Happy new year! Here are a couple ways you can take an old tune such as “Auld Lang Syne” and add some new flavor to it by re-harmonizing it:

Lots of people, both kids and adults, wonder how long they should practice to get the most out of their piano playing. While there is no cut-and-dried answer to that question, here are a couple things you might consider:

1. What are your goals in piano playing? For most people piano playing is one of several things in their life they want to do. They may also want to play basketball, learn some craft, get advanced degrees, and so on. For the average person to practice long periods of time is unrealistic. Those who want to make piano playing their primary goal may want to practice several hours each day — many of the famous composers and pianists down through history did. But for the average adult, if you can get in an hour a day, you can certainly accomplish something worthwhile in that time period. For the youg child 20 minutes might be realistic, while older kids might practice 45 or 60 minutes per day.

2. Whatever time period you decide on, consider breaking it up into two or more practice sessions. If you practice an hour a day, how about breaking that up into 3 sessions of 20 minutes each? It is much easier to concentrate on something for 20 minutes than it is for an hour. If you can get in 20 minutes in the morning, 20 minutes in the afternoon, and 20 minutes in the evening, your results should be better because your concentration will be better. Besides that, it’s hard to sit in one spot for an hour without getting fidgity.

Each key you play in has a “feel” and a sound of it’s own. Beginners usually play in the keys of C, G, and F. But as you advance in your piano playing, you should get to know some keys that aren’t as familiar. Watch this short video about the key of Db:

The word “enharmonic” means more than one name for the same reality, such as F# and Gb, etc. But chords can be enharmonic as well as notes. Watch this short video to see how:

    
"Joy To The World" by Handel uses just the 8 notes of the diatonic scale
descending, and can be played with just the 3 primary chords. It was
written in the key of D, but to make it easier to understand, I
demonstrate it in the key of C using some simple rhythm.

Lots of people who play the piano have trouble finding time to practice. They are involved in work, family activities, and a million and one things that take up their time, and by the time they think about getting to their piano practice, they are exhausted and fall in the sack. I can sympathize — we’re all in the same boat. Life is busy with the normal activities of life — sometimes far more busy than we ever planned to be.

And so days and then weeks go by and the good intentions to practice the piano give way to computers, TV, sports, eating and no time is made for playing music. We mean well, but life just happens too fast.

I would like to suggest an easy remedy: Dedicate yourself to playing one song each day. Only one song. And play it once. That should take just a few minutes depending on how advanced you are. If you’re a relative beginner, let’s say a song takes 3 minutes to play though. Determine that no day will pass without playing that 3 minute song.

Easy enough? Sure.

But here’s what will probably happen: once you are sitting at the piano and playing, chances are you’ll feel like playing the song through twice or three times. You don’t HAVE to — all you have required of yourself is 3 minutes — but once you’re there on the piano bench, you’ll probably play much longer and several more songs than you required of yourself. It’s called “momentum”, and like a rolling ball, it has a life of it’s own.

This is for ADULTS ONLY, and adults who do NOT have a piano teacher. KIds need to keep their practice time required by their teacher. And for adults who have a teacher, the same principle applies.

But for those adults who simply play for their own enjoyment, this is an excellent way to make sure you get at least some playing time every day.