What are you most proud of achieving since you've been with Piano Picnic?

RuthPower

I'd love to know what is your most proud achievement since you've been learning with Piano Picnic - we're soon celebrating 5 years since Piano Picnic's first inception and I want it to be all about celebrating YOU, the pianists!

MikeClarke

I've only been learning with Piano Picnic just over a month, still early days. However, I'm proud I've completed 'Super Basics', (still to reinforce some of the exercises) and committed to the Club Mix (New Beginners) Program.

RuthPower

MikeClarke yes Mike! This is fantastic progress and so quickly! Thank you for being here and committing to your goal of playing piano! There's many more great achievements to look forward to!

alexx88

In my quest to play more freely & "off the cuff," I have found that I really enjoy creating instrumentals. Especially in the Peaceful Piano & Meditative Piano styles. It's so many things for me. Relaxing, calming, freeing, creative, & fun. Songwriting is something that never ever even crossed my mind as something that I wanted to pursue.

Next step is to apply this effortless thought process to honing my riffing skills. Things still seem so forced for me in this department. I need to stop thinking so much & just let go.

RuthPower

alexx88 Hi Alexx - happy for you to have found a style that comes easily and isn't forced! That's something to hold onto and keep up, for sure! I think the key difference between the meditative/peaceful improv style and the riffing is the speed, yes? I'm guessing here - but could it be an idea to try slowing down the riffing that you're doing, to make it more relaxing (and more like the meditative style) but using some of those riffing techniques? This might help to take the pressure off a bit, and as is a key point of the Meditative style– just pick one type of riff and relax into it.

MikeClarke

Sounds great Alex, so enjoyed your meditative composition, 🙂👍

alexx88

MikeClarke Thanks Mike!!

alexx88

RuthPower Thanks! I think the thing with riffing is I'm thinking of it as "things to save & use for the future." Like a Riff Bank or Riff Library, v just coming up with patterns for the Meditative Style. Even though it's the same thing. Creating patterns & using them over in different pieces. My head just seems to be in separate place with the same technique in different contexts. Maybe because I've placed so much more worth in having a a bunch of go to riffs to pull out, & coming up with the Meditative stuff is just fun & playing around for me.

That's a good idea though of trying to chill in the riffing process & simplify. I need to translate that across the board. Going to give that a whirl. Thanks!