I am studyin piano in college, where I am free to practice as many hours a day as I want. When I go home for holidays and the summer, however, I have nothing on which to practice. My family cannot afford a piano, or a keyboard that is weighted (I have a kiddy keyboard at home with 60-something keys). I am very worries about not being able to keep up my strength and technique, much less play my pieces from classes. Does anyone have any advice as to what I can do?

-- B. Waller (bebounce@hotmail.com), December 01, 2002

Answers

Hi, A 60 something keyboard is better than nothing. You could check into renting an old upright or an electronic keyboard. Also see if a friend of the family has a paino you could use at time convenient to both of you. Another option is to check local community centers or churches. Good luck.

-- Barbara (mmillbach59@comcast.net), December 09, 2002.

Visualize! It helps immensely. Visualize playing every single note in a piece in your head. This will help with your memory, and you just may find that you are better able to play the piece when you try it at the piano again. Practise on the kitchen table, making sure all your hand positions are correct. Study the sheet music while you are away from the piano. This will improve your analytical, visual and kinesthetic memory.

-- Zoe (z_phillips@excite.com), December 07, 2004.