Play Piano But Don't Know The Best Way To Successfully Start Or Maintain Piano Progress
Want To Try Learning Piano For The First Time
Want Your Child To Learn Piano
Warding Off Hearing Loss
Wasted Time At The Piano
Ways To Develop Self-care
Ways To Practice Away From The Piano
Ways To Track Piano Progress
Well Rounded Musical Education
Well-rounded Musical Education
What Do You Need To Know
What Do You Need To Know
What Do You Need To Know Have Or Do To Begin Piano?
What Instrument Is Best To Start Piano
What Is The #1 Key To Your Piano Progress?
What Keyboard Do I Need
What Keyboard Do I Need For Piano
What Keyboard Do I Need For Piano Lessons
What Keyboard Do I Need For Successful Piano Lessons?
What Keyboard To Get For Piano Lessons
What Keyboard You Need To Start Piano
What Kind Of Keyboard
What Kind Of Keyboard Do I Need For Piano
What Kind Of Keyboard Is Necessary
What Kind Of Keyboard To Buy
What Kind Of Keyboard To Get
What Kind Of Keyboard To Get For Piano Lessons
What Kind Of Keyboard You Need To Play Piano
What Kind Of Keyboard You Need To Start Piano
What Kind Of Keyboard You Need To Start Piano And Where To Find It
What Piano Books Do I Need
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT MY EBOOK:
What Should You Do If You Keep Messing Up At The Piano?
What’s Most Critical To Setup For Successful Piano Learning
What’s Most Important About Your Musical Experience
What’s Needed For A Successful Start To Piano Learning
What’s Working In Your Piano Learning Journey
What To Do About Piano Practice When You Have An Injury
What To Do If You Keep Messing Up At The Piano
What To Do Next
What To Do Next If You're Interested In Learning Piano
What To Look For In A Piano Teacher
What To Look For When Opting For Online Self-study Piano Methods
What Went Well At The Piano
What You Need To Begin Piano
"WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
"What You Need To Know
"What You Need To Know
What You Need To Know
What You Need To Learn Piano
What You Need To Start Piano The Right Way
What You Want To Achieve As A Piano Player
When Buying A Keyboard Or An Acoustic Piano
Where Piano Students Get Stuck
Where The Musical Magic Really Happens
Where There Are No Words
Whether Online Tools For Piano Learning Are Valuable
Whether You Need And How To Find A Good Piano Teacher
Who Is The Essential Piano Basics Masterclass For And What Can You Expect?
Who Needs A Piano Teacher
Why Repetition And Consistency Matters To Your Brain: And For Your Piano Learning Success
Why The Piano Is The Best First Musical Instrument To Learn
Why You Should Start Piano
WHY You Want To Play Piano
Winning Wednesday Performance Practice
Winning Wednesday Performance Practice.
Wish You Had More Positive Support Or Feedback For Your Piano Learning Experience?
Wonderful Piano-playing Journey
Word Of Mouth
Work On Your Focus On The Music Itself
Would You Be My BETA READER?
Writer
Writer Retreat
Writers
Writers And Composers To Educators
Writing
Writing Music
Writing Music On Piano
Writing Process
Years Of Teaching And Playing Piano
You Can Learn Piano
You Can Learn Piano No Matter What You Think
You Can Safely Continue Strengthening Your Musical Skills.
You Decrease Your Anxiety
Your Best Piano Learning Journey
Your Breakthrough To A New Level Of Piano Progress
Your Child’s Piano Learning
Yourcreativechord
YourCreativeChord.com
YourCreativeChord's Free Piano Practice Tracker
Yourcreativechord Youtube
You’re A Musician Who Wants To Add Keyboards To Your Music Or Compositions
Your Fullest Musical Potential
Your Future Success
Your Musical Journey
Your Physical Muscles Remember The Music
Your Piano-playing Journey
Your Piano Playing Skills
Your Piano Practice Routine
Your Piano Progress
Your Piano Progress Will Rapidly Improve
Your Piano Skills
Your Piano Teacher
Your Reward Repertoire At The End Of Each Piano Practice Session
Your Sense Of Accomplishment
Your Sense Of Accomplishment Transforms Your Outlook On Your Future Success
Youtube
Youtube Piano Tips
Youtube Piano Video
YouTube Piano Videos
YouTube Videos
You’ve Always Wanted To Learn Piano