New Year's Resolutions Anyone?

[jbird604]

(1) I will keep my organ bench clear of junk so I can actually sit on it! I tend to let unopened mail and other clutter pile up on the bench, discouraging practice. So I'm going to STOP DOING THAT and get on the bench at least ONE TIME every day, even if it's just 15 minutes.

The old adage is true -- fail to practice one day and you will know it... fail to practice two days and other organists will know it... fail to practice for three days and EVERYBODY will know it! So I'm going to practice every day, God willing and the creek don't rise.

(2) I will practice more than just the hymns for next Sunday. I will do finger exercises and such, play scales, chords, intervals, and otherwise work on fundamentals.

(3) I will keep at least one piece of REAL ORGAN MUSIC on the music rack at all times, and will work on it every day. Unlike many of you, I never had to do anything except play hymns and simple hymn arrangements, so I have neglected to learn anything else.

I'm starting with "Nimrod" by Elgar -- one of the first organ pieces I ever heard, on an old Rodgers Organ demo LP that was a treasured possession in my teens. I won't replicate Frederick Geoghegan's magnificent rendering on that old LP, but I think I can learn to play it decently. Will keep you guys posted ;-)

That's mine.......... Anybody want to join in?

[you795a]

Jbird604, I am with you on number1 about having stuff on the organ bench. I think I will try that too. Even though I play for my own pleasure and enjoyment, I hope to practice more and learn more pieces of music. I also hope to completely fix my Wurlitzer 950 organ even though I have temporarily converted it to a VPO. Nothing that I did can't be undone, but I would like to be able to play either one with a slip of a switch but that will require some engineering and electronic work. I am having too much fun with the VPO though.

[AllenAnalog]

I have two resolutions that are sequential. First, get the Denver house sold by late spring!!! I've been messing around getting rid of lots of old stuff worth $4,000 (at best) for two years, costing me thousands more than that with the delay.

Then buy my new home in Grand Junction with a large heated outbuilding for my big music room - to finally get all of the instruments together in one place for the first time. My five days over there before Christmas reminded me of how much I miss my nice instruments. Plus, I already have house guests booked for October in a home that does not yet exist for me.

So if you guys and gals want to give me an occasional written kick (PM preferred) to get moving (pun intended) I'd appreciate it.

[myorgan]

That's mine.......... Anybody want to join in?

OK, I'll bite:

1. Get heart surgery done ASAP.
2. Finish garage by Summer's end.
3. Begin teaching lessons in garage by Fall 2020.

Michael

[Organfella]

Michael, we pray for the first one to be a total success! God bless! Nico

[RogerM]

If it's any comfort I had a quadruple bypass 14 years ago and I've been fine in that department ever since 😀

[myorgan]

Thank you, Nico. The trick is finding a cardio who will recommend all options available. So far, they've only told me about what they offer while there are better options out there. Frustrating!

Michael

P.S. Thank you, RogerM.

[tpappano]

I started taking lessons two weeks ago, so I guess I resolve to practice like the teacher says 8)

[Organfella]

My New Year's resolution: No resolution! In that way I will probably not disappoint myself... ;-):->
Nico

[Sarah Weizhen]

(2) I will practice more than just the hymns for next Sunday. I will do finger exercises and such, play scales, chords, intervals, and otherwise work on fundamentals.
(3) I will keep at least one piece of REAL ORGAN MUSIC on the music rack at all times, and will work on it every day. Unlike many of you, I never had to do anything except play hymns and simple hymn arrangements, so I have neglected to learn anything else.

First of all I think your resolutions are very good! Very practical and also very helpful.

But interesting thing is, my new year's goal would be just the opposite of what you said in point 2 and 3 haha.

I will force myself to practice more hymns, I need to stop myself from spending 90% of the time practicing repertoires but so reluctant to learn hymns.
I need to find a way to like hymns and play them, at least the hymns that are used by everyone and used all the time in my church.

I don't know how people find playing hymns easy. It seems that everybody can just play them by sight reading, lot of people not only sight reading hymns but also singing them with a speaker when they play.
I really don't know why even mediocre organists (such as don't know how to register the organ and just "One crescendo rules all") can play hymns just fine.

I think hymns can be difficult. It of course depends on the particular arrangement, but generally speaking, three parts on hands and one part on pedal, feet is moving on every note non stop, all parts are moving towards different directions all the time... Then there is correct articulations and variations in registration... It will take me some effort to learn them!

Just take "Oh come Oh come Emmanuel" for example, I suddenly need to substitute our organist that weekend, I spend a few hours getting fluent on the fingers, then I had about 2 hours of practicing time in church to put on the pedal part, and guess what, I couldn't learn the entire hymn with pedal, I only get half of the hymn done and I end up playing half of the hymn with pedal and half of it without pedal.

If I had a regular organist job and have to learn 5 new hymns every week, I would feel a huge amount of pressure.

Although some times when I do need to play but don't have enough time to prepare, I would cheat, and fake it a little bit haha.
I will fake it by skipping the alto part and only play melody on right hand, tenor and bass on left hand, no pedal.
If it still doesn't work I will skip some notes on tenor or bass, and use a 16' stop on manual to pretend it is "full".
But I feel bad doing this kind of things, which makes me hate playing hymns even more, and results in not willing to practice hymns, which results in faking more, which results in... Bad circle.

So, my new year resolution, learn hymns.

[jbird604]

For me, hymns are easy and instinctive, but that's because I grew up playing out of the hymnal from age 8. And as a choir director I'm intimately acquainted with all the parts, know many hymns from memory.

There are many threads on the forum where people have given their hymn-playing methods. Learning each hand alone, pedals alone, playing soprano and tenor together, playing soprano and pedals, playing soprano, alto, and pedals. Mastering the lines in this ways will then make it easier to play them all at once.

As with any other organ music, practice very SLOWLY and deliberately, moving from one count to the next in each measure only when you are sure of what you will do with each finger. Take as much time as needed to learn each measure, each phrase. Sometimes I will work on just one or two measures that seem harder to me before I attempt to play the hymn all the way through. Or I'll stop in the middle and go back to something that gave me trouble, to work it out before I go on.

As to the articulation, the legato vs. detached, the basic thing is to detach soprano notes when they are repeated, otherwise legato. Once you get more familiar with a hymn, you may want to detach other notes in order to emphasize an inner line sometimes. When playing in church, I will sometimes detach entire chords, playing entire phrases in detached style in order to set or change the tempo, or just for emphasis.

In time, it will all become easier for you, and the hymns will be the easiest part of a service to play.

[myorgan]

O Come, O Come Emmanuel is perfectly playable by playing the melody in the right hand, while the left hand plays block chords underneath. Of course, the "chorus" part (Rejoice, rejoice...) is written as a straightforward hymn, so is easier.

In case you haven't noticed, Christmas hymns/carols are some of the most difficult to play. I've always felt that. Now, your job as a sub gets easier as the Advent/Christmas season comes to a close.

Michael

[KC9UDX]

My organ bench is always completely clean. The bench in front of my digital piano/synthesiser setup collects all kinds of junk. This is ironic because I'll spend about an hour a month on the latter, and nil on the former. I just don't have time for anything. The closest I'll get to a resolution is that I plan on working as many 80 hour weeks as I can this year. 😟

[jbird604]

You need to stop and smell the roses! Since the bench is already clear, why not sit down at the organ for 15 minutes every morning. If nothing else, just noodle a bit and enjoy the happy sounds!

[regeron]

My church doesn't have an organ, but I have a nice piano to play for services and I'm allowed to play good classical music.
Resolution #1 - Memorize my weekly postludes. These are generally 2- or 3-page pieces. My congregation is courteous enough to sit and listen. I'm courteous enough to not make them sit for too long.
Resolution #2 - Memorize longer pieces occasionally, that I can use as preludes. These would be the 4- to 10-page pieces.
Resolution #3 - Practice transposing hymns. The difficulty doesn't matter - I just have to do it regularly. I don't have to be able to do it in public, just for myself.

[Sarah Weizhen]

That's interesting point, but why do you feel you need to memorize the prelude and postlude? I thought many people play them with the music in front of them. It seems that compared to other instruments the organ is the only exception that musicians can keep the sheet music during a concert.
But I think memorizing could be helpful though, it makes you more confident in playing, and can always play something while there is no sheet music around, and also don't have to worry about turning pages anymore.

[lizny]

I will work steadily on completing my console - this steals practice time now but is an investment in future practice time

When I practice, I will remember to do the things my teacher has told me and often forget:

1. Practice things out of order to keep my mind alert
2. Spend more effort on remembering to keep my back straight and heels down than on trying to perfect the piece
3. The third thing isn't something he told me but I find important - once in a while, throw out the hard stuff and spend a practice playing easy things and just experience the joy of being able to play the beastie.

[guylavoie]

My resolution for 2020 will be the same as last year's: 1920 x 1080 :-)

[KC9UDX]

I was going to say I'm reluctantly going to be using 1280x1024. The monitor I set up won't work with the video card that I have, at 1024x740.

[lizny]

I don't know how people find playing hymns easy. It seems that everybody can just play them by sight reading, lot of people not only sight reading hymns but also singing them with a speaker when they play.
I really don't know why even mediocre organists (such as don't know how to register the organ and just "One crescendo rules all") can play hymns just fine.

I think hymns can be difficult. It of course depends on the particular arrangement, but generally speaking, three parts on hands and one part on pedal, feet is moving on every note non stop, all parts are moving towards different directions all the time... Then there is correct articulations and variations in registration... It will take me some effort to learn them!

So, my new year resolution, learn hymns.

Hymns are hard! Four voices of counterpoint and crazy fingering I've been spending weeks learning to play just one - normally I'd not be starting on them yet but I love them so much we're giving it a try.

Hymns are a big reason I want to play organ, I hope you learn to love them too. Spend some time thinking about the words - all the words in each verse. They are each a masterpiece of poetry and lesson, the music is only half the story. When the words and music come together it is greater than the sum of the parts - and a skilled organist can make it even more so with phrasing and registration.

[Sarah Weizhen]

I think that's a Great suggestion. The words in the hymns are so powerful, but I always neglect them, although when I was singing them (which forces me to read them), they always brought me tears!
And you are right the melody is just half the story, that's why I some times think the hymns are just some almost stupid short songs that are really hard to play. That must be because I never even take a look at the lyrics!!
With variations in registrations the hymns could really sound very very good. But that's a more advanced skill though, changes in registrations even within phrases. Hopefully we will get there one day.

[timnc]

Not so much a “New Year's” resolution—just happens to fall around the new year, but to be more consistent with practice time and focusing on reading. I'm ear dominant and back in my teens and twenties, completely gave up on reading while playing. Instead, I would memorize each measure one at a time and never look at my music while playing. I've improved since then over recent years, but it's still an up hill battle for me. I bought a 15 minute sand timer to make sure I stay at it at least that much at different times each day. I also started practicing sight-reading silently, but I have been too inconsistent and not purposeful in my daily practice time, focusing on my weak areas.

[Sarah Weizhen]

I am actually envious at those of you that can memories music so well! I don't know how to play by memory.
I mentally remember the music in my head, very clearly remember how they sound, I sort of remember how they look on the sheet music,
But I don't remember what keys to press on the organ or piano!!
Probably because I never look at my hands while I play?
Sometimes I occasionally remember some part of them just because my muscle memory, but that's not reliable, if I don't look at the music when I play I would freak out and don't know how to play!

[timnc]

@Sarah: for me, it is more muscle memory and hearing it in my head. I've even accidentally played in a different key until muscle memory wanted to play in the original key signature. Although I get bad habits of looking at my hands since I'm not looking at my music, I have played with other musicians watching them and played from memory. Most people are naturally stronger in reading OR memory/ear and we have to work harder at the other. Very rarely are people natural at both. I'm really bad at reading while I play, but I can many times plunk out a melody fairly accurately by ear just hearing different intervals and what chord fits. Sight-reading, just as ear training, can be taught. Or I would say “targeted” because you still have to put in the work—there are no shortcuts for that and it is always a struggle. But properly taught, it can improve the otherwise slow progress. For years, I fell into the old thinking of “some people are sight-readers and some are not” which is true they are naturally better at it. But categorical statements like that for those struggling (more than usual) with it is very discouraging and could even cause them to give up as I did for years. I may never be able to sight read at level 8, but I can get much better than I am. Sometimes it takes the right teacher. I think ear training would be the same for those who struggle with it more.

[myorgan]

Sarah Weizhen

I mentally remember the music in my head, very clearly remember how they sound, I sort of remember how they look on the sheet music,

Sarah,

If a person learns by sound, they will remember the music by sound. If they are visual, they will remember it by looking at the hands or music. If a person is tactile/kinesthetic, they will remember music by touch.

For some, any one of these methods is information overload, but others are lucky and can memorize by one of the methods above. It tends to be easier for young people vs. old, or if a person has developed and maintained the skill over time.

Michael

[timnc]

Hymns are hard! Four voices of counterpoint and crazy fingering I've been spending weeks learning to play just one - normally I'd not be starting on them yet but I love them so much we're giving it a try.

Hymns are a big reason I want to play organ, I hope you learn to love them too. Spend some time thinking about the words - all the words in each verse. They are each a masterpiece of poetry and lesson, the music is only half the story. When the words and music come together it is greater than the sum of the parts - and a skilled organist can make it even more so with phrasing and registration.

Yes, I agree with you lizny, on all points. Trying to keep the phrases legato doing finger gymnastics is quite a challenge for me. On some hymns (such as “Who Is He In Yonder Stall”) I have given up trying to do soprano and alto in the right hand and moved alto to the left hand for the whole hymn. But the rewards keep me coming back for more. Putting the right expression according to the text is most important.

[Sarah Weizhen]

That's a good point. I sometimes don't play the alto in order to keep the soprano legato. But move it to left hand is a better solution

[jbird604]

When I practice, I will remember to do the things my teacher has told me and often forget:

1. Practice things out of order to keep my mind alert
2. Spend more effort on remembering to keep my back straight and heels down than on trying to perfect the piece
3. The third thing isn't something he told me but I find important - once in a while, throw out the hard stuff and spend a practice playing easy things and just experience the joy of being able to play the beastie.

I like your list! Practicing things OUT OF ORDER is especially helpful to me. When I'm trying to shore up my confidence on a hymn or piece, I'll mark several of the most challenging measures or phrases or finger movements, then play them individually at random around the pages. Then when I try playing the entire piece all the way through, I'll come across one of the hard parts and find it much easier because I've played it by itself over and over.

Another thing that is very helpful to me is playing SLOWLY. Almost anything can be played if one slows the tempo down enough. Then, once you have it teased apart and can play it slowly without stopping, you can begin to bring it up to speed.