Piano Analogy
 

Most people learn to play the piano by taking lessons. They learn in segments. They learn what each hand does. They learn by a systematic procedure, in most cases. They learn to read music.

At first they play little scales and exercises, then gradually move up to more advanced things. Eventually they can play music. In the end, many can play with little conscious thought. They just FEEL IT.

There are a FEW gifted people, however, that play piano BY EAR. They often can't read music. They had no formal training, or very little. But, they play beautifully.

I think GOLF can be similar. Many people seem to fear going into detail in learning golf. They don't want to learn in segments, or learn how to READ MUSIC. They want to just play golf BY EAR.

There are a few gifted people that can do this. They can play golf BY EAR. They usually can't explain how they do it, at least not very well. But, they can sure do it.

The same result, however, can be achieved by the golfer that learns to READ MUSIC, and learns in SEGMENTS. If he is taught well, and practices well, he can end up in the same place as the golfer that PLAYS BY EAR. He, however, can usually explain in some detail how he does it. After some TIME, he doesn't really nead to THINK much about how he does it, but he knows how he does it. He CAN... PLAY BY FEEL, WITH LITTLE THOUGHT OF HOW HE DOES IT.

Just tryin' to get to that level, like every one else here.

I got decent playing by ear, but not near as good as I'm gonna be by learning to do it right.

Music Man
 

After paying for a couple of pianos and no telling how many lessons for my kids over a period of twenty years or so -- and never touching a key -- I finally decided in my early-fifties to take the plunge myelf.

Not for me the 'tried and true' way to Classical Triumph. No. I wanted to make music now. And I did, as I will explain. Ultimately, I did learn to read music. Better in treble cleff than bass, but learn it I did. But in the meantime...

On purpose, I learned the Big Picture...

On purpose, I learned how music worked. Not just to regurgitate the written page, but how it worked and why it worked.

And, on purpose, I learned chords.

My teacher -- who I met at the Interational Association of Jazz Educators in New Orleans as I 'scoped things out' -- insisted I learn the nine different qualities of chords -- in each of the twelve keys. These ranged from major to diminished with all the minors and 5ths, 6ths and 7ths in between. And not only just to memorize them...

But to know them.

As evidenced by being able to play them throughout the twelve keys.

Simultaneously in both hands.

Five-fingered chords...

At a metronome beat set to one per second.

108 Chords. 108 seconds.

Well, all righty then!

...

And now I play the piano.

Not great, you understand...

But respectable.

And it is music.

Music that I enjoy.

Music that I play...

Myself.

Hum something -- best of all, even make up something -- and I will play it for you.

You will hear your own music, and you will delight in it.

As will I.

Then I will play my own music...

And that will make us both happy, too.

:)

acquiring skills
 

It's obviously a process of converting habit, which connects the scores they read or music they hear with finger movement.

They just want to do different thing (hitting a golf ball) with the same method (daily habit and instinct).

They somehow adapt pretty well, regardless of taking a lesson, mostly without even knowing the converting process.

It doesn't matter, as long as the habit is converted, regardless of how. Significant time can be saved during the process with a teacher who understand what's behind it.

Yoda I just read this for the first time. I see a sort of trend in the various stories from your past.

First you are passionate. Very passionate on a number or fronts.

Secondly, you seek the advice of the absolute best, bar none. Be it in finance, music or golf (you sought out Hogan and then found Homer Kelley, the finance guru in New York, the music teacher in New Orleans).

Thirdly you find great joy in the process of learning, discovery and in the art of teaching, explaining. The latter I think is the fuel to the fire that is your passion and it burns very,very brightly.

And now for me and my golf quest, you have in turn, become the absolute best, bar none. A lineage that Im quite proud of.

Thank you. I know it aint easy being green but thank you.
O.B.

I have studied from one of the greatest Jazz piano teachers of all time, Dick Grove and attended his private school. I studied the guitar and was a studio guitar player with over 1000 paid sessions. Reading music does not make a great player but just a player. Most of the great players do not read music as music is just written. The feel and style of the music played by a great player makes it great. Great players play by ear and feel. Great golfers play by feel and many do not have a clue what they are doing. Dick Grove use to tell me that in music every song was a 2-5-1 and he was right but to figure that out is not the key to a great player. Having an ear and feel for music is. Feel is the key in music and golf and it does not matter if you read music or know what you are doing in the golf swing to be a great player. Just a thought?

Cross Border Friends
 

Thank you, James. Teachers tend to be defined by their students (and their success), and I am proud to be defined by you and yours.

:salut:

From our first lessons at Orlando's Orange County National -- watching you shake off the Canadian 'snowbird' dust in the morning and stripe lasers in the afternoon -- to our subsequent sessons at The Swamp . . . I am proud you have chosen me as your teacher.

See you soon at Cuscowilla!

:golf:

We WISH RIGHT
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIkQNti8_EU


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxB-L...eature=related


:salut: :salut:

Piano
 

I played the piano since the third grade. A very good sight reader which eventually halted my progress. Until my HS music teacher put in front of me this Chopin piece, and I had trouble, real trouble playling this. I had to really practice this piece until I memorized it. I played it at my college recital at 19. Now take a look at this ten year old playing it...........Bastard :laughing9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQYYT3qlTu4

10 year old Rainman