leaving early

I welcome ideas and strategies for helping students “know where to look” when playing, especially if they are playing accompaniments. Some are struggling while trying to look at their left hand and right hand while following the page. I’ve suggested practicing each hand with eyes…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• Accompaniment‏, Jackson Blues, knowing where to look, leaving early, playing without looking at hands, tracking the page

I have a seven-year-old student who is very keen to learn, and very smart. He often says “I’m really good at this song” as he starts to play from his playlist for me. His version of Jackson Blues has a terrible rhythm. He plays the…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• blues rhythm, Jackson Blues, leaving early, not watching video, playing too fast, playing with audio tracks, requirements, Robin Keehn, uneven rhythm, using audio tracks, using SHMs

I realized this week that I have more than one student that’s been struggling to get Jackson and/or Alma Mater Blues smooth and even. I’ve tried the leaving early technique, dialing the speed way down, separating the hands. I’ve also tried doing the Jackson Variation…

• Last updated 10 years ago
• blues, getting an even rhythm, leaving early

I am sensing that my most of my students don’t practice ‘well’. While they do take time to ‘run through’ their pieces, they seem to lack the skills of knowing how to practice. For example, with Jackson Blues, they might play it with big hesitations…

• Last updated 10 years ago
• Jackson Blues, leaving early, practice, teaching how to practice