QUESTION 8 (by a visitor to PianoMagic.com):
I've played for many years but only
with written music. Would your course benefit me? Am I too
advanced?
ANSWER (by Instructor Michael Anderson):
PMMO is for Beginners with no prior experience, as well as
musicians who have played for many years - but never learned
to play with FREEDOM from written music! There is nothing
wrong with reading music, but neither is anything wrong with
simply playing...FREE of music! Are you too advanced? I dunno...do
you know CHORDS? Can you play without reading music? Can you
modify and improvise a melody? If so, then you may be too
advanced to benefit from PMMO. However, in my years of personally
teaching Piano Magic before thousands of students, I have
never met a student who failed to find great benefit by using
my techniques. ***** Michael Anderson
ANSWER (by a Piano Magic Member):
No-- start again with a new viewpoint--you will advance rapidly
with your previouslyaccumulated skills. GOOD LUCK! LOGS
ANSWER (by a Piano Magic Member):
It will make your playing even better..and free you from reading
sheetmusic to play whatever you want to ...from your heart!
ANSWER (by a Piano Magic Member):
I just tried to read music but it is too boring and takes
all music of the music...
ANSWER (by a Piano Magic Member):
YES. It will help you in ways you don't even think about.
Nobody is too advanced for Piano Magic with Mike around. If
you want to know something ask him. He answers every question
with long letters everybody can read. Sometimes he uses audio
or video to explain - I love the videos. You want be disappointed.
Jim
ANSWER (by a Piano Magic Member):
The difference is that PMMO teaches you to make the music
rather than read it. That may mean going back to some first
principles that you think you're too advanced for, at first,
but if you do ,it will be very well worth it. Buffy (UK member)
ANSWER (by a Piano Magic Member):
Playing only from written music is like a child always needing
someone to help him or her to walk. Playing by air is similar
to the child being able to walk on his or her own. The child
becomes more independent and can move around more freely enjoy
himself or herself more, explore etc. You may be advanced
in playing from written music but could you improvise at the
party, church service etc. if you lost or forgot your sheet
music?
ANSWER (by a Piano Magic Member):
Absolutely, if you want to get rid of the sheet music and
play 'by ear.' I can read music, and I took traditional piano
lessons for years as a child, but I wanted the freedom to
play by ear. I wanted to play the music in my head the way
I wanted to play it, not the way someone wrote it on the page.
If you can already play piano by reading music, you will be
able to use what you already know-hand coordination, chords,
intervals, etc.-with PMMO and progress more quickly. H.S.
ANSWER (by a Piano Magic Member):
I too have been playing with written music for at least 20
years. Playing the piano with written music is NOT the same
as playing the piano by EAR. Playing the piano with music
is like playing the piano with your EYES. This course does
NOT teach you about reading music sheets so you will gain
100% benefit from the course. No, you are not too advanced
because like me, you are just a beginner when it comes to
playing by EAR. You really learn a lot of neat stuff about
listening to the right sounds, distinguishing the wrong sounds,
hearing interesting harmonic sounds.....etc. Rosa
ANSWER (by a Piano Magic Member):
I will have to pass on this one, since I am a beginner, but
look for Alene's answer to this one if she answers. She has
taught piano for a number of years and is taking the course.
ANSWER (by a Piano Magic Member):
This fits me to a "t". Now, I can't even describe
the feeling of FREEDOM. FREEDOM from someone else's "written"
music. Too advance?? Why are you here? :) I think it is an
asset to you, to be able to read music and play it. Can you
play by ear? Want too? Bring your baggage and c'mon! Hears
your answer.
ANSWER (by a Piano Magic Member):
I think there's no such thing as "too advanced."
Yes, Mike's course would benefit you greatly because instead
of having to "read" the music, you'll learn how
the music "thinks." You'll be able to play those
same songs, not only without the music, but with the feelings
and expressions that only you can put into it. Randy V.
ANSWER (by a Piano Magic Member):
You'll have to 'forget' what you know for a short while and
go back to absolute basics...but this will pay off ten-fold
in the end. I too, had played for years with written music
and have not used it one single time since I joined 5 months
ago. I can now pick out and play to a good standard and song
I can hum to myself - amazing. I had thought it was impossible
for me. Carole
ANSWER (by a Piano Magic Member):
Yes, Piano Magic will benefit you even if you've played for
years with written music. I still have written music in front
of me when I play at Church but I use Piano Magic 'thinking'
to enhance my playing and this has given me a great deal of
freedom and creativity that I never had before. This results
in a better overall sound to my playing. And when I'm not
at Church I play without the music and that's even better!
To be able to sit down at a piano and play the songs you want
to play is wonderful. This is what you'll find in Piano Magic!
ANSWER (by a Piano Magic Member):
I have been buying sheet music for over thirty years. It seems
that I can play more of the songs from these songbooks and
sheet music by ear than I can by actually reading the music.
