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| Tai chi & piano lessons | ||
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Tai
chi: the
martial art
Training a martial art is altogether different to
learning tai chi for
health.
The depth of knowledge and skill is significantly deeper and more thorough.
A casual approach will not work when learning the
complete syllabus.
Body, mind and emotions need to be conditioned and honed through sustained,
regular
practice.
Practice
If a student wants to learn a martial art, it is necessary to accept that a
lot of training is required.
The practice needs to be regular, sustained and on-going.
Tuition and daily home practice must be combined in order to produce the
most effective outcome.
Natural talent?
A lot of people still believe in the
notion of 'natural talent'.
According to scientific research detailed
in a number of books published in the 21st Century, there's no such
thing...
Ability begets ability
People who excel, do so because they
put in more time and
commit to greater practice than other people do.
They also receive regular feedback, learn from
their mistakes and get
better (continuously).
Read Grit, Smarter Faster
Better, 5 Elements of Effective Thinking and Peak...
Find out for yourself.
Martial art
Tai chi practice is far more sophisticated than
tai chi for health
training.
There are many partnered drills and group scenarios that require a lot of
class work.
A considerable amount of solo training is also imperative.
The real deal
Learning a martial art requires commitment.
The student must invest time, money, attention and patience.
They must suffer set-backs, frustration and quite a few bumps & bruises.
The journey will be anything but easy.
Not easy
As well as gaining valuable martial skills, you must learn how to strengthen
the body, protect yourself from injury and become seasoned to combat.
Tai chi combat is not a mild endeavour.
If you imagine that it simply entails qigong, form and pushing hands, you
are mistaken.
One cannot listen to different pieces of music at the same time, a real comprehension of the beautiful being possible only through concentration upon some central motive.
(Kakuzo Okakura)
Tai chi fighting method
Some people have a real passion for their chosen hobby, interest or
art.
They invest a tremendous amount of time, money and effort in their given
pursuit.
Typically, they would rather practice than talk about it. But these people are rare.
As you like it
Not many students have a hunger for knowledge, skill and understanding.
Most people are content with a superficial degree of skill.
Piano & tai chi?
If you want to learn any skill thoroughly and convincingly,
you need to put in an awful lot of time.
Whether you are seeking to learn Spanish, cook like a gourmet chef or play
the guitar, it is just the same.
Practice, practice, practice.
There are no shortcuts...
Misconceptions
John M Ziegler's
Piano Education Page is a wonderful on-line resource that contains
insights applicable to both piano and tai chi:
There are some common misconceptions and misapprehensions regarding piano lessons that piano teachers see (and sometimes bemoan) frequently. Most of these are born from a simple lack of knowledge on the part of prospective students and parents. Unfortunately, such misconceptions work to make lessons less effective and enjoyable, for both the teacher and the student.
(John M. Zeigler)
Learning piano is a lot more than just being able to "plunk out" a few
tunes. If you're going to carry any skills over to other music, no matter
the type, you'll need to learn how to: read music, adopt basic posture and
technique, follow melodic and harmonic lines in each hand simultaneously,
finger chords, practice properly and much, much more.
(John M. Zeigler)
Many people don't realize that lessons undertaken without commitment almost
always lead to failure. Lessons take real time and involvement on the part
of teachers, students and parents.
(John M. Zeigler)
Given the amount of time (not
to mention psychological) commitment needed to be successful in learning to
play the piano, an overly scheduled child or adult student will find it
difficult to be successful learning piano for sheer lack of time. Consider
if you really have the time to commit at least an hour per day to effective
practice.
(John M. Zeigler)
Just as parental involvement is important to a child's success in school,
his/her success in piano lessons will require support from the parents. The
teacher will provide information, technique and encouragement. However,
remember that the teacher only sees the student for 30 to 60 minutes per
week, while the parents spend most of the non-school hours with him. If the
parents don't see to it that their children practice and attend lessons
regularly, the teacher's effort will likely be for naught, no matter what
her skills as a teacher. Even more helpful to lesson success is regular
interest and encouragement of their children from parents.
(John M. Zeigler)
In rare cases, it may be the teacher's "fault" if your child isn't
progressing. Before you conclude that you need to change teachers though,
take a look at whether you and your child have been serious about lessons.
Are you practicing correctly and frequently enough? Are you attending all
scheduled lessons? Are you rewarding accomplishment at the piano with as
much praise as you would accomplishment on the athletic field? Is learning
piano a priority or just another part of a busy day?
(John M. Zeigler)
"Talent" at the piano is real, but, as in so many other areas of
human
endeavour, greatly overrated. If you are committed to learning piano and are
willing to do the regular (i.e. daily) practice that building skill
requires, you will learn to play to a considerable degree, irrespective of
the level of your "native" talent. As with so many other skills, playing the
piano requires hard work and inspiration in about a ten to one (or higher)
ratio, respectively.
(John M. Zeigler)
Sometimes, parents come into a piano studio having heard the many "play
in a day" claims out there. Some can't understand why their child isn't
ready for a concert tour after 6 months of lessons. Unfortunately, you can't
really learn to play piano using any "play in a day" approach. Often, this
approach does more harm than good. You might be able to master a single tune
to a small degree, but you won't have learned much to carry over to the next
one.
(John M. Zeigler)
Many people take lessons because they would like to be able to play some
particular work or genre of music. It's not surprising that they might want
to play works that are well beyond their level of training and capability.
Keep in mind the fact that you are taking lessons from a teacher because he
or she knows more about piano than you do. The teacher probably knows what's
best for your training, especially in the first year. It's perfectly fine to
tell your teacher that you have an interest in some work or works and ask if
they could be worked into your lesson program, as feasible. In the end,
though, you're probably best served by following the teacher's program of
training and repertoire.
(John M. Zeigler)
"I couldn't come to the lesson (or practice the piano), because I had a
(football, baseball, basketball, soccer, track, hockey, lacrosse, etc.
practice, game)"
Piano teachers hear these statements so often that it's practically
impossible to list all the variations. In the end, they all come down to
students and parents placing a higher priority on these alternative
activities than on piano. All of us must make decisions everyday about how
we will use our time. However, we can hardly hold a school teacher
responsible for our failure to learn (and the resulting F grade) if we don't
attend class regularly or do any of the homework. The same is true for
piano. The difference is that you're wasting your own money, not just that
of the taxpayers, if you take that view with regard to piano lessons.
(John M. Zeigler)
You can either "practice" or you can practice. Too many people think
that, if an hour of practice is required, that a half hour is almost as good
and that half hour can be spent watching TV while "practicing." Real
practice requires both mental and physical devotion, in which you don't
simply repeat mistakes, but correct them before proceeding on. One expert
pianist I know says that you should practice a problem area until you can do
right ten times for every time you do it wrong. It's not the amount of time
you spend, but how well you use the time that counts. If you practice
several hours a day and simply repeat the same mistakes each time through,
you have not practiced effectively.
In passing, allow me to note that failure of the student to practice
properly and adequately is the single biggest item that piano teachers note
as contributing to the failure of lessons.
(John M. Zeigler)
Some people feel it's okay not to show up for a lesson and not to give
notice, but expect immediate scheduling of a free makeup lesson. Others
think that they can use their piano teacher as an unpaid baby sitter by
leaving their child unsupervised at the piano studio for an hour or two
after the scheduled end of the lesson. People should remember that the
teacher teaches more students than just their children. If he/she has to
watch over students left past lesson times or has to wait for a student who
never arrives, he can't give full attention to other students. In effect,
those who leave their children at the studio past the scheduled end of the
lesson are stealing the teacher's time and attention from the next student.
(John M. Zeigler)
"My piano teacher must be getting rich, because the hourly lesson rate is
higher than my hourly rate."
Most people don't consider that they get benefits (health insurance, paid
vacation, retirement plan, etc.) for "free" as a part of their compensation
package, while most piano teachers must pay for those same benefits out of
their hourly fee. Since typical company benefits run anywhere from half the
nominal salary to equal the salary (or more), the real ("fully loaded")
compensation is much higher than the amount people think of as salary.
Considered in that light, most teacher's fees are quite low, especially when
you consider that the majority of teachers have degrees and/or other
advanced training.
(John M. Zeigler)
Under pressure?
Students who are studying the syllabus are not under pressure to
spend hours training every day.
They are welcome to commit as much or as little time as they like.
No one can make you practice.
Just remember that your progress is inextricably linked to your degree of
commitment.
If you are keen, practice at home and attend weekly lessons, your progress
will be strong and steady.
If you are casual, you will progress at a slower pace. It is important to do what feels right for you. Similarly, you must not resent the progress of others in the class who are
dedicated and skilled.
Each student is free to proceed at a pace of their own choosing.
If you want to attend once or twice a month, that is fine providing you
accept that you will need plenty of revision and your progress will be slow.
You make it happen
Students should appreciate their true relationship with tai chi.
The art is manifested by you.
Hence, the quality of the art is your responsibility.
You cannot expect amazing
fighting skills when your body has not been trained,
conditioned and honed.
Only you can do the work.
We offer the material and the practice partners, but you must make the
effort. How can the tai chi be anything other than what you make it?
Page created
18 April 1995
Last updated
16 June 2023
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