Picking Up the Pieces: A Piano Practice Journal

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”...

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...