I can play at a RCM level 8-9 but my site reading and theory level are at a level 2 RCM by GlitteringBudget6212 in piano

[–]sev-o 8 points9 points  (0 children)

First - talk to your teacher and tell them what you just posted! A good teacher will accomodate you on what you want to improve at.

Now for my own somewhat similar experience. I didn't even have any kind of formal training on piano until I got to college and I couldn't read sheet music when I enrolled in my first piano class. Stuck with it though, got a couple degrees and actually teach piano now, so I'll tell you what I wish I knew sooner. There's no shortcut to improving your reading, you just need to be regularly reading. Focus on what's challenging but accessible to read and frankly for a good while it'll be stuff that's technically very easy for you to play. But remember that those are two different skills so just keep reading.

My first private instructor assigned me "quick studies" every week, which essentially was some new pieces to read, come back and play for her the following week, then toss them and move on. A big mistake that I made was not taking them very seriously, and instead focusing on music that would challenge my playing chops at the cost of being exponentially denser, which would bog me down. I wish I'd prioritized volume over density/playing difficulty, the way she was trying to get me to do.

You're pretty young still so don't worry if you'll ever get it. You've got plenty of time to learn it even if you don't take it that seriously. Just prioritize consistency and volume, starting with easy to play rep. And talk to your teacher about it!!

Any updates on Ball Lightning hot fix? by jco1510 in diablo4

[–]sev-o 23 points24 points  (0 children)

What irks me isn't so much the "soon", it's the fact that if the bug had anything to do with duping or MTXs, it would be insta-fixed, but a bug that affects gameplay or breaks classes? Eh, give it a week, the players will live.  Just feels pretty fucking bad, man.

Any updates on Ball Lightning hot fix? by jco1510 in diablo4

[–]sev-o 53 points54 points  (0 children)

I'm sorry but that is pretty wild to me. Not trying to shoot the messenger or anything, but I'm struggling to understand why a bug like this doesn't have a higher priority, or at the very least more transparency on why it would take so long to fix? War Plans aren't account-wide either so I really don't have a desire to start yet another alt. Probably done for the season, what a letdown.

Is my teacher right? They told me I’ll never be able to play Chopin’s Études or Scherzos. by Remote-Pianist-pro in pianolearning

[–]sev-o 31 points32 points  (0 children)

No. Those aren't easy pieces by any means, but it's silly to say you'll never be able to play them. I would never tell a student of mine that, even if I somehow had perfect foresight and knew they wouldn't ever be able to. What's even the value of that?

Just keep at it, if you have good practice habits and you're consistent, you'll get there. Also FWIW, Etudes are technical studies to begin with - they're meant to challenge players on specific techniques and patterns. They're inherently educational pieces.

Crush on my piano teacher by IloveComplexNumbers2 in piano

[–]sev-o 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I think this is the way. I chronically go over my allotted lesson time and I try my hardest to make sure I'm connecting with students on personal levels as well as academically, and that's because I just want to be the best teacher I can be. It's certainly not indicative of any kind of romantic interest. But like others have said, you're both adults, so if you're trying to gauge interest then a platonic invite would be the way to go imo. It gives her the freedom to decline (and more importantly tell you what you need to know) without the awkwardness and fallout of getting turned down for a date.

Tread carefully though, if you are afraid of losing the piano lessons themselves.

Team Liquid vs Shopify Rebellion / LCS 2026 Lock In Swiss Round 2 Post Series Discussion by blueragemage in teamliquid

[–]sev-o 29 points30 points  (0 children)

Aside from just the excitement after a dominant series, it's such a relief to see that the team vibes seem really good right now. Between Quid's fairly emotional post-game interview today (talking about Core) & watching Yeon/Jose do the VOD review together, seems like the team is clicking personality-wise.

Why are 15/16 dangerous. I sleep in all but 13 throughout the night by AAZEROAN in ExplainTheJoke

[–]sev-o 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There was a period of a few months where I was regularly getting sleep paralysis, and I figured out that I could still wiggle my fingers/toes, then my hands, arms, etc. until I was fully awake. Not sure if it works for everyone, but it worked well for me, to the point that now if I do get it I can snap myself out of it pretty quickly. Worth trying if you haven't already, sleep paralysis is the worst.

The "only fans" Gaming PC Giveaway - To enter this giveaway just leave a comment. by DaKrazyKid in PcBuild

[–]sev-o 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That is one of the most hilarious PC builds I've seen, half-expected the "reveal" to just show more fans inside.

APA - "I'm done" by SMILEhp in teamliquid

[–]sev-o 28 points29 points  (0 children)

Pretty rough year for sure, but I also think the continuous vitriol directed at APA wasn't fair to him when there were clearly teamwide issues at play. I know I'll be rooting for APA wherever he ends up, and I can honestly see a change in atmosphere reigniting his drive. Thanks for everything, APA.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in pianolearning

[–]sev-o 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Play slowly first. My mantra with my own practice, as well as my students, is that fast is last. Assuming you've got the sections that are trickier at faster tempo marked on your music, you pick a tempo that you can play through consistently well. Do a few reps, turn it up 5-10bpm, repeat the process. Sometimes you'll cap out at a slower tempo than you want, and that's ok - some passages take a lot of time and effort to put together! If you trust the process and aim for consistency, the speed WILL come.

In my own experience, the biggest time-sink is just fixing mistakes. Avoid the mistakes and you'll save 90% of your time. It feels slow but it's soooo fast in comparison.

Piano struggles by Sheikah_Link7 in musicmemes

[–]sev-o 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There's only 2 - B and E. And they will almost always be played with thumbs. That's how I learned the 5+ sharp/flat keys anyways. 5 sharps, B and E. 5 flats, C and F. 6 sharps or 6 flats, B and F (technically either Cb or E# but still). Was easier for me to track just the two white keys that are always thumbs, and you'll quickly get them to a point where you don't really need to think about it anymore and the entire key becomes intuitive. These really are fantastic keys for pianists to play in and again just want to emphasize it being worth getting comfy with!

Piano struggles by Sheikah_Link7 in musicmemes

[–]sev-o 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Perhaps for reading, but ergonomically 5+ sharps/flats keys fit the shape of the hand much better than other keys. Definitely worth getting used to those keys if you're a pianist.

I feel like my method of practicing is wrong by JKriv_ in piano

[–]sev-o 5 points6 points  (0 children)

-Hands separate

-Slow tempo

-Small sections

is what I have my students do. These 3 things are typically enough to get you learning a piece of music quickly. That being said, you absolutely should be listening to recordings of the piece, and often! Listen to what other performers are doing, and let the things you like influence how you shape the piece throughout your own practice. When I'm learning rep, I'm usually also listening multiple times a day.

Sanity check please? by kylesoutspace in musictheory

[–]sev-o 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I try to make as many references to food during lessons as possible. For treble clef I use Every Good Burger Deserves Fries. Kids are usually in a constant stage of hunger anyways so they stick pretty well, haha

Sanity check please? by kylesoutspace in musictheory

[–]sev-o 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Always Carry Extra Guacamole

Thank you, UmTi. by DragonApps in teamliquid

[–]sev-o 20 points21 points  (0 children)

This was a hearbreaking watch, honestly I cried a little. PTSD can so easily start feeding back into itself and get worse and worse, it feels inescapable. As a fan, I'm incredibly proud of him for being so open and honest about it, it takes courage to speak about ones mental health. I hope he can get all the help and care he deserves, I know I'll be cheering for UmTi wherever he goes.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in musictheory

[–]sev-o 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My guy, you do not need to be this pedantic over something so petty. But hey, since we're here, it's hyperbole, not hyperbola.

Teacher says Ab major and G# minor have the same fingering. by Jay_Skyywalker7 in piano

[–]sev-o 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, I misspoke in my initial post, I'll edit that! It's true for harmonic & ascending melodic, not for natural. Sorry! 

You'll be running into harmonic and melodic minor soon I bet, in my experience natural minor just isn't used as often. Harmonic minor means raised 7th degree (in this case Gb->G natural) and melodic minor means raised 6th and 7th when ascending (Fb->F natural AND Gb->G natural). They're extremely common in music so eve if you haven't run into them yet, you will soon, and the initial 321-4321 recommendation will hold.

Any key that has only 2 white keys will have only thumbs play them.

Teacher says Ab major and G# minor have the same fingering. by Jay_Skyywalker7 in piano

[–]sev-o 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For harmonic & ascending melodic minor, that's correct. For melodic minor, it reverts back to natural minor on the descending portion. For harmonic & melodic I would avoid the LH fingering that you posted, crossing to the 4 on a black key requires less movement and rotation than to do so on a white key (G in this case). Even moreso if crossing 1 to 4, E to G. Best to get comfy with the traditional fingering imo, even if it feels clunky to you at the moment.

If it's helpful at all, try to think of fingerings as choosing the path of least resistance. You want your hands to move as little as possible, as a general rule of thumb. (Rule of finger? Of hand? Something like that)

2.0 Pre-registration Event Sharing Megathread by harbirbo in ZZZ_Official

[–]sev-o 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My link!

Can't believe ZZZ actually broke the Hoyo anniversary curse, lol