Let’s have a little Saturday Q&A shall we?
Here goes:
Question #1
What does it mean to really play by ear?
Big question here. Lot’s of controversy around this.
Well that depends on how pompous you are. You see some people say anytime you can play without sheet music then it’s playing by ear.
Others say you have to be able to play anything at anytime without any type of practice beforehand.
And my correct answer is (drum roll please)
It’s a hybrid of things and there are different levels for sure. But typically being able to sit down and play songs you love on the piano without having to depend on anything is good enough for me. Don’t get caught up in memorizing vs. spontaneous playing. What you realize is most songs are about the same anyway so once you practice one enough then you start to play lots of others without any practice.
So… clear as mud? Good. Don’t worry about what it means. Just enjoy playing.
Question #2
How do you get both hands to play together?
Practice. Next question.
Seriously… it doesn’t take very long but with consistent practice your hands will in a moments notice just start working. We cover in the Layer Method program a special left hand position that speeds this up drastically.
Question #3
Is learning online better than working with a in person teacher?
If you could get me in person that would be the best, but unfortunately thats not my teaching personality. Late students, lazy students etc… drives me crazy. The great thing about online teaching is you can go at your own pace. Just like Linda who emailed me the other day.
Her words:
“I chose the layer method for a couple of reasons. First, I wanted something that I could do at my own pace. I wanted something that allowed me to play music as quickly as possible and I wanted to play with both hands.
I subscribed to your email list and after reading a couple of your posts, I decided to give it a try!
The method is working for me and I am making progress – the more I practice, the more progress I make!” Linda B.
Question #4
How do I sign up?
Answer: Here—>> www.pianofool.com/pianoprogram
