SOPP666: Can you please clarify when using a thumb on black notes is or is not proper fingering”9/29/2021
Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!
Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius... A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene. V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011. V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today. A: We hope you’ll enjoy it! V: Hi guys, this is Vidas. A: And Ausra. Vidas: Let’s start episode 666 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Bob, and he writes: “I have read in several places that using the thumb on the black notes is kind of frowned upon. The "Organ Playing Master Course" routinely calls for the thumb on a black note, can you please clarify when it is or is not proper fingering.” So basically, Bob is taking my “Organ Playing Master Course,” right Ausra? Ausra: Yes, that’s what I understood. Vidas: Here is my answer on Basecamp. I wrote him: “Very good question Bob! The point of these exercises is to develop note reading ability. Normally we avoid thumbs on a black note but when there are many sharps or flats, there is a tradition actually which says you can use C major fingering in F Sharp major or Db Major. We would discuss it in the podcast.” What do you think, Ausra? Ausra: Yes, I think that’s right. Even when I think about music by J. S. Bach, I can’t imagine actually playing it without thumb on the black key. Vidas: Mhmm! Ausra: It’s simply impossible, because he uses such complex keys. Vidas: Yes! In real music, when there are exercises for five fingers and you play them in C Major, like C D E F G and backwards F E D C, you use 1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1. But if you do it in, let’s say, C# Major, you also would use the same fingering: 1 2 3 4 5… or not? What would you do? Would you do it starting from the second finger? Ausra: Yes, I would do it starting from the second finger. Vidas: Okay. Ausra: Because that’s how I used to play the scales at school. Vidas: If it’s the scale, then yes. But if it’s an exercise for five fingers, then that’s the idea that you could use the C Major fingering. Ausra: Yes, I see what you mean. Vidas: I’ve really read someplace that there is this school of thought that you could play some of the exercises on black keys based on C Major fingering, like Hanon, for example. You could transpose Hanon exercises. Ausra: Yes, I think if you are an accomplished musician, you have to do it both ways. You have to be used to doing it both ways. Vidas: Right. While we are on the topic of Hanon, I think people should understand, they are written in a series of exercises in C Major only, if you exclude the scales, and arpeggios, and chords, of course, but if it’s just C Major, then you could effectively transpose them to any other key, and actually, Experts recommend them transposing to, let’s say, C# Major or Db Major, but using the same C Major fingering, so that you would get used to black keys more often. Right? Ausra: Yes! Because if you only practiced in C Major you can only be good at playing in C Major. Vidas: Yes. I remember my training in Hanon, but I changed the modes somewhat. I would use not major and minor keys, but I would use Lydian, Mixolydian, Dorian modes, and some other things; even more artificial modes as well. That helped me to assimilate them for my improvisations later. Does it make sense? Ausra: Yes, it makes sense. Vidas: Okay, so Bob is in our “Organ Playing Master Course” and actually in “Total Organist” as well. Ausra: Excellent! Vidas: I hope he enjoys this training community and progress as well. So I hope this clarified his question about using the thumb on a black note. Right, Ausra? Ausra: I hope so, too. Vidas: Please guys, send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. This was Vidas, Ausra: and Ausra! Vidas: And remember; when you practice, Ausra: Miracles happen! V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Buy Me a Coffee platform and get early access: A: Find out more at https://buymeacoffee.com/organduo
Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!
Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius... A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene. V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011. V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today. A: We hope you’ll enjoy it! V: Hi guys, this is Vidas. A: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 667 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Justin, and he writes, Hello, I am currently subscribed to the Pedal Virtuoso Course. My materials for the week usually arrive on Wednesdays around 11:30 am local time, but for some reason, I didn't receive my materials for Week 5 (not in either my inbox or my spam folder). Could you arrange to have it sent? I've been enjoying the course. I'm an advanced organist, but in all my years of studying and playing, none of my teachers has ever taught pedal scales or arpeggios. So I'm grateful that this material is filling in that gap! Thanks, and all the best, Justin V: First of all, of course I sent Justin the material, missing material, and the problem was with the auto responder service that I’m using. I looked up - everything was set up okay except one specific Week 5. And after Week 5, there is Week 6, 7, 8, etc., and they were scheduled correctly. But since Week 5 was not specified to go on a certain day, then Week 6 also wouldn’t get sent out. So I fixed that mistake. Does this make sense? A: Yes, I guess so. V: (laughs) That’s a little bit technical talk. A: And I’m not a really technical person. V: In some areas you are! A: I could teach about parallel 5ths and octaves. V: Yeah, that’s also technical. So Justin is taking Pedal Virtuoso Master Course. A: Well actually, it’s a very nice message. I was really glad to hear from somebody who is an advanced organist and still can find useful our materials from Total Organist. V: This specific course could really be helpful to advanced organists as well, because we start with C Major scale and C Major scale is not the easiest one to play even if you are experienced organist, right? You have to really develop flexibility of an ankle. And that’s not always the case with organists. A: Yes, and actually this is, that C Major scale is very deceitful, because even on the piano it’s not the easiest scale to play actually. Because often people just avoid the black keys, thinking that they are real trouble-maker, but actually it’s not. Usually the white keys gives more trouble. V: Correct. Unless there are too many black keys, then you can get lost in the keyboard, but what if you have one or two, those two black keys give you sense of direction, and also because if you look at your hand, your palm let’s say, your first finger is lower than the rest of them, so it feels natural to play sharps on some occasions. A: Because when you can use your thumb closer to the black keys, yes. V: Yes. You place your thumb on the white key, and let’s say the second finger on the sharp key. A: Yes, and now a funny thought came to my mind. I thought about Bach’s Prelude in D Major which opens with that pedal line scale. V: Yes, yes. A: And I thought what a good joke it would be to transpose it into C Major. Would it be easier or harder, what do you think? V: With Baroque pedaling, probably easier, probably easier, because all the white keys - remember, the feet are not exactly shaped like your fingers, so it’s a little bit easier to play on the white keys. Although one or two doesn’t hurt also. A: Well, thanks for explaining me that feet are not exactly as my hands! (laughs) I was kind of confused about that. Thanks for clarifying it to me. V: I wasn’t keeping you in mind in this specific example, but maybe some people could relate. A: Yeah, so I was wondering maybe I should learn that D Major Prelude and Fugue. I have played it awhile ago, but maybe I need to play it in C Major and it will be easier. V: That particular scale would be easier, but what about the rest of the Prelude? A: Well, I’m not sure. I need to look into it. V: Yeah. So yeah, difficult scales and arpeggios in this course are very helpful in developing perfect pedal technique, but if you are talking about BWV 532, D Major Prelude and Fugue, this opening, a lot of people are still using modern pedaling to play this passage. A: I know. V: You know that? A: Yes, I know that. V: With heels. A: Too bad, but it’s their choice. What can we do? V: Yeah. Even concert organists and lot of experts on...very famous organists on YouTube for example use heels, whereas Baroque pedaling could be very simple for this passage. Left, left, right, left, right, left, right, right. A: Yes, I guess these virtuoso organists, concert organists as you call them, they probably haven’t played the real Baroque organ. V: Real Baroque pedalboard. A: Yes. V: It’s a flat… A: Yes V: ...pedalboard. A: Because I just can’t imagine using heels on real original Baroque organ. V: Mm hm. Yeah. If you have let’s say at your disposal radiating AGO specification-based pedalboard, with the sides of the pedalboard going upward, it’s completely different feeling than the flat pedalboard that you see in Baroque instruments. And in a lot of cases in Romantic instruments as well. In Lithuania for example, in village churches, right? A: Yes, that’s right. V: The modern pedalboard wasn’t standardized probably up until 20th century, A: As many things actually, wasn’t standardized until that time. As tuning, for example. V: Yes. Tuning, pitch, a lot of instruments were either a little bit higher or a little bit lower than concert pitch A 440. A: So music had more colors. V: A lot of instruments had temperament different from equal temperament of today’s piano. So you could modulate to many different keys, and still feel the difference between the keys. A: That’s right. V: What do you think about people who don’t like exercises and scales and arpeggios - would they benefit from this course, or would, it would be counter-productive? A: I think everybody would benefit from it, but it’s just question of personal choice. V: Yes, some people enjoy playing repertoire straightaway. A: Yes, that’s right. And it’s okay. If exercises are exhausting you or killing you, then why bother, if you are good at what you are doing? V: And on the contrary, there are people that I even know personally who refrain from playing repertoire unless they can play exercises for a long time. They could practice exercises for weeks and months. A: I guess probably for those people, simple exercises is like a therapy, like some sort of meditation, don’t you think so? V: Yes because let’s say in this course you get one set of exercises every week, and if you learn one exercise per day, you’ll get kind of sense of accomplishment. A: Sure, and I guess it’s up to each person to find her or his own way, what really works. V: Yeah. Some people play hymns instead of repertoire or exercises. They’re not interested. A: Which is also perfectly normal, because hymns are fun to play, and they are naturally really pleasing, even musically. V: I found that using hymns in organ demonstrations is really really fun, both for the performer and hopefully for the listener too. A: Yes, especially if you grew up in a church and certain hymns are really deep under your skin. V: Yeah. A: And it really appeals to many people, I think. V: Yeah. It depends who’s listening, of course. A: Sure. V: If you are someone who never sang hymns, then probably organ demonstrations with a different kind of music would work better. All right guys. This was Vidas. A: And Ausra. V: Please send us more of your questions. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen. V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Buy Me a Coffee platform and get early access: A: Find out more at https://buymeacoffee.com/organduo
Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!
Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius... A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene. V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011. V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today. A: We hope you’ll enjoy it! V: Hi guys, this is Vidas. A: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 663 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Daniel, and he writes, Hello Vidas, My ultimate dream in regard to organ playing would be to gain the technical facility and coordination necessary to perform the masterworks of the Baroque repertoire (e.g., BWV 582, HWV 432, the entirety of BWV 1080). Beyond that would be to gain the ability to improvise/think contrapuntally. The three areas that are impeding these goals would be detailed as:
Thank you again and best regards, ~Daniel V: What can I say, Ausra? Was it detailed enough? A: Yes, it’s very detailed. And from my experience both as a music practitioner and also teaching theory for many years now, I could say that you should not study so many theoretical books and all those methods about fingering, pedaling, composition, and you know all those other things that, technical stuff too, as Daniel mentioned. It seems for me that he spends many many hours of studying about music. But if I would be him, I would spend more time actually practicing and spending time with an instrument, because no books will teach you, no methods will teach you how to play. The best teacher is your own ears and your own fingers. And you need to spend as much time at the instrument as you can. Another thing about coordination problem, well I was told by the physical therapist that in general men have more coordination comparing to women. So... V: Why is that? A: I don’t know. He told me that from his experience, from his patients that he had had. V: Maybe it’s because women can do multi-tasking better. A: I don’t know if it’s related to that, but definitely there is something about that. But once again, you have to work more on that. Because often the pianists struggle with coordination when we switch instruments from piano to an organ. V: So to go back to your beginning statement, probably I could put it in another way, saying that Daniel is studying about studying, and not doing actual studying more. A: Yes, you know, let’s see since I’m working at the theory department, well and I’m a practitioner because I play organ a lot. Not as much as I wish I would play, but still a lot comparing to my colleagues for example at the same department. And they know a lot about music, they can hear perfectly, they can easily write polyphonic dictation, let’s say consisting of three parts, but very seldom could any of them sit and play a piece or sight read very well, although they know all this in theory, all the keys and they have most of them perfect pitch and so on and so forth. But if you don’t practice on regular basis, you will not play an instrument. Just reading about how to do it right will not teach you to play. Well and about notion of the right fingering - if we are talking about Baroque repertoire yes, then it’s quite different from what you have learned to play on the piano and what you are playing on the organ. You need some specific knowledge about it and some additional skills. But if we are talking about Romantic and Modern, Contemporary Repertoire, then basically the fingering is same, where you don’t need to rediscover and to recreate the bicycle, it already works. V: Yes, organ fingering specific to organ probably applies mostly to Early Music, whereas you see on the organ in Romantic Era, they tried to recreate perfect legato without the sustain pedal that piano has, so you have to do everything with your fingers. You can do perfect legato on the piano with the fingers, but also with the help of the sustain pedal, don’t you think? And that might be different fingering choice, too. A: Well yes, but you know the good pianist will also think about fingering. Because only using pedal and cheating by that will not substitute a legato, really legato touch. V: Mm hm. A: And some of the pianists, some bad pianists, they simply overuse the pedal. V: Right. And if we’re talking about organ fingering, early organ fingering let’s say, or early keyboard fingering, you don’t need to aim for legato at all. You can use position fingering basically. Change positions and change fingers when you change positions, when you change chords, right? A: Sure. V: It’s more complicated than that, but the basic principle might be like this. There are more nuances of course, which you can learn in other trainings that we have. A: Yes, but you know what I mean actually that read less books and practice more. Even J.S. Bach he haven’t rewritten any treatises of his time, and he actually haven’t written any treatises of his own, but as he was a child and lived with his brother, he wrote down music by other composers. V: Remember he wrote one page of, sort of rules in playing thoroughbass. A: Sure. V: One page! A: And that was enough. V: Mm hm. A: Because I think that practice is all or the most that you need. Of course you need some guidance definitely, you need some guidance, some rules, and some knowledge but not overwhelm yourself with it. Because you won’t have time and energy left to practice. V: Thanks guys for listening to this conversation! We hope this was useful to you. Please send us more of your questions - we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice... A: ...Miracles happen! V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Buy Me a Coffee platform and get early access: A: Find out more at https://buymeacoffee.com/organduo
Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!
Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius... A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene. V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011. V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today. A: We hope you’ll enjoy it! V: Hi guys, this is Vidas. A: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 665 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Bob, and he writes, I was just wondering if articulate legato applies to all keyboards or just organs? V: Bob is our Total Organist member, and he asked this question recently. And my short answer was that it is applicable to all keyboards. But there are nuances of course. Not only keyboards. All instruments playing music composed before the 1800s, like violin, flute, trumpet, etc. Unless written otherwise in the score by the composer. What do you think? A: Yes, I couldn’t agree more. I think you answered his question. Short and clear. V: Now we can expand, right? A: Yes, you could a little bit. V: So what’s the proof that all instruments played like that before Romantic Period? A: Well you can check famous treatises written by famous musicians. Of course, we are not talking about organ now, because there are lots of treatises about how to play the organ. But if we are talking about other instruments, because the question was about other instruments, you could read the treatises by Leopold Mozart who was very famous composer and actually educator. We know that he was a perfect educator because Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was his son, but he also was a wonderful teacher of violin, and wrote a very important treatise about playing violin. So you could read that. It has German and English versions for sure, I don’t know into how other many languages it was translated, but you can definitely find it in English. Then if we are talking about flute, then you need to read the treatise by Joachim Quantz. He was a very famous flutist and he worked at the Prussian court. V: So basically, violin treatise by Leopold Mozart applies to other stringed instruments obviously. A: Sure, sure, to all the stringed instruments, not only violin of course. V: And flute treatise by Quantz applies to let’s say wind instruments. I’m not sure about brass instruments, but probably also to some degree. A: Sure. V: So even today, if you watch how string players play a melody, bowing up and down, up and down, up and down - they change the bow. What happens at the instant where the bow is being changed is a micro detachment between those two notes. Down-up. Stronger beats are usually down. So down-up, down-up, down-up - that’s how they play the scale let’s say. If it’s not written legato. A: Yes, and if you are playing of course wind instruments, you need to use your tongue in order to do articulation. V: Tonguing yes. Same with trumpet - also similar. Let’s say with flutes, you play legato only changing your fingering, but with one breath, with one tongue - without any tonguing. But if you play a little bit of tonguing, then those notes are a little bit detached. A: Sure. V: That’s what we would call ordinary touch or articulate legato in keyboard technique. A: Yes, and listening to the early music ensembles, how they perform let’s say cantatas by J.S. Bach, you can hear various instruments that use regular articulation. V: That’s a good question, right? I like when people are wondering outside of their instrument and trying to make connections between other instruments in those periods. A: Sure, and since the organ is also not only the keyboard instrument but the wind instrument, I think we can find close connection about articulation between organ and wind instruments. V: And Bob of course was asking about keyboards in comparison to organs, right? And we’re expanding the question, not only about keyboards but other instruments as well. So Bob needs to know that this articulate legato could be applied to harpsichord, to virginal, to clavichord, what else? A: Yes, to all the keyboard instruments. Except probably modern piano. V: Except modern piano music composed after 1800s. So even playing Mozart let’s say, you could in certain cases play with articulation. A: Yes, definitely yes. V: Right? Probably fast passages of 16th notes. A: Because this knowledge of articulate legato, it existed until I would say Franz Liszt. Don’t you agree? V: Mid-19th century. A: Sure. V: It started to decline during that time, but even Franz Liszt was complaining that in some villages in Germany, they still play with articulation on the organ. A: So, because the tradition was still alive since so many instruments were preserved. I cannot imagine that you would sit down on the Baroque organ and you would play something really legato. V: And in some cases, in some countries, this tradition probably extended even longer, because the instruments remained mechanical with slider chests all the way through the 19th century, like in the Netherlands. A: Yes, you know the poorer church was, the further it was located from the big centers, the better instruments were preserved, because people didn’t have money to rebuild them or restore them, and they basically stayed untouched, luckily for us, that way we know what was at that time, and how the original instruments sounded. V: It sounds like you mean Netherlands were a poor country. A: Well no, but… V: (laughs) A: And actually I was not talking about Netherlands. What I meant more was probably France. V: Yes. France and middle European countries which, for example, have wonderful Baroque organs, not necessarily in the capitals, but in small villages. A: Yes, because like in the big cities if the war would come, all the organ pipes would be made into weapons. V: Yeah, countries like Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia - there are amazing instruments to explore, and largely unknown to the western world, but they are getting more famous because of virtual organ samples on Hauptwerk. So today you can upload or download those sample sets on your computer and play them on Hauptwerk using realistic sounds from various very exotic countries. A: And it would be really nice to go to visit them, those instruments, and hear how they sound in the real surroundings, and to compare if those sample sets are really as good as you thought. V: What was the first sample set that you discovered, Ausra? A: Velesovo. V: So before that, you probably even didn’t hear, or haven’t heard of Velesovo town. A: Yes, of course I hadn’t. V: Where it was, in Slovenia. And now, if you ever travel through Slovenia or you happen to go with a concert to Slovenia, you would probably look Velesovo up and try to find that church. A: Sure. V: You have a, like emotional connection. A: Because this is one of my most favorite sample sets. V: It sure is. All right guys. We hope this was useful to you. So keep practicing, keep expanding your musical horizons on all the keyboards - not only keyboards, but on stringed instruments, and wind instruments, and brass instruments. This is really fun. And keep sending us your wonderful questions, too. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen. V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Buy Me a Coffee platform and get early access: A: Find out more at https://buymeacoffee.com/organduo
Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!
Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius... A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene. V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011. V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today. A: We hope you’ll enjoy it! Vidas: Hi guys! This is Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: Let’s start episode 662 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Irineo, and he writes: “Hello there, dear maestro. Thank you for your latest SOPP about Unda Maris. I really enjoyed it. But I have a question: who's the composer of that fantastic G-Major piece you played from 21:00 until 23:17? It sounds early baroque to me, but I can't really say whether it's Bach. And what an AWESOME Bombarde 16' does that organ feature! Where is it located? Sounds just as beautiful as that Jacek Siedlar instrument where Maestra Motuzaite also played a recital for which I congratulated her a while ago, if you recall. Keep rewarding us with those great treasures, maestro. Say hello to Maestra Motuzaite for me, will you? Very truly yours, Irineo.” Vidas: So Ausra, “Hello!” from Irineo! Ausra: Yes, wonderful letter. Do you recall about which piece he is talking about? Vidas: I wrote him an answer like this: “Thanks Irineo! In that video during Unda Maris rehearsal I harmonised and improvised on the chorale tune Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott using Sonus Paradisi's Hauptwerk sample set from Martinikerk Groningen (Schnitger organ). From 21:00 was the last variation on that hymn tune. Sorry if it sounded like Bach but it was my improvisation.” Vidas: So, what can you add, Ausra? Ausra: Well wonderful, you know, if people already think that this sounds like Bach, I should congratulate you on improvising so well. Vidas: While we are on this topic, I remember checking one video by Sietze de Vries, where he was improvising on some Genevan Psalm Tune, and in the description of this video, there was a YouTube content ID where they mixed up this video music with some piece of Bach performed by a famous organist from Italy, Andrea Marcon. But that was surely improvisation, you see, but YouTube couldn’t differentiate that. Ausra: Well, yes. Sietze is a wonderful improvisor, and often you can mix his music with pre-composed music. Vidas: And it was funny, because YouTube wrote that there was this specific piece by Bach that was quoted in that video. Ausra: Well, you know, actually many Baroque composers shared similar rhetoric figures that were common at that period. Vidas: Of course, I’m not at that level where YouTube could confuse me with Bach, but it was a nice comment by Irineo, I think Ausra: Maybe YouTube will confuse you with Krebs! Vidas: I think I still have quite a ways to go until I reach Krebs. Krebs was, of course, one of the best students by Bach. I could be a student of Krebs, then, some minor student. Ausra: Yes. Well, could you comment about that Bombarde? Do you like it? Why have you chosen it? Vidas: Yes. I think he is talking about the variation where the left hand plays on that Bombarde 16’, the right hand plays 2 voices on two principles, 8’ and 4’, soprano and alto, and the pedal is playing, I think, a chorale tune in the tenor range with the Trumpet 8’, like this, so it was a very nice combination where the bass was played not by the feet, but by the left hand. I think improvisers should learn all kinds of dispositions to place the tune, either in the right hand, or in the left hand, or in the pedals, and at any pitch level as well, 8’, 4’, and even 2’, and 16’ also. Ausra: Excellent! Vidas: So, I hope this was helpful to you guys, of course if you like improvisations like that, I’ve been following improviser Sietze de Vries, and Ausra later joined me in studying from his improvisation course on Patreon, so we highly recommend it. Right? Ausra: Yes, although there are some deficiencies in his course, but it’s fine. Vidas: Can you tell us what you would like to improve in this course? Ausra: Well, he could be more specific, you know. He promised to send, for example, to include the sheets of hymn tunes, for example, already a few weeks ago, and he still hasn’t done it, so, that’s not a good thing. And I’m saying that with experience from myself while teaching for many years, because if you tell your students you will do something, you really have to do it. Otherwise they won’t respect you. Vidas: And of course, they can’t practice as much as you expect them to practice without those notes. Ausra: Well, they never practice enough. Vidas: So they will not improve! Ausra: Sure. Vidas; Right. Okay guys, we hope this was helpful to you. Keep sending us these wonderful questions and we will try to answer them during the podcast conversations like these. Okay? Thank you guys, this was Vidas, Ausra: And Ausra! Vidas: Stay tuned for our future podcasts, and remember, when you practice, Ausra: Miracles happen! V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Buy Me a Coffee platform and get early access: A: Find out more at https://buymeacoffee.com/organduo
Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!
Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius... A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene. V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011. V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today. A: We hope you’ll enjoy it! Vidas: Hi guys! This is Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: Let’s start episode 660 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Vidas! By me! And, I've been struggling with mastering Part I of Trio Sonata No. 4 by J.S. Bach. For some reason it's harder to do than I imagined it would be. How do you like this question, Ausra? Ausra: Well, because you mentioned your imagination to me, maybe your imagination is poor, that you cannot imagine it will be as hard. Vidas: Luckily, I was able to record it and master this part after I submitted this question, but yes, it was a difficult part. It’s the Trio Sonata in E minor. And usually, the first movement easier than third movement, but in this Trio Sonata, it was the opposite. Ausra: Actually, I remember myself playing this Trio Sonata many years back, and I also screwed up the first movement. For me, it was really hard, that opening, because it starts sort of slowly and then it speeds up, and I don’t know, it’s really weird. Vidas: Can you ask me how I did it? Ausra: Well, yes, of course, because you are already asking yourself questions and you are talking with yourself, I think you reached sort of a new level of insanity! Vidas: Thank you! You’re very nice. I can share that while mastering this part and other parts as well, I’ve been following my 10 step method. (Ausra is already yawning). Why are you yawning, Ausra? Ausra: Because I cannot count up to 10. Maybe up to 3. Vidas: Okay. My method is rather boring to you. Right? But I still think it works, none-the-less. Ausra: I think it’s actually a wonderful method, and I think it’s my problem that I can’t cope with it because I don’t have enough patience, but I think it’s an excellent method. I think I would benefit a lot if I would use it more often. Vidas: Would you like me to be your teacher? Ausra: Maybe not. Vidas: I could teach you patience; annoy you 24/7! Ausra: I think you do that always with huge success already, so you don’t need to do any extra hard work in teaching me. Vidas: So anyway, the first step in mastering this Trio Sonata is obviously to watch my video, because I shared all those steps in my video. I will, of course, add the link into the description of this podcast so that other people can click and watch, but generally, the thing about this step, you kind of unwrap this Trio Sonata in practicing very small segments like one quarter note at a time, then you expand it into half note level, then a whole note level, then let’s say 2 measures at a time, four measures at a time, one line, two lines, one page, two pages, and then the entire piece. Ausra is already asleep. Ausra: Well, no, I’m laughing, actually. Well, it’s not how I learn Trios, but anyway, I think it’s a good method, especially for beginners. Vidas: Can you promise, Ausra, when you will play 6th Trio Sonata, you will share your own method with us in video? Ausra: Well, I just do simple work, actually. At least when I was a student, I would play two voices at the same time, let’s say both hands, then right hand and pedals, left hand and pedals, and then everything together. That’s the way how I learn to play Trios. Vidas: Yes, but could you demonstrate it on video? Ausra: Do you think people would be interested? Vidas: We’ll find out if anybody will comment. You know? But I think it’s good to share your process, too. Not only the result. What do you think? Ausra: Well, if you watch it I can do it for you. Vidas: And of course I will watch it. It’s good for your watch hours, too! Ausra: But of course, I don’t know how soon I will be able to work on that Sonata, because right now I am preparing for my next recital. Vidas: And what’s the program for that? Ausra: De Grigny – “Veni Creator Spiritus,” then Franck’s “Prélude, Fugue et Variation,” and the entire “Symphony no. 3” by Louis Vierne. Vidas: I am very glad you have taken up this program, because it will sound wonderful on the Nancy Cathedral sample set [note: “Nancy” spoken with a French accent]. Ausra: Yes, or Nancy as you call it. [note: “Nancy” spoken with an American accent] Vidas: It’s funny. So anyway, watch my videos, of course, with this part one of Trio Sonata, ten steps, and let us know if that helps. It did help to me! It was a big help for me to follow my own steps, and I write also one more thing on the sheet of paper or on the score somewhere in the corner, with pencil, I mark my repetitions. Let’s say I played this Trio Sonata from the beginning to the end one time, and I mark one like number one. Right? And if I play it a second time, I write number two, and I count those repetitions. How many do I have to do in order to prepare it for recording or recital. Would you like to find out how many did I do with this Trio Sonata? Ausra: The actual number scares me. Vidas: Could you hold the laptop, please? Ausra: Sure. Vidas: I will go to another room and get the score and we’ll see… So I got the score, and here is this Trio Sonata. You see what I mean, Ausra? Ausra: Yes, I see, but actually, it looks like if you would be on the island, the uninhabited island and you would have to count your days that you wouldn’t mess up! Vidas: Or in the prison. Ausra: Yes, or in a prison! That’s how it looks like. Vidas: It has 40 total repetitions. 40! Ausra: So why are you not writing numbers but only these tiny sticks? Vidas: It’s easier for me to write a stick than a number. Ausra: Okay. Vidas: So basically, people could write numbers if they want, but I wrote sticks, and each stick represents one repetition. But there are actually columns of repetitions, of sticks, which means one column is one practice session. So for example, in practice session number one, I repeated this movement five times, so I drew 5 sticks. Then the second time 5. 5, 5, 5, 5, so let’s count. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight practice sessions. Not necessarily 8 days, but 8 practice sessions. Probably, I sometimes practice twice per day. But 40 total repetitions. I think that’s a good result. Don’t you think? Ausra: I think it’s an excellent result. Vidas: It was still a little bit pushing my boundaries. I would have enjoyed it more if I had added 10 more repetitions. But between, let’s say, 40 and 100, I could do it easily. Anyone could do it easily… if they reach level where they can practice my steps successfully. If not, then the piece is too difficult for them. You see what I mean? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: Yes Master! Ausra: Yes Master! I’m doomed! Vidas: Wow. It’s so fun to teach my wife! Is it fun for you, too? Ausra: Yes, sure. Vidas: Okay, wait while we’ll turn off the recording. Ausra: Wait until you will become hungry. Who will feed you? Vidas: Sure. Your mom! Ausra: You can eat your Trio Sonata! All those steps. Vidas: Okay. So guys, I hope you enjoyed this conversation. It was fun for me to answer my own question, but I hope this was useful for other people as well if they are struggling with similar things that I do. Right? Ausra: Sure. Vidas: Okay, please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, Ausra: Miracles happen! V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also join our community on BMC and get early access to our videos. A: Find out more at buymeacoffee.com/organduo
Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!
Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius... A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene. V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011. V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today. A: We hope you’ll enjoy it! Vidas: Hi guys! This is Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: Let’s start episode 658 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Manfred, and he writes: “Hello Vidas, I was not a novice on the pedal, since I played the church organ for a couple of years. When I started to look into nicer and more demanding pieces for organ, I felt I need a better technique at least for playing scales. Fortunately I found your Course in the internet, signed up and practiced the lessons every day over 12 weeks. It is amazing: My feet find the right keys without looking. Now I can play with both feet to both edges of the pedals, even with my heels. How did I play before? I tried to play an new piece. It is amazing how easy my feet play the notes almost automatically. Thank you very much! Manfred.” Vidas: So, this is a sort of a testimonial about one of my courses that Manfred is taking! Ausra: Yes, it’s a nice advertisement for you! Vidas: Let me check which course. Yeah, this is “Pedal Virtuoso Master Course.” Ausra: That’s what I thought from his description of it. Vidas: It is a rather demanding course, and not everyone is able to finish what they start. Ausra: But if they will finish it then they will have a really nice result! Vidas: Right. So before that, he played church organ, and played a little bit of organ music, but didn’t have a pedal technique, probably, for playing accurately. So he looked on the internet and he found my “Pedal Virtuoso Master Course,” and I’m very grateful that he wrote this testimonial. Maybe it will enable other people to start practicing from this course, or other people who haven’t finished. Maybe they will pick up and keep going. Ausra: Let’s hope for it! Vidas: What other advice would you have for Manfred, Ausra? Ausra: Well, I’m really glad that he improved his pedal technique, so now he can play more demanding organ pieces, which is very nice. He might enrich his church services, or even play a recital for his congregation. Vidas: What I recommend if Manfred is really serious about taking my advice, and it appears that he is, is to record his playing and to put it online. Share it with his congregation. Perhaps nowadays a lot of services are being done online, and he could put it on YouTube. You know? What do you think about it? Ausra: Well, I know that you basically record and publish everything that you are doing. I’m not that kind of person, but well, it’s up for everybody to decide, you know, how they want to do it, or if they want to do it. Vidas: Yes, but if they want my advice and they trust me, then they would improve even more, because the reason I’m suggesting this is our weekly contest. He could participate… Ausra: Well yes, but I would suggest for somebody to record themselves in order to listen back to them and to improve, because the improvement will be greater and faster if they will do that. But you know, I think only things that you have done really well you need to publish, and put it online. Vidas: Yes, but this weekly goal to share one piece, it’s a kind of good deadline for people. Not too much, not too little, just about right. Ausra: You know, it depends what kind of person you are and what kind of lifestyle you lead, because for somebody, it might be too stressful to record one piece per week at a high level. Don’t you think so? Vidas: Maybe that piece is too difficult then! Ausra: Well, but maybe you want to learn the longer piece which is more demanding, and you need to spend maybe a few months working on it. Vidas: Sure. Sure. Ausra: Because otherwise you might become an organist who plays always the pieces that are one or two pages long, and not improve much further. Vidas: With time, I think recording goes easier and people get used to the current workload and get easier over the longer pieces. I’m noticing it myself. Last week I recorded three movements from Trio Sonata, the entire Trio Sonata! Ausra: Well, not everybody has so much time to practice. Vidas: As are you? Ausra: Yes. And not everybody has a DMA degree, so don’t praise yourself too much. Vidas: Maybe I should praise myself a little more because… or not. Ausra: Because what? Vidas: Because I recorded Trio Sonata! You see? Ausra: Well, yes, I know, and everybody knows how wonderful you are. Nobody doubts it. Vidas: Okay, guys, I think you get the point. Ausra is different from me, so if Manfred would like to get a second opinion from Ausra, and of course it’s his choice to apply her advice. My advice is different, and well, exactly Ausra. I agree with you. Not everybody has the same goals. Not everybody has the goal to quadruple their results. That simple. And if they are happy with their current level, or improving just a little bit, then they can do what they’ve been doing! Ausra: Well, I’m just saying that people have other things in life as well, and for example, you live with the organ. For you this is the most important thing. You can spend 20 hours a day just doing what you really love and what you really like. You don’t have, you know, like daily duties like teaching full time or doing whatever full time. So you can learn a new Trio Sonata every day! That’s okay! But maybe a person has only a half an hour or an hour a day to practice at the most. Vidas: Wait, I’m not suggesting that Manfred or anybody else to record every day a Trio Sonata. I cannot do it myself, you know? Ausra: But that’s what you were talking about and praising yourself. Vidas: I was praising myself that I’m improving. You know? It goes faster—hard pieces. I think when Trio Sonata three movements is like 13 to 15 pages long, and I was able to do it in one week. Ausra: And I am only telling you that if you are learning or posting for the performance for the competition every week a new piece, that these pieces might be really short and sort of insignificant at first. Vidas: At first. Yes. So well yes, and everybody has their own situation and has to decide for themself what’s the next step. Right? We only can share with them what we are doing. Right? I’m sharing my story, you are sharing your story. That’s it. People can take or leave it. Ausra: Sure. Vidas: Right? Because otherwise they cannot really be forced into doing anything we say. Right? They will still choose to do or not to do. Right? Ausra: Sure. Vidas: Simple. Ausra: Yes, and you know, everybody has to find her or his own way of doing things. Vidas: True. Okay guys, thank you so much for sending these beautiful questions and testimonials. Please send us more of them; we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, Ausra: Miracles happen! V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also join our community on BMC and get early access to our videos. A: Find out more at buymeacoffee.com/organduo
Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!
Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius... A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene. V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011. V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today. A: We hope you’ll enjoy it! Vidas: Hi guys! This is Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: Let’s start episode 656 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Louis, and he writes: “Hello friends: I have read all about your Pedal Virtuoso Master Course. I would like to answer one important question for me. I have seen that there are many scales and arpeggios. I think that this is very good but I need to practice how to find any pedal without looking at the pedalboard. Have you got any special technique for this? Teachers in Spain use to say the same as some of your teachers: there isn't any technique, you only have to repeat many times while looking at the pedalboard and your brain will memorize the movements. I think that is the problem. I want to find any pedal, any interval... without looking at the pedalboard and with a technique. Please, tell me if you explain this in your course. Thank you very much. I hope to find what I need in your courses. Regards, Luis” Vidas: So, Ausra, what do you think? Can Louis learn to memorize the places on the pedalboard without looking? Ausra: Yes, but for doing that, I don’t think he needs to look at the pedalboard; I think that might be a problem if he plays pedals always looking at the pedalboard. I think that might be a problem why he cannot play without looking at it. Vidas: Oh, you mean the problem might be apparent in the question—the way he asks, right? Ausra: No, I mean that while he learns pedal technique, yes, he says that he’s looking at the pedal board and repeats things many times. I never suggested to anybody to do anything like that. Vidas: Teachers in Spain, he says, but he says some of our teachers used to say… I don’t know what he means. My teachers don’t recommend looking at the pedalboard. Ausra: Mine too… Vidas: Where he got this idea… Ausra: Mine recommended like pedal preparations, but not looking at the pedalboard. Vidas: So, obviously, if you’re just starting and you’re thinking theoretically about this, let’s say you are thinking about this Pedal Virtuoso Master Course without doing your practice, then it’s one thing. It seems theoretical, and you sort of try to solve those problems in your head without practice. But when you sit down, usually people start to feel progress after a couple of weeks, and if they stick to this course until the end, then obviously, more improvement will come, and finding the keys in the pedalboard will not be a problem. Do you agree? Ausra: Yes, that’s what I am thinking! I think that this problem comes because of not practicing enough—not spending enough time with the pedalboard. Vidas: Right. Ausra: But I think that watching at, the pedalboard, really will not help. It may only harm your progress and slow your progress. Vidas: Yes. Ausra: Maybe sometimes in like a few spots over the difficult piece you might want to watch at the pedals, but not like be constantly looking at them. Vidas: And it will come with experience, I think, too. The more he practices, as you say, the easier it will become to adjust. Ausra: Yes, because we don’t practice on one instrument. We don’t play one organ all the time. Usually we have to play on at least a few organs or even more. If you are a concert organist, then you have to adjust to a new pedalboard quite often, so not all the measurements are exactly the same at each instrument, so you need to adjust every time. But it comes with time and practice, and with more experience. Vidas: Yes. I don’t think Louis has taken the jump and started studying from this Pedal Virtuoso Master Course yet. I think he asked the question,… and that’s not his first question, actually, he asked a few more, but hasn’t subscribed to this course yet. Ausra: I have never heard about any kind of pedal course that would teach you the one thing which is to press the right key without looking. Have you heard about anything like this? Vidas: We can create something, but that wouldn’t be fair! Ausra: I know, because it’s just so fun! Vidas: The course could be titled something like, “Memorize all the Pedals.” Why, right? Why would they need to memorize? Ausra: And you know, actually, there is only one situation when I have to look at the pedalboard, actually, while playing organ duets, and if I have to play it with the pedal part. Why is that? Because usually if I play solo I sit in the center of the organ bench, but if I playing duets, I have to share the bench with you, so I’m sort of sitting up-right or up-left, and it’s really different. Vidas: Exactly. You’re not centered. Ausra: That’s right. So sometimes I get in trouble after shifting to a different position and then I have to look at the pedal board. Vidas: The same is for me, except I don’t use the entire pedalboard; I just use half of it when playing duets. Right? The other half is for you! Ausra: Sure! Vidas: Or, if you’re not playing pedals, I’m playing just the lower part and that’s quite enough. You know? Because it’s almost impossible to reach extreme right notes when you’re sitting in the extreme left. Ausra: Yes, that’s true. Vidas: My feet would kick you many times. So advice for Louis, I don’t’ know. Why did he wait? Why does he wait if he wants to achieve pedal virtuosity. Without practicing, there will be no pedal virtuosity, and certainly no improvement in terms of finding pedals without looking at the pedalboard. Ausra: Yes, because there are no magic trick, and no magic word, no magic exercise that would entirely solve all your problems. Vidas: If he’s not sure if this course is for you or not, remember always, you have a 30 day window where you can cancel and get a full refund. Yes, for four weeks you can practice anything from our courses and try it out, and then if you don’t like it, you can ask for a refund. Very few people do, actually. Ausra: Because people are polite, and if they already used your material, they just don’t want to be jerks, I think, Vidas: So you think they don’t like our courses? They just are afraid to ask? That’s what you mean? Ausra: No! Vidas: What do you mean then? Ausra: Okay, don’t provoke me! Vidas: Why not? Okay. What do we have here? Ausra: We have Yoshke, my brother’s dog, and she’s helping us to record podcasts today.
Vidas: And usually she was very quiet, but now she’s started to lick and sniff all around us. Maybe she wants to play.
Ausra: Maybe she wants to add something about “Pedal Virtuoso Master Course.” Vidas: She likes to work on the keyboard! On the computer keyboard. I’m afraid that she will press some kind of wrong button and my audio recording will stop. Ausra: Could be! Vidas: Okay guys, so we hope this was useful to you. Please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, Ausra: Miracles happen! V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Buy Me a Coffee platform and get early access: A: Find out more at https://buymeacoffee.com/organduo SOPP654: Last week I was struggling to record Trio Sonata No. 1 in Eb Major, BWV 525 by J.S. Bach7/14/2021
Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!
Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius... A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene. V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011. V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today. A: We hope you’ll enjoy it! Vidas: Hi guys! This is Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. Vidas: Let’s start episode 654 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by me, Vidas! I posted my answer in the Total Organist community Basecamp channel, where I’ve been asked the question, “What have you been struggling with the most in organ playing this week. So, I wrote: “Last week I was struggling to record Trio Sonata No. 1 in Eb Major, BWV 525 by J.S. Bach. Somehow I find it easier to play live recitals than to record pieces one by one.” For reference, here are the 3 videos of this trio sonata: Part I Part II Part III Vidas: I should add probably, “not only easier but more enjoyable.” Right Ausra? Ausra: Yes. Vidas: You, too? Ausra: Sure! Vidas: You like more playing recitals than recording pieces? Ausra: Definitely. It’s much easier! Vidas: I wonder, why is this the case with us? Why do we gladly play a live performance of an extended program, and struggling to record a three or five minute piece? Ausra: Well, it’s easier to play a recital because you have to do it only once. But if you start recording a single piece, then if you aren’t happy about something in it, you have to play it over, and over again, until you get a recording that you like. Vidas: And since we both appreciate perfection, we can’t be happy if a recording is not perfect. Right? Ausra: Yes, and because you have to start from the beginning each time when you are recording the same piece, after a while it seems you know the beginning really well, but you don’t know how the ending sounds, because you never get to the ending. Vidas: I know what you mean. In the five minute piece of, let’s say, one movement from Trio Sonata, it’s so easy to play the first page. Your concentration is there, you can focus for that long and not make mistakes. But then you get to the second page, and mistakes might happen. Then you come back and try again, and maybe the first page, now, goes wrong with some mistakes and the second page is better. It’s quite unpredictable. Because you’re right; we don’t cut and paste recordings. We try to play from the beginning until the end without stopping, not paste two parts of different recordings. Let’s say the first part was perfect in one session, and the second part was perfect in the second session. So if I wanted, I could glue them together with the means of editing software, but I usually don’t, because I tend to appreciate life performance. Ausra: Yes. I think those are more exciting but also more difficult at the same time. Don’t you find it frustrating sometimes? Vidas: It is frustrating! I remember that’s why I wrote my question. I was really struggling to record actually all of the movements, all three of the movements, maybe less so the third one, which is surprisingly strange, because the third movement is really fast and more difficult than the first two. Right? Usually. But for me, the third one is better than the first two. And even the middle movement, which is a slow movement, Adagio, I had to repeat them so many times and was not even able to record it in one day! I had to record it the next day, because the first day was not perfect. Ausra: Not all of the Trio movements, slow movements, are easy. For example, I struggled a lot with the C Major, the second movement, because those repeated notes just drove me crazy. Vidas: Yes, and especially for Eb Major Trio Sonata No. 1 (here is the score with fingering and pedaling), the second movement has repeats. And for recording purposes, I do repeat. So the piece is twice as long! Not 5 minutes long, but almost 10 minutes long, in this case—9.5 minutes long, to be precise. And that requires even more focusing! Ausra: And sometimes it’s really hard to pick up a right tempo for a slow movement, because if you will play it too slow, it will sound boring and everybody will fall asleep, and if you play it too fast, it will might sound unmusical, so it’s really a big issue. Vidas: So what’s the solution then? How to approach this problem; to play more live recitals and less recorded pieces one by one or to approach recording pieces in some different light? Ausra: I would rather play more recitals. Vidas: And then you can cut individual pieces from those recitals. Right? Ausra: Yes. If you would play them well enough. Vidas: That’s right. You could effectively actually make less recordings one by one like this, but have more time to prepare for your recitals, because let’s face it, if I spent an hour or 30 minutes just recording one movement from Trio Sonata, that hour was not spent preparing for my next recital. Ausra: That’s right. Vidas: Unless I will play that movement in the recital, which I probably will. But my other repertoire is probably needing also my attention. Correct? Ausra: Yes, that’s right. Vidas: Would you suggest me to stop recording and play more recitals or what? Ausra: Well, I don’t think I’m a really good advisor in this case. I think you need to choose for yourself. Vidas: You are the best advisor, because you are the only one in the room besides me. Ausra: But would you listen to my advice? Vidas: It depends on what advice would you give me. Ausra: I think you are determined enough to do it your way, so I will not interfere. Vidas: No, in this case, I was really thinking about this question, whether to record more or play more recitals. And that’s not only this week’s question, I was thinking about an entire semester or more. Starting, actually, from last year when I started playing recitals and recordings with our new Hauptwerk setup, I found this problem exactly valuable and worthy of my attention, because it was actually more difficult at the beginning, because I wasn’t used to rigorous recording sessions last year. Now, it’s actually easier, but still frustrating at times. Ausra: Well, you know, if you will set yourself a goal, for example to record one piece each day—doesn’t matter what happens—then I think you would become sort of a like a real Internet organist who would play short, easy pieces in order to record them every day. And then, if you will have to play an entire recital, I doubt that you can put the program together out of those short easy pieces. So I don’t think that recording new pieces every day is a good solution. Maybe you could find some sort of balance between playing recitals and recording? Vidas: I’m not an average organist, because I also record the tutorials. Sometimes tutorials of learning new pieces like this Trio Sonata, last week it was recording not only each movement individually, but also my step-by-step method of mastering these pieces. Or harmony analysis of hymns, as well. I could actually start learning a wider repertoire, a larger repertoire for my upcoming recital, but during that time, I could also record some tutorials, like educational videos from time to time—maybe not necessarily every day, but whenever time permits—and at the end of that period, I could play a recital. Would that be a balance? Ausra: Yes. I think so. Vidas: And, as you say, we can cut out some pieces from the recital that way to enhance our channels later, if you like the quality of the live performance well enough. Ausra: Yes, that would be a solution. Vidas: Okay guys! Things are getting clearer to me! Ausra: And you really need to send us more questions, because if you will not, Vidas will answer his own questions in our upcoming sessions and podcasts, and that wouldn’t be nice! Vidas: Because those questions will not necessarily apply to everybody. Ausra: That’s right. Vidas: For example; I could answer Ausra’s questions, too, right? Which we will do next, in the next conversation. Ausra: Oh dear! Vidas: So, we’d better go and form some questions. Thank you guys, this was Vidas, Ausra: And Ausra! Vidas: Please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, Ausra: Miracles happen! V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Buy Me a Coffee platform and get early access: A: Find out more at https://buymeacoffee.com/organduo
Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!
Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius... A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene. V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011. V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today. A: We hope you’ll enjoy it! Vidas: Hi guys! This is Vidas. Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 661 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was written by Diana, and she writes, "This week I was struggling to record videos. When I play, sometimes I hit the wrong key or pedal... also I had some difficulties recording the introduction of my performance in Unda Maris concert." So Unda Maris is our Vilnius University Organ Studio, which is now just recently played joint recital, and Diana was preparing for that earlier when she submitted this question. Do you remember the recital, Ausra? A: Yes, of course I remember it. V: Maybe I’ll share the link with our listeners in this conversation as well, to remind them what happened during this recital. I think this was a rather nice concert, considering we are only practicing and studying online, not physically at the church. A: Yes, I think the result was actually better than in the previous years when you played the live recitals with your studio. Because people were taking recordings, and of course they could take several takes and to put their best, the best out of the best. So no mistakes, no sloppy job. And I think it went very well. V: Yes. A: Plus everybody had to talk a little bit about the program, which I found very nice too. V: And Diana was also writing about the difficulty in recording introduction. But probably her English about her pronunciation. What do you remember? A: I think in general it’s hard for people to talk in public or to film themselves, and to talk, I have heard and read that some researchers show that actually for some people, the public speaking is scarier than disease or even death. V: Right. You remember Jerry Seinfeld the comedian? A: Yes, I remember. V: And his joke was that because people are more scared to public speaking than death, so speaking at a funeral, eulogy, is more scary than being in a coffin (laughs). A: (laughs) Not so funny, but actually it is funny. V: Right, right? A: Yes. V: So remember when we first arrived in the United States to do our Master’s Degree? We had to take English as a Second Language courses, and you took some course where they required you to film yourself. A: Yes, that was called the course of Academic Communication. V: Did you enjoy filming yourself? A: No it was really scary. V: But was it helpful? A: But it was very helpful because I had to analyze what I had recorded and I would have to look at myself, at my face, and to all my intonations, and how I look at the public. And it was really helpful for all my future presentations. V: Yes. Then you could see how people are perceiving you, not how you think you are perceiving yourself, right? When you see yourself in the mirror it’s a different thing than if you only hear yourself talk. A: Definitely. And I have seen funny things how people don’t know where to put their camera. And for example, if they are talking to a public, recording something to the public, but they are looking down all the time or up all the time. But basically you need to put your camera at your eye level, that you could keep eye contact with your audience. It’s very important. V: Right. And of course background is important. What is behind you. A blank wall looks different than, let's say, a wall with some pictures or paintings or some furniture. Just nicer colors I think. Don’t you think? A: Well I think it’s a matter of personal taste. I would say that the surroundings should not sort of... V: Distract you? A: Distract you, yes. V: But, if you put let’s say many many books, thick books behind you or on the table, you will look smarter, don’t you think? A: Do you think so? V: Yes. A: Do you think that you are wearing glasses you look smarter than I am? V: I don’t think I look smarter than you are. A: But you wear glasses, and I am not. V: Because I am smarter than you! A: If you would put many books behind you and you would talk with your thick glasses, people would think that he hadn’t to read so many books, that way he wouldn’t need to wear glasses. V: So it helps, or not? A: What, books? V: Glasses. A: (laughs). I don’t know, I don’t wear them, see? V: Okay, so yeah - suggestion to everyone who is struggling in recording themselves while talking is actually to do it more often and to analyse your recordings. A: Yes, it will be scary at the beginning but it really helps. It’s like recording your performance too. You know, if you want to live peacefully and sleep peacefully you wouldn’t have to do that, but that way you will never be really good. V: Right. You could actually get away without recording if you always are performing in live settings, like always in situations where people are watching and listening to you like concerts, recitals. Church services count to some degree, but not so much, because music there is more or less background, not, people’s attention is not entirely on you. It’s sometimes yes, when you play hymn introduction or solo piece when people are actually listening, which is rare during church service, then yes, you need to focus and it’s as important as playing solo music during recitals. But nowadays we know that there is not so much opportunity to play live recitals because of the pandemic. So what people do instead is record and upload their playing to YouTube. It’s proof that they have mastered the piece. Not only for any other reasons, but just to have an archive of their accomplishments. A: Yes, but you know, some people just like to criticise what, for example, I am playing. But when I ask them to present me recordings of the work, they say to me proudly, “we only play in a live environment,” and they don’t have recordings. So maybe they can play. V: But they listen and watch your recordings. What double standard that is, right? A: Sure. V: If you don’t like recordings, so don’t even watch them! Just go to live concerts then. But no, they watch and listen to recordings and never record themselves, which is actually hiding. That’s their excuse. A: And you know, the other nasty thing I thought, that usually when I play something French that let’s say Marie-Claire Alain or Demessieux has recorded themselves, people are sort of impolite enough to send me recordings by these two great French ladies. Of course I know how they play - I have watched and listened to recordings. I’m not as dumb. But to sort of compare me with legendary organ figures, I think it’s so unfair, because I’m just middle-age, Eastern European lady who didn’t had really good environment let’s say to study organ music from early childhood. V: I don’t think you need to underestimate your skill and experience, Ausra. Because those people who send you only masters, world-renowned organists recordings, behave the same like people who say their favorite organ piece is Widor’s Toccata or Bach’s Toccata in D Minor. You know why they say that? Because they don’t know any other pieces. A: Mm. V: That’s the same thing. They might know only a few, five people, legendary people who are playing the organ. Marie-Claire Alain or Olivier Latry being two of them for sure. A: Well, don’t be so sure. Latry gets so much critique from all these “experts,” as he gets compared to Marie-Claire Alain. V: Of course, when you play Alain’s music, you naturally get compared to Marie-Claire Alain, because she was a sister. But I think there are hundreds, if not thousands, great performers all over the world. And not only organists, great musicians in general who play other instruments, and who should not get this very short-sighted vision to only listen to three or five people and exclude everything else which is going on. Which is actually a way for them to undermine their own abilities. If they say, “only these masters are great,” and what everybody else is doing is not worth their attention, they are diminishing their own skills as well. A: True. V: Thank you guys for listening, for sending these questions. Please do that more often. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen. V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Buy Me a Coffee platform and get early access: A: Find out more at https://buymeacoffee.com/organduo |
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Drs. Vidas Pinkevicius and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene Organists of Vilnius University , creators of Secrets of Organ Playing. Our Hauptwerk Setup:
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