Blog Archives - secrets of organ playing - when you practice, miracles happen

Woodworm

2/29/2016

I believe woodworm has a perfect pitch.

Why else would he seem to like the bass B pipe of my house organ? Not the tenor C, not the bass B flat, just B. I remember having heard those squeaking 1' sounds he made regularly. I bet these were B's too.

It has a name. It's called Common Furniture Beetle - Anobium Punctatum. Such a royal name, isn't it?

Life must be tough on them since grown up beetles don't feed, they just reproduce, only their larvae feed on wood.

"Kids, dinner's ready!"
"Won't you join us, Mom?"
"No, I'm not hungry."
"Go ahead and eat your B pipe. It's good for you."
"Can we have the B flat instead?"
"No, it sounds 25 Hz lower - it will increase your cholesterol."

Ausra thinks woodworm is a punishment for my care for all living things (except eight-legged ones) since I would take flies or other insects outside instead of crushing them right there.

"It doesn't matter that there's 20 degrees Celsius below freezing. You're not dyeing from my hand tonight."

I intended to get rid of them at first with Permethrin but then I wondered, if there's a more artistic way to do it. Since they seem to be so musically inclined , maybe I should play something in a mode they don't like. That worked for homeless and junkies in one of the public places in the US, right? Maybe Anobium Punctatum would pack their things and leave voluntarily?

"Hurry up kids! Let's go to that wooden storage house they have next door where we won't hear them play in the ugly Locrian mode - it creates neither major nor minor chords."

Ausra's Harmony Exercise:

Do you have a question about harmony for Ausra? You can reach her by email.

Let's move to North Germany

2/28/2016

What's the organ music of Sweelinck and Scheidemann are like? How Scheidt and Reincken are different? What was the organ situation in the 17th century North Germany? Listen to the conversation with Pieter Dirksen from the Netherlands who is one of the greatest experts alive on this topic.

Ausra's Harmony Exercise:

Do you have a question about harmony for Ausra? You can reach her by email.

Exploring

2/27/2016

Explore your instrument: Action, registration, acoustics, touch.

Explore your music: Style, form, harmony, modulations, cadences, polyphony, text painting.

Explore yourself and others: Fears, dreams, actions, thoughts, intentions, words, successes, and failures.

Never stop exploring.

The day you think you have discovered everything there is to know is the day of your artistic death.

Stay curious and you will never be bored.

Ausra's Harmony Exercise:

Do you have a question about harmony for Ausra? You can reach her by email.

Without the sound

2/26/2016

Some people can't practice organ at home - they have to go to church to access the instrument. And that's not always as convenient as it might seem because you have to be in nobody's way.

Here's what David writes:

"Thank you for your excellent videos and emails - they have really helped me improve my playing and given me more confidence.

I practice on the organ as often as I can, but unfortunately that is not every day as I work full time and the church building is often in use in the evenings for other things, so even if there is access to the organ, I cannot play it or there would be complaints about the sound!

I regularly play for Sunday services, weddings and funerals. Since I have subscribed to your emails and watched your videos, I have had many more compliments than I did before.

Thanks again for sharing your wisdom and experience."

If you are in a situation like David, you can also try playing the organ without the stops on - silently - hearing the music in your head. This way you can save much time and use it when YOU want, not only when the church is empty. I do it all the time at St. John's because there are always throngs of local and international tourists visiting the city, Vilnius University, and this church. Sometimes people connected with the University are laid out in the chapel which makes loud playing also impossible.

I can't say that it's a worse practice without the sound. No, simply you have to get used to listen with your mind. That's why ear training comes in handy too for organists.

Ausra's Harmony Exercise:

Do you have a question about harmony for Ausra? You can reach her by email.

Around 4 minute mark

2/25/2016

A couple of days ago I shared a video of my experience during the last organ improvisation recital "Stabat Mater". I told a story of how about 4 minutes into the recital my text sheet fell off on my knees and it didn't want to stay on the music rack. Regardless of how I felt, I had to continue creating music live.

Interestingly, this is almost exactly what happened to WoodyofmC. Read his comment here.

Today I hope you will enjoy watching the entire recital. Here's this video below (and notice what happens around a 4 minute mark):

Ausra's Harmony Exercise:

Do you have a question about harmony for Ausra? You can reach her by email.

Would you like to learn Bach's G minor fugue?

2/24/2016

I have just finished editing the famous Bach's G minor fugue for organ, BWV 578. If you would like to learn this fabulous composition and save many hours of frustration of figuring out the correct fingering and pedaling by yourself, check it out here. 50% discount is valid until the end of February.

Ausra's Harmony Exercise:

Do you have a question about harmony for Ausra? You can reach her by email.

When your improvisation plan fails

2/23/2016

Some of my readers know that I played improvisation recital "STABAT MATER" last weekend in my church. It was supposed to be a regular concert, nothing really scary for me since I've played many such improvisations in the past on a large variety of themes on different instruments. Yes, I've caught a virus and my feeling wasn't optimal but other than that I was good to go...

...Except it didn't go according to my plan at all. Watch this video to find out why and start thinking about your own upcoming organ performance and what you can do, if your plan fails.

Ausra's Harmony Exercise:

Do you have a question about harmony for Ausra? You can reach her by email.

Learning chords

2/22/2016

Mateusz asks about the best way to learn chords:

"I recall reading one of your articles on your website about learning chords. I had a hard time understanding how to go about learning chords. Do you have any tips on how to get started with learning chords? The goal in mind is to increase my harmony knowledge and thus increase my ability to sight read and learn four part hymns and other music. I just don't know what is the "best" way to get started in learning chords. I don't know if I should just memorize each chord and their inversions by route memory or get used to "listening" to the chords and their inversions? Hope you can help me out."

I'm glad Mateusz appreciates the importance of learning basic chords and their inversions. From there you can go into harmony, modulation, and expand into the realm of improvisation of preludes or versets.

So in my experience, the best way to learn chords is this:

Take one chord or inversion per week and transpose it into all major and minor chords in the order of increasing the number of accidentals. The way you transpose is by translating the notes into scale degrees of C major or A minor and simply transferring them into a new key.

Make sure you know how to resolve them into tonic chords or inversions. You can sing them, write them, recognize them, and play them. If you choose to play them on the keyboard, try not to go into the next key unless you can play them slowly at least 3 times in a row correctly.

Of course, you can do this on your own, there is no reason why it can't be done. You just have to be very systematic about it and strict with yourself when you will want to quit (and this time WILL come for everyone sooner or later, believe me). But if you want to learn much faster and with less pain, then this course will help you learn the chords efficiently.

Ausra's Harmony Exercise:

Do you have a question about harmony for Ausra? You can reach her by email.

How to play organ works of Franck?

2/21/2016

How to perform organ works of Cesar Franck? Listen to the SOP Podcast #30 with Joris Verdin from Belgium, a world renown expert on this topic.

Ausra's Harmony Exercise:

Do you have a question about harmony for Ausra? You can reach her by email.

Don't miss: Tomorrow, Monday, February 22 at 10:00 AM (GMT+2:00) Vilnius time Webinar 2 of Become an Organist.

Playing while feeling sick

2/20/2016

I caught a virus the other day.

And in a few hours have to play Stabat Mater improvisation recital.

The feeling is not optimal, of course.

But what can you do? These things happen.

We have to show up and play no matter what.

That's what professionals do.

Here's the thing: It doesn't matter how you feel, does it?

Because the recital is not about you (at least not entirely about you).

It's about the people whom you are trying to inspire.

Playing while feeling healthy doesn't guarantee a great recital and playing while feeling sick doesn't guarantee a bad one.

When we remember this, we sit down and play.

Ausra's Harmony Exercise:

Do you have a question about harmony for Ausra? You can reach her by email.