let's play that with the fast track

if you've ever been in a piano lesson with me you've probably heard me say those exact words..."let's play that with the fast track" or "let's go ahead and play that with the CD."

the CD comes in the books that i teach from; each song has two tracks, and the first one is called a practice track. it plays more slowly and you can hear the piano part to play along. the second track is faster and doesn't have the piano part playing along so you can be the one to add in the piano.

chances are if a student goes on with music they'll decide to play with other musicians on various levels. in order to do that they need to be able to hear what is going on around them as well as maintain what they're playing. this isn't something that happens naturally but like everything else it is a skill that can be developed.

this is where playing with the CD comes in handy; by playing with the CD we have an opportunity to develop our ear and to be listening to what's happening around us. i think you will also find that it makes practice time a lot more enjoyable.

the CD is a useful tool to hear how the song sounds on the practice track, especially outside of piano lessons...it can refresh your memory. it also gives many students a great goal to work up to the fast track.

be careful, though, not to swing too far the other way by developing a dependence on the CD to play. a healthy balance is best.