Piano Lessons and Perfectionism
Are you a perfectionist? Does every note have to sound right before it comes out of your piano? If so, you might be cheating yourself out of the joy of music making. Most of us learned how to be perfectionists as children, trying to please Mommy or Daddy. We wanted their approval so we tried to get it right.
In the process, we learned that getting it right meant giving up happiness. It wasn’t enough that we could express ourselves musically. We had to do a good job of it as well. As good as we could make it. Getting all the notes right. Trying to please music teachers who could care less if we were enjoying ourselves. All for what?
...really want to know what to do with the left hand. They think the left hand holds the secret to great improvisations and music. While it's true that the left hand has usually been the captain of the piano ship ...
It’s a shame but this happens all the time in music schools. It’s not until we become adults that we realize the damage that has been done. By then, it’s usually too late and most never pick up an instrument again. What a pity that is. What a shame that we all must create to someone’s standard of what good is. And worst of all, when you finally achieve that high standard, you are told that it is never good enough anyway.
The way out of this perfectionist’s rut is to let go of the need to please others and refocus on pleasing ourselves. Now there is room to make mistakes and explore what
...index or ring finger will be used to crossover the thumb to continue playing more notes of the chord.A good example of this is the piece "Thanksgiving" by George Winston. Here, a whole harmonic background is created by the left-hand ...
Improvisation is the key that unlocks this door. It is the one art form that is invention from one moment to the next. Experience the joy of improvisation and all need to get things right disappears. Just for a moment you feel like the music is playing you. Isn’t that enough?
Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the
...that you absolutely, positively have to know. If you don't know these three, there's hardly a song in the whole world that you could play. But by knowing just 3 chords, you can play hundreds, if not thousands of songs! ...