Learning to play the piano

[crisipicada]

I am not practicing piano since i was busy at home and work and sometimes i do not feel better so no time. I hope i can have enough time then

[Edwin]

I am not practicing piano since i was busy at home and work and sometimes i do not feel better so no time. I hope i can have enough time then

Yes, Crisi, it is a difficult thing when you are busy, have lots of responsibilities, have a lack of time, and also if you don't always feel well with lots of energy.

When I was little they had trouble making me practice, so I had very few lessons as my parents were discouraged with me because of it. I didn't have the same problem playing my trombones because that was something I wanted to do, and it seemed easier for me.

I tried to learn to play the piano several times as an adult and gave up each time because it seemed overwhelming and I didn't seem to make the progress that I thought I should.

I think I was 62 years old when I finally decided that it was something that I wanted to do, and I determined to work at it no matter how discouraging it seemed, and it has paid off because I can now do a fairly good job of playing the piano, and I can sit down and play hymns that I have never seen before, maybe not perfect, and usually not the right timing or rythm, but I can play the notes, and that is a huge improvement for me.

Don't feel guilty for not playing, but when you can, enjoy it, and be happy with whatever you can do. At first I thought everyone would be thrilled that I was playing the piano, and I would play for them, and stumble along missing notes, playing slow and sporatically. I learned that very few people were impressed that I can play the piano, so it is mainly just for me and the Lord. I don't try to impress anyone with it, nor do I play so that they can see that I can play the piano. Like I say I just play for me and the Lord, and I enjoy it immensely, and I know the Lord likes to hear me play also.

[Edwin]

I have a quite a few church hymn/song books. I started collecting them a few years ago. I think I have 150 of them or so. I have Baptist, Methodist, Luthern, Brethren, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, and other generic ones that were published by the Hope Publishing Company as well as Tabernacle Hynm books of several varieties produced over many years, which the Hope Publishing Company now owns.

I am now playing out of a Baptist Hymnal published in 1954 which has some very old church songs/hymns, and I love them! Some of my books have church hymns/songs that date to the late 1800s and early 1900s. I know some of them are not used any more, but I love to play them just the same.

[crisipicada]

actually i got discourage about playing piano because i find it difficult. I really need to be persistent but my hands is so hard to play and always on the wrong key. another thing my hands is so painful especially after doing the laundry and got a lot of wounds. but anyway i will really give time so soon to play back.

[Edwin]

actually i got discourage about playing piano because i find it difficult. I really need to be persistent but my hands is so hard to play and always on the wrong key. another thing my hands is so painful especially after doing the laundry and got a lot of wounds. but anyway i will really give time so soon to play back.

It is difficult and can be discouraging, Crisi. I know all about the wrong notes; I play lots of them!

I can understand about the pain also. When my back is bothering me it is difficult to sit at the piano. Most of the time I can sit there all day long and play if I don't need to be doing anything else, and my back doesn't bother me at all. The people in my house get tired of listening to me play so many songs.

If I am working hard with my hands, like hammering nails, splitting firewood, using a screw driver, using a shovel, or some other activities, then after I play for a while I lose feeling in my right hand. I had a horse wreck when I was 21 years old, badly broke my right wrist, and it has never been the same since. I don't have the agility with it, and I can't spread my fingers like I need to, or like I can with my left hand, but I do fairly well inspite of that. When I start losing feeling I have to quit for even 10 minutes, otherwise it hurts. But if I quit for 10 minutes then the feeling comes back, and I can go back to playing. If I am not working with my hands, I can play the piano all day long, and then everyone else really gets tired of hearing it, and they tell me about it too! The dogs love to hear me play, and also the Yellow Crown Amazon bird loves to hear me play the piano also!

[Edwin]

Well my piano playing is suffering lately. I have a deadline with getting my cellar digging completed, and I am taking it seriously as my son-in-law is going to help me with the construction part after I finish my digging. I need to have it finished by the 1st of August so we can do the concrete work and block laying before the weather starts turning cold and the frost and freezing weather starts. This is the third year that I have worked on it, so I will be glad to see it to a finish. After the digging is finished and the walls are constructed we will put the water system down there, and then it will be safe from freezing. I do play the piano when I take breaks from digging, and I have to take breaks as the work is extremely difficult, but I only play a few songs, and then it is back to digging again. In the evening when I have free time, I can't play very long as the work is so hard on my hands, that my right hand loses feeling in my thumb, pointing finger, and middle finger, and the feeling is miserable enough so that I have to stop for a few minutes to allow feeling back in my hand before I can continue playing. If I am not working hard, I can play the piano hour after hour, and sometimes I do. It will be nice to have the cellar completed, and not think about needing to do that work anymore. Three years getting it done is long enough. The first year I didn't start until late in the summer, and soon we had freezing weather. When I returned from the Philippines I could no longer dig because of cold, freezing, snow and rain. Last summer I got sick early in the summer, and I stayed away from the digging until the doctor told me that I was okay. This is the summer to see it completed!

[crisipicada]

I really wanted to practice piano lately but then there are things to do. I already contacted the teacher in SDA to teach me hope that I can do that as soon as possible.

It has been my desire to be use by God in music ministry. The surprise audit yesterday was very good. And I am thankful that deposit and collection together with the cash on hand are balanced. To God be the glory.

[Edwin]

Crisi, I am happy and thankful that your suprise audit went so well! Thank the Lord for that! With the piano it is not always possible to fit it in. When you can you do, and when you can't then you don't worry about it a lot, huh? Wanting to be used by God in Music Ministry is a noble desire, and I pray that the Lord will honor that for you! Our daughter who lives here close to us was taking piano lessons and doing well, but when they moved up here things got complicated for her, and she was not able to get back to taking her lessons. I think she still plays periodically, but no lessons for now. She is busy and works hard.

I will play as I can, but I have until August to do that digging in the cellar, so I need to concentrate on that, and then play when I am able to. After the cellar is completed then I can play more, until Carol is sick of it. No, not really, she has been pretty nice to me lately about my playing. For some reason for a while the amount of time I spent playing was getting to her. I am doing a better job lately playing and I think it is easier for her to listen to. She complains when I play music that is beyond my skill, and I am playing slowly and picking notes as I go. Some of that music is written differently also, but I play it all because I figure it is good practice.

[fenmoor]

IAnd I am thankful that deposit and collection together with the cash on hand are balanced. To God be the glory.

OUTSTANDING! I know that has been a burden on you lately, so one more thing that has gone away... once step closer!!!!!

Bill

[Edwin]

Carol worked at a place, Payless Drug, sold out changed the name to RiteAide, and she worked a cash register. She had to have it balanced, and it was a stressful situation for her to keep the money balanced. They were not allowed to be off only so much, and then also they were not allowed to be off only so often, and it was a worry for her. She worked hard at it, and still had trouble some times.