Our MAT 605 class has been challenged by Dr. Carr to learn something new and keep a journal about the process. I could journal about learning to blog, which is new, but I will combine it with something else that I also need to learn. This way, I am learning two new things and that should be worth extra credit!!!!
I am going to learn more about the organ and learn to play a piece using the foot pedals (which I have never used before). I teach piano lessons and one of my students wants to do a piano / organ duet. I play the organ as if it were a piano. I don't know anything about the stops, or how to use the pedals. So, this will be very good for me.
I will have to practice the piece on the piano at least two hours a week and then do some research about how an organ is supposed to work. On the piece of music that I am learning, I will practice a lot to learn the treble and bass staffs with my hands, and then I will attempt to learn the foot pedals.
I'll have to practice two hours a week at first to learn the hands part, and then two hours a week to learn the foot pedals and play them along with my hands.
Schedule:
Week 1 Practiced the piece on the piano for one hour
Week 2 Practiced the piece on the piano for 30 minutes 9/6/11
Practiced on the piano for 20 minutes 9/7/11
Practiced on the piano for 30 minutes 9/9/11
Watched a one hour demo video of our church organ. It talked about the stops but didn't explain how to use them, or why you use which ones. It did show me how to pre-set the stops I want for the piece or pieces I am playing.
Week 3 Practiced on the paino for 45 minutes 9/16/11 I am learning to play the right and left hands and I feel that I must memorize them or I'll never be able to add the foot pedals. It is going to sound so great with the foot pedals and I very much want to be able to play them but I am worried if my coordination will allow me to do three things at once. It is going to be a bit like juggling and I am afraid that I am not much of a juggler. As I was playing, I tried to imagine that there was a keyboard down by my feet, which is what the pedals are, and I am now very skeptical about being able to hit the right notes with my foot as I am concentrating on playing the correct notes with my fingers. Oh dear!!!!!
