Let's Celebrate

I was in North Carolina again this weekend, which meant yet another short break from piano practice. I brought my 61-key keyboard, but I purposely only played it for my dad for a half-hour or so each day and didn't do my usual routine and stay up until the wee hours, practicing. I really was at a low point last week, and I needed a break.

A Brief "Bare Necessities" Update

The break was good for me. I was too tired to practice much after getting home last night, but I did managed to squeeze in about 40 minutes on Bare Necessities, and the ragtime section is coming along. I'm staying at a manageably slow pace (using the metronome so I don't cheat), and just playing it over and over again, thinking about what chords I am playing, and getting to the notes just a hair before I have to play them. It is a very focused, "in the zone" kind of practicing.

By the time I finished last night, I played the whole ragtime section at 100 bpm three times in a row without pausing or missing a note. I'll keep doing this for the next week or so, speeding up no more than 10 or 12 bpm each day. I call it "laying tracks" -- if I can play it slowly but perfectly a million times, my hands will automatically know what to do as I get faster.

But this post isn't supposed to be about Bare Necessities. It's supposed to be about celebrating.

Why I'm Celebrating!

First of all, I worked out last night! I've been needing to work out, but I keep finding excuses not to. But here is a picture from the gym, to prove I was there!

Second of all, I discovered a new musician: Sammy Price! Like all of my exciting new discoveries, this guy is from a long time ago, and he's been dead for a while ... but wow! His blues and boogie-woogie is so great. I listened to him all weekend!

And finally, this morning when I logged my practice on PWJ, I learned that I have practiced 100 consecutive days since joining PWJ! I missed a couple of days early on, but I haven't missed a day since early February!

So, today is a good day. I'm rested, refreshed, and ready to dive back into piano work!

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Picking Up the Pieces

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