Picking Up the Pieces

In the Billy Joel documentary And So It Goes , Billy talks about "reading the dots." He didn't want—or need—to "read the dots," meaning the music notes on the page. He had developed his own rock 'n' roll piano style and, after a few years of classical training, he left the dots behind. I didn't want to read the dots, either, once upon a time. As a little kid, I had a good ear and could quickly figure out just about any tune on the piano. But in first grade, I finally started piano lessons, thus beginning my life with the dots. The Wall of Dots Between Me and Music I hated the dots! I wanted to learn them, sure, but it was so hard. If my teacher played what was written, I could play it right back for him. But if he asked me to play it from the dots, I felt like I would pop a blood vessel in my brain. It was so frustrating for my six-year-old self to have the code to a simple tune sitting silently before my eyes and not be able to crack it and bring th...

Y'all! Picture this: It's 90+ degrees, and the Georgia sun has been blazing down on me since noon, and now Chuck Leavell, the legendary Rolling Stones pianist, is hammering out a soul-stirring "Honky Tonk Women" solo right at the piano just feet away. And, readers, I GOT TO MEET HIM! This weekend at the Blind Willie McTell Music Festival in Thomson, GA, was unreal. Lots of great performances, and then there was Chuck—his show was phenomenal, and he was so kind when Dan and I randomly wandered to the artists' area to say hi! Goodness, I am a sight with that sunburn. I couldn't stop smiling all day after this pic! Chuck has been around for much longer than I've been even listening to rock & roll, so I guess I'm a bit of a latecomer. But I got to make up for some lost time this weekend! Here he is playing a bit of "Honky Tonk Women." The solo starts at about 1:04. [Ugh, ugh, ugh. The video won't upload. Copyright issues, probably. Will t...

Juggling Work, Family, and Volleyball Work has been nonstop, and I’ve been coaching volleyball on the side. Most importantly, I’ve been prioritizing time with my 15-year-old daughter—helping with her studies, shuttling her to school and volleyball practice, and taking evening drives where she belts out Taylor Swift and Gracie Abrams. These moments are precious. She’ll be driving herself soon and won’t always want to hang out with her mom, so I’m soaking it all up. Do I miss playing piano? Absolutely. Would I change my priorities? Not a chance. Gearing Up for a Performance Next week, I’m scheduled to play at a local assisted living facility—less than a week away! I need to carve out serious practice time to prepare. Here’s what I plan to have ready: The Entertainer   Maple Leaf Rag   Solace   Pineapple Rag   Bare Necessities Rag   America the Beautiful Rag   You Are My Sunshine Rag   Amazing Grace (gospel with a bluesy...

The school year has kicked off, and life has turned into a whirlwind! I'm making the most of my piano time when I can get it, but it's been touch-and-go for the past week. To make up for the missed practices, I've begun exploring musical work away from the keyboard. Two activities have been key: mental practice (studying the written score away from the piano) and ear training. Both are great brain workouts, but I have to admit, ear training has been a lot more fun! Ear Training Adventures Over the past few weeks, I've tackled PWJ's beginner ear-training courses on intervals (ascending and descending) and triads. Even though I can play most tunes by ear, it's a challenge for me to identify intervals out of context away from the piano. I did better with triads, but there's still work to do. To practice, I've made recordings where I play triads in different inversions and try to identify the chord quality (major or minor) and inversion. It's wild to rea...

At lunch today, I had the opportunity to hear a fellow student perform Liszt's Liebesträume. As you know, I've been working on this piece for awhile and, despite making progress, I've been thinking of dropping it in favor of more creative piano pursuits. I played it for a few minutes last night, and all I could think was, "ugh, ugh, ugh." How can it still be so sloppy (compared to Kissin's recording, at least) after so much intentional, slow, and loving work over the months? Well, there's the fact that I haven't practiced it regularly since June ... But still. Even though I love this piece more than just about anything, I want to move on. Last night, after ugh-ing my way through Liszt, I switched over to Jonny's lead sheets course ... and time disappeared. It felt like maybe 15 or 20 minutes, but suddenly my husband was home from his meeting and an hour had gone by. How on earth did I focus that hard for so long? The Release At some point during to...

When I started playing around with "You Are My Sunshine" as a ragtime piece, I nicknamed it my "YAMS Rag." With Scott Joplin’s Pineapple Rag still fresh in my mind, "YAMS Rag" makes me think of a sweet potato casserole with pineapple. I can almost smell the casserole when I play this. Hmm, maybe I should call it my YUMS rag ... Anyway, I've dabbled with the idea of the YAMS rag for years, but this weekend I decided to look at it more seriously--more like an arranger. I'm using what I've been learning at Piano With Jonny --rag rolls, slides, turns, and other techniques. It's still early, but I got excited and recorded a quick video to share on the PWJ Facebook group. I knew it wasn't polished--it was literally my first day working on it--but I thought it would be fun to show where I'm at. Then someone commented, "Awful." Just that one word. At first, it was kind of funny--who leaves a comment like that on a rough draft? Bu...

I’ve already logged seven practice hours this month, and I didn’t even practice this morning! St. Louis Blues Challenge This weekend, I kicked off Jonny May’s "St. Louis Blues" challenge. Learning his arrangement in G should be straightforward, but the real test will be improvising in G. I’m excited to apply techniques from the 10-Lesson Blues Challenge and Bible of Blues Riffs to make this piece pop. My goal? Master Jonny’s written section this week and spend the rest of August exploring G blues improv. There’s a second part to the song Jonny skips, and I’ll likely skip it too unless I get bored with improv (unlikely!). I’m aiming to wrap this project by month’s end, so I’m keeping my ambitions in check. (I briefly considered taking on  this tougher and more impressive version , but after pushing hard on Pineapple Rag, Liszt, and my America the Beautiful Extravaganza over the past few months, I’m ready for something more manageable!) Here’s my first St. Louis Blues video: Le...

Hi, piano friends! I’m finally ready to share my August piano goals with you! Over a few lunch breaks, I tinkered with my practice log (yes, my trusty spreadsheet!) and had a little heart-to-heart with AI to figure out what’s doable this month. I’ve decided to push some projects to September and October to keep from overwhelming myself. Here’s what’s on the musical horizon! America the Beautiful As mentioned in my previous post, I'm shifting this holiday piece to my maintenance pile, but I'm going to give it a little extra attention for a September 11 performance at an assisted living facility. I’m not going nose-to-the-grindstone like I did in July (whew!), but I’ll polish it a few days a week to have it memorized and at tempo, with all of the improv included. Liszt, Liebesträume As I also mentioned earlier, I'm at a crossroads with Liebesträume: Do I prepare it for a Piano with Rebecca B recital, or let it rest? I’m hoping to chat with Rebecca in another week or so to get...

Hello, lovely piano friends! July was a whirlwind of 46.2 hours at the piano -- quite a feat considering a week-long vacation and 1.5 post-trip days when I could barely muster the energy to sit at the piano. Was it a successful month? I’m leaning toward yes, with some sweet wins and a few projects that, well, fizzled out. Here are the highlights. An Unexpected Gift: “America the Beautiful” Picture this: We're all packed for vacation, rushing to the tiny Augusta airport (two gates, folks!) for a 6 a.m. flight. But a low tire throws us off, and we miss check-in by two minutes. The airline’s computer says, “Nope, you’re done.” Disappointing? Sure. But the gift for me was a bonus day to play piano, tidy up, and plan our trip. That extra day truly was a gift. I poured hours into “America the Beautiful,” determined to share a video before vacation. I’d been bummed about not finishing it earlier, so this felt like a second chance. The video isn’t flawless, but it’s a milestone I’m proud o...

Hello, piano friends! I’m back with more updates on my journey to tame Jonny’s arrangement of "America the Beautiful," and it's starting to feel more like a friend than a challenge. In this post, I'll share where I’m at (again, LOL), with a video from three weeks ago and one from early this week. See below! Jazzy Intro: Finding My Flow (and My Voice) Three weeks ago, I shared a video of me working through the jazzy intro —definitely a bit rough. Now, I’ve got it memorized and I’m playing it with more confidence and emotion. Check out this video from two nights ago to hear how it’s coming along: Last night, I started adding some slides to the melody and a few harmony notes. And I loved it! I'd like to add just enough to give it a bluesy feel without losing the smooth jazz vibe. So that's another thing I'll be working on! Ragtime Section: Building Speed This ragtime section is tough, but I'm making progress. Yesterday I focused on fast-twitch exercises...

I had such big dreams of nailing Jonny May's arrangement of "America the Beautiful" (with an improvised finale) by July 4. Alas, I didn't even come close. This piece is a sneaky little devil. Jonny makes it look deceptively simple , but it's anything but easy. This beast has four wildly different sections, each with its own personality--and its own way of humbling me. I'll break it down for you and will include a new video of my ragtime section with links to videos from late June to show how far I’ve come. Section 1: Jonny’s Jazzy Intro This intro (in G major) is smooth and melancholy, a cocktail-jazz sound replete with quartals , extensions, and chord alterations I don't understand. It’s slow, moody, and a bear to memorize. I posted about it a few weeks ago , and looking back, I’ve made some serious strides. But full disclosure? I’m still not 100% solid playing it from memory, so there's still work to do. Section 2: Jonny’s “Fun” Ragtime Section “Fun”...

OK, y’all, here is a new work-in-progress. I'm so excited about it ... but also a little nervous to share. I’ve been playing with a stride/ragtime spin on the LSU Fight Song as part of a bigger medley project. I’ve had the lead sheet forever, but this weekend I finally sat down to mess around with it, kind of a few minutes of “what if I do this?” at the piano. Here’s the result so far. It’s rough, and definitely not pure ragtime since it swings, but I like it this way! It’s far from polished, and I imagine the final version will sound totally different. But that's the fun of it, right? I just love the creative process. I love starting things. Finishing? Hm. Like my ragtime fight song, I'm definitely a work in progress!

This morning, I left Elite Hearing Centers with two new devices: a high-end hearing aid for my left ear, and a CROS transmitter for my right. As I pulled out of the parking lot, Ray Charles's "America the Beautiful" started up on Spotify and, as if on cue, I started sobbing like a kid hearing music for the first time. The harmonies, which are normally a single blur, were clear and distinct. I noticed instruments I hadn't realized were there before. And most important, the music had a warmth to it that it had never had before. Do normal people hear music like this? I sure hope so. It is heavenly. For someone who’s been mostly deaf since childhood, these new devices aren’t just technology — they’re a door opening up to a rich musical world (and I thought my musical world was already pretty rich)! How do you describe the moment you hear a favorite song as if it’s brand new? Here is a bit about my hearing-aid journey. From One Ear to Two I’ve worn a hearing aid since 1999...

(Apologies for the cheesy clip art. I needed to come up with something, or the Blogger template would show a fuzzy, overly-enlarged snippet of the first chart below.) When I showed my husband my piano practice tracker, he said I should market and sell it. Ha. It’s not for sale, but I’m excited to share how this tool has transformed my practice—and why it might inspire all three of my readers. Since my last post about the Amazing Practice Tracker, I’ve made it even better. Here’s a peek at how it works, using my June data. All The Pretty Colors, All the Pretty Winners My tracker now sparkles with color: darker shades for active pieces, lighter ones for maintenance, technique, and sight-reading. Each day, the piece I practice most gets a bright yellow highlight—a little “gold medal,” if you will. (Click image for a slightly larger view.) A leaderboard automatically shows the day’s top piece and time. And if that isn't enough, I keep track of the month's leaders--specifically, ho...

  How is it almost time to flip the calendar to July? I swear I just started my June spreadsheet, but here we are, with June nearly in the books. July will be a bit of a whirlwind--partly because I'm sneaking away for a week of vacation. This means I'm keeping things focused: no shiny new pieces until August. Instead, I'll focus on Liebesträume and America the Beautiful for performances, keep up with my maintenance pieces, and dive into a few creative projects that have been swirling around in my brain for a while. Still, I need to have goals beyond "focus on," "keep up with," and "dive into." Let's make them SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound)! Liszt: Back in the Spotlight After a short break, I'm putting Liszt back on the priority list. My mission? Get it performance-ready before vacation. I'm aiming for an August recital--maybe Piano with Rebecca B or a video to share on social media. I'm hoping...

I haven't had a chance yet to seriously work on Jonny's jazzy intro to his "America the Beautiful" rag. This morning I had about 5 minutes before taking my daughter to driver's ed, so I sight-read through the intro once. It hasn't come together yet, but you can see that some sections are easier than others. None of it is really hard--it's just jazz, which means the usual harmonic rules (at least the ones I'm used to in blues and ragtime, and even classical) don't always apply. One reason I'm not crazy about jazz is the constant reharmonization and the dissonances ... but I really, really love this arrangement. This first take is a bit rough, full starts and stops as I hunt for notes. But stick with me—it will sound great after a few days of practice!

When the Song Gets Lost in the Style I was playing yesterday's recording of Jonny's "America the Beautiful" rag for my husband last night, and he gave me the strangest look. "What?" I asked. "I can't even tell what that song is," he said. I sang along to help him follow the melody, but he just shook his head. "I don't hear it. I don't hear 'America the Beautiful.'" I thought maybe my version was too slow and mistake-riddled, so I played a recording of Jonny himself playing it. It still just sounded like a bunch of tinkly notes to him. I was floored. This isn’t the first time this has happened, either. Awhile back, I played a bluesy improv on "Silent Night," and he couldn’t decipher that one either, even when I sang along. I shared that recording on Facebook, asking friends to name the tune. Some recognized it instantly, but others? Completely stumped. How can a song be so clear to some and unrecognizable to...

Ah, the joy of trying to make a quick video while your teen daughter is pushing you to hurry up so you can get her to drivers’ ed on time! That was my life this morning as I worked on Jonny May’s delightful “America the Beautiful” rag. Where I’m At I’m having a lot of fun learning this rag—it’s not too difficult, and the structure is simple enough that my brain is buzzing with improv ideas. Now that I’m mastering the score, I’m ready to start adding my own signature, and perhaps a key change. (No more details for now in case it doesn’t work out!) I also have the option of learning Jonny’s page-long jazzy intro, which I’ve sight-read a few times. But it’s tricky, and I’m not sure I can have it ready in time for my July 4 deadline (particularly since I’ll be away from the piano all weekend). The Video This progress clip is at a slow tempo, and my playing is a little raw and wooden, as I’m just trying to make sure I hit all the right notes. Despite my best efforts, I fumble a few notes (I...

Here is a post I shared on in the Piano With Rebecca (PWR) group . I am making important practicing discoveries these days! Retrieving Maintenance Pieces: Lessons Learned On Saturday, I posted that I was about to tackle my neglected maintenance pieces. I was afraid it would be a miserable weekend of stumbling through a dozen or so pieces that I'd worked so hard to learn and memorize in the past year. I started with an interleaved approach (7-minute intervals), alternating between with Mozart's Rondo alla Turca, Jonny May's "Bare Necessities" arrangement and Scott Joplin's "Solace." It was, as expected, quite frustrating as I struggled to re-learn measures I'd mastered just a few months before. Switching to Block-Style Practice In the afternoon, I switched to do a more block-style approach with three other pieces ("The Entertainer," a bluesy "Amazing Grace," and Chopin's Nocturne in F Minor) and accidentally discovered the ...

June’s almost in the rearview mirror, and what a ride it’s been at the piano! This month has dished out some serious highs, a few lows, and a whole lot of learning. With one week left, I’m ready to wrap it up strong and set the stage for an exciting July. Let’s dive into the good, the not-so-good, and what’s on the horizon. June’s High Notes (and a Few Flat Ones) This month was a whirlwind of progress and a few stumbles. Here’s what went down: Big Wins: I nailed Pineapple Rag (or is it Pine Apple? Who knows!) not once, but twice in performance. It felt like a graduation ceremony for this sassy, syncopated gem—time to hang its diploma on the wall! I also kicked off a new weekend ritual: dusting off old pieces to keep them shiny and ready. Plus, I’m making serious headway on two new projects: America the Beautiful Rag (perfect for July 4 vibes) and a great G Blues Improvisation course from PWJ . The Struggles: Mid-June, my daily Liszt practice hit a wall. Between pouring my heart into ...

 Here it is, folks. "Pineapple Rag" in all its glory! I made a few mistakes, and the C section wasn't as strong as it usually is, but overall, I'm happy with the video. Enjoy!

I have graduated from Pineapple Rag! Of course, I never truly graduate from anything, but Pineapple Rag will no longer be an active piece after this week. Starting this weekend, it joins my ever-growing mountain maintenance pieces that I'll revisit every weekend. Two Performances! I've performed it twice: once in the Piano with Rebecca B group last Saturday, and finally at the PWJ student recital yesterday. My Piano with Rebecca B performance wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible either. I approached it as a run-through for the PWJ recital, which I signed up for last month (or maybe in April). I wasn't able to practice much between the two performances, thanks to a ridiculously busy week and some hand pain due to my ganglion cyst and pinky arthritis. I tried to practice Wednesday night and made it about fifteen minutes before I had to stop. I honestly thought I would have to cancel on PWJ. Alas, I showed up and played, and it went quite well! Not perfect, but I was ...

I am taking a Piano With Jonny course in G Blues Improvisation. I learned the C blues scale when I was 11 or 12 years old, and, while I never actually learned to play the blues then, I've always known and played that scale. My long history with the scale may be part of why I have struggled so mightily to master G blues improvisation. The C and G blues scales are very similar — start with a white key, go up a minor third to a black key, then up a whole step to a white key, a half-step to black key, a half-step to white key — and then it changes. In C, we go up a minor third to B-flat, whereas in G, the minor third is to F natural. This shouldn't be that hard, but I have had so much trouble making the switch to G! I keep throwing in the F# from the C scale, and then the E-flat. It's a mess. To show you what I mean, here's a video I talk about (and unintentionally demonstrate) some of the problems. As you can see, I'm slowly getting better at blues in G, but I still h...

Good news! I'm ready to start playing through the Liebesträume No. 3 occasionally. I'm hoping to perform it at a student recital in July or August. Here's my first attempt at playing it from memory on video. It has a few memory lapses, some more obvious than others, but I'm posting this to track my progress and see how far I've come by recital time. Question for Readers (if I have any):  Have you ever struggled with memorizing a piece or performing under pressure? Share your experiences in the comments—I’d love to hear your stories and tips!

Here is my latest rendition of the A (1x) and B (2x) sections of Pineapple Rag. I have just over a week before student recital #1, and just under two weeks before student recital #2. I worked hard on this over the weekend (despite being sick from an antibiotic reaction), and it's getting there! I still have some work to do on dynamics and articulation, but I'm very happy with where I am at this point.

 I made this video a few days ago but never put it on the blog ... so I'm doing that now. :) By the way, I do not  like my new camera setup because it makes my upper arms look gargantuan. They need some toning, but they're not that huge in real life. (At least I hope they aren't!)

I love spreadsheets so much. (But not as much as I love piano!) Here are the stats for May! "May-tenance" Goals I had big plans  to bring all of my maintenance pieces back up to speed in May. It didn't happen. I revisited them each at some point , but I couldn't dedicate the time needed to have them ready to play by memory at a moment's notice. There are two main reasons for this: I put more time into technique than planned. Beneficial? Yes. Worth the extra time? Absolutely. Good for meeting the original goal? Nah ... but the technique work will help me to be even better  at my maintenance pieces. I signed up to perform Pineapple Rag  at two online student recitals, so about halfway through May, I focused more time on it. (The result? Not only is it now almost performance-ready, but the happy music has me dancing and humming my way through real life!) While I'd love to have more maintenance pieces in my back pocket, I now have Pineapple Rag down pretty well, a...