I can see that you are already figuring out how to use the little gadgets on this site in order to enhance things. :) A safe time for me, given that I am going to be needing to do some long-distance travelling, would be about 9:00 p.m. your time. I think that we are about an hour apart in time based upon what you said earlier as far as the time.

It is interesting, the book that is unfolding, page-by-page of who you are musically. Sounds like you have a lot going for you already! I'm sure that you won't have any trouble getting into acting! :)

I do have a couple of last questions for you, though. Are you into the visual arts, such as painting, drawing, etc. Or, maybe into writing of some kind, like stories or poems?

Unfortunately, I think this will be my last post. 9:00pm is good for me, and I look forward to talking to you again!

Do you really think so? That I have potential with acting? Wow that's great news!

Im not as much into the visual arts. I do enjoy painting, but I have taken no classes or courses with the visual arts, and I probably have little to no talent with it. As far as writing is concerned, I love it. I have always enjoyed writing stories and creating new adventures. People have told me I am quite creative with my writing, and I think that is the major reason why I'm in English AP at school (Advanced Placement). Poems? No, Im not a huge fan of writing poems. I still write them, but only when I have to.

I look forward to talking to you Sunday, and good luck with your gig!
-Faborgirl

I was just checking. Since you are involved with the arts of whatever kind, I will be inviting you over to a thread where you will be meeting some wonderful, incredible people! The thread might blow you away at first because it is so large and intense. But, don't worry, you will receive a warm welcome there! The thread is very warm and friendly, and also a good read at that! :)

Thanks for wishing me well with the gig!

Until later then...

Goodnight and sweet dreams to you!

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Originally Posted by Faborgirl

Do you really think so? That i have potential with acting? wow thats great news!
-Faborgirl

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p.s. Yes, I do know that you have potential with acting. I can tell it by the way that you write! :D

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

I am here, Faborgirl. I apologize that I am late! :)

Not to worry, Clough
God knows Im late enough! Haha!
So how did the gig go?

It went fine! :) Although unfortunately, that is probably the last time that we will be playing there. :( The management of the hotel has changed and they are really sticking it to our director concerning the money. This, after 14 years of excellent service by our group to the place. I haven't been with the group that long. I just know that it has been going on that long as far as playing there.

Please tell me about your piano playing. That can have much to do with acting. Thank you!

Well Im happy that it went all right, but its unfortunate that you won't be playing at that hotel anymore:(

I love playing the piano. It has gotten me through a lot of hard times in my life. Its because of my piano playing that I got involved with the clarinet, and later the oboe. This is my ninth year playing, and I'm still in love with it

What sort of music do you play on the piano? Pieces? Styles? Composers? Nine years is a long time to have been playing. Have you also taken lessons for that same amount of time? Just trying to find out more things concerning your skills in order to give you better ideas and direction.

I also do know about playing a keyboard instrument such as a piano or an organ and using it to help get myself through some hard times in life. When I was about your age and younger, living in my parent's home, I used to close whatever doors I could to where our electronic organ was located and just wail away with improvising on melodies and chords that I would make up. I would make myself cry in the process. It was a great stress reliever!

I sometimes do something similar now, although I don't go shutting the doors! :)

Yes, Ive been taking lessons this entire time, but I had to stop last year, for my Oboe took priority. I play just about anything. Mostly, I hear a piece of music, fall in love with it, and Ill have to find that piece. Ill practice it until my fingers bleed and until I get it perfect. It feels amazing when I do eventually get it perfect though:) I love Mozart, that man just seems to fascinate me!

Yes, can music ever be a stress reliever! After my mother died, it felt like music suddenly became my life. If I wasn't playing it, I was listening to it. I think that's how I got so attached to music.

I can really identify with music also helping me to work through the death of someone to whom I was close. I had two different, although certain classical pieces on the piano I would play that would just seem to fit perfectly with how I felt about the period leading up to each of my parent's deaths and also how it felt after each one of them had died.

Have you played any Chopin?

Yes, and I quite enjoyed his Ballade No 1. Other than that however, Im not a huge fan of his. Why do you ask?

I'm trying to get an idea as to how advanced you are. Have you played any later Beethoven sonatas or any pieces by Liszt?

Do you know chords and can you improvise?

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Originally Posted by Faborgirl

Yes, Ive been taking lessons this entire time, but I had to stop last year, for my Oboe took priority. I play just about anything. Mostly, I hear a piece of music, fall in love with it, and Ill have to find that piece. Ill practice it until my fingers bleed and until I get it perfect. It feels amazing when I do eventually get it perfect though:) I love Mozart, that man just seems to fascinate me!

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I know exactly what you mean about hearing a piece of music and then just having to have to play it until you get it perfect!

From what you have written concerning what and how you like to play a piece on the piano, it is safe to assume, I think, that you know that it's not just practice that makes perfect, but perfect practice that makes perfect! :) There are many ways in which to practice something incorrectly. There are methodologies to practicing any skill in order to get something just right.

Yes, Ive played Liszt Consolation No. 3, but no Beethoven, none that I can remember at least.
Yes, I can improvise, but usually just to make the piece a bit easier

Yes, Ive heard that there are methodologies to practicing. I use to hate practicing the piano. I would always think of it as a chore, rather than as entertainment. However, as years passed, I guess I realized that I have real talent at music, and that alone encouraged me to pursue it!

Hey, that's great that you can improvise, because most musicians can't! :) Then, is it safe for me to assume that you know about the chords of the scale as related to I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi and vii? Or, do you just know how to mess around with some chords because you know the notes that make up those certain chords as they are related to the pieces that you are playing?

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Originally Posted by Faborgirl

Yes, Ive heard that there are methodologies to practicing. I use to hate practicing the piano. I would always think of it as a chore, rather than as entertainment. However, as years passed, I guess I realized that I have real talent at music, and that alone encouraged me to pursue it!

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I am referring to a methodology as being that which is developed by the person who is doing the practicing through the method of discovering what will work best in order to achieve the desired goal for playing the music based upon what will work and what won't.

So, are you saying that you decided to continue pursuing it, even though you know that it is going to be somewhat of a chore in order to achieve the desired result by how you practice? I just want to make sure that we are on the same page here.

When I practice, it is most certainly a chore. But, it is something that I like to do because I realize the "cookie" that will come at the end, when I have truly done everything that I need to do in order to make a piece as perfect and as enjoyable as possible. I also enjoy doing the "chore" because of the discoveries of what I can do in order to facilitate the desired outcome.

It is the same with any discipline in the arts concerning practicing. At least it is for me, anyway.

Wellll, usually I just mess around on the piano until I come up with something I enjoy more then the original part of the piece. I have heard of chords related to I, ii, and iii. I've never leanred them, and I didn't know that there were more Chords, and Im intrigued to learn more about them!