All articles, tagged with “piano”

We teach our piano students how to be mindful when they practice.

What does this mean?

This means that while you practice, you may do two things to stay present and focused:

1. observe your thoughts without judgment
2. focus on one element of practice to get into a relaxed state of mind

When people practice, their minds tend to wander and the goal becomes, “I just want to get through” the music or the practice session as quickly as possible. These wandering thoughts can create impatience and frustration as the mistakes begin to mount.

The first thing to do is to recognize that you want to be somewhere else other than in the present moment. Simply acknowledge that thought as it arises. Then, just observe any thoughts that come to you like, “I’m never going to learn this,” “I wish I could play like [some master of the instrument here],” “I can’t do this,” etc.

Just allow the thoughts to come up rather than trying to resist them. As you practice observing your thoughts without judgment, you can really transform an average practice session into something more creative and fulfilling.

Next, try the following “Practice Lifelines”:
1. practice less material (work on one measure instead of two measures)
2. separate the hands (if you play keyboard, for example)
3. play slower (use the metronome to help keep the tempo slower)

Those three steps allow you to drop into a calmer state in which your mind can actually focus on one particular element at a time.

For example, if you’re playing a two measure spot with just the right hand, try doing any of the following exercises as you play. Do these steps until you feel ease.
1. play and name the notes out loud
2. play and say the fingering numbers
3. play and say the letters of notes that are unclear out loud
4. play and count out loud

Practicing a musical instrument has the power to help you become aware of your thoughts as they arise. If you have ways to bring mindfulness into the practice, you will be amazed at your creativity and musicality.

Even if you don’t play an instrument, you can see how these ideas can help you in any creative venture.

With mindfulness comes awareness that is beyond thoughts. Last week, I was wrapping up a lesson with a student in which we were applying these principles. Suddenly, I was literally drawn outside into the rain with my camera to this brilliant orange lily. I don’t usually take my camera outside in the rain and I don’t normally think about taking photos after I teach.

Here is the image that resulted. The inspiration just came and it brought me a lot of joy to just take the photo. In fact, it drew more response on our Facebook page than any other photo we’ve posted to this point.

Candice and I are very pleased to release our newest CD today!

“Pianoflow”

As you probably know, much of our creativity comes from experiences in the great outdoors.

This unique album takes the listener on a journey through nature that features the piano. This compilation includes music by Slawson, Lee, Debussy, Rachmaninoff and Liszt. Stylistically diverse, this musical journey includes classical, jazz, electronic and meditation genres. Watch the promotional video below to sample the new CD…

You can also watch it on YouTube.

For those of you in Cleveland, the physical CD is already available at Whole Foods in University Heights. If you wish to download the full album or individual tracks from anywhere right now, go to iTunes or Amazon or CDBaby! You can also buy the physical CD from anywhere at CDBaby.

More locations coming soon. Enjoy!

You may be thinking, a Water Film from New York City?

You bet. Because Central Park is an oasis of calm in the middle of fast paced urban living. As you watch, it might be hard to imagine that there were thousands of people just outside of the camera’s eye. Many city dwellers were enjoying the day in nature.

We’ve been pondering this spot ever since our visit because it’s amazing that this rectangular slice of nature seems to bring an entire urban metropolis into balance.

If you desire a ten minute break today, sink into your chair and become transformed by the beauty of Central Park.

The soundtrack for this film is called “November Day,” a piano solo inspired by that warm autumn afternoon. You can download it here.

Press play to refresh your mind and body.

You can also watch it on YouTube.

Also, the video link is appearing on a site of our new friends at HawaiianLife.com. They are always kind enough to share Water Films with their community. This cool site features a blog, photos, music, links and a community of people who are dedicated to “getting in touch with the true Hawaiian spirit.” Check them out!

In early 2011, we will be releasing a DVD of these Water Films so people can take them wherever they like and watch the videos in full HD.

Recent visits to Whipps Ledges in Hinckley, Ohio and Virginia Kendall Ledges in Peninsula played a role in inspiring this brand new world/jazz piece.

Just pause the background music (or wait for the sample to end), then press play below and enjoy some photos from both places.

You can download the MP3 by clicking here

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

That quote is all you need in order to understand the power of establishing a habit of practice in any creative discipline. This concept is also true in sports and business.

As teachers, we see that music students who enjoy playing the most are those who manage to turn their daily practice into a habit. I’m sure that’s no surprise to you.

Getting started is the hardest part for most people.

If you wish to be more creative, have more fun and experience greater focus, choose a time each day to commit to practicing and stick with it for 21 days. For a more powerful intention, write down your plan for practice and note the time of day in which you will install this new routine.

Once you hit that significant 21st day (without missing a single day), your habit will be in place. Distractions will be less likely to throw you off track and your subconscious mind will accept this activity as “normal.” Resistance will disappear and you will be more creative.

Think about it this way.

Many students put off starting to practice until a few days before the lesson. Sound familiar?

They try to “cram” their assignment into those few days, like many students who study for tests in school.

But, here’s the deal.

The information (or the music), doesn’t stick that well when you force it in quickly. How much do you chew your food when you eat? I chew my food 30 times for each bite because it helps me to digest my food and my body rewards me with great energy and health. That simple step can work miracles for your body.

Even if you practice 7 hours in one day, it isn’t nearly as effective as practicing one hour, every day for 7 days. You need to give your mind the time to absorb and process. It does its job beautifully when given the opportunity. Plus, everything feels easier.

Why?

Because your personal assistant, the subconscious mind, becomes a very effective ally when you feed it ideas regularly. In fact, if you feed it the idea that “cramming” is practicing, it becomes difficult not to cram!

I leave you with this…

Let’s say that you walk your dog 3 times each day and all three walks add up to one mile. If you do the math, the dog will get walked 7 miles in a week, 28 miles in a month and 336 miles per year. In an effort to save time and effort, you decide to walk him 336 miles in one day.

You might get far, but Fido’s health will suffer, you’ll miss the changing details of the outdoors with each day, you won’t bond in the same way with your best friend and you won’t have the chance to be creative with your routes.

If there’s something you want to improve and it’s important to you, start making your plan today by writing it down and committing to it for 21 days.

Fido will thank you!

Are you looking for ways to sharpen your strategies for a creative project or a new skill? We gave these ten powerful tips to our piano students this year. Give them a try!

1. Establish a consistent practice time each day

• a consistent daily time turns your practice into an automatic success mechanism
• it takes a minimum of 21 days to form a new habit

2. Prepare your mind before you begin

• breathing exercise: inhale slowly for 4 counts, hold breath for 7 and exhale for 8 (repeat this cycle three times)
• close your eyes and visualize putting your distractions on a rolling table that you can push out of the way while you practice
• read something that puts you in a good mood or look at relaxing images (this is why we created “Water Films”)

3. Write out your practice plans and goals in a notebook

• you may also use this notebook as a practice journal to keep track of your progress

4. Do it until you believe it

• with repetition comes confidence and clarity
• by strengthening your belief about the quality of your practice routine and your creative skills, you eliminate excuses (which are talking about or thinking about things you don’t want)

5. Transform distraction into focus

• use your practice time as an exercise to practice being fully in the present
• if you learn the skill of how to focus while distractions are present, you become more consistent (in the case of music, you become a better performer)

6. Prioritize your day

• plan your upcoming day the night before and include creative practice in your plans
• planning your day makes your goals easy to accomplish with minimal effort – the more you do this, the more effective you become

7. Silence the inner critic

• “easy” always wins out over “struggle”
• affirm: “I approve of myself, no matter what anyone else thinks” multiple times every day
• celebrate your victories and focus on your strengths
• overcome insecurity by making an effective practice routine habitual and by fully engaging in each task at hand before moving on to the next task (in practice and in life)

8. Detailed in practice, free and easy in performance

• develop such an effective practice routine that you “trust” your process
• during a performance, job review or evaluation, “there is no evaluating [yourself]. There is no judging. There is no anticipating the result. There is only trust and acceptance.&rdquo
– Bob Rotella, The Golfer’s Mind

9. Enjoy the process more than the product

• “perfection” is both unattainable and stress inducing
• you benefit more by improving your process than simply learning how to get through one creative task (i.e., a single piece of music) in an effort to be “finished”
• accept partial successes and remember that you are on a journey

10. Let go of Fear

• fear is simply your mind giving attention to something that creates anxiety, and you have no guarantee that this object of your focus will come to pass
• talk or think about your life as you want it to be
• focus completely on the task at hand to engage your mind constructively

“The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your state of mind.”
– Wayne Dyer

I’ll get to the New Water Film in a moment. Our CD, “Waterflow,” is now being sold at Whole Foods Market in University Heights, Ohio! If you’re in the Whole Body Department of that Whole Foods and you wish to buy the CD for yourself and another person (makes a great gift), the second CD is half price. Click here for samples from the album.

We’re also presenting this New Water Film entitled, “Vocalise.” This video features images from the end of winter. You’ll visit Shaker Lakes, Brandywine Falls and Euclid Creek in Cleveland in this video and view scenes from Banff and Niagara Falls in Canada.

Candice’s lovely solo piano rendition of Rachmaninoff’s “Vocalise” is the soundtrack. Press play, sit back and enjoy.

You can also watch it in HD on YouTube

The soundtrack to the video can be downloaded here.

It’s now even easier to follow our new GC Creative Studio Facebook page because we have a “become a fan” icon to the right of this blog post or on our home page. That icon is located just below our most recent Twitter post.

Have a creative day!

If you’d like to take a break from the holiday bustle and feel peaceful, check out these images from the Cuyahoga River Valley in fall. Here’s the newest relaxing Water Film, “Autumn River.”

Flowing water images are accompanied by a new composition entitled, “Autumn River.” This tranquil piece blends strings, piano and light chimes.

You can watch the new movie here:

Watch it in HD on the full screen on YouTube!

Or you can go to our Water Films website to watch this movie or any of the other relaxing Water Films.

If you like the music, “Autumn River,” you can download it here.

Take some time for yourself to recharge and relax.

The last two weeks of October have been incredibly beautiful with the trees showing off their colors. Inspired by images of fall, I present to you a new relaxing Water Film, “Autumn Spirit.”

This short film features images from right outside my front door to the Metroparks around Cleveland to the Cuyahoga River Valley. The visual treat is accompanied by my brand new recording of Debussy’s piano Prelude, “Danseuses de Delphes.”

You can watch this new movie here:

Watch it in HD on the full screen on Youtube!

Or you can go to our Water Films website.

If you like the brand new recording of Debussy’s piano music, “Danseuses de Delphes,” you can download it here.

Kick back and relax!

We have a new Water Film to share with you called, “Impromptu.” Candice’s recording of Franz Liszt’s piano piece (same name as the title of the film) provides a beautiful backdrop for images of water from the Cleveland Metroparks and Niagara Falls to the Canadian Rockies of Alberta.

You can watch it here:

Watch it in HD on the full screen on Youtube!

Or you can go to our Water Films website.

Enjoy!