Using the Method with your computer

[David Haynes]

A student asked me the following question: “So I access my lessons on my computer. But how do I then walk over to my piano which is in another room? I mean, can I print the lessons?”

My initial thought was, “Why do you need your computer at your piano?” The seminar serves three purposes:
1. Introduce basic musical concepts and provide a structure for how to practice scales.
2. Learn how to use the ‘Misty’ dot song
3. Provide a reference for using fake books and voicing songs yourself.

So, print out ‘Misty’ and print out your scale sheet if you need it (the formula is simple to remember). Then work on those two things exclusively until you have them down pat. There is some benefit from puzzling things out on your own.

Later you may want to print out your voicing rules but you’ll have that memorized pretty quickly once you get to voicing.

This is not an intellectual exercise – “learn the ‘secret’ to playing piano” – it’s a ‘doing’ exercise. You’ll learn what you need to by doing what David tells you, not by understanding some particular concept. Listen and watch the seminar to get the gist of things. You don’t have to understand everything right away.

This will seem foreign and impossibly difficult if you’re a complete beginner – but it’s not. Keep it simple and be persistent in your practice. You’ll get it eventually. I promise.

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