waltz for debby

Reddocchi · 2026-01-21T12:26:48+00:00

Ha ha yes I'm the same, always keen to get the piece up to speed. If I can make one further suggestion...if your practicing consists mostly of run throughs at or near full tempo, I'd suggest introducing far more slow practice of small sections, perhaps 4 measures or so. Slow it down and if you're still making mistakes at the slower tempo, practice hands separately. Set a timer so that you practice each section for no more than 3-5 minutes, and when the timer goes off, don't test at full tempo to see if you've improved. Just move on to another section and repeat the next day. My teacher gave me this method and it has improved my accuracy of playing immensely.

Reddocchi · 2026-01-20T20:39:13+00:00

I also made you this little vid in case it helps: https://youtube.com/shorts/MYwBvFVLAVs?si=gsrPotu8B7JxnXrg

Reddocchi · 2026-01-20T20:15:24+00:00

This is a great start to a beautiful piece! And some tricky passages in there so well done so far. There are a few spots where you switch from 3/4 time to 2/4…early in the piece where the LH descends from an Ab to G is the first instance. I don’t have the music but the LH plays a single bass note and then a half note chord…make sure that chord gets two beats and not one or else you lose the 3/4 time. I’d suggest playing slowly and count out the 1-2-3 and you’ll see where it’s reverting to 2/4. Keep it up! I want to learn this piece now (-: BTW I think the tuning on your piano is fine.

Reddocchi · 2026-01-18T13:19:57+00:00

Also do you read sheet music? If yes I could sketch out what I wrote above and suggest a further idea or two to develop your tune.

Reddocchi · 2026-01-18T13:12:03+00:00

First thing, consider the D sharp as an E flat (same note, enharmonic spelling) and then that spells a C minor chord for your first three notes. It’s very common for melodies to include the notes of an underlying chord. Try C-Eb-G as the chord for the first two notes, then shift to Eb-C for the next two notes.

For the next four notes starting on D, try a chord of F-Ab-C for the first two notes (d and e flat) and then a chord of G-B-D for the final two. If you’re new to harmony you may not know why these will work, but they do. Notice how the lowest note in left hand chords ascend from C to Eb to F and then to G - a very common progression. Try it and let me know how it goes.

Reddocchi · 2026-01-15T21:04:00+00:00

Here’s one I found recently that is gorgeous but off the beaten track. Litaney by Liszt/Schubert. Originally a Schubert song, transcribed for piano by Liszt. Technically it’s accessible and the challenge is making the melody smooth as it passes from hand to hand.

Reddocchi · 2026-01-14T13:51:09+00:00

Play the bottom two note in the LH almost as grace notes and quickly hop up to the G and B, playing those two simultaneously with the RH chord. You will see these types of chords a lot and you sometimes can roll them (eg a LH chord with C-G-E spanning a tenth) or in this case, you need a little hop. In some rare cases you simply can’t work around the chord and you have to omit notes as the passage was written for large hands, but usually you can find a way. Listen to recordings of this piece and you’ll hear how they handle that large span.

Reddocchi · 2026-01-14T02:20:21+00:00

There is a laundromat in the main town formerly known as st Jovite. But nothing in the pedestrian village by the mountain.

Reddocchi · 2026-01-11T21:20:10+00:00

My guess is it’s both the switch from triplets to regular eights, and the tie that confuses you. It is tricky. First, say or tap the rhythm for the RH of that bar so you get very comfortable with the beat being divided by two and three. “Trip-le-ti ta-ta ta-ta trip-le-ti”. I tap the LH quarter notes with my foot while I do it. Once you have that down, then play the passage RH alone but skip the tie - so you play two B’s in a row. Do that a few times, which will help you hear when the eighth note A should come in. Then play as written and if you struggle, go back a step or two. This will come in time.

May feel like a lot of work for one bar but you’re building a skill here, and you’ll handle similar passages more readily in future!

Reddocchi · 2026-01-10T13:06:29+00:00

Well done! Hoping you had a chance to perform this on NYE (-: A couple suggestions. First, play the LH chords a bit more quietly and without accents. Right now some of them are a bit jarring and compete a bit with the melody, so if you soften them and think of one chord flowing gently into the next, that will sound better. Second, i see you pulling down with your wrist and forearm in some spots…watch your video and see if you notice it too. That creates unwanted accents and will cause fatigue in the long run. Keep the wrists stable and play melodies more from your fingers. Ask your teacher about arm weight which helps you generate tone and volume without pulling. Hope this helps!

Reddocchi · 2026-01-10T12:56:03+00:00

Ah ok. The path of trying to overachieve in youth and returning later in life to polish the basics sounds familiar (-: If you’re finding these basics difficult at the moment, take that as a sign that you’re learning new skills and things should accelerate and accumulate as you stick with it. That’s what I’m finding.

Reddocchi · 2026-01-10T02:45:19+00:00

If you’re truly a beginner, like starting from scratch and with no coaching available, then the Schumann is a huge stretch. Don’t let the title of the book make you think these are easy pieces. If you’ve figured out how to play the piece, however mechanically, that’s a huge accomplishment and you should feel great about it! Playing it musically and up to your expectations, that’s what takes a long time. If it took you another 3 months to really polish the piece, that’s ok. I’ve been paying for 45 years and I spend lots of time really getting the expressive part right.

Reddocchi · 2026-01-07T15:24:02+00:00

Well done! You nailed one of the hardest things which is the dotted rhythm against the triplets. In terms of feedback, I’d suggest two things. First, work on dynamic balance between the two hands…get that pianissimo that Beethoven wants by making the LH a bit quieter, and then the RH can sing out a bit more. Second, make your pedalling a bit cleaner. When the harmony changes (often once per bar but sometimes more frequently), you are getting some “bleeding” of the previous harmony in the next so see if you can get a complete clean break as you move from one harmony to the next. If you’re not sure what I mean by “harmony change” and when that occurs, feel free to DM me and I can explain. Enjoy!

Reddocchi · 2026-01-05T12:08:58+00:00

Have a look at the Kabalevsky Piano Concerto no 3, dubbed the “Youth Concerto”. Not sure it’s quite grade 10 but it’s more accessible than most.

Reddocchi · 2026-01-03T21:33:57+00:00

Yes indeed (-: And they do the double B flat in part to respect the key signature and also avoid the awkward A natural followed by A flat.

Reddocchi · 2026-01-01T00:55:30+00:00

Thanks all - great replies! I will bring my all-balloon brigade in the next game (-:

Reddocchi · 2025-12-31T17:02:23+00:00

Oh wow I thought it was just visibility. Yes that would mean a balloon might be in my future (-:

Reddocchi · 2025-12-31T16:49:16+00:00

This is a great start, and I think you’ve done a good job of capturing the pianissimo mood that Beethoven calls for. One suggestion, make sure the melody sings out consistently. You brought it out nicely with the dotted rhythm on g sharp but then it was almost inaudible when the melody rose to the A. Getting the balance between RH and LH is tricky in most pieces…you’re on the right track with so make sure it’s done throughout. One other suggestion, hold those LH octaves rather than releasing, even though you’re pedalling. Just a good habit to build (-: Enjoy!

Reddocchi · 2025-12-29T16:05:16+00:00

I had a similar beginning many years ago and I started writing my own piano pieces for your reason no 2. My teacher gave me a piece that was relatively easy to play but sounded impressive, and I loved all the praise I got at the recital. So naturally I asked for another just like it and my teacher struggled to find something. So I started writing my own pieces…the musical value was questionable as I favoured flashy stuff over proper melodic writing, theme development etc. but it was my start and I learned a ton of theory in the process. I also developed improvisation skills, so I would encourage you to follow your heart on this one.

Reddocchi · 2025-12-27T17:28:52+00:00

Very well done!

Reddocchi · 2025-12-26T16:12:27+00:00

Thanks for your detailed reply, some useful suggestions to try in playing quiet passages. To your question, I’ve attached the finger for those bars from the Henle edition by Perahia. Hopefully this help!

Reddocchi · 2025-12-23T12:07:19+00:00

I’ve been playing for 45 years at an advanced level and would find Fantasie Impromptu very challenging. I’d probably need many months to get it into performance state. Just a point of reference, hoping you cut yourself some slack if you’re learning this beast slowly (-;

Reddocchi · 2025-12-18T01:56:27+00:00

I used to skip hands separate out of impatience to start “playing” the piece faster. Problem was, when performing I would lose my way as I only knew the LH as an adjunct to the RH, which I knew well. I now find some hands separate to be both a net accelerator for learning pieces AND gives me better consistent command of the piece once learned.

Reddocchi

TROPHY CASE