WieWaldi Great playing! Very steady and nice sounding licks! I was intrigued by the playing cards and Iā€™m glad you explained them. Brilliant!

      rogerch Oh yes - the card trick made a big difference for me.
      I used to slide with the middle finger from the black key to the white one. Unfortunately, this didn't provide a good level of control, both in timing and volume. My next fingering (using ring finger and then middle finger) was way better to do so, but unfortunately the old fingering was already baked into my muscle memory. Whenever I had my focus on my right hand, I couldn't control what my left hand did. Sometimes it was the new fingering, sometimes the old one. But with the playing cards, the old one was impossible to perform. The cards blocked the sliding and I instantly knew it is wrong. I think, I will leave the playing cards for a few more weeks to make absolutely sure, I don't fall back to old habits.

          WieWaldi I don't even know this scene.

          Here you go

          rogerch I was intrigued by the playing cards
          WieWaldi The cards blocked the sliding and I instantly knew it is wrong.

          Wow, I missed the meaning of that completely (I can be dense at times)!!! Very clever indeed šŸ˜ƒ

                WieWaldi šŸ‘well done. I like the humptee dumptee extended šŸ™‚. Transitions were cool. Also the card trick is clever. I will shamelessly steal that.

                  Sophia that picture... I was thinking is that a moving Beethoven bust? Then I googled it. It was even better. It is a nodding off Beethoven bust then getting woke up by Rowlf šŸ˜ƒ

                    This Beethoven bust on a piano...

                    A classic...

                    But nobody talks about a Mozart bust, expect him.

                    I wanted to learn my next recital lesson, the "Minor Blues", but a preview of the next regular lesson shows, it is more fun to learn. So nice and new elements in here. And a wonderful new left hand pattern. Love it. Finally, it is structured again, coming in 6 choruses, no need to glue chunks and lines together.

                    And he reveals why we Germans have a genetic disadvantage in learning piano. This is why Sophia can speed up and run away.

                      WieWaldi This is why Sophia can speed up and run away.

                      Ahahahahahahaaaa! I think you're forgetting the Dutch are traditionally even worse... I mean considering this is the NATIONAL klompendans <hangs head in shame>

                        Come on, your klompendans sounds way better than our Ententanz. To be fair, similar, but still better.

                        Ok.... I will admit to that.... I think both only sound great after a huge number of snorts...

                        Nope......... my Dutch lady won.... fair and square(dance). She definitely managed to remove the "wooden" from the "shoes" - talk about a happy dance!

                        Slightly on topic: I haven't started my next blues lesson just yet... somehow I think I may take a break for a week or so to concentrate on Alfred. I'm so anxious to get rid of him at last!

                        Ok, you dutchies win for the worst dance

                        No worries, you'll come back to Christian. You'll come back to the dark blue side of the force.
                        I am already at the point to enjoy the lesson as much, sometimes even more than the pieces. Better left hands and right hand using four fingers in a chord. Almost jazzy sounds! Four more lessons to go, and there is a boogie wookie chapter with a handful of lessons.
                        sorry - pun intended

                        I think this is the point I might graduate myself to the next beginner level. Easy Blues piano course is really long. What do you think?

                          WieWaldi Easy Blues piano course is really long. What do you think?

                          Absolutely!!!! And also, you alternated it with the eight blues pieces book (= another level in itself). So I think a graduation is well deserved

                            5 days later

                            Ooooooooooooooohhhhh I'm LOVING Lesson 3 so far! Those chords, the smooth playing... I love it! And I haven't even gotten to the part of the actual lesson yet - that's only the theory so far šŸ˜ƒ

                            I can't wait to unwrap this one...

                              Sophia Ha! I knew you would come back to the blue side of the force!

                              btw: did you realize, this music theory shows exactly the circle of fifth? Theory made audible!

                                  WieWaldi Theory made audible!

                                  Not only that, but now that I started the lesson, I realize he introduces - very sneakily and without saying it - FINGER PEDALING! The sheet music doesn't tell you so:

                                  But if you watch closely, you can see he definitely applies it. I would forever have wondered why his sounds so smooth and mine so choppy, if Alfred hadn't taught me finger pedaling already šŸ˜„

                                      What is finger pedaling?
                                      I mean, both hand are on the keyboard, not on the floor.

                                      Hee heee heeeee, I would tell you... but I won't. It gives you a reason to follow the Alfred books yourself